With each year as random as the one before, it's difficult to predict what will happen in the world of marketing.
The last five years alone have seen some of the most chaotically unprecedented events no one could have predicted. War, pandemics, floods, earthquakes. These are not only impacting our planet, our communities, and our governments - but the market, and therefore marketing.
This constant stream of curveballs has created a societal sense that we must always be 'ready' for things to come. This leaves us in a permanent state of preparation, or expecting the worst. It is the sad reality that is today's world, but it means that life is shifting all too quickly to keep up with it.
Some things are set to continue in 2024's marketing landscape.
So, what's going to stay the same?
- Influencer & micro-influencer marketing
- TikTok marketing
- Short-form video
But with AI developing at breakneck speed, we're set to see some pretty big changes in 2024's marketing scene.
2023 planted the AI seeds. It showed us exactly what AI could do, 2024 is the year it will sprout.
AI changes the game, forever
Our treatment of AI in marketing will change drastically this year.
We already know what it can do, we've gone past the stage of 'Wow! We can use AI to write a novel.'
Now we're thinking 'How can we use this to really hook our buyer persona, enhance marketing and ultimately make more money?'
AI can be included in our business's long-term goals and targets. It's shaping new career progression and even affecting the way we grow businesses, and it's for sure changing the way we treat our marketing plans. It's really exciting stuff.
This is the year we'll see...
- Immersive marketing with augmented reality and VR
- Voice search optimisation
- Fine-tuned personalisation
- Smarter chatbots
Immersive marketing
AI tech allows our marketing to stretch far beyond the virtual try-on. Your customers virtually try out your products before hitting the 'buy' button. In 2024, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are stealing the 'try before you buy' spotlight.
Imagine if you could put on a VR headset and experience a VR immersion in your conservatory. You could take your non-existent dog for a walk, or see if those jeans do suit you.
These immersive technologies aren’t just for big corporations anymore; SMEs can use them to create jaw-dropping, interactive experiences that leave a lasting impression.
While we're not quite at the stage where we can enter a dimension-warping immersive tech vortex that allows us to jump into our phone screens and explore an online store. Soon, our online stores will be as immersive as tech allows.
Not only will it extend to AR marketing, but AR/VR can allow us to interact with brands in a way that we never have before. Interactive live polls, quizzes, and social events in the virtual realm, and 2024 is just another stepping stone to get there.
Voice search optimisation
If you saw someone talking to thin air requesting the weather forecast 20 years ago you'd tell them to seek professional help. Nowadays, we get called 'dinosaurs' if we don't have voice search optimisation. We're talking to machines far more than we used to, and like everything, marketing has moulded around this.
What about the world outside of AI?
2024 is also set to see shifts in...
- Sustainability is a necessity
- Short-form videos will get shorter as attention spans wander
- Data and privacy are expected to become more strict
Sustainability
The planet's had its heyday. It's rugged and battered, and now it's our responsibility to soothe to the burn, and close up the wounds we've already put there. That means there's a higher demand for companies that operate sustainably.
Ethical and sustainable is not just a trend; it's a movement. Consumers care about where their products come from and how they're made. So, market your eco-friendly practices, sourcing, and social responsibility efforts.
It's good for the planet and your brand image. Be transparent to avoid greenwashing or greenhushing.
To stay ahead of the curve, look over your environmental practices, search for sustainable innovative practices, and add pillars of sustainability into your core business values.
Short-form video gets shorter
TikTok and Instagram reels are thrones for the content king: Short-form video.
They're gold dust content platforms that spread brand awareness like never before. But as short-form booms, attention spans are getting shorter and shorter.
This means we're changing the ways we tackle engagement, and it is certainly set the change how we generate video content. Video content is now easier to create, and we're expecting to see a fine-tuning of short-form video marketing to suit the specific individual.
Data and privacy regulation
With stricter rules in place, marketers are dancing a delicate tango between personalisation and respecting boundaries. Customers want a personalised experience, but they're not willing to sacrifice their privacy for it.
So, we're seeing a shift - transparency is the new cool.
It's all about open communication with your customers. Being transparent about data usage, asking for consent, and putting user privacy on a pedestal are all ways you can win your customer's hearts and comply with the law.
