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Marketing as we know it has changed almost beyond recognition in less than two decades. At the beginning of this century, business owners and marketers had a limited choice of channels to reach potential customers. For small businesses, some of these channels were cost-prohibitive.
The state of marketing in 2024
Over the past two decades, digital marketing has changed the way businesses find customers. If you type “the state of marketing in 2024” into a search engine, the results will include several key factors: personalization, the use of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), community building, and a degree of uncertainty. more likely to be included.
As economic challenges and wars continue to wreak havoc on economies around the world, forecasts for corporate performance remain uncertain. Still, some trends in marketing are slowly emerging and will become key elements of a successful marketing strategy in 2024. Unsurprisingly, some of those trends revolve around the use of technology. At the same time, there is a growing trend to place more emphasis on human relationships. Marketers can leverage both to benefit their brands.
Related: 4 Marketing Budget Hacks to Boost Your Business in 2024
1. Personalized marketing strategy
Gone are the days when the whole family would gather around the radio or television and watch specific programs or advertising content delivered during breaks. In recent years, marketers have focused on targeting specific users rather than using a broad approach.
Experts predict that big brands will go a step further in 2024, introducing true personalization based on the information consumers see and instantly understanding their needs. For example, imagine a change in the weather. As soon as it starts raining, you’ll see ads for rain gear and umbrellas, as well as articles discussing weather patterns. The goal is to make your content more relevant than ever.
2. Interactive content and experiences
Interactive marketing communications are also accelerating. To take advantage of these, marketers can use elements such as surveys and quizzes to build stronger connections with their target users. The goal is to turn passive connections between brands and consumers into active and memorable communications.
Product images and basic videos may not be enough to make your product stand out. Instead, big brands are leveraging augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to help customers experience new products and innovations.
3. Innovative use of social media
Social media marketing and advertising has become a core element of marketing strategies for businesses of all sizes. Social media platforms provide targeted access to your audience, allow you to tailor your activity to fit most marketing budgets, and help you build a community.
In recent years, the importance of ephemeral content that is briefly available and then disappears has grown. As consumers’ attention spans become increasingly shorter, content such as Facebook and Instagram Stories is easier to understand than long-form content.
Apart from this kind of disappearing content, live video, social commerce offerings, and interactive storytelling that allows viewers to decide the outcome of the story will continue to grow.
Related: 9 top tips for navigating the upcoming 2024 marketing landscape
4. Adopting new technology
Most of the major developments in marketing in 2024 will be driven or supported by emerging or developing technologies. Artificial intelligence (AI) has already made its mark in the 21st century.cent– Nearly two-thirds of marketers told Hubspot that they use AI for market research, content creation, and improving the user experience their brand provides.
Chatbots have become commonplace on many brand websites, giving customers 24/7 access to support and improving the user experience. When combined with AI, chatbots are becoming increasingly capable. Voice search and other voice-driven technologies are another key marketing strategy element for 2024.
5. Community building and user-generated content
Continuing advancements in technology have led to the opposite trend of forming communities among viewers. Early examples of these communities include Facebook’s community chat feature in groups and Instagram’s broadcast channel. Both give brands and creators another option to start conversations with multiple users.
Additionally, brand communication is no longer a one-way street from business to consumer. The most popular videos on TikTok feature consumers using products and sharing their experiences in authentic and highly relatable ways.
Related: 7 eCommerce Customer Experience Strategies for Effective Branding in 2024
6. Sustainability and purpose-driven marketing
Today’s consumers expect more than just a profit from their favorite brands. Discerning consumers are increasingly choosing businesses with a greater purpose, such as environmental and social initiatives. Her two key elements of purpose-driven marketing are looking for sustainable solutions and giving back to local communities.
Highlighting a company’s efforts in its field appeals to conscious consumers, but brands need to demonstrate true commitment. Superficial initiatives and activities may attract consumer attention in the short term, but are unlikely to yield long-term benefits.
7. Cross-channel integration
A consistent, integrated approach to marketing has always been considered a best practice. Brands can use different channels to reach different audiences, but marketing messages need to be consistent across those touchpoints. Most viewers will see branded content in a variety of places. Inconsistent messages can be confusing and drive away potential customers.
2024 will be a promising year for marketers who actively leverage technology without letting go of the needs of their communities. This year is not without its challenges, but it has the potential to change the way marketers use emerging technologies like AI to build the most powerful brand-consumer connections ever.
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