These top marketing trends for 2024 will help you reach your customers more effectively, giving you a welcome competitive advantage as you move through the new year.
Are you looking for inspiration to update your marketing? The start of a new year is a great time to reflect on what you’ve tried in the past and spot new opportunities to capitalize on in the future.
Your marketing strategy will still need regular review and adjustment. However, a solid refresh in January can get you on the right track and position you well for a profitable year.
Learning new avenues to reach customers via digital marketing can be valuable to the long-term growth of your business. Not surprisingly, 66 per cent of marketers believe digital marketing is one of the best types of marketing for companies wanting to succeed.
New marketing ideas can give you a competitive edge
Why is it critical to stay ahead of the curve in your marketing? Adopting new marketing trends for the coming year can give you the advantage of driving customer engagement, improving brand visibility, and keeping you ahead of industry competitors.
Trends become popular because they offer better ways for your business to reach audiences with your messaging and products. They help halt wasted spending and redirect marketing dollars to better uses. They make room for innovation and adaptation, both vital to keeping your business healthy as business landscapes shift.
Each time you respond quickly and adapt your strategy to align with market trends, you’re likely to gain more reach, lower your costs, or tap into new audiences — putting you ahead of your competitors and protecting your bottom line.
Top marketing trends for 2024
Let’s dig into the ideas you should explore in the new year. Some of the strategies below may sound familiar, but a tweak in how you implement them could make all the difference. Others may be new to you, but this could be the year you try them on for size.
Here are 10 areas you should consider adding to your marketing plan for 2024:
1. Being transparent about brand values
Consumers are becoming more socially conscious and more apt to spend in alignment with their values. Businesses showcasing their commitment to social responsibility in their marketing efforts will resonate better with consumers.
Tip: Take the time to develop brand messaging that communicates who you are and what you stand for, and be sure it is apparent in your marketing.
2. Investing in video content
Video has been attracting attention and connecting with audiences for a few years. Businesses should pay close attention to platforms that allow them to share short-form video content that users consume heavily.
Tip: If you’ve passed on TikTok and Instagram Reels in the past, it may be time for a second look. These platforms attract high volume, high engagement audiences.
3. Accommodating voice search
As more people get comfortable using voice-activated devices and virtual assistants, optimizing content for voice search will become essential for users to find information online.
Tip: Create content that answers specific voice queries and optimize your online presence for natural language and informational answers.
4. Experimenting with AI and programmatic advertising
Programmatic advertising, or using AI and machine learning to automate ad buying, is likely to show continued growth. It gives marketers precise targeting functionality, mindful budget allocation, and efficient distribution across multiple channels.
Tip: Reduce the time and manual workload involved in ad placements and let algorithms optimize your ad campaigns for you.
5. Embracing social commerce
Social media platforms are increasingly integrating e-commerce options. Businesses should leverage shoppable social media posts and in-app checkout, which are becoming more popular.
Tip: Your social media accounts can do much more than share your content. Let them become shopping destinations where your audience can buy without friction.
6. Protecting consumer privacy
As privacy concerns continue to rise, marketers need to adapt to changes in data collection and privacy regulations. Updated strategies to adhere to rules and protect consumers are becoming more critical.
Tip: If you don’t already have a privacy policy, create one with clear details about handling customer data and customer choices regarding opting in or out from providing personal data.
7. Leveraging USG and influencer marketing
Influencer marketing and user-generated content (USG) creator partnerships will evolve to focus more on authenticity and relationships than massive audiences. Smaller and highly engaged audiences may become more valuable options as brands seek more genuine connections with their target audience.
Tip: Look beyond numbers for influencers and USG content creators with devoted followings for the biggest impact.
8. Offering personalized marketing
Carefully tailored online experiences and marketing messages to the user are powerful ways to reach customers with relevant content.
Tip: Most platforms have AI and algorithms powering their targeting parameters, so make full use of these features for the best results.
9. Developing an omnichannel marketing experience
This integrated approach provides a seamless and consistent customer experience through every online and offline interaction with their favourite brands.
Tip: Offering consistency in branding and messaging across multiple platforms and touchpoints helps create a cohesive and positive customer journey.
10. Exploring virtual and augmented reality
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies can help businesses offer enhanced customer experiences at nearly every touchpoint. AR provides interactive product demonstrations, virtual try-ons and virtual showrooms, while VR offers powerful brand and storytelling experiences.
Tip: Consider how you can create immersive and engaging brand interactions for your customers.
Marketing trends to leave behind
As you update your marketing plan to include exciting new channels and brainstorm new ad campaigns, pause to consider what those new ideas should replace.
Are there tactics that haven’t performed well for you in the past? Make a note to examine these and consider if it’s time to leave them in the past or if there’s a learning opportunity ahead.
As a bit of a cheat sheet, here’s a quick list of tactics most marketers will be moving on from as they embrace new ideas.
- Heavy keyword use
Content with repetitive keyword use or “keyword stuffing” that renders text hard to read drives down the value of your content.
- Marketing to “everyone”
Generic messaging that doesn’t accurately target your ideal customer groups is a quick way to not appeal to anyone strongly enough for them to buy.
- Distracting online experiences
Overusing pop-up ads that have a negative impact on user experience is a trend most users are happy to see fade.
- Outdated tactics or standards
Holding tight to what’s worked in the past or going by “gut feel” for ad campaigns, website design or optimization can give competitors the upper hand.
- Poorly aligned brand promotion
Overt or pushy product placements or influencer endorsements that look and feel unnatural are unlikely to convert users to customers.
Did you catch any similarities in the list? Most of these tactics can come across as too heavy-handed. As an industry, marketing continues to focus on the consumer and providing a better user experience.
Most customers want meaningful, memorable brand experiences that help them make buying decisions that solve a problem or add something positive to their lives.
Keeping an eye on new ideas and different approaches can help you make the best use of your marketing budget and refine how your business attracts and keeps customers.
Staying on top of trends ensures your marketing strategy continues to hit the right notes with your audience. Book a consultation with a Postmedia expert to learn more.
