Digital marketing trends to consider adopting in 2024

Top digital marketing trends for 2024 

It’s that time of year again; trends pieces! 2024 is poised to bring a host of exciting developments in digital marketing. Some of the top digital marketing trends for 2024 we’ve seen coming from a mile away, like the growth of social ecommerce and the impact of AI, whereas others will be more subdued, yet still impactful. To keep our predictions manageable, we’ve narrowed it down to the five most impactful trends we’re looking forward to in the coming year. Some of these will redefine the marketing world, but most will just make your life as a marketer much fun and more streamlined. 

1. AI tools and marketing productivity

Oh AI! With McKinsey estimating that AI could add trillions of dollars to the global economy because of its impact on productivity, with marketing and sales one of the four key areas poised to be most impacted, it would be remiss to ignore AI in our digital marketing trends. AI, and generative AI especially, is revolutionizing how marketers spend their time by enhancing efficiencies and creative processes. From sophisticated data analysis to automated content creation, AI tools are streamlining numerous marketing functions, enabling businesses to make more informed decisions and craft more targeted, personalized campaigns. 

At this stage, most of your favorite marketing tools, be it SemRush, ClickUp, Trello, or Active Campaign, have integrated AI functions into their platforms. These tools provide features from content creation to automated scheduling and more. AI platforms are helping marketers personalize and scale marketing efforts. In fact, Gartner estimates that, “By 2026, 80% of creative talent will use GenAI daily, allowing for more strategic work, resulting in increased spending on creative.” When your team can automate campaigns and ad adjustments based on results, they can spend more time crafting inspiring messaging that can’t be mastered by AI or strategizing on how to recruit for high-growth healthcare organizations. 

2. Personalization and individualized experiences

As you know, personalization goes beyond addressing someone by name in your outreach. I mean, who really wants another “personalized” LinkedIn message asking you to connect because they think you’d be a great fit for their X? When we talk about personalization in 2024, we’re highlighting tailored experiences to meet the specific needs, preferences, and behaviors of your audience. This individualized approach is crucial because it demonstrates a deep understanding and consideration for the customer. If you’re still not convinced about the power of personalization, McKinsey reported that: “…it can reduce customer acquisition costs by as much as 50 percent, lift revenues by 5 to 15 percent, and increase marketing ROI by 10 to 30 percent.”

So, what are the ways in which you can capture the value of personalization in the coming year? 

• Leverage customer data – Seems obvious, but with more data you can identify behaviors, make predictions, test initiatives, and track the results. We’ve talked a lot about the right data for the right objective and this is no different. If you want to provide a more personalized service or hyper-target niche audiences, you need to understand how they behave. AI tools are especially helpful in this area, and there are plenty to choose from depending on your needs. 
• Work with technology experts to hyper-personalize – Everything is digital. The growth of the Internet of Things and connected devices ensure that even brick and mortar stores are connected all the time. And, while you don’t want to be “creepy”, tracking behaviors and personalizing recommendations that customers might not have thought about can work. It may also be useful for recruitment when you need an extra boost to stand out from the crowd. All of this to say that your marketing team may not be equipped to build apps or handle complex AI algorithms, but those things can be easily outsourced. 
• Protect customer privacy – We’ll expand on this point below, but with all the targeting and personalization, customers need to feel secure in how you are using and protecting their privacy. Cyberattacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, as is the need to ramp up customer data protections. At the end of the day, it’s on your team and your organization to build a secure, privacy-first data use policy, and stick to it.

3. Social ecommerce

Accenture predicted that social ecommerce profits would triple by 2025. “Globally, sales made through social commerce in 2021 are expected to reach $492 billion.” It’s a trend that has continued to grow and will continue to grow, at least for the next few years. With everyone using social media everyday, it makes sense that brands marketing to customers on social media will stand to profit. Social ecommerce is a personalized experience for the user and brands as they can target their audience with minimal trouble or expense. It’s also been a blessing for smaller businesses that may not have the reach or the marketing power to implement major lead strategies. In 2024, we anticipate that social ecommerce will continue to drive sales and should be wholeheartedly embraced by brands of all sizes.

4. Privacy-first approach to marketing

Privacy and data security should be top of mind for all marketers. As more customer data is used to build personalized experiences and make predictions, privacy must remain a priority. This also means taking extra precautions to protect data in an age of sophisticated cyberattacks. To ensure a privacy-first approach to data in 2024, make sure your organization is implementing the follow actions: 

• Consent-based data collection: Data must be collection clearly and explicitly, and users must be informed of how that data will be used. These days users must also opt-in. Overall make sure to follow state and federal guidelines, and if collecting data internationally, international guidelines which may be more strict than in the USA.
• Transparent data policies: Your organization’s data policies should be clear to all teams across the organization, no matter they area of expertise. Consider regularly updating privacy policies to reflect changes in data practices.
• Secure data storage and handling: In order to accomplish this one, you may need to hire a technology partner or review the policies of your venders to ensure they comply. This is another area that should be regularly audited and updated to reflect evolving cyber threats.
• Privacy-first by design: Incorporate privacy considerations into the design of marketing campaigns and data systems from the outset, rather than as an afterthought.

5. Consumer consciousness and brand accountability

Last on our list of digital marketing trends is consumer consciousness driving brand accountability. As consumers become more educated on issues, and flex their spending power, they are beginning to expect more of brands. They want brands to also consciously solve the issues that many of the very large ones helped to create. Companies are now expected to demonstrate their commitment to social and environmental responsibility, not just in their products or services, but in their marketing strategies as well. 

More consumers are proactively buying brands that focus on sustainability first. Brands that fail to adapt to these evolving consumer expectations risk losing trust, loyalty, and market share! However, it’s important to be authentic in this space as greenwashing, or making something appear far more sustainable or green than it actually is, has become a problem and consumers are exposing frauds (as they should). Apple recently published the Mother Earth video, detailing their sustainability initiatives in quite a creative way. Many other brands are now doing the same. No matter where the trend comes from, it’s a great way to get everyone to play their part in driving more sustainable actions. 

We get the feeling 2024 is going to be an exciting year with all the unique trends on deck!