2024 Digital (Marketing) Predictions...

It’s that time of year again… digital marketing predictions for a new year, 2024. As we navigate the world of digital marketing in 2024, my top 10 list include (and not surprisingly, some are carried over from 2023) the rise of social as a search engine, GenAI for personalization, social commerce, community-centric and niche platforms and more.?

?? Top 10 Digital (Marketing) Predictions: (plus 2 bonus ones)

1. AI for Content Creations, Personalized Campaigns, and Efficiencies. Creating hyper-targeted ads and campaigns that resonate with individual preferences, behaviours, and demographics -- look at targeting and creative opportunities; streamline A/B testing (and content dev.) process by automating the creation of and optimization of multiple variations - identify the most effective elements of ads, copy, email subject lines, landing pages and more.?
2. Social Media as the New Search Engine: Move over 谷歌 and 微软 , there's a new player in town - social media platforms. In 2024, we will see them evolve into powerful search engines, with users relying on them not just for social interaction but as primary sources for discovering information, trends, products, and services and finding answers to questions had (think full funnel.) TikTok and Pinterest are already set up nicely for this.
3. Community & Group Chats: Consumers will gravitate towards platforms that foster genuine communities ( Elena Yunusov I'm writing this with you in mind), emphasizing shared values and interests, providing a sense of belonging and connection. Reddit and Discord will prevail here as community is at their core; Meta , you have Groups which has always been a great feature of Facebook… it just needs some attention in parallel to the focus being given to AI.?As well, expect users (more so Gen Z) to gravitate towards group chats/direct messages... showcasing importance of two-way communication. How will brands choose to engage here? (Hoping this also means Snap Inc. will have its moment once again.)
4. Generative AI Redefining Business and Marketing: I’ve already talked about how it will be used within the digital marketing realm,? but expect brands to experiment using GenAI in strategy optimization, and driving (product & service) innovation across the entire marketing, business and people landscape.?
5. Continue to Lean into TikTok: the platform's growth will persist, with marketers leveraging TikTok and its creators for creative and authentic brand storytelling. As well, we will start seeing brands partner with Tik Tok for opportunities and partnerships that extend beyond the phone and drive audiences past web and app.?(Again, think full funnel, offline / online.)On the topic of Tik Tok , expect its competitors to expand beyond other social networks and e-commerce websites, in 2024 it will compete with streaming services like Netflix and Spotify .
6. Social Commerce: hoping this is the year when more brands leverage social media as part of their e-commerce strategies, allowing users to seamlessly discover, engage, and purchase products directly within their social platforms of choice. Social commerce should be complimentary to your overall strategies and not seen as solely competitors. And Meta , rather than removing features that allowed for social commerce, please consider adding them back… unless, that is, you’re being generous and allowing Tik Tok and Pinterest to take the spotlight here.
7. Niche Platforms/Embrace Emerging Platforms: As marketers, we will (and should) explore and invest in niche and emerging platforms, recognizing the value of targeted audiences and early adoption for a competitive edge. Threads 2.0? Yes, I am hoping that Threads will have its moment in 2024. With people and brands continuing to abandon X, could Threads be the alternative place to share text updates and engage in conversations. While Meta has been rolling out updates to the platform (thank you for this) the hope is that dedicated attention is given to this social platform as it does have the potential.
8. Influencer/Consumer Partnerships: Influencer partnerships will move beyond transactional engagements, focusing on long-term relationships, co-creation (products, content, campaigns) and increased authenticity, and shared values. This could / should extend to your VIP customers — collaborating and co-creating so that the output resonates with the evolving preferences of your customers.
9. Video Dominance Continues (with Longer Form Resurgence ???? ): Video content will continue to prevail — evolving across platforms and formats, with short-form and interactive videos captivating audiences attention. That said, however, I still believe that longer form video content will be accepted by audiences and creators alike (and not just on Youtube .) People wanting to sit back and watch and/or watch while doing other things. Yes, platforms are allowing for it (so, thank you) but we still need to work on adoption. Here to help as this has become a somewhat personal project of mine (IYKYK).
10. Reactive Content: Real-time content creation in response to events and trends will become a staple, providing relevance in brand content and campaigns. In order for this to succeed and ensure timeliness and relevance, teams will need to foster a more agile way of doing things... and, while the trend is still meaningful to your consumers.

BONUS: To fulfil my soft spot for retail and brand, here are a couple of predictions that could have an impact in 2024:?

?? Augmented Reality (AR) in Retail & Show-telling: AR will continue to revolutionize the retail experience, helping to enhancing the in-store and online shopping experience. Here's where I am hoping that Snap AR can shine (still believe in the power of this social platform as a companion to brick and mortar and online shopping.)

As well, how can brands leverage AR for a more immersive brand story, showcasing products virtually, having customer interact with the brand in ways that weren't possible before.

?? Voice Commerce and AI Assistants: The adoption of voice-activated devices and AI assistants will grow (I'm hopeful), enabling consumers to make purchases, access information, and interact with brands seamlessly through voice commands. (I'm still waiting for the next generation of Siri, Alexa and Hey Google...)

As all predictions, consider these as directional -- as guides for staying ahead of trends in 2024, embracing innovation and efficiencies, and as marketers — looking at (new) ways to create meaningful connections with our consumer base.

?? Wishing all of you a fab 2024, filled with much joy and professional and personal milestones.

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