Digital Marketing Trends in 2024

At Tiny Lagoon, we’re always watching the evolving landscape of Digital Marketing, and as we are nearing the end of the first month of the year, we can already see some of 2024's trends shaping up. Do you want to get ready for them with us? Here are our predictions for what’s to come over the following months.

AI finds its place

Let’s start with the hottest topic: AI. It seems most marketeers were already starting to implement AI tools in their processes in 2023, a trend which will only get bigger this year. While the world is still learning to use AI to its fullest extent, we may see lots of brands using it to cut corners. Consequently, brands may find themselves sounding the same due to the use of similar AI-generated templates, especially with tech giants integrating GenAI tools within their platforms.?

As consumer marketing fatigue kicks in and customers become increasingly tech-savvy, they will be more and more selective. One of the best ways to set yourselves apart from the crowd will be to maximise authenticity, focusing on storytelling and the human side of your brand.?

For better consumer experiences, brands will be aiming to interact with their customers effectively, and the replacement of frustrating option-only chatbots with smarter solutions will be a priority. At the same time, companies will be looking to make the most out of XR experiences, that is, using AR, VR, MR and other extended reality resources for immersive brand experiences. This will be especially important with many companies such as Apple and Google planning to expand their VR headset and glasses offering following the launch of Meta Quest 3.

Data privacy

This year started with Google trialling a new feature in Chrome to disable third-party cookies. Although this is only a test for now, we know that Google wants to fully roll out the plan in the future. We are yet to see if the UK's Competition and Markets Authority will allow this, but the possibility of limited data tracking methods means companies will be pushed to develop new data strategies and to reassess how they target an audience.?

For instance, changes could involve switching the focus from behavioural targeting to contextual advertising or optimising social media targeting and first-party data collection. However, companies will need to be vigilant regarding changes to regulations on how Social Media firms use the data they collect. As an example, due to recent modifications in the Digital Markets Act, Meta will have to adapt their data privacy settings to include the option for users to deny the tech giant from cross-site tracking amongst its platforms.

Another Google update that will affect digital marketers is their new requirement for bulk email senders to authenticate their email, providing confidence that messages are genuine. This comes into force in February 2024 and marketeers will need to implement one-click unsubscribe options in their emails, and honour that unsubscription within two days. Google will also be enforcing a new spam-rate threshold which senders must stay below, or risk being sent to spam. You can find out more about Google’s upcoming email updates on the Google Blog.

All-encompassing social media

2024 is going to be the year of authenticity, following a natural progression towards community-building and creating connections with your audience. Many companies expect Threads to increase in popularity, thanks to its big backing by Meta and its expected new features, such as allowing people to interact with accounts from fediverse platforms such as Mastodon.

However, the platforms which are expected to dominate the landscape are TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. Social commerce will keep rising in popularity, thanks to options like TikTok shop, and Instagram offering users the ability to check and buy Amazon products without needing to leave the app. Because of the nature of these platforms, creator marketing will keep on growing, and despite the potential surge of virtual influencers, real people who focus on authenticity will be the best brand ambassadors.

At the same time, amongst Millennials and Gen Zers, the number of people using social media as a place to look for and learn about things, replacing traditional search engines like Google, will keep increasing. All the more reason for data collection strategies to focus around social media.

Video marketing

Video content has been on the rise for a while now, and it is expected to keep growing this year. Both long and short-form videos will be popular, and we’ll see longer content being repurposed into shorts for platforms like TikTok, Youtube Shorts and Instagram Reels. There will be a rise in the use of AI tools which help transform those videos into shorter, relevant clips for social sharing.

Social media sites will keep trying to adapt themselves to this trend, as we are seeing with X, who are attempting to showcase more video content, and TikTok, who are now allowing users to publish videos up to 30-minutes long on the platform. Just another sign that platforms are seeing video as a key feature of 2024 in both forms.

We will also be getting more creative videos, with the use of new technologies like Meta’s Quest VR and Apple’s Vision Pro headsets. However, authenticity will play a crucial role in brand perception, with behind-the-scenes and UGC needing to be integrated into companies’ strategies. There are many suggestions that employees as influencers will become a trend - who’s ready to take on that challenge?

Focus on micro and nano influencers

With all the hyper-customisation options available thanks to AI pushing us further, micro and nano targeting will gain more and more relevance, and brands will be looking to work with micro and nano influencers. Working alongside knowledgeable content creators that learn to adapt to the algorithm and study the preferences of their communities, will be the key to success in nanotargeting strategies. At Tiny Lagoon, we explored this point a couple of months ago in our article ‘Why go nano? The benefits of a nano-targeted marketing strategy’.

Sustainability, diversity and authenticity

In the UK, businesses will keep expanding their efforts to champion sustainability, and this will continue to be of paramount importance amongst an increasingly environment-conscious population.

Another important factor will be their commitment to inclusivity and diversity. As companies strive towards counting on and catering to as many different views and voices as possible, they will continue to focus on promoting these principles. However, only those that are authentic in their efforts will be able to create a greater customer base, who are looking for brands that genuinely care about accessibility and mirror this within their own teams. Consumers are looking for brands that can walk the walk, not just talk.?

Do you agree with our predictions for 2024? Would you like to add some other ones? Let us know in the comments and get in touch with us here at Tiny Lagoon Studios for any creative solutions you need. We would love to chat with you!