With 2023 in the past and 2024 now well underway, it’s hard to overstate just how significant the shifts in the digital marketing landscape have been over the 2020s. Trends have moved rapidly, the narratives around fields such as AI and crypto have moved with the ebb and flow of the market, and as digital marketing professionals, it feels like there is more to pay attention to than ever before.
This has made it a uniquely difficult time for those who like to stay on the cutting edge to predict what the next big thing is going to be. After all, we in the marketing industry saw many agencies place their bets on the ill-fated world of NFTs, and others have shifted their production lines to be almost entirely AI-driven in the face of ChatGPT’s rise. People in this industry can feel the changing times, and that has meant taking on a lot more of a risk-reward mindset for those with the goal of remaining competitive.
As the founders of the full-service digital marketing agency Trafficon, my team and I have spent a considerable amount of time following the 2024 marketing trends, speaking with specialists in our industry, and trying to get a better idea of what is coming around the corner. So, we’ve put together a list of digital marketing trends for 2024, and what you can likely expect to be the next big things to pay attention to.
The Ever-Evolving Role of Artificial Intelligence in 2024 Marketing
As you’re likely already aware, AI has been one of the most divisive issues of the past few years in terms of its role in the future of, well, everything. Fears have emerged regarding the replacement of workers, it has been a hot-button issue in the recent highly-publicised writer’s strikes, and as the technology has become more ubiquitous, its place as both a tool and as a wellspring of creative production has been well-tread ground.
However, in 2024, whilst there have been very few changes in regard to the technology’s momentum, there has seemingly been a slow decline in its fervour. This is common with any new technology, as an initial period of hype leads to mass curiosity and adoption, only for the novelty to ebb and its place in day-to-day life to start forming. On one hand, systems like ChatGPT saw less use every month after its initial peak, but on the other, the creation of systems such as Google Bard, Gemini, and others has shown that this tech is an inevitable part of our future.
Additionally, whilst Google has said that it will not be penalising the use of AI content, conversations with those in the digital marketing field, along with our own A-B testing, have suggested that optimised AI-generated content does not appear to have the same power, either algorithmically or with users, that well-written human content provides.
Our AI Prediction
Whilst AI is certainly going to be an invaluable resource in the future of digital marketing throughout 2024, and anyone looking to remain relevant within the field should be keeping an eye on its development, there’s little to suggest that the field is going to be purely dominated by artificial intelligence. Its role as a valuable tool is undeniable, but it is a tool that has limitations, and whilst developments will make it more powerful, it’s still not a replacement for quality talent, such as copywriters and SEO specialists.
The Short Video Revolution
When discussing 2024 marketing trends, it’s no secret that short-form video is the new wave regarding information and entertainment, especially through social media. Even to call it “new” seems ridiculous, given that the current generation of TikTok content has its roots in the past of platforms like Vine. Nevertheless, it’s clear that the past few years have seen this wave not only surpass the reach of Vine but even force platforms like YouTube and Instagram to put a far heavier emphasis on this type of endless scroll short-form video content.
The question on a lot of minds has been the impact of this wave, and it’s not hard to see why. Between Conservative America’s push to restrict or ban apps like TikTok, or in some cases social media altogether for a young audience, and many bans in countries like Bangladesh and Afghanistan, it’s bad enough that Censorship on TikTok has its own Wikipedia page.
However, what often gets ignored in this conversation is the viability of short-form videos as a marketing tool. After all, whilst TikTok marketing and Instagram Reels have proven to be excellent marketing tools, burnout is real, especially when it comes to customers scrolling within a flooded market. For now, however, TikTok and the broader influencer marketing sphere appear to be in a strong place. According to Influencer Marketing Hub, our Influencer Marketing Industry is set to grow to approximately $22.2 Billion by 2025, and given the prominence of short-form content in that space, it’s easy to see how the space is thriving.
Our Short-Form Video Prediction
Despite the potential risks of burnout and oversaturation, short-form videos in the marketing space still have a clear role and are set to grow throughout the rest of 2024.
Content & the Role of Emotion in Digital Marketing
As we move further and further into a post-lockdown world in the 2020s, the role of emotive resonance is bigger than ever in drawing in an audience. Live streaming platforms such as Twitch have seen an enormous rise since the height of the global Pandemic, and at a time when digital connection and a decline in IRL socialising seem to be the big talking points of the sociology space, it’s clear that people are looking to connect with real people online.
So, what does this have to do with marketing? Well, it shows that successful marketing is, as it always has been, about the emotional value that it can bring to an audience. It’s why influencer marketing exists, after all, and why strong spokespeople are really valuable to any brand that wishes to put a strong face to their products.
The Personal IP & The Personal Branding Revolution of 2024
In an industry based on a person’s skill and knowledge regarding the manipulation of algorithms across online platforms, the main product that one must promote is themselves. So, it will come as no surprise that there is a heavy emphasis being placed on personal IP and the power of personal branding. This is a trend that has especially taken hold on Chinese social media platforms such as Little Red Book, along with the practice of Chinese product live streams becoming ubiquitous in places like Shen Zhen.
This goes hand-in-hand with the short-form video explosion, as more business owners shift to a more influencer-focused status in their online lives on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Little Red Book, and even the old guard business sites like LinkedIn. They share information, provide insights, and place themselves, rather than the businesses they are connected with, as bastions of knowledge in their industry. For us in the marketing industry, you can think of someone like Neil Patel as being a large inspiration point for this sort of leveraged personal branding. His meteoric rise to fame within digital marketing spaces has essentially made him a household name in our particular niche, overshadowing the fact that he actually runs an agency entirely with the sheer fact that he is the voice many look to for guidance and search engine prowess.
Our Content Marketing and Personal Branding Prediction
As professional-curated content remains a powerful force, and more business leaders are looking to become influencers within their field as a one-to-one part of their marketing and business strategy, the role of content marketing is going to grow through the next few years. Even as AI options appear, we believe that the role of this technology will put a higher premium on quality, informed, nuanced information written with personality and insight.
After all, despite how isolating the online experience can seem at times, people love people. Whilst AI and less personality-driven work will certainly have their role in the space, those who are theorising that it will completely shift the content landscape away from human writers aren’t factoring in what draws many people to writing as a form of information gathering in the first place. We personalise brands, we debate the ethical implications of the products we consume, we care about where our information is coming from, and we see a lot more business-minded people focusing on their personal brands and IPs in the coming months.
2024 Marketing Trends: Our Final Thoughts
The 2020s have played out in ways that few could have predicted 10 years ago. Whilst the 21st century has been a time filled with technological change and innovation, factors such as the rise of AI and the fallout of the global pandemic are shifting conversations and businesses in ways we are still continuing to try and grapple with to this day. Nevertheless, as we hit year 4 of this new decade, we are starting to see which innovations and mindsets will come to define the era, and personally, I am excited to see what happens next.
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Are you looking for an agency to help you grow your online presence? Want to make sure that your brand is front and centre when customers look for your services on search engines? As a full-service digital marketing agency with a wealth of experience in SEO, SEM, content marketing, web development, social media marketing, and more, Trafficon can help. Contact us today, and find out what we can do to give your business a boost.
