3 Key Marketing Trends of 2024

With a rapidly changing industry like marketing, every year we hear about the hottest trends that’ll change the way we work.

The real question is - how do we take advantage of these trends to help out businesses? How do you need to adjust to fit this new, evolving market?

Keep reading as we explore some key marketing trends of 2024 and share how they can affect your business. 

THE RISE OF AI

This one comes as no surprise if you have been following the news about ChatGPT over the last few months. The question is, is this way of working actually making your workflow more efficient, or just simply changing it? 

There are currently lots of marketing apps and tools run by AI, especially when looking at chatbots, SEO and voice search optimization, and predictive analytics. But do these tools alone solve any of your marketing issues or needs? The answer might be “not just yet”, so while AI keeps on advancing, in the next twelve months, it will be important to integrate the human approach with AI, to better navigate the rise of this technology, without compromising on quality, customer experience and actual results. 

Of course, when it comes to persuasive copy and high quality content creation, we strongly believe that AI can’t do humans the way we do humans. 

We see it as a helpful tool in the process to maximise efforts, but in no way does it replace human storytelling and the skill to craft emotionally engaging writing. 

AI is great for brainstorming, basic research or to boost creativity and improve writing skills. But for most sales copy - copywriters will always do a better job at picking up the nuances of what your brand is trying to achieve.

As with everything, there’s always two sides to every story though and in 2024, as a reaction to AI, we will also see people yearn for things that make us feel “human” and connected to ourselves as well as others. 

Stories help us do that. 

In the last decade, between the rise of social media first and AI now, the importance of Business to Humans has taken centre stage - and storytelling is what’s gonna make a difference in creating deeper connections between a brand and its customers. So bring more storytelling in your business as this is what’s going to make your marketing stand out in 2024.

So if you run a small business, ask yourself, “how can I integrate or leverage AI in my operations or services, while still ensuring customers are feeling at the centre and supported by a human approach? 

INFLUENCER and CUSTOMER-CENTRIC MARKETING

We talk about it all the time with our clients, but if you are running a small business, you should already know that modern consumers want to feel connected to brands - and this is especially true in 2024! 

When it comes to choosing a service or product, customers have endless possibilities, so how do they choose which brand is right for them? There are of course a number of factors, but the latest stats tell us that over the next twelve months consumers will opt for brands that put them at the centre and showcase similar values to them. 

Your target audience wants to feel like they’re buying from a real person who really gets them (sometimes despite ever seeing them in person or in the context of the real world). They want to feel that a brand can be aligned with their beliefs and they want to feel “more than another number”. 

When you create a community or a sense of intimacy for your customers and make them the main character of your brand story, they will automatically feel more connected to your products and services. This will often result in them becoming advocates for your brand and taking a stand when it comes to advising their peers. 

The customer-centric trend also impacts how influencer marketing will change in 2024. 

In fact, we’re moving away from big influencers, while seeing the rise of micro-influencers, who tend to be much more relatable for the average consumer. This is really important in enhancing levels of trust and engagement, while boosting sales at the same time. So if you’ve never considered it before, but you run especially a product-based business, it might be the right time to integrate micro-influencer marketing into your 2024 strategy.  

VALUE-DRIVEN MARKETING

Throughout this article, you might have noticed a red thread running through; the need for customers to feel connected and aligned with a brand. That’s why the last trend we want to highlight here is the importance of value-driven marketing in 2024. 

Because of the current economic and political landscape across the world, customers prefer to choose for brands and businesses that reflect their values, their beliefs, that are driven by bigger purposes. And this is about so much more than just offering eco-friendly initiatives - It's about showing that your business is ethical, honest, has a strong purpose and doesn't deceive through its marketing. 

By sharing your values and discussing your purpose (especially as a smaller business within your industry) will help you attract like-minded customers who are incredibly loyal. Of course, this is not an invitation to leverage this trend as an opportunity for unethical green-washing or manipulative marketing that shouts about great values your company is NOT genuinely embodying!  

…And because just picking three key trends was really hard, here’s two more bonus trends to keep on your radar:

• TREND- AND NEWSJACKING

Creating content off the back of a trend or piece of recent news has been a great way to go viral and get visibility. So if it fits your style and brand personality, 2024 will be the perfect year to keep indulging in newsjacking. This works especially well for SMEs, rather than one-person businesses, but it can be done at different scales by anyone, so if you’re not afraid to share your opinion, make sure to give it a go and see how it works for you! 

• CONTINUED RISE OF VIDEO CONTENT 

How could we not talk about video marketing in 2024?! Video content will continue to dominate the market this year, both in long and short form. It is accessible, flexible, and engaging. It’s a great tool to grab attention and introduce your business to a new audience. Want to make sure you can stand out and create more views? Make sure to have captions on screen; not only does this make content accessible to people with different disabilities, but it makes it easier to play a video when someone can’t turn the volume up!  

For now, that's a wrap-up of our take on marketing trends happening in 2024.

Your 2024 marketing is feeling like a nightmare you’re not ready to dive in? Get in touch for our strategy services - we’re just a click away!