The Top 5 Marketing Trends for 2024 and which marketing roles you will need to fulfil them.
The marketing landscape is constantly evolving, and 2024 is no exception.
In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, staying on top of marketing trends has never been more crucial. With consumers becoming increasingly discerning, marketing has transformed into a highly specialised field, requiring a deep understanding of target audiences and innovative strategies. 2024 promises to be an exciting time for marketing professionals, as new technologies, emerging platforms, and shifting consumer behaviours present unparalleled opportunities for growth and success.
B2B businesses face numerous challenges when it comes to recruiting skilled marketing professionals to meet the demands of rapidly evolving technologies like AI, the metaverse, and voice search optimisation. Finding individuals with expertise in these areas is tough, as the field is relatively new and constantly changing. Firms must be proactive in staying updated and adaptable, seeking out innovative thinkers who can navigate this complex landscape and drive successful marketing strategies.
AI-powered personalisation and targeting
Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly important role in marketing, and this trend is only going to continue in 2024. AI can be used to personalise marketing campaigns and target them to the right audiences, which can lead to better results. For example, AI can be used to analyse customer data to identify what products or services they are most likely to be interested in. This information can then be used to tailor marketing messages to those specific customers.
In their article on trends for 2024 – Hubspot found that “64% of marketers are already leveraging AI in their roles”, this is a technology that has emerged and has been adopted incredibly rapidly, more so than any other marketing tech in the last 20 years. Indeed - this article has been supported by AI content creation, where the bare bones has been written with AI support and then the actual expertise and thought leadership has been added afterwards (if you would like to see the original content and how it evolved then please feel free to ask!)
Most AI support will come through content management and data analysis. Data in particular will have an ethical edge to it as well, and marketers will need to be mindful of using personal data on AI platforms that may share it again in the future.
Expect AI to continue to shift best practices around PPC and Search advertising too. Platforms such as Simplified are offering search/PPC advertising AI content generation for free already and this will continue to grow throughout 2024.
As with all new tools - marketers will need to incorporate them into a clearly defined strategy and understand the ethical ramifications behind using them. This will be a huge resource for insight and resource management, but comes at the price of quality and personalisation.
2. Voice search optimization (VSO)
As voice assistants like Siri and Alexa grow in popularity, voice search is becoming an increasingly important way for people to find information online. This means that businesses need to start optimising their websites and content for voice search. This includes using natural language keywords and voice-friendly phrases. As an example, clients as they are travelling in cars with Android or Apple Carplay, are increasingly using VSO to find information while on the go.
According to the Digital Agency Network voice search optimisation should be a “critical strategy for businesses in 2024” with search intent focussing on “voice commands for information, products and services”. So how can you prepare for this?
Target long-tail keywords and conversational phrases to match voice queries along with focussing on common questions related to your target keywords. Optimise your website structure and content for mobile devices, as voice searches are often conducted on smartphones, particularly when connected to cars. Dedicate resources to your local SEO and featured snippets to enhance visibility in voice search results.
As VSO becomes more popular, this will also lead to an increase in no click searches which is where users search for information which is immediately resolved without a separate website being required (time, currency, calculation, news, weather etc).
Marketers will require training in order to keep on top of these changes, plus the SEO content process will need to be adapted to account for developments in VSO over 2024.
If you’re wondering how you will implement VSO into your SEO process in 2024, then check out our digital strategy support, we can help bring your business up to speed.
3. Experiential marketing
Experiential marketing, is a dynamic and interactive approach that seeks to create connections between brands and their target audiences. Experiential marketing stands out by engaging customers on a deeper level, immersing them in unique and memorable experiences.
In the coming year, there are several key trends that marketers can anticipate and leverage to captivate audiences. Firstly, immersive experiences will take centre stage, as brands offer bespoke encounters for customers on a personal level. By incorporating virtual and augmented reality, businesses will be able to transport their audiences into unique events, leaving a lasting impression and encouraging future engagement. See our section below on the Metaverse as a great example of this.
As a juxtaposition against AI and potentially generic content creation, authenticity and sustainability will become increasingly prevalent in marketing strategies. As ESG continues to remain high on the agenda of most C Suite objectives, organisations will need to work on forging deep and meaningful connections with their clients. By demonstrating genuine commitment to ethical practices, responsible sourcing, and environmental stewardship, companies can earn trust that their supply chains will fit with the new level of standards expected from businesses, regardless of the industry.
As we embrace the dawn of 2024, it is evident that experiential marketing will be underpinned by the pursuit of meaningful moments and forging lasting connections with audiences. According to Campaign “Experiential marketing creates deeper connections with your audience”. This will remain as relevant for B2B marketing as it will for B2C. Experiential marketing will be a trickier proposition for B2B businesses certainly, as it is much harder to create an “experience” when selling commodity items or supply chain essentials. As always, marketers will need to cut their cloth to suit their objectives.
4. The rise of the metaverse
The concept of the Metaverse has gained significant traction in recent years, fuelled by advancements in technology and the demand for immersive digital experiences. While traditionally associated with gaming and entertainment sectors, the Metaverse is now poised to become a prominent trend in B2B marketing in 2024.
B2B marketing in the metaverse is a great way for businesses to connect with clients using virtual and augmented reality. Companies can showcase their products and services in a realistic and interactive way, for instance through platforms such as Spatial. The metaverse also provides a global platform for networking and collaboration, regardless of location. This saves on travel expenses and opens up new opportunities for lead generation and partnerships.
Neil Wilkins in his blog Understanding metaverse marketing: what you need to know gives the example of virtual showrooms in the metaverse: “automotive brands can create virtual showrooms where users can explore different car models and customise them to their preferences. This not only enhances the shopping experience but also allows customers to visualise the product in a more meaningful way”. B2B organisations can benefit from easily created event spaces that provide an experience for clients, but bridge the location barrier or time issues for travelling. As businesses increasingly feel pressure on their time and resource, taking a day to go to an event becomes ever harder. Instead, spending an hour in a metaverse environment can deliver an exhibition like return at a fraction of the cost.
5. The continued importance of data
Data is more important than ever in marketing, and this trend is not going to change in 2024. In the coming year, there will be a shift towards a more comprehensive approach to leveraging data. Gone are the days of relying solely on basic demographic information and interaction metrics. Instead, marketers will focus on harnessing AI enhanced predictive analytics, customer behaviour patterns, and sentiment analysis. These more sophisticated data points will empower us to tailor our messaging, personalise experiences, and optimise engagement across the buyer's journey.
In their article on first party data, Artefact state: “By collecting and leveraging data directly from their own customers, brands can foster more meaningful and trustworthy relationships while gaining deeper insights into consumer behavior (sic) and preferences”. When implemented correctly, client data can increase retention and profit rather than infringe on regulation or ethics.
As data privacy regulations continue to evolve, businesses are going to need to be more mindful of their cookie usage and the need for transparency. As the demand for more personalised marketing grows, B2B marketers will need to focus harder on leveraging their first party data. This will create a more flexible, ethical, reliable source of data, allowing businesses to gain valuable insights into their customers' preferences and behaviours. However, it is crucial for B2B marketers to strike the right balance between personalisation and privacy, as stakeholders become increasingly wary of intrusive data collection practices. With the developments in AI data collection responsible and ethical data usage will be an imperative for all marketing teams.
Team roles required for marketing departments in 2024.
To be successful in 2024, marketers will need to have a team of experts with a variety of skills. Marketing departments will need to deal with several fundamental shifts away from the traditional marketing roles currently in place and find talent with skills tailored towards leveraging AI, rapidly evolving digital marketing tools and changing habits for clients. Most departments will need to retrain and reposition current employees as the talent pool is light on data centric marketers.
Skill sets for 2024 will require:
Marketing data analysis:
Solid, reliable data has always been at the heart of a successful marketing department, ensuring that the team are as focussed on data analysis and insight as they are on creative will be more important than ever.
AI specialisms:
Most SaaS marketing products are now including AI tools - so it’s important that teams are aware of the benefits and the pitfalls to avoid, while also receiving training on the ethics behind data gathering using AI.
Voice search optimization (VSO) expertise:
SEO content processes will need to be adapted to ensure VSO techniques are implemented. Long tail keyword strategies and training on understanding platforms will support team members to adapt to this development.
Experiential marketing specialists:
Outbound marketers need to have skills to help businesses stand out at events, OOH marketing and to deliver experiences for clients that fit with their time-poor, task heavy workloads.
Metaverse marketing experts:
Tied into outbound marketing skills, understanding the potential the metaverse offers and how it can be leveraged for businesses (quick events, 3d product rendering and showrooms etc) will allow teams to deliver a elevated customer experience. Giving outbound teams time to learn about the metaverse and experience it for themselves will unlock additional avenues for client interactions.
This course by Neil Wilkins and Cambridge marketing college is an excellent start on understanding AI and The Metaverse: Mastering AI and Metaverse Marketing
All of these elements will need to be included in your marketing strategy for 2024. Have you prepared and are you ready with a simple to implement, ROI hungry strategy? If not then we can help, contact Arboreal Marketing Ltd for a free consultation on your strategy and how we can support your business as it adapts to trends in 2024.