2024 in marketing: 7 trends to watch out for
The world of marketing can feel like a whirlwind romance – exciting and fickle, with the potential for heartbreak looming. However, marketing is not just about attracting new loves and acquiescing to their every desire. It is also about nurturing great relationships with existing connections.
When it comes to finding love, there’s no crystal ball, but we can help you avoid marketing heartbreak in 2024. Stay ahead of the curve with our predictions for the seven marketing trends that will help your customers to fall – and stay – in love with your brand
1. Things are getting personal
Amidst a combination of crises’ (the cost-of-living, the climate, the political unrest) consumers are looking for stable, trusting relationships with brands. Hyper-personalisation is a specialist CRM technique which uses data, analytics, AI, and automation to tailor marketing to individual customers. Using CRM technology, you can tailor communications to customers, helping you to foster a personal relationship and build loyalty. Customer retention is invaluable, and hyper-personalisation allows you to target new customers more effectively too.
2. Email isn’t going anywhere
Look, I know we specialise in email marketing, so we would say this, but email really is a powerful way to develop customer relationships. And you don’t have to take our word or it. 81% of B2B marketers who use it report emails as the most used form of content marketing, whilst 87% claim email is their top free organic channel(1). Email channels are not only essentially free, they’re also a great way of developing that loyal relationship for long-term buyers, allowing you to monitor or track customer engagement so you can make data-driven decisions to increase engagement over time. For game-changing email marketing up front, get in touch with our email and CRM specialists at Flourish.
3. AI isn’t going anywhere, either
4. Capture young hearts with ethical practices
A new age of Gen Z are old enough to be consumers, and 2024’s trends must adapt to attract their spending power. Understood to be the most socially conscious generation yet, Gen Z carefully consider the ethics of their products. While multi-million-dollar companies like Amazon have seen sales decreasing since 2022(2), consumers are opting for brands that use sustainable materials, offer fair wages, and promote ethical causes. But it’s not enough just to claim these values – that’s called greenwashing(3) – you need to follow through on your promises and be consistent. Think about the realistic ways you can make your company more ethical, sustainable, and eco-friendly, and how these goals fit in with your brand’s personality.
5. Micro-influencers are the new influencers
6. "Hey Siri, how do I master marketing in 2024?"
Voice search is on the rise thanks to smart speakers and sassy virtual assistants. You need to speak your customers’ language, quite literally! Optimizing for voice search will be as essential as finding your keys before leaving the house. Consumers love asking their devices for info, so your content better be ready to respond to those chatty queries. SEO strategies will get a voice makeover, and your content will need to ace conversational search.
7. It’s all about motion
Video marketing is one of the best ways to make an ad campaign go viral. Short-form videos, like TikTok and Instagram Reels, are pulling viewers in with their quick and snappy content. Meanwhile, long-form video content on YouTube and channels like Netflix are your secret weapon for engaging audiences in a covert and meaningful way. Brands are now using short-form videos beyond traditional advertising. Case studies, product launches, and customer testimonials are all being launched in video form(4). Check out how Flourish did this for Worldwide Cancer Research.
In 2024, the world of marketing is teeming with opportunity if you know where to look. These trends are the key to unlocking today’s market. Embracing the integration of AI, develop trust in consumers, and keep your finger on the pulse. To ensure your customers fall in love with your brand and stay deeply committed, get in touch with Flourish to see how we can help you.