2024 is expected to bring a range of opportunities and new challenges to the marketing world. From the rise of Generative AI to the growth of real-time, unfiltered content delivery platforms and the use of short, interactive videos, the landscape is set to evolve.
Hyper-personalization
The infusion of AI into marketing processes is set to intensify, redefining how companies analyze data, customize customer experiences, and optimize personalized campaigns for each customer.
Gen AI tools will create immersive and interactive brand narratives, significantly enhancing emotional engagement. In the coming year, chatbots, voice search optimization, predictive analytics tools, and AI-powered messaging apps are expected to revolutionize customer interactions, providing personalized experiences and immediate solutions, strengthening customer relationships.
These technologies are expected to integrate deeply with strategic marketing efforts to enhance customer experience. Virtual tools like Chat GPT, Synthesia, and Lexika not only save time but also revolutionize the marketing landscape, especially on social media, with personalized videos, texts, and images.
However, marketing executives must not solely rely on automated "set it and forget it" strategies. It is crucial to adopt a more collaborative approach between employees and platforms, ensuring continuous monitoring of content and interaction between creative teams and AI systems. This must be done while staying authentic to the brand's language and core values, steering clear of generic messages.
Micro-Influencers
According to Kantar's latest findings, half of global marketers invested in influencer marketing in 2023, and 59% plan to increase their influencer spending in 2024. Consumers are expected to demand more from influencers, seeking authentic and genuine connections rather than mere recommendations. This shift is anticipated to fuel the ascent of micro-influencers, individuals with smaller but highly engaged followings. In the B2B marketing realm, collaborating with niche influencers who have proven expertise in their field will become increasingly relevant.
Short videos
Live streaming and interactive content will become essential in video marketing. Companies efficiently leveraging these trends will have a competitive advantage, delivering brand messages in a captivating and dynamic manner.
Marketing strategies will need to include short videos, interactive tutorials, and live Q&A sessions to connect with customers and yield precise results. With TikTok gaining 1.4 billion active users every month, the impact of short videos, which is only growing stronger, cannot be ignored.
Authenticity
The rise of platforms like TikTok and BeReal underscores the growing appetite for unfiltered and authentic content. Users crave real-time, genuine experiences. B2B companies can align with this trend by showcasing their human side, offering behind-the-scenes glimpses of employees, and engaging authentically with their audience.
In an era where Generation Z is growing weary of artificiality, consumers are increasingly drawn to User-Generated Content (UGC) rather than polished and professional content. To leverage the advantages of UGC, it is recommended to publish video content that is authentic yet pertinent, sourced from real customer experiences on the ground.
Values at the forefront
A positive trend is growing corporate responsibility across industries, especially in global companies. As environmental and social issues increasingly influence public opinion, corporate responsibility is evolving into a positive value. Customers will increasingly seek brands that align with their values.
This need will become even more pronounced in the global and collaborative arena of social media. To succeed, businesses must adopt value-based marketing strategies that genuinely align with the brand's activities. In the future, customers will not settle for mere familiarity with the brand's proclaimed values but will demand active engagement of companies in environmental and community initiatives, tangible support for social goals, and concrete evidence of impact in the field.
In an era of conscious consumerism, companies genuinely committed to social and environmental values will attract and retain loyal and stable customer bases in the long run.
Sharon Israel is the founder and CEO of Xtra Mile , an international marketing and branding company specializing in the technology and medical sectors.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on January 28, 2024.
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