Prepare for the Future: How Digital Marketing Will Change in 2024

From the explosion of AI to the exploits of X, it’s been an exciting year for social media, e-commerce, and digital marketing in general. 

There are countless trends to watch and predictions to make for next year. Here are just a few of the things I’m thinking about as I look to the year ahead. 

Cookies are Being Deprecated

Third-party cookies for ad targeting and measurement are going away. This is huge. 

According to eMarketer, more than $123 billion in programmatic advertising is transacted via real-time bidding on the open internet—much of that being guided by the use of cookies today. 

As a result, brands, agencies, publishers, and ad tech companies, all have to rethink their media strategies in 2024. The entire advertising industry will shift to new targeting and measurement technologies in the year ahead, if they haven’t already.

Immersive In-person Shopping Experiences

During the pandemic, we loved browsing our favorite products from the comfort of our own homes. However, shopping behavior during this past year indicates something truly shocking, at least to me: brick-and-mortar isn’t going away. 

In-store sales have rebounded post-pandemic, and most businesses are confident that physical stores will continue to play a large role in the purchase journey. 

As such, brands need to invest in enhancing the customer’s in-store shopping experience to stand out from the competition. This is especially important when put into the context of an omnichannel landscape, where shopping can happen anytime, anywhere. 

The journey to the store is no longer just transactional, either. Enjoying the in-store experience is the main reason 35% of consumers shop in-store, and another 24% want to interact with products before buying.

Perhaps the biggest opportunities will be in bridging the online and offline gap, which might include options for: buy online, pickup in-store (BOPIS); buy in-store, ship to home; buy online, return in-store. These will all be important to savvy shoppers in 2024. 

More Selling with Video

Video had a huge impact on the shopping journey this past year, with 54% percent of consumers demanding more video content from brands.

Video will continue to have a massive influence, helping shoppers decide which product or brand to buy, as well as enhance the in-store experience. That’s also why online retailers are introducing more video advertising units and live streams within their platforms. 

Brands will likely embrace more video across social media, where selling via live videos on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and others, is likely to grow. That’s apparent in the continued shopping capabilities that are being added to social media platforms. 

Of course, B2C brands are doubling down on short-form video and UGC content for good reason. The ROI on short-form videos is there, and that’s expected to continue next year. 

All Eyes are on YouTube

YouTube always amazes me. I’ve seen success on the platform from my own campaigns and content initiatives. In 2024, it’ll continue to be ripe with opportunities for brands and marketers. 

According to eMarketer, YouTube accounts for more than 20% of ad revenues and time spent with CTV in the U.S. That’s staggering, and it shows that the platform is building a following, even on the big screen. 

YouTube also caters to a wide audience, with Gen Zers and millennials accounting for the majority of viewers. YouTube’s influence is also expanding, fueled by a younger demographic deeply engaged with the platform. While TikTok and Instagram get all the buzz, Pew Research reports that 19% of teens use YouTube “almost constantly.” 

YouTube Shorts specifically shouldn’t be ignored in 2024. While daily views are still eclipsed by Meta’s Reels, YouTube Short generates more than 50 billion daily views and it’s growing rapidly. 

eMarketer predicts that YouTube’s growth will reach double digits in 2024 and 2025 and will exceed Hulu by 2025. That is just incredible and reveals the impact that YouTube still has on audiences. 

A Shift to Nano-influencers

Influencer marketing seems to have taken hold this past year, as brands become more savvy and embrace the fact that people follow people on social media. 

But what exactly is an influencer? That’s the question brands will grapple with in the year ahead. 

While macro influencers will continue to drive broader reach and brand recognition, there will likely be more opportunities for nano-influencers, or those with anywhere from 1,000 to 10,000 followers. 

For brands, these influencers offer two advantages: lower cost and higher engagement. 

Consumers are on a Quest for Quality

The cost-of-living crisis hit hard consumers hard this year. Inflation, among other economic trends, are making consumers reevaluate their spending habits and prioritize long-lasting, premium items.

This was a BFCM 2023 trend where shoppers did hold out during big shopping moments earlier in the year to spend during Holiday. 

Beyond promotional cadence, brands should enhance their premium product offerings to cater to this rising demand. If you have a unique product story that emphasizes quality and longevity, tell it loudly and proudly.  

Shoppers are also looking for other qualities in their decision-making. Specifically, sustainability isn’t just a buzzword anymore. There should be messaging that speaks to what brands are doing to address it, either in their product, the packaging, or through other corporate programs, to appeal to the modern, socially conscious consumer. 

That too feeds into the shoppers’ quest for quality, where consumers say they’re willing to pay a premium for sustainably sourced items. Sustainability is also factoring into brand loyalty, especially among Gen Z. 

Rise of Retail Media Networks (RMNs)

Retailers are still investing heavily to create omni-channel digital experiences both in-store and online. The innovation here is really being led by Amazon, Walmart, and Instacart.

Stores will become more like their online counterparts, leveraging technology like self-service scanners and cashierless checkout, to produce more seamless shopping experiences. 

Online, retail media networks will get even better with new targeting capabilities, cross-selling and upselling opportunities, and provide easy access to retailer first-party data—critical in this new cookie-less world we live in. 

These retail media networks will grow by an estimated $10 billion this year, fueled by their ability to capture omnichannel sales attribution, tie online experiences to offline sales, and extend access to shopper data to exciting new digital ad formats such as social media, streaming video, and other offsite media. 

Closing Thought

By no means is this an exhaustive list. However, these are just a few trends and tactics I’ll be taking into consideration as prep for 2024 gets underway. What are you excited to lean into? Send me an email with some of your marketing predictions for this year.

7 E-commerce Trends That Will Dominate 2023

Shopping continues to evolve. To succeed in 2023, brands and marketers need to adapt to the ever-changing, ever-evolving buying behaviors of consumers, especially coming out of the pandemic.

While digital touchpoints are more important than ever, brands should be thinking about the entirety of the purchase journey and how they might be able to make the path to purchase smoother everywhere.

Here are a few e-commerce trends that will impact brands in the year ahead.

1. Social Commerce is Growing

Social media has given rise to social commerce, a growing trend that integrates shopping into our normal social media usage.

Already, nearly 50% of Instagram users leverage the platform for shopping each week. That means brands need to start using tags or hashtags to speak directly to those audiences who are already researching.

Influencer marketing is of course part of the mainstream as well, with countless personalities partnering with brands to help their followers learn about products. Over 70% of US marketers have participated in influencer marketing this year, and that’s only expected to increase.

Live streaming is another way that brands can tell a more robust story around their products. Instagram, Facebook, and Amazon, are just a few of the platforms that have embraced selling via live broadcasts.

The big challenge for brands is targeting the right audience through the right channels. Remember that one size doesn't fit all. Specifically, each channel requires content to be tailored to it’s consumer mindsets:

• Facebook: Users are mainly keeping in contact with close friends.

• Instagram: Visual content, stories, and influencer advice reign.

• Pinterest: It’s all about inspiration.

• LinkedIn: Focus is on professional content and contacts.

While each channel has their own focus or use case, note that social media is rapidly evolving. Increasingly, social channels like Facebook and Instagram are supporting e-commerce, and followers are ready to buy!

Social media serves as a place to discover brands, research products, get help and support. And now, it also gives click-to-buy simplicity to users, all built within the platform.

2. Content (Marketing) is King

While attention spans may be dwindling in an increasingly short-form world, the adage that content is king is alive and well.

High-quality content is critical for making consumers feel like they’re in control, empowered with everything they need to make a decision. The trick is to avoid the traditional sales pitch.

The focus of content marketing is about creating helpful, educational materials to inspire purchases. Brands should not only be creating detailed product page information wherever items are sold, but also supporting that content with videos, blog posts, an email newsletter, and social media posts, that are a mix of inspiration and education.

Instead of selling, brands should be positioned more as a thought leader and as a potential source of advice within their broader market niche.

Not only does building content around expertise in your category help to educate potential customers, but it can also attract new customers who are looking for advice but might not be in-market just yet. So ditch the product-focused sales pitch and you’ll start expanding your reach. Sales will follow.

3. Think Omni-channel All the time

The importance of an omni-channel strategy isn’t a new trend, but it is one that will remain relevant for most brands.

While e-commerce and online shopping continues to be the norm, shoppers today demand a seamless and robust experience wherever they may be shopping. The transition between channels should also be easy.

This may include offering ways for customers to browse online and buy in-store. It may include buying online and returning items in-store. Maybe it is also shopping online via retail partners or online via social social commerce.

Wherever or however a customer chooses to shop, the experience must be tied together whenever possible. An example is a hybrid event that gives shoppers a real life look at a product in either an in-person or virtual format. It could also mean experimenting with Augmented Reality (AR), allowing consumers to use their mobile devices to get a sense of scale or fit before they make a purchase.

An omni-channel presence not only leads to more sales overall, but the right experience can make shoppers more comfortable with brands, give confidence in the product they're considering, and help to reduce returns later.

Voice search is another shopping behavior on the rise, providing yet another way for retailers and brands to communicate with shoppers.

All of this means you can’t be too narrow in your focus and all customer devices – across desktop, mobile, and even the smart home – must be considered.

4. Mobile-first, mobile-must

Omni-channel strategies are about supporting all channels. But regardless of plans to buy online or in-store, chances are that our smallest screens are going to play a big role in the journey.

As discussed, it’s important to ramp up inspiration and education content for 2023. As time goes on, it is easy to realize we live in a world with increasingly shorter attention spans — some argue that our attention span is less than 9 seconds, shorter than that of a goldfish!

That’s more reason to keep mobile devices top of mind and optimize visuals for these smaller screens. Desktop visuals should be secondary, as most brands’ desktop web traffic has been on the decline.

Mobile-friendliness, vertical orientation of imagery, and short-form video, should all be in your content mix.

5. Social Proof with Online Reviews

Whether we’re selecting a new dentist or buying consumer electronics, most of us leverage ratings and reviews whenever we shop. While as many 95% of consumers already do this, the shift to e-commerce will only make reviews more impactful in the shopping journey.

There are many ways brands can illustrate their product, including high-quality imagery, video, even AR, but there’s ultimately no way for a consumer to interact with or feel the products they’re browsing online.

Ratings and reviews are key to painting a real-life picture of the product, and help shoppers feel comfortable making a purchase decision. For brands, embracing ratings and reviews also provides transparency which builds trust with customers.

6. Online and In-store Events

Brick-and-mortar stores offer many ways to educate and inspire shoppers. In-store events, such as cooking classes at Sur La Table, are ways physical stores can influence purchases.

With fewer shoppers going in-store for their purchases, it is still important to create unique experiences. In the same way that omni-channel strategies help bridge online and in-store purchasing, virtual or hybrid events are key to delivering that seamless live in-person and online education.

Hybrid events are unique in giving more people the option to attend, including for those looking for an opportunity to interact with products in-store before they buy. Additionally, hybrid events are engaging because shoppers get to choose how they want to experience the event, even if they can’t make it to a physical store. Together, these unique benefits offer huge opportunities for sales.

7. Connecting with Customers

E-commerce, and technology in general, continues to change retail. Today, shoppers benefit from speed (same-day shipping!), convenience (shop from anywhere 24/7), and consistency (access everything you need to make a purchase decision, regardless of retail environment).

However, customer experience is key, and that goes far beyond making a great lifestyle image of the product in-use.

Coming out of the pandemic, we’ve seen shoppers wanting to connect with smaller businesses, or even buy direct from big brands. Moreover, shoppers were happy to pay more to make their purchases away from traditional retailers.

The reason for this is simple – people are increasingly loyal to the retailers and brands that provide both value and minimum friction. Delivering the right experience impresses shoppers. When that happens, customers reward brands with loyalty, and they also spread the word!

Digital Marketing Will Evolve in 2019. Here's How.

Keeping up with the latest trends in all areas of digital marketing including search engine optimization, social media marketing, web design, and user experience, is naturally essential for small businesses and large brands alike to reach consumers who are glued to their devices. But just because you’ve conquered digital marketing in 2018 doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re positioned for automatic success this year.

Digital marketing is in a constant state of flux; changing and evolving, shaped by new technologies and the habits of users. With this in mind, marketers need to be masters of adaptation.

By integrating these six strategies into your digital marketing plans this year, you’ll gain optimal traction with your customers while your competitors flounder in your wake.

Prepare for Google’s “micro moments”

We live in a fast-paced environment where we predominantly access digital content through mobile devices in short bursts on the train, waiting in line to get coffee, or (let’s face it) in the bathroom. The changing nature of our interactions with digital content is not making attention spans any longer. Today’s users don’t want, but demand instant gratification. They’re less likely than ever to take the time to scroll deeply or make dozens of clicks to navigate through your content.

Google understands this and its “micro moments” is a mental model for marketing that’s already changing the rules. This model distills user behavior into three distinct micro moments including:

• “I want to go” moments

• “I want to do” moments

• “I want to buy” moments

These are the moments in which a user will now instinctively turn to a device. They will do so out of a desire to “go” and learn something through a specific piece of content, to “do” something like signup or registration, or to make a purchase and “buy” a product or service. These are fleeting but critical moments which are ripe for opportunity. How will you capitalize on them in 2019?

Users have been conditioned to expect brands to deliver exactly what they want when they want it. It’s incumbent upon businesses to be able to meet users’ needs faster with fewer clicks. This means producing more content, prompt and responsive user assistance, real-time communication and a range of options for a more personalized user experience.

Embrace video marketing

It may have killed the radio star, but video can also be a kingmaker. In a time where users’ attention spans are getting shorter and shorter, long form written content still has its place. However, video is fast becoming the preferred medium for the kinds of time-strapped users upon whom you have your sights set. Video communicates ideas quickly, making them more effective than text and even infographics.

Video marketing grows more important with each passing year and it is expected to reach new heights of importance in 2019. Consider this: brands that use video get 41-percent more search engine traffic than their counterparts that don’t. Businesses with a wealth of competitors who need every inch of inside track they can get in terms of SEO are tempting fate if they don’t embrace video marketing.

Content is still king

 It’s as true today as it was when Bill Gates first said it in 1996. However, in a “mobile first” era, it stands to reason that the way in which your users consume said content will be different to how it was when the only way you could access the internet was from a desktop computer with a dial-up modem (go ahead and remember the sound of an old dial-up with fond nostalgia).

Mobile use has been the primary means by which users consume digital content since 2016, and as such it behoves marketers to consider how your content looks, how it feels, and how it is navigated through, on a mobile device.

Sure, this means that your web design will need to be responsive, but you must also consider how your content is laid out, how easy it is to navigate via touchscreen, and how long your content takes to load through a 4G or even a 3G connection. Remember that a page load time of just 7 seconds can increase your bounce rate by over 30-percent! 

What’s more, in the wake of Google’s “mobile-first” index, failing to keep mobile optimization at the heart of your content is SEO kryptonite.

Tell more social stories

In an era where brands are stepping over one another to get the attention of their audiences, a little authenticity goes a long way. Authenticity helps users to establish a personal connection to your brand and allows them to invest in it emotionally. It adds to the value your brand provides and ensures that users will consider you before your competitors.

Let users peek behind the curtain with behind-the-scenes content. Allow them to get to know your employees a little better. Use polls to provide a degree of interactivity and ensure that your users feel that they have a voice. Use instagram stories to give users a flavor of daily life in your business. While it’s understandable that you may want to save time and resources by outsourcing much of your content, make sure that you leave plenty of space for some User Generated Content to give your content marketing strategy the personal touch.

Social stories are quick, fun, and easy to consume, and they also help to add that much-needed human dimension to your brand.

Champion user-centered design

Gone are the days when web design was all about aesthetics. No longer is it enough to merely have a website that looks beautiful and professional. Everyone has that now! In 2019 the future of web design is about User Experience (UX). UX is especially important in the “mobile-first” era as your content must be easy and intuitive to navigate through.

Today’s users are web savvier than they would have been 15, 10 or even 5 years ago. They have been conditioned to expect polished and seamless UX, and failing to provide it could be damaging to your brand. In an era where 55-percent of users spend less than 15 seconds on a website, brands can’t afford to send their bounce rates through the roof with an impenetrable UX.

Think about natural language

Digital assistants like Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant continue to evolve, and as they become more sophisticated users are entrusting them more and more. Needless to say this is bound to impact the way in which people seek answers to questions, make purchases, and otherwise interact with brands.

With this in mind it, marketers should think about the natural language used via voice searches and how it differs from a traditional typed search engine query. Today 39 million people in the US alone own a voice operated smart speaker. As they grow more sophisticated and reliable, that number is likely to rise proportionately. With more and more users turning to voice search, it is increasingly considered to be the next SEO frontier.

These machines derive user intent from conversational voice commands as well as previous search queries, and the better you’re able to understand how they work the more luck you’ll have tapping into the vast and growing market of voice search users in 2019.

Closing thoughts

The year ahead offers some exciting opportunities and new challenges for brands of all shapes and sizes. However, when you keep this digital marketing checklist in mind, you’ll be perfectly positioned to respond to user demand in 2019 and beyond.