Digital marketing relies on current tech and industry trends, as well as relative consumer behavior, to be more effective. You need to be ahead of the curve and continually adapt to digital marketing trends of 2024 if you want to remain competitive.
From the rising buying power of Gen Z to the encompassing impact of AI, new trends are expected to establish dominance this year. Anticipating these digital marketing trends of 2024 will put your business in a better position to accommodate shifting behaviors and platform updates.
Here are the top digital marketing trends of 2024 that will reshape your business:
- Generative AI in Search Engines
The rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence or GenAI in search engines is expected to significantly change SEO in the future. A Gartner survey reveals that 79% of consumers are expecting to use GenAI in 2024. Marketers should be prepared for the changes that this development will bring.
Currently, Google is experimenting with its GenAI-powered search in the Search Labs. With the Search Generative Experience (SGE), Google displays an AI-generated answer and key information before any other organic results. When they click the top response, Google will produce additional details below, including related web pages, item descriptions, product links, and more. It also has a “ask a follow-up question” feature that allows searchers to add more context to their original question.
Google’s Experimental Search Generative Experience (SGE) in Search Labs.
The Impact: The rapid expansion of generative AI and the possibility of fully integrating it into search engines might significantly reduce organic search traffic for brands. By 2028, it is expected that the use of GenAI will cause a 50% decrease in organic traffic. As users obtain information directly from AI-generated results, the likelihood of zero-click searches will increase.
Marketers must prepare for the disruption of GenAI in Search. Here are some of the strategies companies can do to prepare for this change:
Top-of-funnel queries will now be easily answered by the SGE, so website owners should optimize content further down the purchase funnel.
For example, a user searching for “things to do in Sydney” will likely browse their options within Google’s SGE answers. More specific follow-up queries like “affordable activities in Sydney with kids” will give your content a better chance to stand out because there will be less competition.
Focus on topical authority and optimizing for EEAT.
Google still needs high-quality content to feed its AI machine, so your SEO team must focus on creating website content that establishes topical authority. Moreover, while Google’s SGE is taking over valuable real estate in the SERPs, it will still attribute your site if it uses your content for generating responses.
Invest in high-quality content that establishes brand awareness and thought leadership in your industry by adhering to the EEAT principles.
FAQs
Another strategy to adapt with SGE is implementing a robust Q&A-style format in most or all of your content. Consider including FAQs in your blogs.
You may also take it one step further by structuring long-form content around key questions and scenarios that a user might use in a conversational search. Your SEO outsourcing company may assist you with this by using keyword tools to identify common questions and long-tail queries related to your business.
Conversational Keywords and Schema Markup
Make your content more visible by identifying and incorporating conversational keywords that searchers might use in conversational searches. Also, create content in a format favored for snippets: bullet points, tables, or short paragraphs.
Finally, implement schema markup to help search engines understand the page’s context and content.
SGE is still a Beta product and is not yet replacing the Google search you know today. However, it is best to be aware and prepared for the possibilities, especially when they can significantly affect your online visibility and lead generation strategies.
- AI in PPC Management
Google Ads will be increasingly powered by AI in 2024. Companies employing paid ads need to restructure accounts to fully leverage AI’s potential or get left behind those who are actively adapting their methods.
Key strategies include segmenting campaigns with more granularity than in previous years and having a rich dataset from which AI algorithms can optimize.
PPC experts also foresee advertisers handing over tasks like budget pacing, bid strategies, and asset creation to the machines. This enables faster optimization and frees up time to focus on high-level strategy.
Moreover, it is important to note that while AI automates PPC tasks, the human element remains crucial for creativity and strategic planning. When integrating AI into PPC, the goal is to blend the technology’s analytical prowess with human creativity and intuition.
- Video is Everywhere
Videos have been gaining traction for years and will continue to dominate in 2024. Here are some of the video digital marketing trends of 2024 that are expected to supercharge.
- Silent Video
The number of social media users who watch videos without sound is bound to increase in 2024:
- 85% of videos on Facebook are watched without sound.
- 80% of videos on LinkedIn are viewed with the sound off.
According to Meta, people prefer having the choice to turn off the sound of their mobile feed videos. According to their research:
✓ 80% react negatively toward the platform and the advertiser when mobile video ads play unexpectedly loudly.
✓ In contrast, video content optimized for silent viewing has a 70% chance of being watched all the way through to the end.
To adapt to this trend, consider creating video content that effectively communicates even with the sound off.
Subtitles and captions are essential for effective B2B video content. Captions, in particular, will increase your content’s discoverability since people may use keywords from your captions when searching.
- Vertical Video
Mobile users comprise the majority of general web traffic, video plays, and traffic to social media sites. With more people using smartphones to view online content, the use of vertical video has significantly increased.
- 57% of user-generated videos are shot vertically
- 94% of users hold their phones vertically
Vertical videos are ergonomically sound for social media marketing because they offer a positive user experience. While it limits the details to be present in the frame, vertical video content removes the unnecessary peripheral details and makes it easier for viewers to focus on the action.
- Live Streaming
Live streaming has been continually growing in popularity.
- In the third quarter of 2023, viewers streamed over 7.5 billion hours of live content across various platforms.
- Streaming now accounts for 17% of global internet traffic.
- The global live-streaming market is expanding at an annual growth rate of 27%.
Live streaming provides a viable opportunity for marketers due to many reasons.
- Live streaming feels more authentic than pre-recorded video.
- Live streaming captures and holds attention longer because it happens in real-time.
- Viewers engage and interact more in live streams than with pre-recorded videos.
- SEO on Social Media
SEO on social media will be even more powerful than hashtags. In fact, Instagram CEO Adam Moserri announced that hashtags don’t really matter on the platform anymore.
Hootsuite confirmed this in a study, revealing that keyword-focused captions get more reach and engagement than hashtags. The research discovered that:
- Posts with an SEO caption had 30% more reach than with hashtags.
- Posts with keyword captions also got higher engagement, earning more likes consistently.
Instagram expert and coach Allie Mason also explained that hashtags are a mere categorization tool for Instagram. Your content will not get a better reach because of hashtags. Rather, the content itself is what makes the post more visible.
In Instagram, likes, comments, profile clicks, saves, and time spent on the content signal Instagram that the content is high value. If the algorithm picks up that users are interacting with your content, the platform will suggest it to more people. It will be published on the Explore page, Hashtags People Follow, Top Posts on hashtag pages, and Suggested Posts in the home feed.
The key to becoming one of the social media pros is attracting more views and engagement through catchy and relevant content. Your chosen social media marketing company Philippines should include keyword research to maximize the strategy’s effectiveness. Social media SEO will provide a competitive advantage for companies that want to improve their reach.
- Gen Z User-Generated Content
Gen Z wields formidable buying power as a generation born into the digital age. And their influence extends beyond personal purchases; they can also sway family spending decisions. This is why attracting Gen Z user-generated content can make a big difference in your marketing position.
User-generated content can establish trust because it serves as solid social proof of your product or service’s effectiveness. If consumers see that the people they know are using and promoting your brand, they will view this as a stamp of approval.
Numerous Gen Z use Instagram and TikTok to share their opinion about a service or product after trying it out. Via their user-generated content, brands can grow their follower count, community, brand awareness, and engagement rate.
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References:
https://www.constantcontact.com/blog/digital-marketing-trends/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2023/10/30/top-5-marketing-trends-for-2024/
https://www.semrush.com/blog/future-of-seo/
https://blog.google/products/search/generative-ai-search/
https://blog.google/products/search/google-generative-ai-search-expansion/
https://searchengineland.com/new-google-search-generative-ai-experience-413533
https://www.wakeupdata.com/blog/ppc-trends-for-2024-data-driven-strategies
https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/video-streaming-market
https://twitter.com/thatalliemason/status/1505593610489802759?s=20&t=ohNXPBfIy5rTia3bXz–CA
https://www.socialinsider.io/blog/social-media-trends/
Jomer B. Gregorio is a well-rounded expert when it comes digital marketing. Jomer is also known as a semantic SEO evangelist and practitioner. Check out our Digital Marketing Services today and let us help you in achieving positive and profitable results for your business.