This past year, everywhere you went, there was AI. From generative content production to smarter bots, workflows and automations, AI dominated marketing in 2023. The team at Content Matterz sure wrote a few blogs here and there on the topic (while we obviously listened to the reigning queen of pop, Taylor Swift). So what’s on deck for 2024?
As this year raps like our girl in “Shake it Off,” we move boldly on toward whatever is next for marketing. So with no further adieu, here are our top marketing trend predictions for 2024, according to your resident Elder Millennial who is reluctantly learning to embrace her robot coworkers.
1. Expect a renewed emphasis on the human element
After the past few years of pandemic followed by the artificial intelligence boom of 2023, we are all due for a little celebration of human existence.
Marketing is all about making real, human connections. Just like an arm full of friendship bracelets at one of Mother’s concerts, we predict more emphasis on those human-to-human interactions. And yes, AI is fantastic for a lot of marketing tasks, including optimizing and personalization, but in 2024 we should expect to see more companies ‘circling back’ to those who make (and influence) the decisions! You know, the people.
So what does an emphasis on the human element mean for marketers? Forbes calls it authenticity, but we believe that your messaging will be more important than ever in 2024. The words your company uses to describe the products and services it offers, the people who work there, your customers and clients, and even how you talk internally will all matter more in the next year than ever before.
In short, it’s time to ditch the jargon. (For real this time).
2. Younger buyers will continue to shape the landscape
It might seem obvious, but when was the last time you re-evaluated your personas? Your company might still be targeting specific roles like CFO or Director of IT, but it’s critical to note that these positions are getting filled by younger and younger individuals (who may or may not like the musical musings of Ms. Swift), and often purchasing decisions are made by a committee, not just one person.
As more Millennials and Gen Z individuals move into roles where they are gaining some decision-making authority, you must rethink your marketing tactics.
We suggest:
- Make it easier to get to the point (for example, we went all-in on transparent pricing). Whether it’s exactly what your product or service is, how much it costs, or how it works, make it easy for prospects to figure out the information they are after.
- Include emotional elements in your testimonials (it’s great that you optimized their daily whatever, but how did your customers feel to have this big ol’ pain point solved?).
- Prioritizing shorter content. It’s true: from one Millennial to the next, our attention spans are SHORT! Make it interesting, quality, and quick to consume.
- Listening to younger employees or start actively researching for new perspectives.
Connecting (there’s that word again!) with younger customers doesn’t necessarily mean you need to start a company TikTok, but it does signal that you need to think about how your marketing strategies work in context to a newer audience.
3. Creativity will have a renaissance
There simply isn’t any excuse for boring marketing content in 2024. Now that you can easily combine human and AI forces, you should expect more creativity (and your customers, especially the youngins, will expect it, too). Whether it’s dreaming up new topics and exciting graphics or revamping your whole brand, 2024 is the time to reveal your brightest and most creative ideas!
4. A popular marketing option for 2024? Outsourcing
Over the past few years, we’ve seen a lot of marketing employee shuffling, whether it was the Great Resignation, layoffs, career changes, or you know, selling all earthly possessions to follow Taylor on tour. But at the end of the day, work needs to get done, and when there aren’t enough people to do it (or budget to hire another FTE role), marketing teams must find a way.
And that way is outsourcing.
For busy teams, having the right marketing agency helper team to swoop in and save the day can make all the difference. We predict 2024 will be a year of great outsourcing while companies seek out new ways to stretch budgets further — without giving in 100% to the AI robots. (And as a bonus, a good agency will help you emphasize the right human elements while listening to younger buyers, all while bringing the creativity A-game).
5. Something old will be inexplicably popular again
So this one isn’t so much a prediction but more of a fact. A marketing trend we all thought was very over is going to come back in a big way…perhaps a marketing remix, if you will?
Just like a re-released album (Taylor’s version, anyone?), there is some marketing tactic or material that will re-emerge. It will probably be on Instagram — sorry Tom, Myspace might never rebound — and before we know it will be everywhere. We won’t tell you what it is, but when you spot it, we will tell you, “I told you so.”
A content marketing agency that is always in style
Just like James Dean or a red lip, our team is always ready to blend Taylor-Swift-inspired classics with the latest trends to help busy marketers (like you!) deliver creative marketing strategies and content that connects to the right humans in the moments that matter most. Just reach out!