A new year has started, and it brings with it the chance for brands and companies to refresh and reshape their digital marketing approach for 2024. One of the best ways to do that is to see if they can plug into any upcoming digital marketing trends that are relevant to their marketing strategy and audience.
So, to kick start the new year, Escapade has rounded up 3 digital marketing trends to look out for in 2024!
1. Virtual Influencers
This one has been building for some time as AI becomes more widely developed and used within the industry.
Escapade first reported about this in our virtual influencers blog at the end of 2022, as they had started to become the new hot topic ahead of 2023. We detailed what they were, how they were being used, and some popular example accounts.
And it is likely that their popularity will continue to rise in 2024 as last month Yahoo News reported that Spanish company The Clueless had made an AI character called Aitana Lopez, who had built a huge following on Instagram (currently 252,000 followers) despite not being a real person.
She looks incredibly lifelike, is available 24/7, and according to Social Media Today is now “earning $US10,000 per month from brand contracts.”
So, what does this mean for digital marketing? Well, if being on camera doesn’t appeal to you, this could be another innovative way to create content- although full AI creation disclosure would be needed on any images, accounts, or videos.
However, it could also see the decline of human influencers, as brands look to save costs and time.
But it is always important to remember your audience, with the vast majority still craving authenticity and relatability at the core of brand promotions.
Therefore, it is one to watch but hopefully not one to fully replace the human touch.
2. Short Form Video
This one isn’t necessarily new for 2024, but it is an increasingly important one.
According to Social Media Today, “short form video is the fastest growing content type on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat, and remains the key engagement vehicle on TikTok.”
And it doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon.
The key for brands is to develop engaging and unique short form content that resonates with their audience and is purposeful to their marketing strategy. Not just made for the sake of following trends.
Platforms are also starting to develop their own AI tools to help with video creation, and you can repurpose your content to suit multiple platforms (as long as there are no watermarks visible).
3. Private Messaging
Like short form videos, this digital marketing trend has been developing for a while and platforms have been adjusting accordingly.
This would be the increased use of private messaging on social media platforms, and the decrease in users posting to their public feeds.
Potentially this could be from users feeling tired of reading and sharing constant updates, preferring to share posts, or message selected friends instead.
This shift can be difficult for brands to utilise. However, as Social Media Today state “If you’re granted access to a potential customers’ inbox, that’s a key promotional option, which could ensure that more of your messages are read, improving brand awareness and engagement.”
This could be through sharing exclusive deals via messages, sharing private deals to friends, and through a friendly and professional messaging style.
The world of digital marketing is constantly changing, but hopefully pointing out these emerging and building trends will help keep you informed and able to maximise your digital marketing strategies with new opportunities.
Want more information about upcoming or latest trends? Why not check out our blog post on Virtual Influencers or 2024 Food and Drink Consumer PR Trends!
Need the help of a consumer PR agency? Please get in touch by visiting our Contact page, we would love to hear from you!
Sources
https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/the-age-of-virtual-influencers-coming/701664/
https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/5-tips-digital-marketing-strategy-2024/703391/
Blog Cover Photo: juststock/istockphoto.com
