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Before, sharing adorable videos, investing in ads, purchasing blog spaces, and gaining attention on Facebook used to be effective in digital marketing. However, things have changed a lot. Platforms, technology, user habits, expectations, and business models have all evolved over time. Therefore, the strategies for marketing should also evolve.
In this article, we’ve compiled a list of upcoming digital marketing trends for 2024. Some are new, some have developed further, and some are making a return.
Increase in Online Events
The pandemic changed how events happen. Before Covid, people used to have in-person events, but now everything is happening online. Businesses and event planners had to cancel their in-person events during the pandemic, but now they are doing things like online meetings, virtual escape rooms, and remote conferences.
This change also affected how companies and event organizers reach out to potential customers. In the USA, 71% of event professionals are adding things like Q&A sessions, chat, and other interactive features to their virtual events. 69% are choosing to do events in a webinar format. Also, instead of physical business cards, people are now using smart business cards during virtual events. Even after the pandemic, virtual events are still popular.
Marketing Omnichannel
People use digital media in various ways. Some read articles and news related to their interests, while others play games for entertainment. However, there’s a commonality—they all use a shared social media platform. If you can engage with them on this platform, you have the opportunity to turn them into customers.
Limiting your interaction to a single channel can result in a loss of information and disrupt the flow. For instance, you might miss out on what customers are saying about your business on a different channel. They might praise your service on Instagram but express dissatisfaction on Twitter, providing valuable insights for improving customer service.
Instead of sticking to one channel, consider adopting an omnichannel approach to keep tabs on your customers across various platforms.
Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) and Mobile First
About 77% of people use their mobile phones to search for things while they are at home or in the office. Only 17% of mobile searches happen when people are on the go. When people search on their phones, 55% of them end up making a decision or taking some action within the first hour.
In the past, laptops were thought of as portable, but now, compared to smartphones, they seem big and heavy. Many people prefer using smartphones to connect to the internet because they are easier to carry, lighter, and fit easily into pockets.
Google Analytics tells us that users like using apps more than regular websites. Google changed the way it ranks websites on July 1, 2019, with a focus on how well they perform on mobile devices. Progressive web apps are web pages designed to work like apps.
More people are using voice searches
In China, more than half (51%) of people use voice searches, while in the USA, it’s 24%. In 2019, the global market for smart speakers reached 20.7 million units in the first quarter. Recent data suggests that the use of voice searches will increase in the future as people find it convenient to interact with AI assistants like Alexa, Siri, and Cortana.
However, the USA has lower numbers due to customer concerns. About 42% of US consumers worry about the security of voice searches, 31% are concerned about ordering the wrong item, and 26% are afraid of accidentally placing multiple duplicate orders.
It’s important to consider whether these concerned customers are part of your target audience.
Experience with Augmented Reality
Augmented reality makes your experience more fun by adding digital things to what you see in a video in real-time. This technology not only gives you a cool experience, but it’s also a smart way for companies to show their brand. It’s a cool digital marketing trick to get people interested and talking about your brand.
For example, marketers can use this cool experience in games, like Pokémon Go. The game mixed gaming, movies, anime, and a way for businesses to make money. This platform can be set up so that it’s free to use but offers things you can buy inside the game. First, get people to use the platform, and then you can introduce things they can buy while playing the game.
Marketing to Native
You’ve probably noticed products showing up in the middle of videos and movies. These are called native ads. They blend in with the content and don’t seem like typical annoying ads. Regular ads bother people because they interrupt and often aren’t relevant to what the audience is watching. A report by Digital Information World found that 47% of users around the world use ad blockers to avoid these annoying ads.
On the other hand, native ads fit smoothly into the content, so they don’t feel intrusive. Instead of being irritating, they seem like a natural part of the marketing in the content. For example, in an action movie’s chase scene, you might see fancy cars and watches. They may look like they belong in the scene, but they’re there as a form of product placement. Native marketing isn’t a new idea, but companies should figure out how to use it more effectively.
B2C marketing is on the rise
More than half of companies (52%) write and keep blogs on their websites. About 40% of these companies attract potential customers by sending email newsletters, and email marketing provides the best return on investment. Additionally, 36% of companies organize live events, while 40% publish e-books and social media posts. Why is all this happening? It’s because there’s a growing focus on B2C (business-to-consumer) marketing rather than B2B (business-to-business). Sellers and consumers are using the same platforms and sharing the same transaction methods. B2C marketing is considered easier and faster than B2B.
Think of it like trying free samples of pasta sauce and ice cream before deciding to buy them. Similarly, in the SaaS (Software as a Service) business and industry, brands are offering free trials for a specific period before users commit to purchasing the full version.
If you are interested to follow these digital marketing trends, you can hire digital marketing agency to help you achieve it.
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