As brands look ahead to the new year, we’ve created our own round-up of trends that we predict will become, or continue to become, big in 2024 across the digital marketing sector.

Building on the foundations of trends laid out in 2023, the coming year is sure to be filled with increasing innovation as marketers explore and uncover new capabilities across social platforms and unlock new ways of engaging and inspiring audiences and users. But what impact will things like AI, not to mention the increasing demand for instant gratification and efficiency on the part of users, have on digital marketing?

Here are some of the trends that we think will dominate the digital marketing sphere over the next 12 months.

The continued role of video content

The popularity of TikTok and Instagram Reels to produce viral content tells us that video content is not going anywhere - in fact, if anything it is only going to continue to become more prominent.

One of the ways that brands can use video is by releasing behind the scenes footage, generating more of a personal approach to their marketing and connecting directly with their customers.

Reliance on UGC

While we’re on the topic of customer engagement, 2024 is sure to see an increase in the use of UGC - User-Generated Content. From reviews to video testimonials and more, UGC puts the brand message directly in the mouths of customers, giving prospective followers and customers a trustworthy source of insight.

Through this, we also think that 2024 will bring with it more giveaways and connections between brands and micro-influencers - that is, smaller influencers and accounts that have a direct link with their target audience.

Spotlighting sustainability and green initiatives, as part of each businesses CSR

CSR stands for Corporate Social Responsibility and is of increased importance to brands who want to become more environmentally friendly. As such, 2024 is likely to see more brands spotlighting their sustainable initiatives and the actions that they are taking to achieve net zero status - demonstrating an affinity with the causes that matter to their customers.

Expanding the capability of search

Voice search is something that has been heavily explored in 2023’s digital marketing, considering the different ways that customers search for local businesses and solutions to their issues. In 2024, we think that this will develop even further to encompass picture search and other forms of search, with brands needing to rethink the way that they use and employ SEO strategies as well as hashtags and meta tags on both their website and social media.

If you haven’t already, we urge you to also revisit and breathe life into your Google My Business profile, which connects directly with local area maps and acts as an effortless introduction to your brand for those in and around the area.

Transparency and trustworthiness

Security is going to continue to matter in 2024, with users wanting to know more about how their data is used and how brands plan to contact and connect with them. Making sure that your GDPR policy is up to date is more important than ever, as is having an effective email marketing campaign and an easy unsubscribe option fort all users.

As part of this renewed approach to transparency and trustworthiness, this is also a good time to talk a little about the value that you put out through your marketing. Remember, marketing isn’t just about direct advertising - it should also be about delivering value to users, with content that seeks to identify and solve their problems and concerns. The more value you can embed into your marketing campaigns, the more trustworthy your brand will be in the eyes of users and customers.

Are you looking ahead to 2024?

If the aforementioned trends fill you with trepidation, then you’re not alone. Adopting changes to your digital marketing is hard, especially when you feel like you’ve only just your head around the latest platforms and trends. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t - or shouldn’t - take steps towards understanding and activating them across your own digital marketing.

Here at Social Loop, we consider ourselves experts in all things digital marketing, staying ahead of market trends so that our clients don’t have to. Instead, we let you know which trends work for you and which to integrate in your own campaigns, keeping your brand at the forefront of your market and ensuring that your customers are always impressed with your approach.