In the fast-paced world of digital marketing, staying ahead of the curve is not just an advantage, it's a necessity. Whether you're stuck for ideas or unsure where to start, we have gathered the top 10 marketing trends for SMEs to help you expand and achieve your goals in the new year.
We’ll be taking a look at the most referenced trends for 2024 to support you in incorporating them into your strategy:
Let’s take a deeper dive into these trends and how they can help you reach your targets.
VOICE SEARCH OPTIMISATION (VSO)
VSO is the optimisation of keywords and keyword phrases for searches using voice assistants such as Siri, Alexa, Google, etc. As voice assistants have become so accessible, voice search optimisation could be a key part of your new year’s strategy.
The following chart displays the number of voice assistant users globally in the past few years:
According to Voxly Digital 76% of the UK population uses voice assistants.
The following chart displays the most popular voice assistants in Britain:
Why is it important?
SME businesses should adapt VSO as part of their digital marketing tactics as voice-activated technology grows more popular to remain prominent and accessible to potential consumers.
A primary reason why voice assistants are so used is due to the convenience they provide to their users. Being able to search for information or place orders without typing on a screen has been ground-breaking for many, especially those with visual impairments or disabilities.
Ways to incorporate it:
Our top tips on how you can utilise VSO in your marketing strategy are:
- Alter your SEO keywords:
Think of how you would ask a question or look for information - you would use more than just 2-3 keywords and it would be more conversational. Include more natural language patterns. - Optimise your Featured Snippets:
These appear at the top of the SERPs. Google pulls the most relevant content and places it in a box in the search tool. - Alter your local SEO:
As we know, Google focuses on the geographical location of the searcher, so you can take advantage of your local SEO and incorporate VSO to make it more accessible. Use alternative text (alt text) to describe the meaning of your content and visual items and optimise all of your imagery. Another thing you can do is to create and optimise your Google Business account.
PERSONALISED CONTENT EXPERIENCES
Businesses must go beyond simple profiling to deliver bespoke content at every touchpoint as customers become more used to personalised experiences. With the rise of AI and machine learning alongside advanced analytics, delivering individualised content, suggestions and offers is becoming more of a necessity than just a good thing to have.
The following example shows one of the most successful PCEs - Amazon’s suggestions:
Why is it important?
According to Accenture, companies that recognise, remember, and present relevant offers and suggestions are more likely to be purchased by 91% of customers. You can distinguish yourself from the competition by giving personalised experiences to your clients.
Ways to incorporate it:
- Use customer data, machine learning algorithms, and recommendation engines to uncover patterns and/or trends in customers’ preferences.
- Create personalised emails using personalised CTAs (call to action) and personalised hero images.
- Incorporate social proof personalisation by adding customer testimonials, product reviews, and customer logos to your platform.
VIDEO ADVERTISING TRENDS
Video marketing has already dominated digital marketing advertising, but in 2024 it is expected to advance much further. Short-form videos, such as those featured on TikTok and Instagram Reels, will continue to gain prominence and become a favoured medium for reaching out to younger people.
Why is it important?
Including video marketing within SMEs' digital marketing strategy will gain a lot of traction and potential customers. According to Renderforest, 44% of customers are more likely to buy a product after watching a video about it. By advertising through videos, you can also easily interact with your audience and build a connection and trust with it by replying or reposting their comments.
Ways to incorporate it:
- Carry out research to find out which platform will suit your business and audience best.
- Create professional visual content.
- Utilise User Generated Content (USG) with consent.
Even though TikTok is the third most popular platform for millennials to use (according to GWI Survey), it is the most versatile when it comes to advertising options.
The following infographic shows how TikTok advertisement options compare to the rest of the social media platforms that offer short-form videos:
AI CONTENT & ANALYSIS
In 2024, AI-powered content generation will play a pivotal role in digital marketing campaigns. AI, such as ChatGPT, can swiftly produce high-quality, personalized content, such as blog posts, product descriptions, enabling marketers to maintain a consistent online presence and engage their audience effectively. This automation of content creation allows marketers to focus on strategic aspects of their campaigns, resulting in more targeted and engaging content that resonates with their audience.
Why is it important?
Incorporating AI-driven content into your digital marketing strategy can be pivotal as it delivers content that is not only highly relevant but also timely. AI can quickly process immense amounts of data, enabling marketers to create tailored content at scale, catering to the diverse preferences and behaviours of their audience.
Ways to incorporate it:
- Utilise AI to dynamically generate content, such as product descriptions, email subject lines, and ad copy, tailored to individual users or specific audience segments.
- Leverage AI to predict future trends and customer behaviour based on historical data.
- Implement AI-powered A/B testing tools that can quickly analyse performance data and make real-time adjustments to your campaigns for better results.
CONVERSATIONAL MARKETING WITH CHATBOTS
Chatbots will continue to play an important role in providing personalised and real-time customer experiences in 2024. The complexity of advanced AI-powered chatbots will increase, giving businesses access to new features like sentiment analysis, natural language processing, and seamless platform integration.
Why is it important?
Chatbots are vital to digital marketing strategies because they offer 24/7 cost-effective customer support, provide instant and personalised responses, assist in lead generation, reduce cart abandonment, gather valuable customer insights, engage customers across various channels, and efficiently qualify leads, all while ensuring rapid response times, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction and driving business growth.
Ways to incorporate it:
- Embed chatbots on your website, social media profiles, and messaging apps to ensure a seamless customer experience across various digital channels.
- Create content for your chatbot that aligns with your brand's tone and voice.
- Regularly update and train your chatbot with new information and insights to keep it relevant and effective.
AUGMENTED REALITY (AR) & VIRTUAL REALITY (VR) EXPERIENCES
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies will become more accessible and affordable. Marketers can leverage AR and VR for immersive product experiences, virtual showrooms, and interactive advertising campaigns.
Why is it important?
AR and VR are crucial for a digital marketing strategy because they provide immersive and interactive experiences that captivate and engage consumers, fostering a deeper connection with brands and products. By leveraging these technologies, marketers can create memorable and unique campaigns that set them apart in a competitive digital landscape, ultimately driving brand awareness and customer loyalty.
How to incorporate them:
- Choose the appropriate technology and tools for your campaign. For AR, this might involve mobile apps or web-based AR experiences. For VR, it could be headsets or VR apps.
- Develop high-quality, immersive content tailored to your objectives. For example, for AR, design interactive 3D models or AR filters. For VR, create immersive environments or virtual product demos.
- Design your AR and VR experiences to be user-friendly and intuitive. Provide clear instructions and guidance within the experience to help users navigate and interact effectively.
SOCIAL LISTENING
Monitoring and social listing is the act of collecting data from consumer comments, experiences, and views and responding through the brand channel to connect/support the digital customer, which may later transform an audience into an engaged community.
Why is it important?
Social listening may help businesses significantly improve customer service, marketing efforts, and products. It provides brands with the advantage of remaining current on the latest social trends in their industry.
Ways to incorporate it:
- Select a social listening tool or platform that suits your needs and budget.
- Create a list of relevant keywords, hashtags, and brand mentions to monitor.
- Use social listening to discover trending topics and discussions within your industry.
SOCIAL MEDIA STORIES
Social media stories, which gained immense popularity through platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat, are set to maintain their dominance well into 2024.
Why is it important?
Social media stories offer a fleeting yet engaging format that allows brands to connect with their audience in a more authentic and relatable way. They provide a unique opportunity for businesses to share original, real-time content, and foster a sense of immediacy.
Ways to incorporate them:
- Showcase the inner workings of your business, giving followers a sneak peek into your daily operations, product development, or company culture.
- Build excitement around new products or services by using stories to tease upcoming launches.
- Encourage customers to share their experiences with your products or services by reposting user-generated stories.
- Announce limited-time offers or discounts through stories, utilizing features like swipe-up links to drive traffic directly to your website or product pages.
MICRO-INFLUENCERS
Businesses and brands used to utilise influencers (1M-5M followers), but a lack of authenticity, combined with the cost of upkeep, has driven company owners in a different way. Businesses are employing micro and nano-influencers (followers ranging from 500 to 100,000+) to promote campaigns, products, and services.
Why is it important?
Adding micro-influencers to your digital marketing strategy can be vital because they often have highly engaged and niche followings, which can lead to more authentic and targeted promotion of your products or services.
Ways to incorporate them:
- Research and identify micro-influencers in your niche or industry who align with your brand's values and target audience.
- Request micro-influencers to review and demonstrate your products or services through their content.
- Set up affiliate marketing programs with micro-influencers, where they receive a commission for each sale or referral, they generate through their unique affiliate links.
- Allow micro-influencers to take over your brand's Instagram account for a day or a set period. This offers a fresh perspective and access to their followers.
INTERACTIVE Web Design
Last but certainly not least, a user-centric approach to web design, focusing on seamless mobile experiences, faster load times, and visually appealing, interactive content, will be essential for capturing and retaining the attention of online audiences.
Why is it important?
The web design serves as the digital storefront for your brand, shaping visitors' first impressions and influencing their online experience. An optimized and visually appealing website enhances user engagement, encourages conversions, and bolsters brand credibility, all of which are fundamental to digital marketing success.
Ways to incorporate it:
- Develop interactive content such as polls, surveys, and assessments that users can participate in.
- Use animated CTAs that respond to user interactions, making them more attention-grabbing and encouraging action.
- Incorporate progress bars in multi-step forms to show users their progress, making it more likely they'll complete the form.
CONCLUSION
In a world that is ever-evolving, digital marketing needs to be adaptable and in-tune with the current trends. Your marketing strategy should change as the digital world does. Which of these tactics would you incorporate in your new year’s plan and which new strategies do you see gaining popularity over the following few years?