January 25, 2024
STN Digital’s Experts Predict 2024 Marketing Trends
The new year has arrived, marking the perfect time to dive into the 2024 marketing predictions and give your brand’s success a significant boost.
Staying ahead of the marketing curve is crucial, and to help you do just that, we’ve gathered insights from STN Digital’s experts to deliver eight forward-thinking predictions outlining what’s in store for marketing in 2024.
From the ongoing rise of AI tools to the spotlight shifting from Gen Z to Gen Alpha, these predictions offer insights into the future of marketing, helping prepare you for upcoming trends.
Let’s dive in and explore our experts’ 2024 marketing predictions!
The Significance of Trust and Ethics will Grow
Trevor Lasso, Senior Analytics Manager
With the evolution of AI in the past year+, verification of reality and reliable sources will be incredibly important. Whether it’s checking to ensure an image is, or isn’t, AI-generated, or if it’s fact-checking AI-generated results (ChatGPT for example), the importance of making sure that sources and valid and accurate before posting on social/web cannot be understated. Add in what’s going on with the ever-evolving landscape of social (particularly “X”), ensuring sources, and facts, are accurate will be a high priority for this calendar year.
Gen Alpha Is on the Rise
Nikki O’Farrell, Marketing and PR Manager
I believe we will start to see marketing campaigns geared towards Gen Alpha, since they are entering their teen years. Because of Gen Alpha’s familiarity with digital devices, using augmented and virtual reality experiences will capture their attention more effectively than other marketing tactics. Brands who want to resonate with Gen Alpha should focus on sustainability, social responsibility, and inclusiveness, and strive to be personable. Gen Alpha values authenticity and personalized interactions, and campaigns that reflect these qualities will likely build trust with this audience, and be successful overall.
RELATED: Gen Alpha vs Gen Z: Marketing for the Next Generation
Increase in Authentic, Personalized, Genuine Content
Jaida Collins, Project Management Lead
In 2024, my marketing predictions are centered around the importance of authenticity and personalization. I anticipate a continued shift towards genuine connections with brand audiences, fostering trust through authentic storytelling and user-generated content. Also, a focus on tailoring user experiences through advanced data analytics and interactive formats. I believe social commerce is also set to thrive this year, with seamless integration of e-commerce within social media platforms, providing a more personalized and convenient shopping journey for customers.
Goodbye Threads, Hello Snapchat
Lena Washington, Account Manager
My 2024 prediction is that Threads will fizzle out and continue to become less used by everyday users and brands. Similar to BeReal, which saw popularity for a short amount of time. On the flip side, I think Snapchat will continue to make a slow comeback. They’ve begun partnering with creators that are using this platform to push out content similar to what you would see on YouTube (Day in the Life, vlog style but as stories). This platform is always great at evolving with its competitors and introducing new features to keep users engaged.
Companies will Lean on Influencers with Organic Ties
Brandon Goodreau, Influencer Marketing Lead
In 2024, I believe brands will put more weight on working with influencers who have more organic ties to their product/service, rather than just going after the biggest names in the industry. With the level of investment, brands are making the space, spending their money where they will get the most impactful eyeballs will be paramount. As more executives turn to the idea of engagement rates and impactful content, they will be convinced more than ever that reach/views alone do not equate to ROI.
Long-Form Content is Making a Comeback
Grace Brady, Production Assistant
In 2024, I believe that we will start to see a shift back toward the popularity of long-form content. I believe this because the authenticity and connection felt by creators who start podcasts and vlog their lives on YouTube is stronger than short video clips. Also, creators who garner a podcast or Youtube following gain followers who support their brands/collaborations on top of their personal brand.
Brands will Embrace their Authentic Look
Maddy Yost, Associate Art Director
In 2024, I think brands will still want quick turn simple, Lo-Fi, social friendly graphics, but to stand out they will start to embrace the use of their own fonts and colors instead of the basic white/black font ‘meme’ look we currently see across platforms.
Lo-Fi Content and AI will Continue to Trend
Jahanvi Srinivasan, Social Media Manager
In 2024, I believe Lo-Fi content will continue to be the most popular, with significant integrations from AI. For example: Nicki Minaj’s #GAGCITY trend, which took over the internet in anticipation of her new album. I believe more and more opportunities like that will come up where brands and creators alike will have to navigate how to use AI to create relatable, trending and lo-fi content.