Digital marketing trends for 2024

Last updated: 17 March 2024

The digital marketing trends for 2024 come loaded with interesting novelties and also with important consolidations that we have already talked about on different occasions.

Some trends that are consolidating are Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its use in different areas of marketing and communication and, of course, the massive use of Google Analytics 4.

Others are still there, evolving and have not finished exploding such as, for example, the voice marketingvirtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR).

And some others, emerging ones, we will see what the next year will bring, such as NFT marketing, sustainability marketing and even the famous marketing in the metaverse.

What is clear is that the year 2024 will be an important year for digital marketing and communication and all companies will need to facing a new paradigm.

They will have to do better and faster research than ever before, be more creative and efficient, and measure the data of your marketing campaigns to the best of your ability.

As every year, Here is our online marketing bet for the year 2024.

1. Consolidation of Google Analytics 4

Last year we talked about the arrival of Google Analytics and by 2024 What we need to talk about is the consolidation of the ultimate data measurement tool.

We have already advanced in Google Analytics 4, differences with Universal Analyticsthat Google Analytics 4 would be a revolution within Google's measurement environment, and so it has been.

Not only because its world market share is higher than 85%But because the product really wins and convinces, despite the path of improvement that lies ahead.

Your new data model is an improvement and a milestone that is here to stay, and we celebrate it.

The combo GA4, Adwords, Shopping, Looker studio, Big QueryIn terms of the integration between them and the low barrier to entry, frankly, it seems to me to be unbeatable.

But there is not only the linkage with these tools but with the entire Google suiteThis makes it relatively easy and pleasant to get down to work.

If you want to have a look at its interface, I recommend you take a look at this video:

2. Artificial intelligence and marketing

I don't think I'll be revealing anything if I tell you that this year, the artificial intelligences will play a key role in digital marketing.

No, of course not.

Companies, data agencies, communication agencies, creatives, advertisers, analysts, all have and will continue to do so. we have integrated some of these tools into our daily lives.

You may be interested in:

1. Incorporating artificial intelligence into marketing
2. 5 AI applications for marketing
3. Artificial intelligence and data analysis in marketing

In fact, has already been announced Geminia clear competitor of the famous GPT Chat which will be integrated with Bard (Google) and promises to be much more powerful and better than Bard.

Tip: If you haven't yet caught up with the different AIs on the market, do so. There are many kinds and for many purposes, but if you want to get started with one, you can I recommend Chat GPT and Bard.

• bard website: https://bard.google.com/chat
• GPT Chat website: https://chat.openai.com/auth/login

3. Yes, you will need a marketing agency to grow.

I don't mean to be a stickler, but the reality about marketing agencies is what you see in the graph below.

Constant user interest... or is it necessity?

In other words, it is not possible to run a digital business serious without the support of a qualified professional team.

I know you have to make your posts positive and not write words like "impossible", "no" or "complication", but I'm not an Instagram guru and I don't sell humour. nor do I want to convey a romantic idea of the data.The Internet and the digital universe.

Selling on the internet is excitingbut at the same time, extremely complex. It requires specialists in many disciplines to achieve objectives (SEO, Paid, UX, Data, creative...) and a dedicated investment in the project to make it viable.

As an agency, it is our duty to helping our clients to achieve sustainable growth through data and creativity, trends, tools, innovations and hard work; but without making them believe that this path will be easy.

If this is not clear, I wrote some content some time ago that I think may be useful: 5 reasons why you shouldn't start an online business.

4. Plugins to power artificial intelligences such as Chat GPT

It's amazing how the plugin world has evolved in artificial intelligences like Chat GPT.

There are plugins of all kinds and for all the disciplines you can think of and they are clearly one of the most important AI applications that can help us most in our day-to-day work as online marketers.

In DDigitals we have tested many of these add-ons and we assure you that they will become indispensable in your work.

These are the ones we liked the most and which are already a marketing trend for 2024:

If you want to go deeper, here you have a content of Plugins for ChatGPT and the The video above is a guide to understanding how to implement them.There is a trick you need to know to start using it.

5. Podcast marketing continues to expand

Yes, it is, podcasts are another trend that is growing steadily and will continue to do so in the coming year.

More and more companies are using this channel to make themselves known, to reach out to the public and to new audiences and branding.

Podcast marketing will only continue to grow because it is tremendously user-friendlyYou can listen to it while driving or while playing sports and this constitutes a major competitive advantage compared to other channels that require more concentration.

They work extremely well for specific niches and facilitate the transfer of users between digital and offline channelsMoreover, they do not require a large investment in production.

Here you have a post where we explain step by step how to make a business podcast to promote your company.

6. Forever SEO: because SEO is not dead and will not die.

And it will not die because the entire scoring and ranking system that Google uses to rank its results feeds on it, and for AI to kill off the original content creators, there is still a long way to go.

So no, SEO is not dead and will not die, it is simply evolving.

And what's left!

SEO has changed a lot in recent years (and will change), but behind it lies the same essence: provide the consumer with an answer to their question at the right time and with the right content.

I believe that this change will have a lot to do with the Artificial Intelligence and what google has called SGE (Search Generative Experience) and which seems to me to be a trend in itself, which I will talk about later.

What to do with SEO in 2024? Work on it as usual, pay a lot of attention to it and develop a good SEO content strategy.

Incidentally, Google has updated the guidelines 13 October 2022 and they hadn't done so for 20 years. You can read Google's new SEO guidelines here.

7. Search Generative Experience on Google

Google SGE is a innovative search tool using artificial intelligence to process questions formulated in natural language.

Provides summaries, suggestions and relevant links. It combines a chatbot with traditional search, providing answers in a conversational and contextual format.

The tool verifies data through reliable sources and provides additional questions to refine the search or, well, at least that's what it promises.

Unlike traditional search engines, Google SGE delivers direct information, thus influencing local search, e-commerce and SEO, and adapting to new ways of interacting and searching for information.

If SEO is going anywhere, it will be here. Be careful, because it also has a very interesting advertising impact, which we explained in an content dedicated exclusively to this trend.

8. Affiliate marketing will remain a trend by 2024.

Affiliate marketing continues to grow because works. I already commented on this in 2023, but the same thing will happen in 2024.

In the end, it has many advantages for the advertiser and that will never go out of fashion.

1. The advertiser only pays for what it sells (we mentioned in the previous point that brands are going to performance).
2. The brand can achieve a distribution which would otherwise be very costly.
3. It kills two birds with one stone: it makes branding and, what's more, it manages to sell.

Affiliate marketing is a multi-billion dollar business which is becoming increasingly important in the budgets of brands, which are investing less in brand awareness and more in the final sale.

9 . The TikTok explosion for the year Will there be a TikTok Shop?

@tiktok

The truth is that this social network is pretty cool.

Its algorithm is much more attention-grabbing than Meta's. and the content is fresher, more interesting and fun.

In only 5 years of life, TikTok has positioned itself in the sixth position of social networks with the most active users worldwide. I leave you here the ranking (I got it from here).

1. USA: 116.5 million
2. Indonesia: 113 million 
3. Brazil: 84.1 million
4. Mexico: 62.4 million
5. Russia: 51.2 million
6. Vietnam: 50.6 million
7. Philippines: 41.4 million
8. Thailand: 41.1 million
9. Turkey: 31 million 
10. Saudi Arabia: 28.4 million

Its success, in addition to what I have already mentioned, revolves around the evolution of its audience. What began as a social network for the Generation Z has become the new network of the moment for all audiences and ages.

It doesn't matter which category we are talking about or which discipline, as it covers practically all of them, although it is true that, as always, the entertainment plays in a different league from the rest.

Category	Popularity by tag search
Entertainment	535 billion
Dance	181 billion
Joke	79 billion
Fitness / Sports	57 billion
Home renovation / Do-it-yourself	39 billion
Beauty/ Skin care	33 billion
Fashion	27 billion
Recipes / Cooking	18 billion
Tips / Life advice	13 billion
Pets	10 billion
Outdoors	2 billion

In fact, there is a perception (but not a reality or at least not a complete one) that Google loses users when it comes to search. That is, users are moving from Google to TikTok when it comes to asking questions.

One of the most important new developments (in Spain) could be TikTok ShopThe social network, which is available in other countries, unleashes the full potential of this social network for selling.

So we will be watching closely.

10. Native ads

It is not that native ads are new to the Internet, but they are going to be boosted by the need for more and more native advertising.e reach out to users within their own contexts..

In addition, according to a report by HootSuite, it is estimated that the 37% of global users use some form of ad blocking toolIn Spain, by the way, this figure stands at 38%.

As a result, the native ads are an exceptional way to impact consumers. They also have interesting advantages for marketers, as they have some Higher CTR than other formats and they are always contextualised, i.e. they are not intrusive.

A clear trend for the coming year.

11. The marketing of influencers will grow by 2024

Yes, influencers are in luck, as the year 2024 will be a fantastic year for them.They will not be short of work.

According to https://www.digitaldoughnut.com/, in the coming year more than 16 billion dollars in this kind of marketing, and it fits me.

There are many brands that rely on the marketing of influencers to promote their products, generate brand impact and gain credibility.

In fact, for some years now, the agencies influencers have burst onto the online marketing scene and are certainly here to stay.

Tools have even been developed that promise to automate processes related to this not-so-new communication channel, for example, Fuel Your Brands.

However, there are many who question budget allocations for these actions This is because, compared to other channels, it is clearly a less measurable and efficient channel.

I recommend read this post by the master Avinash, in which he reflects on this channel with data.

Be that as it may, the influencer marketing will continue to grow in the coming years.

12. Gemini, Google's new artificial intelligence

As recently discussed, Google has launched its new artificial intelligence which promises to revolutionise the world of AI.

In fact, Google's own Country Manager for Spain has announced the news on Linkedin:

This new artificial intelligence promises to be a multimodal language (text, photo, video) with a "never-before-seen capability" and as its CEO says it is intended for improving the world.

If you want to know more about Gemini, I recommend you its official website.

13. Blockchain and its applications to marketing

It is clear that this technology is here to stay.

It is currently the talk of the town, but it has been around for many years.

This technology (in a nutshell) guarantees transactions (money, goods, intangibles) securely without intermediariesbecause the whole process happens in a decentralised way.

This decentralisation is precisely that which avoids mistakes and gives you extra security.

Moreover, as is always the case in the digital environment, logically has applications in the marketing discipline.particularly in online marketing.

Some of these applications are:

1. Improving the security of Internet payments.
2. Avoid buying or exchanging counterfeits.
3. Decentralise advertising markets.
4. Decentralise moderation in Social Media.
5. Decentralise search engines.
6. Taking real control of consumer data.

As you can see, there is a long way to go in marketing.

14. Phygital Experience

As the name suggests, it is bridging the digital and physical worlds.

The aim is to create a memorable customer experiencedifferent and enriching.

This marketing trend is clearly linked to virtual reality, the MetaverseThe e-commerce and everything to do with bringing value from the digital to the physical and vice versa.

The smart testersvisits in the Metaverse to a product or service (before contracting it) or technology. RFID are a good example of this.

15. Visual search

Did you know that the 90% of information that is transmitted to the human brain is through images?

If we add to this the fact that the visual search market will reach 56.5 trillion in 2025It seems interesting that it should be taken into account as a marketing trend.

All you need to do is use a couple of times Google Lents to understand the potential of visual searches. To optimise these searches, you should pay attention to the following points:

1. Add the photographs to the sitemap of the site.
2. It goes without saying that titles and alternative texts should be SEO friendly.
3. That the weight is fully optimised.

16. SEO in Tik Tok

SEO is not just about Google.

As I mentioned earlier, the social network of the moment also has its own rules to obtain the desired visibility.

You have to know where to place the keywords, the hashtags, analyse well the engagement and optimise the title of publications, as Google indexes Tik Tok.

If you're interested in learning more about this marketing trend, I recommend you read SEO in Tik Tok and set up a good strategy.

17. Content generated by artificial intelligence (AI)

The image you see just above this text is an image of a image that has been generated by artificial intelligence.

In fact, we have written: "A robot on a chair with the word SEO in colours".

Of course, these tools exist not only to generate visual elements, but also text and graphics, even music. In relation to written content, the most famous and the one that is on everyone's lips today is chatGPT.

Notice to SEOs, Google considers the use of AI applied to content to be a punishable practice.So be careful not to be too clever with massive content generation.

In any case, we have already incorporated ChatGPT within the agency's processes, I recommend you to read the post How to improve your website's SEO with ChatGPT? so that you can integrate it into your everyday life.

I don't know what the exact path and impact AI will have on marketing and digital marketing, but I am sure it will not leave us indifferent.

Naturally, this new ecosystem (accessible to all) opens up an interesting debate in The original content and, of course, the intellectual property right, because this intelligence is fed among other things by what is already created on the Internet in a completely original way.

18. Linkedin shifts towards more personal content

You may have noticed that in the Linkedin lately it has been mixes a lot of personal and professional.

And it is happening.

A few years ago, it was unthinkable to see personal discourse on this social network.l, it was confined to purely professional matters and reflections.

Maybe the pandemic, just as it happened in offline lifeThe boundaries between the professional and the personal have become blurred and LinkedIn has taken note of this.

In fact, at present, it is possible to build stories similar to Instagram, videos or a survey.

Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Its algorithm also rewards this type of content.so if you want to increase your engagement on Linkedin, proposes a new digital marketing strategy based on these new parameters.

19. ChatGTP, artificial intelligence and SEO

The million-dollar question: Is SEO going to disappear because of this kind of tools?. I personally don't think so, but I do think that we seos will have to adapt and take advantage of new trends in artificial intelligence to improve our work.

It is a very interesting topic and I recommend you to read the post. ChatGPT and SEO We have prepared a briefing to try to explain what this trend is about and what it can lead to.

For the time being, ChatGTP is set to be one of the star tools of 2024. and therefore I have to advise you to start exploring its possibilities.

20. Bing and artificial intelligence

There are many questions regarding the Microsoft's move with Bing and the addition of ChatGPT to your browser.

There is no doubt that it can be a departure from the search model we have known so far.

So much so that Google has had to make a move and bring forward the release of its artificial intelligence Bard. they say in their own press release.

There is something very interesting in this communiqué that has not gone unnoticed by me, they say it verbatim:

Initially, we will launch with the reduced LaMDA model. This much smaller model has the advantage that it requires much less computing power. It will therefore be able to reach more users, allowing for more feedback. We will combine this external feedback with our own internal testing to fine-tune Bard's responses so that they provide an accurate and reliable response. high level of quality, safety and based on real-world information. 

source: google.es

"Information based on the real world". ChatGPT does not currently connect to the Internet. and that is a clear disadvantage compared to a search engine, which is why Microsoft is going to integrate it into its proposal.

Where will it end? Will it lead to a shift of users from Google to Microsoft? Will it affect Google's advertising model?

We will see.

What is certain, is that you will have to be very aware of all the new developments and integrate them into your strategy as a value proposal to be able to compete.

21. CRO (Conversion Rate Optimisation)

The cost of user acquisition has shot up 30% in the last 3 yearsAs a result, advertising investment is becoming increasingly difficult for brands that do not have the financial muscle.

One way to compete is by optimising the conversion rate of a website, i.e., to through the implementation of the CRO.

As the name suggests, it is about applying techniques through scientific methodologies to increase site conversions (in the video above we explain how we do it in DDigitals).

In 2024, CRO will experience an upward trend and will clearly be one of the most profitable strategies for companies. companies that already have significant traffic on their websites.

Basically, the methodology is divided into three phases:

1. Analysis.
2. Testing.
3. Implementation.

If you are interested, I recommend you our video on What is CRO and how can it improve my website? .

22. TikTok keyword insights

TikTok has released a new toy, its ad keyword analysis tool.

Yes, that's right, from ads, i.e. paid content (although logically it will help a lot with organic positioning on TikTok).

It is a powerful segmentation tool with which to analyse the competition and understand consumer behaviour based on different factors, such as popularity.

We have prepared exclusive content for the TikTok keyword analysis which we hope will be of great interest to you.

23. More branded entertainment and new creative formats

You know that the user's attention is inversely proportional to the advertising saturation available on the market.

Therefore, it is time to be creative and look for new formats and channels to impact the audience.

The branded entertainment is not a new discipline (far from it), but it has evolved faster since the pandemic.

When a brand creates products based on a quest to entertain the userWe are dealing with a case of branded entertainment, not to be confused, please, with product placement.

Nothing to see.

In this sense, a brand can create films, documentaries, books, videos, etc. and anything that is likely to entertain its audience.

Some examples: Lego: the movie or the Dove brand storytelling based on the discourse of "real beauty".

Something that might also fit here, although I'm not quite sure, could be the 4-hour video developed by the Nissan brand to promote Ariya.

24. Sustainability marketing and its impact on brands

In 2024, sustainability marketing is set to become a key trend.

This approach emphasises business practices and marketing strategies that are environmentally responsible and socially conscious.

It focuses on creating a genuine connection with consumers concerned about environmental impact and social aspects of their purchases.

Brands that embrace this trend not only improve their public image, they also attract a growing market that values environmental and social responsibility.

This approach requires transparency, authenticity and real commitment with sustainable practices throughout the company's operations.

This concept engage with purposeful marketingIt is about making the world a better place and the actions that are implemented are sustainable.

I recommend you read our post, What is purposeful marketing? For more information.

25. Miravia as an alternative to Amazon, sell on your Miravia Seller

The marketplaces are great places to sell.

Amazon is collapsed and it is always good to have alternatives for running an e-commerce business.

Selling in Miravia something that will become a marketing trends for the coming yearsThe interest in the marketplace is growing all the time.

For the time being, it is limited in terms of promotion options, but it is a channel that is considered to be growth in the future.

We have written a content dedicated to the Miravia Seller, in case it is of interest to you.

26. NFT marketing

NFT (Non Fungible Token) marketing emerges as a revolutionary trend.

This strategy uses NFTs to create unique and personalised marketing campaigns.

Brands can offer exclusive experiencesdigital products or access to special events through NFTs.

This approach not only appeals to a technologically advanced audience and cryptocurrency enthusiast, but also allows for unparalleled authenticity and traceability is, in the end, a branch of the blockchain marketing.

Companies venturing into the NFT marketing can strengthening your digital presence and create a deeper and more meaningful connection with your audience.

In the end, it's about putting NFT at the centre and working with classic channels such as email, influencers, content generation or social media.

I found this very interesting NFT marketing guide and I think it is and will be a clear trend for the coming year.

27. Threads, the new social network of Meta

The new social network with which Meta wants to compete with X (old Twitter) is now available in our country.

It is a microblogging network which is natively linked to Instagram and which, in principle, allows the user to delve deeper into a particular topic of interest.

For the time being, Threads is neither advertised nor expectedMeta's own CEO said he wanted to reach 100 million users first.

Undoubtedly, a trend (we shall see whether it will perish or not) by 2024.

28. Consent mode of Google V2

Google Consent Mode version 2 (v2) is an update to Google's technology designed to help website owners to manage how user data is collected and used in relation to cookies and other forms of local storage in the browser, especially in the context of complying with privacy regulations such as the GDPR in Europe and similar laws in different parts of the world.

The original version of the Google Consent Mode introduced a way for websites to adjust the behaviour of the Google tracking tools (such as Google Analytics and Google Ads) based on the status of the user's consent to the use of cookies and data.

This allowed websites to continue to collect certain data important for analytics and ad optimisation without infringing users' privacy preferences.

The Google Consent version 2 Mode takes this a step further by offering enhancements and new functionalities that allow for even more refined and flexible management of consent and data collection. Some of the features and enhancements may include:

1. Improvements in the accuracy of consentprovides a more detailed and precise way for websites to configure how cookies and other data should be handled based on user consent, allowing for more granular customisation.
2. Improved integration with the Google ecosystemGoogle Analytics: facilitates smoother integration with other Google tools and platforms, ensuring that the handling of consent is consistent across all Google services used by a website.
3. Extended support for cookie-free measurementintroduces or enhances techniques to collect analytics and ad performance data without relying on cookies, which is crucial as the industry moves towards a cookie-free future.
4. Flexibility and control for website ownersThe new data collection and use policy: gives website owners more choice and controls over how data is collected and used, helping them to comply with privacy regulations without sacrificing the ability to measure the performance of their site and advertising campaigns.
5. Improvements to the user interface and developer experienceConsent Mode: may include enhanced tools and documentation to facilitate the implementation and management of Consent Mode by developers and website owners.

Importantly, Google Consent Mode v2 continues to be a tool to help websites navigate the complex data privacy landscape, and its implementation should be seen as part of a broader privacy compliance strategy.

Regarding Google consent mode, we have written specific content on this topic, What is Google Consent mode V2? in which we talk about what it is and how to implement it with Google Tag Manager and its impact on Adwords.