Trends Shaping The Future Of Marketing
Trends Shaping the Future of Marketing
With Virtual and Augmented Reality technologies now influencing consumers, the future of marketing will undeniably be shaped by new technologies which can bring greater storytelling abilities and experiences that engage and immerse customers in a brand’s universe. However, there are still more traditional marketing methods which remain strong ways to attract new customers.
In this blog, we discuss various trends which are shaping the future of marketing as we approach the end of 2024:
Becoming an “ageless” brand
The ability to become an “ageless” brand doubles down on common values across different age groups or generations. The idea is to create a narrative that allows for generations to influence each other’s preferences and purchases through their interaction. Nowadays people want to play, learn, work, and rest at any age, not just when tradition says it is “age-appropriate.” People go travelling, get married and have children at a variety of ages so brands need to keep up with changes and expectations in society if they want to maximise on marketing and sales opportunities. Marketers must adopt a more holistic ageless approach that acknowledges the diverse needs and behaviours of consumers across all age groups. By embracing the realities of consumer attitudes and behaviours being driven by more than just our age, brands can develop strategies that resonate with a broader audience and drive sustainable growth for the long term.
2. Get serious about data
The complexities, personnel and departments of most businesses mean it’s all too easy to have data in different places across multiple platforms. When data isn’t unified, it’s virtually impossible to analyse. You get significantly better insights when your data is brought into one platform. However, understanding the different types of data is key before you start any consolidation process.
There are different types of data:
Zero Party – information which people willingly give you. An example of this is when a user freely gives their name, email address and phone number on a lead generation contact form. We always advocate the use of double-opt-ins to double-check that users are happy for you to use their data for marketing. This way you will get the highest quality people on your database.
1st Party
2nd Party
3rd Party – the annoying ones.
3. Personalisation & Hyper-Targeting
Having a consistent experience across multiple channels engages users.
Automated welcome emails are standard now, some users even expect them!
There are 3 core strategies to this:
Content Customisation – geo-targeting based on the recipients location.
Dynamic Content Elements – Newsletters sending tailored content depending on the recipient’s demographics.
Triggered and Timely Messaging – Topical subject lines. Apparently personalised subject lines increase opens by 50%.
4. Understanding AI
Leveraging AI allows for efficient analysis of customer behaviour.
Dot Digital have created Winston AI which converts emails into SMS and vice versa. Users can then get the same message across 2 platforms, thus increasing their likelihood of performing an intended CTA and converting. Winston AI can also look at 25 subject lines, analyse them and suggest fresh subject lines which will get the best open rates.
5. Sustainability & Social Responsibility
This is really important in 2024 and will become more so in future years.
Having a Corporate Social Responsibility can elevate your brand and its brand values. This is particularly important if you are selling ethical or renewable products or services. It will create a positive image in the eyes of customers and increase brand recognition. It can also act as a USP which differentiates your company from the competition, create brand loyalty and enable you to sell at a premium.
An example of this is having B-Corp status.