2023 has been a year of artificial intelligence (AI), personalisation, video marketing, and even augmented reality – but what trends can you expect to see for 2024?

Looking into the crystal ball, each team at Liquid has given their predictions and advice for the next 12 months – read on to discover what we think is to come…

PR

1. The continued rise of digital PR

For years, PR has been moving away from the traditional landscape, with more brands wanting digital coverage online – particularly as the print landscape has been dying off. But now, digital PR has grown even further in importance, with it being used within SEO strategy to increase backlinks.

As an integrated agency, we understand the importance of different marketing functions working together. We predict shifts in digital PR will force brands to become more aware of their marketing across multiple functions, ensuring an integrated approach moving forward to secure the best results.

2. Influencer marketing is flourishing

Influencer marketing is still a growing industry, but rather than using those with a huge following, it’s all about the micro-influencers who will tap into your niche audience. From a PR perspective, it’s vital to select authentic partnerships that tap into the given audience, building awareness, social proof, and engagement in conjunction with media opportunities to maximise campaign effectiveness.

At Liquid, we adopted a micro-influencer approach with our client, Duralex. We utilised a strategic gifted approach to micro-influencer partnerships, securing widespread social media coverage for a minimal budget. You can learn more about our work with Duralex here.

3. Keeping ESG top of mind

In recent years, the importance of ethical and sustainable business practices has increased, with more consumers becoming aware of ‘greenwashing’, ‘bluewashing’, and even ‘healthwashing’.

Journalists are now reviewing content with a fine-tooth comb, so we suggest ensuring all PR content is ESG foolproof, from pitches to press releases and even boilerplates. As well as content, the brand must also embody the principles they stand by. That way – the media are given no opportunities to publish a negative story.

Digital marketing

1. AI takes centre stage

As artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into our everyday lives, we can expect to see it further infiltrate digital marketing. This will redefine how businesses connect with their audience, and one trend we expect to see is the rise of AI-powered tools such as advanced chatbots.

These advanced tools will no longer just be accessible to large corporations but will allow smaller businesses to improve their customer service, deliver personalised advice, and make data-driven recommendations.

2. Social commerce will be integrated

Gone are the days of relying on a website for e-commerce opportunities. With more marketing tools optimising for e-commerce integration, such as TikTok launching TikTok shop, businesses will need to consider full integration across multiple marketing touchpoints to maximise shopability. Those businesses that can seamlessly integrate different touchpoints will see the most benefits and allow them to stay ahead in the digital space.

We adopted a heavily integrated approach for our client, Eric Lyons – a Knowle-based butcher transitioning from local selling to offering nationwide delivery. By utilising paid and organic social media, onsite website improvements, and a 9-month SEO strategy, the website saw 8,000 sessions in 3 months, generating £30,000 in revenue. To learn more about our work with Eric Lyons, click here.

3. Data needs to be protected

Data regulations and customer expectations are constantly changing, meaning businesses need to invest more time and resources to build trust with their customers through enhanced data privacy practices. By providing transparent information about how businesses utilise personal data and investing in secure storage systems to safeguard users’ information – businesses can remain compliant and build trust.

Social media

1. Authenticity is key

In a world where AI can analyse data, write copy, and even create images based on a description – it’s no wonder audiences are beginning to question brands’ authenticity on social media. To succeed on social in 2024, as brands increase their use of AI, they will also need to consider how they can keep content authentic.

To combat this, we would suggest a range of types of content – particularly the use of UGC or UGC-style content to retain authenticity. It’s also important to remember to carefully review any content created by AI. For example, we would not advise using AI to support writing captions/ However, AI is a great tool to help brainstorm ideas if you are stuck for a starting point!

2. Long-form content returns

For the past few years, short-form content has reigned supreme, but as we are finding a gradual shift to lengthier videos, we predict long-form content will return in 2024, even on short-form platforms such as TikTok. This will challenge creators to get more creative with longer and original content – whilst still weaving trends into the mix.

The shift to long-form content will also increase the importance of entertaining content. Hootsuite’s Consumer Survey found that 34% of consumers find too much self-promotion a major turn-off in how they perceive brands on social, and with the top reason for using social media is to be entertained and mentally unwind, brands will need to find a middle ground by promoting their product/service in an entertaining content format.

If you’re struggling to create entertaining content, why not check out our client CuSP’s TikTok account? Here, we demonstrate how to convey a serious message through entertaining content.

3. Social SEO has a whole new meaning

Did you know nearly half of Generation Z use TikTok and Instagram for search instead of Google? This represents a shift in the way we absorb information, wanting a more exploratory experience that includes both storytelling and opinions rather than facts from Google.

For this reason, SEO on social has a whole new meaning – it will not only be about the content itself, but optimising posts with keywords to increase discoverability.

Are you looking for an integrated communications agency to improve your marketing in 2024? Or not sure how to navigate the 2024 trends to come? Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today!