More industry changes in 2024? We have thoughts.

In just a week, we will officially kiss 2023 goodbye and say hello to 2024. But before you slam your laptops shut, eat your body weight in cookies, and scroll TikTok for hours on end, we have some final insights for you.

We’ve already covered creative, but as an integrated communications firm, we’re looking at an even grander picture in 2024, one that includes operational trends in social media, public relations, digital marketing, and paid media. Each year, the world of marketing and communications gets bigger and we want you to be prepared, so that’s why we did the work for you.

Here are the top trends you should look out for in 2024:

Video content will continue to dominate

It’s official. Video content is the most engaging and performs the best across social channels, but there are two things in particular we’re looking for in 2024: authenticity and captions.

Authenticity has been a key for content for a few years now, but now, we know that over produced, highly edited videos and reels are officially a thing of the past. Brands are focusing on the real people behind the advertisements rather than trying to portray the perfect image that only exists in an online fantasy.

As for captions, they’ve now become critical. Ifyou don’t have the closed captioning on your videos, you’re a big step behind the rest of us. Creators and brands alike are using videos for everything, but the amount of users watching videos without sound is bound to increase. And while most of us might just do this when we can’t find our earbuds, keeping captions on also helps increase the chance your content will be discovered using a keyword search.

Humanize your brand

Things are changing every day in the communications industry. When it comes to public relations, consumers are looking for more human touch in the services they’re accessing. With the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI), we’ve seen things across communications shift at an accelerated rate. But while AI can be helpful and innovative, it lacks the human side of things. That’s where PR pros come in.

In 2024, we’re going to continue to see a push for brands and organizations to be more authentic. Taking a humanized approach with empathy and understanding allows you to connect with your audience at a deeper, more meaningful level. People are naturally drawn to honesty and vulnerability. Using this as a brand helps to build trust and credibility in the industry, while still maintaining relationships with your clients and consumers.

AI becomes more personal

Artificial Intelligence is one of the major trends across the board—but in the next year, we can expect to see the use of AI become more personal. We live in a digital world, and marketing trends are defining how we work. Consumers no longer want (or have the patience) to wait for responses from brands. With the use of chatbots, we’ve seen the rate of speed pick up and now are looking to them to become more conversational. To keep up with consumer satisfaction, brands are utilizing data to personalize the consumer experience. This approach is expected to lead to more seamless interactions with consumers and brands while driving higher levels of engagement.

Using media to differentiate your brand

We now find ourselves being bombarded by advertisements across all platforms. Advertising still remains the top method for monetization on social media and streaming services, and it proceeds to ramp up in other online locations. The major streaming players continue to offer services with advertisements at a lower price point, and Netflix recently reported that more than 25% of new users are choosing ad-supported plans.

Due to the sheer number of advertisements that exist, brands are focusing on other methods to help set them apart and break through the clutter. The use of different creative strategies can allow brands to stand out from their competitors by providing a more authentic experience without oversaturating their audience with too many different ads. As important as it is to have plenty of advertisements out there, we are going to see more brands investing in more quality over quantity placements.

Interested in how we can help you manage these changes throughout 2024 and beyond? Please feel free to drop us a line!