We’re already three weeks into the new year and you’re probably working hard (or thinking about working hard) on your marketing strategy for 2024. So I thought I’d share a few important trends that you might wish to consider if you want to ensure your strategy is more ‘upgraded’ than ‘outdated’.
So let’s dive right in:
1. AI has changed everything
I hear you thinking “oh here we go, he’s on about AI again” - but hear me out. I need to talk about AI just a bit (because it's had such an impact on 2024) and then we can talk about other things - I promise!
In 2023, the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT led to a flood of content, boosting quantity but compromising quality. The AI paperclip theory has come true - but with content instead of paperclips!
This shift has left readers struggling to find valuable insights among mediocre content, prompting a move towards 'micro moments'—quick, essential information—over longer reads.
With Google now focusing on indexing only the most valuable content, the focus for 2024 should be on creating unique, high-quality content, such as original research, in-depth interviews, and unique data insights. Emphasising quality over quantity will be key in the coming year.
2. Greater alignment between man & machine
In 2024 it's time to rethink our approach of using AI in content creation. We need to buddy up with AI, using it to shave off hours of grunt work, but not to the point where it snuffs out the human spark in our content. Think of AI as the trusty sidekick to your human creativity and insight, not the replacement. By striking this balance, we keep our content rich with those personal touches, insights, and data only we can provide, making it not just efficient but also compelling and distinctly human.
3. Your prospects are using AI too
It’s not just us who are benefiting from AI - your potential customers are already accustomed to conducting their own research. According to Hubspot research, an astounding 96% of prospects arrive well-informed about products or services, with 71% preferring self-guided information gathering over human interaction.
This means marketers and sales teams need to shift their approach.
When a prospect arrives as a lead, it has traditionally been the salesperson’s job to communicate value. Greater value perception means greater chance of closing, and at a higher price. But now that responsibility is equally shared with the marketing team. For marketers, this means adapting strategies to cater to a more self-sufficient, AI-savvy customer base, focusing on providing the right tools and content to facilitate their information discovery, and ensuring that the information they receive elevates the perceived value.
Sales teams can then spend less time educating prospects and more time closing deals. However, the key here is alignment between marketing and sales, so that the message is consistent all the way through.
4. Okay, enough about AI. What are micro moments?
Micro moments are the perfect antidote to the long-form content overload and the ever-ticking clock. They're the instant gratification hit we all crave when we're hunting for that one golden piece of info.
It's about crafting bite-sized content like no-fuss how-to videos, razor-sharp blog posts with the answers at the start, or infographics that get straight to the point, giving your audience exactly what they need, right when they need it. These moments are your golden opportunity to sway potential customers in their most receptive moments.
5. Webinars are inconvenient
Offline events required people to attend at a specific time and place, and they had costs associated which limited their quantity. Nowadays online events are free to host, which has led to their proliferation. The result? Our audiences are becoming more selective about which webinars they attend - if any.
If you’re planning a webinar schedule this year, ask yourself if a webinar is the best format. Sometimes it’s better to create shorter, more engaging, and educational content that caters to the busy schedules of viewers. This content can be used to create micro-moments that are dispersed over platforms that enjoy greater reach and engagement.
Don’t get me wrong. Webinars are powerful tools to build your audience, raise awareness, increase authority, build trust and generate leads. But none of that’s going to happen if nobody attends. You need a compelling reason that overcomes the inconvenience of the whole thing. To do that, you must promise immense value to the audience, and justify their attendance versus watching later at their own convenience. Therefore, webinars should be limited to highly interactive audience experiences which require and reward real-time attendance.
6. Economic uncertainty in 2024
Do you recall what happened in the last economic downturn? The stream of easy leads was the first to dry up. Marketers were forced to become more creative and shift to strategies higher up the funnel. A lot of people turned inwards to work on strengthening their brands and raising brand equity through awareness and thought leadership content, and there was a boom in authority-based videos.
The jury is still out as to whether we’re heading into a storm, but in my opinion it’s quite likely between now and summer (and if I ask my friends in the UK, they've been in one for most of 2023 already). So, ask yourself what you’ll do if the downturn arrives?
What will you wish you’d done more of, to prepare? My advice would be greater emphasis on brand equity and customer relationships as they will become so important if/when the easy leads dry up. If I’m wrong and the downturn never arrives, you’ll have greater brand equity and awareness, which will inevitably trickle down to more and higher quality leads anyway. In other words, you win either way.
7. Sales & marketing - let's be friends!
In 2024, the dynamic between sales and marketing is undergoing a well-overdue transformation, moving away from traditional blame games towards a unified approach centred on shared goals and data-driven strategies. This newfound synergy is underpinned by the use of CRM systems and AI (sorry, I can’t help it!) to seamlessly integrate processes, enabling both teams to collaboratively target high-quality leads that boost customer acquisition and revenue.
Many marketers have avoided this approach because they are literally terrified that the data will show they’ve generated no value - but trust me, I have seen the exact opposite countless times. In fact we just helped one of our clients set up tracking, and detected a lead worth AED 5.5m (£1.2m) - after just one month of switching on a new channel for them.
If your sales and marketing teams are still not talking to each other, or you don’t know exactly how much revenue your marketing is generating, then I would strongly recommend putting this as a priority for 2024.
8. Rethink your email strategy
Email is the one of the highest converting channels available in your B2B arsenal, but there’s a right way and a wrong way to do it. Gone are the days of mass, impersonal emails. In 2024, it's all about relevance and personalisation.
Throughout 2023, I never once sent out a promotional email. All of them were educational and informative (I hope) - yet this single channel contributed more to our revenue growth than any other.
That may seem counterintuitive, but the reality of the situation is that nobody gives a [BEEP] about the new products you just launched, or how amazing your company is - they are only interested in how you can help them.
9. The tried and true
SEO may not be as exciting as some other channels, but it remains a critical investment for B2B companies. It delivers game-changing results if done right. The problem is, it takes aaaages! It’s like watching paint dry - and I often think that’s why it doesn’t get the attention it deserves. But ask anyone who generates leads from organic search, and they swear by it.
If you’re not already benefiting from organic search, then don’t neglect SEO this year. The traffic from organic search has high intent, and one of the highest conversion rates there is. High numbers of hot leads, for free. What’s not to like?
With the landscape becoming more competitive, focus on long-tail, pain-point keywords and hyper-focused SEO tactics. If you’re still on page 2 (or worse), then I recommend focusing on one single keyword which has high search volume and low to medium competition. Focus everything on that one keyword until it’s in the top 3 results (ideally number 1). The traffic and leads it generates will give you the drive to do more.
10. Build on what you already have
I’m probably not the only one spouting exciting new ideas and trends for 2024, and it’s easy to get pulled in multiple directions and want to do it all. But keep it realistic - know the limits of your team, budget and external resources, and focus on the activities that are likely to deliver the greatest gains first. It goes without saying; if you already have channels that are performing well, don’t neglect them for something new and shiny. Keep them going and build upon it.
Aim to build a strategy of both breadth and depth. A range of different initiatives that cover the full buyer’s journey, as well as plenty of content and tactics to make the most of each. Work towards creating synergy between your channels, and repurpose content as much as possible. These efficiencies will have a compounding effect on your strategy’s long-term performance.
So those are my top 10 recommendations to help you take your 2024 strategy to the next level and capitalise on the opportunities this year brings.
