In today’s edition of Let’s talk, we navigate the ever-evolving terrain of marketing trends, tools, and techniques, tailored specifically for those looking to maximise impact without breaking the bank.
Whether you’re a startup entrepreneur, a small business owner, or a seasoned marketer aiming to do more with less, join us as our amazing experts uncover cost-effective solutions, clever hacks, and ingenious approaches to stay ahead of the curve in an increasingly competitive market.
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Kat Warboys, Senior Marketing Director of APAC at HubSpot
“Last year, our research revealed that nine in ten Australians had a negative experience with the brands they interacted with — including customer service or being spammed. The impact on the bottom line for businesses is significant, with 46% of people stating that receiving spam weakens their relationship with a brand and some unsubscribing altogether.
“In 2024, the bottom line is that effective connection is driven by quality communications, not quantity. My advice for business leaders is to pay attention to what your data is telling you and be open to testing and learning.
“Customer feedback or reviews, performance analytics, subscription or unsubscription rates, email opens, social shares and conversion rates provide a glimpse into customer connectedness. Don’t be afraid to start marketing campaigns from scratch if previous tactics are proving to no longer resonate. In fact, 62% of b2b leaders in Australia say that growth is slowing and the strategies that have worked in the past are becoming less effective.
“Technology and AI are here to help businesses better understand and connect with their customers by providing the data points that can highlight where a brand experience is lacking. These tools lead to a rich and personalised understanding of the customers you’re interacting with, ultimately creating better connections.”
Nicholas Kontopoulos, Vice President of Marketing, Asia Pacific & Japan at Twilio
“In 2024, AI advancements are set to propel smarter marketing content creation. Priorities will shift towards creating personalised experiences at scale and more intuitive user interfaces. Twilio Segment’s 2023 Growth Report found that 95% of Australian businesses are already using some form of AI in their marketing, with around two thirds planning to spend even more in the coming year. This reflects the increasing integration of AI/ML into customer engagement as local organisations seek innovative approaches to attract, convert, and retain high-value customers.
“By analysing individual customer data, AI/ML can help generate customised messages, emails, and even product recommendations tailored to each customer’s unique profile. This will enable marketers to generate highly personalised content at scale. Meanwhile, the ability of AI to extract insights and predict customer needs, preferences, and future behaviours will lead to more hyper-targeted marketing campaigns. These are particularly valuable propositions for SMEs looking to do more with less this year. Robust feedback loops incorporating customer feedback into personalisation algorithms will also provide marketers with relevant insights to fine-tune their strategies.”
Upali Dasgupta, Marketing Director, Asia Pacific at Meltwater
“In response to the deprecation of cookies, 2024 marks a pivotal shift towards insight-driven marketing.
“As digital marketing technology continues to evolve, brands have access to a wealth of social media data to help inform business decisions. AI-integrated solutions will be Instrumental to transform vast datasets into actionable insights. Natural language processing and visual analytics can be leveraged to help marketers detect trends and understand customer perceptions in real time. Furthermore, AI-driven pattern detection algorithms and digital assistants can help with predictive analytics, offering marketers foresight into consumer behaviour and enabling more accurate projections of ROI of marketing investment. These advancements have the potential to empower brands to navigate the evolving marketing landscape by harnessing the power of data-driven intelligence to drive enhanced engagement with their audience without relying on cookies.”
Jay Sanderson, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Progress
“Chatbots fail to encapsulate the wide-ranging application they provide. These days, their spectrum of use extends well beyond “chatbots”. They are interfaces within themselves. We are about to witness the emergence of a new breed of intelligent agents capable of delivering personalised user experiences across multiple channels. This is not to predict the extinction of websites just yet. As we embrace ubiquitous AI, the evolution of conversational interfaces will start to challenge traditional web interfaces for the share of human interaction time.
“Unfortunately, Generative AI to date has been responsible for an influx of subpar online content and applications of questionable substance. Expect AI maturity from leveraging proprietary data, innovative interfaces, and integrating technologies.The challenge for organisations lies in managing and refining their data to leverage AI effectively —a crucial yet daunting in the AI gold rush. If data is the gold, it needs refining. In the AI context, this is centralising data from diverse sources into structured, semantically rich information. 2024 will see the development of sophisticated conversational interfaces, strategic AI integration, and robust data governance.
“The path forward is both challenging and exciting, as we stand on the cusp of unlocking AI’s true transformative potential.”
Michelle Taite, CMO at Intuit Mailchimp
“Predictive analytics tools have become vital for anticipating trends and decision making, but rather than tackle learning a net-new technology, marketers expect that those tools are built into the platforms they’re using. Looking ahead to 2024, we anticipate mid-market businesses will widely adopt these tools, following the trend set by large enterprises.
“Leveraging historical data and machine learning to forecast future behaviours are essential in helping marketers understand their customers’ needs and act on them. These insights also help marketers segment customers and deliver personalised messages. Intuit Mailchimp’s study ‘This Holiday, It’s Personal’ reveals a 45% higher click-through rate for marketers who segmented their audience.
“Inflation and the increasing living costs are triggering competitiveness on customer loyalty. By leveraging platforms that include predictive analytics tools, businesses will be able to deliver tailored messages to the right person at the right time, building emotional connections to drive sales and increase retention rates.”
Nick Morgan, CEO & Founder of Vudoo
“In 2024, the retail and commerce media landscape is evolving with a focus on personalisation and interactive shopping experiences, driven by AI and customer-centric strategies. Key trends include those related to our continuous pursuit of a seamless omnichannel experiences:
- Social Commerce Boom: Platforms like Instagram and TikTok are transforming shopping with easy in-app purchases and influencer marketing that directly drives sales.
- Retail Media on Steroids: Marketers will continue to incorporate retail media offerings into their marketing mix to capture consumers at or near the point of purchase.
- Content Commerce Take-Off: Platforms that operate with headless commerce APIs will enable content and ads across the open web to be directly shoppable, bringing the checkout to the customer and facilitating transactions beyond a retailer’s website or marketplace. Brands could have as many storefronts as ad impressions, significantly increasing their “storefront reach”.
- Hyper-Personalisation: AI-driven product recommendations, subscriptions, and marketing messages will only increase in sophistication to cater to individual preferences for a tailored experience. This trend will be sped up by the deprecation of third-party cookies.
- Voice Search Optimisation: With the rise of voice assistants, marketers should optimise their website and product descriptions for natural language search to capture this growing trend.
“Embracing these trends can help retailers thrive in the competitive e-commerce landscape by prioritising convenience and personalisation.”
Scott Cooper, Director of Marketing Operations at Hockey Stick Advisory
“Those who focus on their customers will be the winners in 2024. In order to effectively market yourself you need to have a deep understanding of who your customers and target audience are, and create marketing campaigns to directly speak to their pain points. Companies need to be more direct in how they develop their strategy, and all only create marketing assets that address the core problems that you customers face – or showcase how you are currently solving these problems with your current customers. It’s about being relevant, and showing that your product or service delivers on its promise.
“The days of broad sweeping campaigns are over, it’s about generating leads that convert. It might look impressive for a marketing team to show that they are driving a high volume of leads, however, if these leads are not converting into sales, you are wasting time and resources across the business trying to qualify them instead of doing what you do best!”
Manelle Merhi, General Manager, Marketing & Customer Experience at Kennards Hire
“At the heart, prioritising culture is paramount, internally and externally. The internal environment, encompassing employee experience and capabilities, fundamentally shapes the external customer journey. Just as marketing serves as the gateway from outside in, culture functions as the essence from inside out—both are indispensable ingredients. They complement each other like tahini to falafel!
“Conversational search is emerging as a pivotal avenue, where optimising search strategies to align with conversational language questions is going to be key, letting brands seize pivotal moments at the outset of the customer journey.
“Video content is taking centre stage, demanding agile scalability across channels, particularly for middle-funnel considerations, embracing the ‘messy middle’ phenomenon.
“Brands must continue to navigate the interplay of attention and emotion, recognising that brand fame transcends logic, resonating deeply on an emotional level. That’s one of the core reasons we have slowly evolved our Ken Oath campaign messaging to be about the feeling people get when dealing with Kennards Hire. Emotive creative brand marketing is where we win.
“Finally, one truth remains immutable: Customer Experience reigns supreme. Beyond mere service, it embodies an evolutionary journey, meticulously crafted across lifetimes, empowered by rich customer insights driving CX evolution strategies.”
Emily Bencsics, Marketing & Digital Specialist at Megantic
“One of the key trends we’re seeing for 2024 is of course AI. For Search specifically, we’re seeing that some businesses post blogs that are entirely generated by AI. Google has been clear in their stance that quality content will be rewarded, and that you can use AI to help you write content, but should not completely rely on it. AI models cannot think of new thoughts or ideas, they can only provide an average of what is already published online.
“My recommendation is to speak to your users and customers and find out what pain points and focus areas they have. Then speak to the experts within your team (or yourself) to write clear and specialised content that is unique to you and in your writing style. Doing so can place you as an expert within your field and can contribute to higher rankings in search results.”
Harley Ramien, Director, Asia Pacific at Bonzai
“While there’s no shortage of uncertainty as we navigate 2024, the crystal ball seems to have a few things in focus for this trip around the sun. From the long-anticipated shift from third-party cookies to first-party data to the harnessing of AI and the evolution of eCommerce, these are two of the main marketing trends we anticipate.
- The race for first-party data: 2024 is set to be the year of first-party data with Chrome deprecating third-party tracking cookies over 2024, following the lead of other browsers having already implemented similar changes. Marketers will be focused on strategies to build their own valuable first-party data, built up from purchasing signals tracked via loyalty programs, registered users, CRM and so on.
- Harnessing AI: AI is quickly moving from a novelty to being embedded within a multitude of platforms to increase effectiveness and revolutionising the landscape, both on the overall marketing function and the specific ways we engage with technology. This includes from a generative perspective of creating content and messaging to getting a better handle on insights and planning, particularly with the abundance of first-party data. The wealth of information from this data will serve as a fertile ground for extensive learning and the development of models tailored to audience insights.
“With the rapidly evolving landscape, marketers are under pressure to find new and creative ways to attract new audiences. Adapting to these shifts in technology and consumer behaviour will be crucial for staying competitive this year and many more to come.”
Billy Loizou, Area VP APAC at Amperity
“If 2023 was the year Gen AI took off, then 2024 is the year that it absolutely soars. Proving to be a hot trend as we’re already knee deep in the new year, Gen AI is revolutionising the business landscape. And it’s offering unprecedented opportunities for brands to harness customer data in innovative ways to drive growth.
“With the ability to analyse vast datasets, generate predictive models and improve customer insights, AI has become a necessity for business decision-makers, considering the adoption of CDPs (customer data platforms). The sheer combination of generative and predictive AI signifies a seismic shift in how organisations interact with customer data. It’s moving them from reactive analysis to proactive, automated engagement strategies that improve customer experiences. Even more, AI is helping to deliver highly personalised, privacy-first customer experiences.
“However, the efficacy of these AI-driven tools hinges on one key factor – the quality of the underlying data. As the saying goes, “garbage in, garbage out.” Without a clean and reliable data foundation, AI’s predictive and generative capabilities are compromised, hindering organisations from realising their full potential.”
Sarah Jarvis, Communications and Propositions Director at Eagle Eye
“As we enter 2024, AI’s pivotal role in retail marketing becomes increasingly apparent, positioning it as a key focus area this year. Despite its origins in the 1960s, 2023 marked a historic milestone where the practical applications of generative AI became widespread in everyday scenarios. Its impact extends across various industries, moving far beyond the realms of ChatGPT-powered chatbots. According to one study, 82% of grocers say that adopting AI will be necessary to compete in the future.
“But the effective utilisation of AI in retail transcends adoption; it’s about strategic application, too. This year, we anticipate AI being leveraged to supercharge personalisation, using personal, contextual, real-time and historical shopping data to make way for unprecedented customisation in retail offerings.
“We also believe 2024 is the year for ‘phone out’ shopping. In the traditional shopping mode, mobile phones often remain a passive, pocketed presence. But as part of the march towards authentic omnichannel shopping experiences, retailers are shifting this practice, incentivising customers to make shopping a ‘phone-out’ experience. Shoppers, with their phones out, can receive personalised recommendations, offers, and other value-added information on their phones to bolster their in-store experience.”
Andrew Dixon, VP Sales, APAC at Nexxen
“Several key trends are shaping the future of location targeting for retail marketing strategies. As location-targeting technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovative and effective ways to reach consumers with relevant advertising. Nexxen Locate helps brands to drive sales by using geo and hyper-local targeting.
“Below is an example of how Nexxen’s location targeting is being used in retail media today:
- Omnichannel targeting: Location targeting is becoming increasingly integrated with other marketing channels, such as social media and email marketing. This allows brands to create seamless and personalised experiences for their customers across all channels.
- Increased use of first-party data: Retailers are collecting more and more data about their customers, including their purchase history, location data, and browsing behaviour. This data can be used to target ads with greater precision and relevance.
- Use of AI: AI is being used to develop more sophisticated location-targeting algorithms that can identify patterns and trends in data. This can help brands target their ads more effectively and reach a wider audience.
- Geofencing combined with contextual targeting: This powerhouse duo not only refines the precision of advertising but also creates a dynamic interplay between location and consumer context. By seamlessly merging real-time adaptability, hyper-local engagement and insightful foot traffic analytics, a geofencing strategy ensures that each interaction is not just targeted but tailored to the nuanced preferences and behaviours of its audience. It’s more than advertising;
“It’s about creating personalised, memorable experiences that resonate with customers wherever they are.”
Elise Balsillie, Head of Thryv Australia
“As the small business marketplace becomes more crowded, I see more and more small business owners keeping a keen eye on their competition.
“It may seem like another task for your ever-growing to-do list but keeping a watchful eye on your competitors will give you an edge in making business decisions that can lead to long-term success.
“So, if you want to stay ahead of your competitors in 2024, here are my tips to give you that competitive edge.
“Understand who your competitors are.
The cornerstone of competitor research is identifying business rivals to put them in the category of direct or indirect competitor. A quick Google search can help identify them but you may find it helps to look into industry-specific reports and databases to get a bit more insight into up-and-coming businesses or niche players.
“Monitor their online activity and sign up for their emails and newsletters.
With more small businesses online than ever before, one of the most effective ways to monitor your competitors and their social and online activity is through social media listening tools. They will give you powerful insight into your competitors’ engagement, followers, audiences and the types of content their audience engages with. Another way to keep tabs on the competition is to subscribe to their newsletters and emails to monitor their marketing and products.
“Take a peek into your own customer feedback and reviews.
Whilst the two tips above suggest peeking into your competition, one final action I recommend is to understand your own customers. You need to become very familiar with their feedback and reviews of your business. This kind of customer information serves as unfiltered testimonials and provides a direct line into your strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of your competitors.”
Felicity Zadro, Managing Director and Founder at ZADRO
“2024 will be a big year for marketers with new technologies and platform updates changing the way we work. We will need to re-evaluate the tools we use, how we use them and how we communicate results.
“Driving engagement is always high on the agenda, however with algorithms prioritising higher quality content it is more important than ever. Interactive content will grow in popularity as it encourages your audience to go beyond liking and commenting. This type of content includes quizzes, polls and immersive experiences. Given the increased interaction required from your audience it needs to be highly relevant and add value for them to properly engage with it.
Accessibility is growing in importance from both the design and written perspective. Voice Search Optimisation is on the rise with the increase of voice-activated devices on the market. Brands will need to adapt their communication strategies to align with the conversational tone of voice searches.”
Lara Barnett (Vandersluis), Head of Marketing, Logicalis Australia
“Game-changing trends like generative AI are taking flight faster than ever before, revolutionising the landscape of marketing. For B2B marketers in 2024, events will continue to play a crucial role in engaging prospects and clients. However, in the wake of the pandemic, there’s a notable oversaturation of events, necessitating a shift towards higher value and more experiential gatherings to capture the attention of the target audience effectively.
“Moreover, while influencer marketing has long been associated primarily with consumer brands, it is rapidly gaining traction in the B2B sphere. Thought leaders, industry experts, and influencers possessing niche expertise can significantly enhance brand credibility and amplify messaging to target audiences.
“Furthermore, sustainability initiatives are becoming increasingly pivotal in B2B purchasing decisions. Companies that exhibit a genuine commitment to environmental stewardship, ethical business practices, and social impact are likely to resonate more profoundly with environmentally and socially conscious B2B customers, thereby fostering stronger relationships and brand loyalty.”
Nicole Jameson, Director of Dark Horse Agency
“It’s 2024, and this year’s key marketing trend is still ‘all things digital’…but what specifically? As a business, there’s a few tweaks you can make this year to stand out from the crowd. My top tips to navigate 2024’s marketing mayhem are:
- Hyper-personalisation: Generic content just doesn’t cut it anymore. You have to be talking to your exact people with specific content. This will impact the small franchises the most – especially those with a head office that insists on ‘whole of country’ marketing.
- Video: Is it new? No, has is changed slightly? Yes. Longer form content on TikTok is having its time in the sun and we are seeing a resurgence of landscape style. The most important tip? It’s time to show your face, who you are what you stand for.
- Go multi-channel: It’s not that hard to be on four, five or even six platforms now. Cut and paste your content and see which one works for you. Time to leave the safety of your Facebook and Instagram. In 2024 embrace TikTok, YouTube and a newbie to Australia soon, Lemon8.”
Jordan Taylor-Bartels, CEO of Prophet
“I think that there are three key trends that will define marketing in 2024:
- This year marks the death knell for third-party cookies. It’s been a long time coming and has caused plenty of frustration and concern among conventional marketers but ultimately, I think we’ll look back on the year and see the demise of cookies as a good thing. Privacy is a key benefit, sure, but I think companies forced to look outside of web tracking to build customer profiles will be pleasantly surprised by how empowering it can be.
- As an industry, we must do a better job at contextualising our decision-making with real and active data points – specifically on the environment we work within, as well as what our target consumers are influenced by. Sneaky tip; this isn’t just YouTube ads – it’s broader – right down to factors like the price of petrol…
- Finally, 2024 will see a significant increase in the number of statisticians and mathematicians introduced into active roles in organisations to improve marketing performance. The role of the CMO is already changing on a global scale this year, and the heightened importance of sophisticated mathematics in marketing will expedite the change to conventional marketing roles.”
Simran Kaur, CEO at Pounce Agency
“Marketers are always on the lookout for the next trend, eager for any edge against the competition. And this year is no different, with several trends vying for attention.
“But there are two I particularly want to focus on:
- Hyper personalisation: For a long time, personalisation has meant some level of audience segmentation, sending content and offers to those most likely to respond. Or simple decision trees where each customer action triggers one of a handful of pre-scripted responses.
However, AI is empowering marketers to create evermore individualised experiences, such as bespoke chatbot responses or webpages automatically optimised for each visitor. - Social media fragmentation: With Twitter’s transformation into X, some brand’s have seen social media audiences shrink as users scatter to newer, smaller alternatives such as BlueSky, Threads and Mastodon. The days of posting to a couple of platforms to reach large audiences may be over, and marketers may be forced to adapt their strategies to appeal to smaller, niche audiences in more spaces.
“Both of these trends suggest marketers need to start embracing the small. Stop chasing the crowd. Get more granular, more targeted, more personal. It’ll take more effort (and data) but the results will be worth it.”
Bec Chappell, Marketing Strategist at Plum Marketing Solutions
“The word authenticity is being thrown around a lot, and more than ever the push for personal brands and the rise of people wanting to connect with people is what I see with all the brands I work with.
“This has also created the opportunity for larger brands to encourage people within their businesses to build personal brands linked back to the business – gone are the days where businesses can be fearful of someone leaving, and corporates that don’t build their people’s brand risk losing market share.
“We are in the age of content creation – everyone has access to a copywriter at their fingertips, however, what I have seen with my clients and my own marketing is that as humans we can subconsciously pick AI-generated content – so I say… Use your voice, and aim to always create content so that when someone reads it they say “It sounded like <your name> was reading it to me”.
“With every new channel or trend that pops up in marketing – it’s incredibly important that we decide if jumping on the trend or into the channel fits within our strategy and helps us reach our ideal client, and will meet your marketing goals.”
Jim Cocks, Business coach, author of Build Excite Ignite
“The 2024 marketing landscape is defined by AI-driven personalisation and authentic engagement. AI is revolutionising customer interaction, enabling brands to offer personalised experiences at an unprecedented scale. Businesses also need to remember that video content is king, especially in short-form, which has become indispensable. It’s not just a medium for promotion but a tool for storytelling, fostering genuine connections with audiences. Authenticity and integrity are now critical for brand loyalty. Today’s consumers seek transparency and values alignment, making sincere communication paramount. Brands that successfully combine AI’s analytical prowess with the relatability of video content, and uphold their authenticity, are poised to excel. For businesses, the path forward involves balancing and embracing these technologies and values. By doing so, they can create meaningful interactions, build trust, and ensure relevance in a rapidly evolving digital ecosystem.”
JP Tucker, Founder of Optidan AI
“In 2024, the marketing landscape is buzzing with new trends, yet a crucial challenge remains: enhancing online visibility while steering clear of search engine penalties. Amidst this digital turmoil, Optidan AI emerges as a pivotal solution for mid to large retailers grappling with large product feeds. Unlike DIY tools like Jasper.ai, Copy.ai, and even ChatGPT, Optidan AI is uniquely tailored for handling extensive product ranges, ensuring each item shines in search engine rankings.
“OptiDan’s proprietary technology and AI-driven approach set it apart, rapidly identifying and rectifying plagiarised or underperforming content – a common pitfall for online retailers using standard feeds. This efficiency not only bolsters SEO performance but also saves significant time and resources, crucial for businesses in today’s fast-paced market.
“The brainchild of JP Tucker, a visionary with roots in Dell, GlaxoSmithKline, and Beiersdorf, Optidan is more than just a tool; it’s a comprehensive service backed by a team of SEO and Online Retail Advisors. Tucker’s firsthand experience, coupled with Optidan’s advanced AI capabilities, offers a distinct advantage: a blend of human expertise and machine efficiency that scales online visibility, drives website traffic, and enhances on-page conversions, positioning Optidan AI as a leader in the digital marketing arena.”
Lama Tayeh, Founder & CEO at LULUMPR®
“Staying ahead in the fast-paced world of marketing and emerging technologies is essential for businesses to remain competitive. As we look into the coming months of 2024 and analyse current advancements in technology and industry trends, it is evident that several key trends will continue to shape the marketing landscape not only in 2024 but also in years to come. These trends include:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) will continue to play a significant role in marketing strategies, with applications including data analysis, customer segmentation, and personalisation gaining more traction. More businesses will leverage AI technologies in various applications to enhance their marketing efforts.
- Social Responsibility & Sustainability Marketing will also be crucial, with the rise of customers who want to make a positive difference with their purchases. This trend will likely lead to increased demand for brands and businesses to prioritise sustainability and transparency in their marketing & communication. Businesses and brands that align with these values are likely appeal to more customers in the long run.
- Voice Search Optimisation is another trend that businesses will start embracing as more devices are voice-activated. Optimising content for voice search can help businesses reach a wider audience, boost their market presence, and meet existing and potential customers where they are digitally.
- Interactive Digital Content Marketing such as quizzes, polls, and augmented reality (AR) experiences, is also becoming increasingly popular for engaging audiences in both Business to Business and Business to Consumer marketing.
“It is imperative for businesses to stay informed and monitor emerging trends to adjust their marketing strategies accordingly. However, marketing is not one-size-fits-all, so it is important to identify and explore trends that align with your specific business goals, target audiences, and overall marketing strategies.”
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