From investing in brand marketing to harnessing predictive AI, here are the trends marketers think are worth paying attention to. 

When we asked marketers what trends they thought would‌ change the game in 2024, nearly every one pointed out we’re in the midst of an AI renaissance (‌or “renAIssance,” as some are cleverly dubbing it). Marketers are particularly excited about the possibilities predictive AI opens up for delivering even more personalized experiences. 

They’re also paying close attention to how AI unlocks impact marketing fundamentals. Many predict they’ll increase their investment in brand spend to boost their paid performance and stand out from the crowd. They’re also thinking through the importance of data narratives as they strategically plan with partners across their organizations. 

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We’re in an AI renaissance 

Marketers see AI as a game-changer for their teams, helping them move fast and deliver personalized experiences at a larger scale. They predict that teams will increasingly lean on predictive AI to anticipate shoppers’ behavior and preferences, helping them unlock hyper-personalization. 

I'm predicting deeper personalization with the help of AI! Soon, we'll be able to not only market to a person based on what we already know about them from zero-party data, but predict their preferences using AI. 
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- Jennifer Purdie, Digital Marketing Manager, McGee & Co.

I think AI will be huge, from copywriting to creating key segments on a larger scale. I also think AI-infused automation will become much more powerful and personalized, giving marketers the ability to automatically send relevant messages to customers.

- Francine Rodgers, Email Marketing Manager, KILLSTAR 

In order to stand out to customers in a super saturated space, personalization and segmentation will be the name of the game in 2024.

- Ally Hendrick, Email and SMS Specialist, Stride Rite

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Marketing, Operations, and IT will need to work in lock-step

The marketers we polled agree that AI will play a significant role in analyzing large amounts of data and making informed marketing decisions. To unlock this data—and use it responsibly—marketers will need to work closely with their counterparts on operations and IT. 

With more digestible and actionable data, brands will be able to create compelling narratives to align their efforts across different channels. Aligning your team around better data will lead to more strategic planning, closer collaboration, and stronger prioritization all year long. 

It’s also important to note that some marketers are anticipating greater data privacy restrictions in 2024, making it all the more important to surface up the right data and action on it. 

I believe we'll see more privacy restrictions within media and marketing channels, making owned first-party data all the more critical.

- Julia Forgione, Senior Retention Marketing Manager, Liquid I.V. 

Companies will be leaning on AI more than ever before, allowing for better data analysis and more personalized customer experiences.

- Devika Kelly, Channel Marketing Manager, Art of Tea

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Brand spend is making a comeback

As brands lean on predictive AI to target shoppers with personalized content, performance marketing is only going to get more competitive. Marketers will need to invest in brand building to not only stand out in the immediate term, but create long-term value. 

This investment in brand marketing will also be reflected in the KPIs marketers track for paid marketing, indicating a broader shift towards a more holistic approach to marketing. 

We know that as performance marketing gets too competitive, our investment in brand needs to pick up some of that weight. 2024 is looking to be a bigger year for brand spend across the industry than we've seen over the last couple of years.

- Sarah Napier, Head of Marketing, Rowen Homes and Pink Boutique

As the market grows more saturated and consumers continue to expect instant solutions, marketers will need to find new ways to stand out. Brands that are authentic, ethical, and focused on social impact will be able to capture shoppers’ attention and loyalty. 

- Julia Forgione, Senior Retention Marketing Manager, Liquid I.V. 

SEO, content marketing, and paid media all work together—you can achieve exponential growth when you can tie all areas of digital together.

- Emily Marietta, Marketing Director - NP Digital, Ann + Reeves

I believe paid marketing will start to shift closer to brand marketing, in terms of which KPIs we track and how we analyize data.

- Khaki Jeffs, Digital Marketing Manager, Club Monaco

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Macro-influencers’ power will decline (and micro-influencers will take their place)

Consumers are spending more and more time on TikTok and Instagram, platforms that effortlessly serve up hyper-relevant content. As a result, the sway macro influencers hold over consumers will decline. Micro-influencers will take their place in consumers’ feeds. 

Because these influencers engage with niche communities who have shared interests and tastes, they have a certain level of baked-in credibility. Brands have an opportunity to leverage user-generated content from these communities, as well as partnering with micro-influencers to reach their audience and drive conversions. 

I believe we’ll see brands investing in more user-generated content from micro-influencers—and the subsequent decline of macro-influencers.

- Hannah Toporoff, Marketing Coordinator, DefineMe

These core themes should provide a solid foundation for your 2024 marketing strategy. Now, we want to hear from you: Which marketing trend do you think will make the biggest waves?

Ready to dive in and learn more about how to put these trends into action? Check out these resources: 

• AI in Marketing: The Ultimate Guide to Creating Your Strategy
• BÉIS’ Director of Digital and E-Commerce Unpacks the Brand’s Customer-First Approach to Marketing
• Being a Purpose-Driven Brand Takes Work. Here’s Why It’s Worth It.
• Zero vs. First-Party Data: What’s the Difference?
• Maximize Your Budget & Bandwidth with These 3 Advanced Automation Strategies