7 AI Marketing Trends to Watch in 2024 and Their Implications for You

The world of AI has undeniably exploded in the past year, with generative AI transforming from a niche topic to a cultural phenomenon. Marketers have embraced this shift, leveraging AI for everything from content creation to in-depth research. Given AI’s rapid evolution, its applications in marketing are poised for significant change in the coming months and years. Today, we delve into the leading AI marketing trends of 2024:

  1. Further refinement of ad targeting
  2. Improved AI marketing automation
  3. More capable chatbots
  4. More use of predictive analytics
  5. Improved research and decision-making
  6. Continued adoption of voice-based shopping
  7. More use of multimodal AI

Let’s explore each trend in detail and uncover its implications for your marketing approach this year.

1. Enhanced Ad Targeting with AI

Numerous marketers are harnessing AI’s power for more precise ad targeting. AI can analyze vast amounts of audience data, enabling you to fine-tune your ad targeting and messaging. This trend is expected to persist and evolve in 2024, potentially resulting in more effective ads but also raising the bar for success. Marketers need to prioritize quality and ensure their ads resonate with their target audience.

Implications for Your Strategy

The increasing use of AI for ad targeting, both by competitors and in general, raises a critical question: will consumers become more discerning and skeptical of ads? While immediate adoption of AI for targeting might not be necessary, it’s crucial to acknowledge that consumers may demand more refined messaging. Closely monitor your ad performance and conduct A/B testing to achieve optimal targeting. 🛑 On the topic of ads, ensure yours are impactful with our free Google Ads Grader for an instant account audit.

2. Advancements in AI-Powered Marketing Automation

Marketing automation is gaining immense popularity, encompassing automated email campaigns and programmatic advertising. Anticipate continued evolution and progress in this technology. This could empower marketers to adapt swiftly, execute more micro-campaigns, effectively reach smaller segments, and more. The rise of AI-driven marketing automation might lead to evolving audience expectations, potentially demanding more timely campaigns, granular segmentation, and hyper-personalized content.

chatgpt prompt subject line personalization

Implications for Your Strategy

As you conceptualize campaigns, factor in these potential shifts in audience expectations. AI-powered automation could enable you to incorporate smaller campaigns, so brainstorm potential pain points or themes for these efforts. Consider how automating social media scheduling or email sends can free up your time for other initiatives.

3. The Emergence of More Capable Chatbots

Chatbots have transcended their role as mere lead capture tools (although they excel at that too). Recent breakthroughs in AI enable chatbots to address more nuanced customer inquiries, including those related to products and services. This empowers chatbots to guide visitors through your website and, ultimately, through the sales funnel. More companies are expected to implement advanced chatbots equipped to handle niche questions. Now is an opportune time to consider adopting an advanced chatbot to stay ahead of the competition and enhance your competitive edge.

brand messaging - example of brand messaging in live chat

Implications for Your Strategy

Strategize the content for your chatbot – not just its responses but also the content on your website that it can direct users to based on their questions. Regularly review your chatbot logs to identify the types of questions being asked and whether users are receiving adequate assistance. If gaps exist, create content that your chatbot can utilize to bridge those knowledge gaps and fulfill user needs. 🧐 Are you harnessing the true potential of AI? Download our free resource to discover: Emergency Guide to AI in Marketing

4. Expanding the Use of Predictive Analytics

Predictive analytics empowers marketers to analyze customer data for market forecasting and predicting customer behavior. While not a novel technology, it continues to become more sophisticated. AI is anticipated to further augment predictive capabilities, leading to more accurate predictions, enhanced product recommendations, and more. For instance, advanced predictive analytics will allow businesses to project sales, anticipate content performance based on specific audiences and terms, and even predict which products might excel in a campaign.

Implications for Your Strategy

Comprehensive, historical customer and website data are vital for precise predictive analytics. Prepare for success by ensuring you capture the right data now, regardless of your current use of predictive analytics. This way, you’ll have the necessary historical data when you integrate predictive analytics into your operations.

5. Empowering Research and Decision-Making

For smaller businesses, research can be a daunting and time-consuming endeavor, putting them at a disadvantage compared to larger organizations with dedicated research teams. Thankfully, the days of manual research and hindered decision-making are fading. 🤫 Speaking of research, want to streamline your keyword research process? Don’t miss our free keyword research tool! Advanced AI can assist with various marketing research tasks, from answering quick content-related questions to swiftly providing insights into tool performance. This can help smaller businesses expedite research, make well-informed decisions, and efficiently evaluate tools.

Implications for Your Strategy

It’s highly likely that AI will continue enhancing these capabilities in 2024, further leveling the playing field for smaller companies to compete with larger ones. This presents a significant opportunity, especially for lean teams. However, it also signifies intensifying competition as the landscape becomes more equitable. If you’re not already familiar with AI tools like ChatGPT or Jasper, prioritize learning them. Explore how these tools can streamline your marketing research processes and prevent you from falling behind in 2024. As always, prioritize quality and verify any information obtained from AI tools.

6. The Continued Rise of Voice-Based Shopping

As AI progresses, so too will voice-based search capabilities. Even in 2022, 27% of US consumers utilized voice search for payments. The days of using voice search solely for pressing questions like, “How do I know if the cheese at the back of the fridge is bad?” are gone. The growing adoption of voice-based shopping and searching will likely compel marketers to center their strategies around the voice-based experience. If 27% of US consumers used voice for payment two years ago, this figure is expected to rise significantly. Soon, voice-based payment and shopping will become the norm.

Implications for Your Strategy

Focus on creating content optimized for longer-tail keywords that users might speak aloud in a voice search. While voice SEO is on the radar for some, not all businesses have embraced it. Developing content tailored for the voice-search experience now will position you for success as AI enables more refined voice-based shopping and searching.

7. Embracing Multimodal AI

Multimodal AI combines multiple inputs, such as text and visuals, to deliver a richer experience, unlike other AI forms that rely solely on text, images, or voice. Generative AI exemplifies multimodal AI, with numerous platforms capable of generating both text and visuals seamlessly.

google ads ai automatically created assets example Automated asset creation is just one example of multimodal AI’s capabilities in Google Ads. As multimodal AI technology advances and gains wider adoption, more companies will be equipped to produce greater volumes of high-quality copy and visuals. This technology will also enable businesses to achieve even more precise keyword and ad targeting. The result? Smaller companies can effectively compete with larger content teams.

Implications for Your Strategy

Regardless of your current use of multimodal AI, there’s a high chance your competitors are leveraging it. Don’t hesitate to utilize generative AI for brainstorming content ideas and providing your team with starting points. However, establish a vetting process to avoid publishing generic, AI-generated content. Prioritize quality and what differentiates your business. This will help you stand out in a competitive landscape where many companies are using AI for content and visual generation.

While AI’s future evolution and applications are hard to predict, its presence is undeniable. Stay informed about the latest AI marketing trends to navigate the evolving landscape successfully. Keep up with industry news, observe your competitors’ strategies, and remain engaged with the latest developments. Equally important is not neglecting traditional marketing principles. Regardless of AI’s trajectory, fundamental marketing knowledge and a commitment to quality will always be crucial for success. Looking for more 2024 marketing trends? We’ve got you covered:

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