What Exactly is Digital Marketing in 2024?

Exploring the dynamic landscape of digital marketing in 2024, we've gathered insights from Directors to Chief Marketing Officers, delving into what's thriving and what's fading away. From incorporating personalization and follow-up into your strategy to curating an authentic social media presence, here are 23 expert perspectives on effectively marketing your business in the digital age.

Incorporate Personalization and Follow-Up

Digital marketing in 2024 does look different than it did even just a year ago, but that doesn't mean that we should panic! Instead, it means we need to look at the data and get creative...

In the past, businesses could slap together a generic ad campaign or social media post without really considering who their target audience was. Generalized marketing and a one-size-fits-all approach do not work anymore. Another thing of the past is looking at social media follower counts to determine how "successful" you are. In 2024, we know that how many or how few followers a business has doesn't matter as much—what matters is engagement and relationships. Spammy emails and aggressive marketing are also outdated and can even hurt your business—consumers are done with that and have no patience for it.

If businesses want to market themselves better and implement a strategy that actually works, then they should incorporate personalization as much as possible into their business because it builds trust.

Customers appreciate personalization and often even expect it. Whether it's something as small as using their name in your weekly newsletter or sending voice messages so they can hear the person behind the screen, these things will make a huge impact. One big thing businesses can also do to market themselves is to follow up with their leads or potential clients. It allows them to check in and see how they can help, which shows the consumer they care.

Consumers aren't as quick to spend their money in 2024, so we must earn and build their trust. The more consumers come to see you as an authority figure, someone who empathizes with them, and most of all, someone who has a solution to their problem, the more they're inclined to work with you.

2024 is all about relationship-based marketing!

Madelyn Furlong, Marketing Strategist, Madelyn Victoria Co

Refresh Traditional B2B Marketing Tactics

While some traditional digital B2B marketing tactics might hold a nostalgic charm, they often fall short in today's data-driven environment. These approaches deserve a refresh:

Generic content: There's an infinite amount of freely available content thanks to ChatGPT and Gemini today, which means that people are much less likely to download your generic, boring ebook or whitepaper. They also won't read your AI-generated blog post (that you probably wrote for SEO purposes anyway). Instead, make sure to provide a truly unique resource that can't be found anywhere else to build trust. Think first-hand market research, your unique approach to solving a problem, or your organization's point-of-view on the market. Make it personal and authoritative with a focus on the "E-E-A-T" rule.

Spray and pray: Anything that's too broad won't work. Marketing campaigns that target an audience that's not well-defined will flop. Mass emails and unpersonalized cold calls are intrusive and annoying. Targeted outreach and ABM campaigns (preferably coordinated to work together) based on buyer personas and deep audience insights foster genuine interest and connections that convert.

Bland brand: Nobody gets excited about a company with a personality not worth talking about. Especially in B2B marketing, most brands are bland—and bland is boring. Boring means people won't remember you, and being top-of-mind is everything in a competitive landscape. Ditch the stock photos and work on a brand with a unique flavor, including the personal brands of yourself and your colleagues.

Quantity-over-quality partnerships: Strategic partnerships amplify your reach, but superficial collaborations dilute your message. Seek partners whose brand values and target demographics align perfectly with yours and actually solve problems for your target audience. Focus on building a community with users and like-minded industry leaders.

Annika Björkholm, CMO, SwipeGuide

Omni-Channel Marketing Strategies

The vital strategy for Digital Marketing in 2024 is the diversification of different marketing channels; gone are the days of relying upon a single source or channel to market your website. Let's say, for example, there were a lot of online marketers years ago who only relied on SEO, but eventually, they found out that this strategy will not work long-term as search engines constantly update their algorithms. Every digital marketer in 2024 should diversify their marketing strategies. Apart from SEO, they can use other marketing channels, like social media and PPC advertising.

In terms of what's working, Video Content and Social Commerce are key. For video content, brands can utilize platforms like TikTok and Instagram to create engaging video content that captures attention. At the same time, social commerce allows online businesses to sell products directly on their social media posts and stories, and this shopping experience can boost sales.

What's not working? Based on my experience, traditional SEO tactics like keyword stuffing and low-quality backlinks no longer produce results. Modern SEO now requires high-quality content, great user experience, and, of course, technical SEO.

For Digital Marketing evolution, in the early days, it used to be straightforward, but nowadays, it gets sophisticated with different digital marketing methods one can implement, such as Omni-Channel Marketing, Interactive Content, Influencer Marketing, and last but not least, Data-Driven Marketing.

The one thing a business can do to market themselves online in our modern time is to implement Omni-Channel Marketing strategies because the omnichannel approach is crucial for delivering a seamless customer experience. Online brands should be consistent with their branding and messaging; they need to integrate a great customer experience, and they also need to implement cross-channel campaigns which use and leverage multiple channels to reach and engage their target audience.

Errol Fullido, SEO Manager, Freeduhm

Adapt to AI and E-E-A-T

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has changed how we do digital marketing in 2024. AI helps tremendously in article research and writing. However, it's crucial to understand how Google's E-E-A-T works. AI will give you an article that must be proofread to make sure it's written for the human reader in natural language. Basically, it doesn't sound like it's from a computer. Then, you need to incorporate your Expertise, Experience, and Authority, which builds Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T).

Add your phrases like, "for example," "one of my clients," "in my opinion," etc.

What's not working as it used to is how organic (non-paid) content shows up on Google's Search Results Page (SERP). Its AI Overview now pushes both paid ads and organic listings down. At this time, Google's AI Overview comes up in response to a question entered in the search box.

Nevertheless, as AI is used more and more, you need to adapt your marketing to take advantage of it. As always, keep track of your website analytics on a monthly basis to see how you're ranking compared to your competition. Set monthly marketing goals and adjust your strategic plan based on your analytics and insights.

Giselle Aguiar, Marketing Consultant, AZ Social Media Wiz

Navigate Cookie Consent Challenges

Digital marketing in 2024 is facing a major challenge: cookie consent laws. As of March 2024, our EU clients needed to comply with strict cookie regulations or risk having their advertising accounts suspended. In the short term, this creates a maze of inconsistent signals and unreliable data, although it does enhance consumer privacy in the long term. We've worked with 30 different technology vendors to find tracking solutions that range from low to high four-figure investments, ensuring more accurate data integration into analytics.

The reality for most businesses is that they are losing nearly half of their website visitors because these visitors are choosing to "reject all" cookies. This isn't just a minor inconvenience—it's a significant disruption, causing marketing costs to rise while apparent results diminish. This isn't due to a drop in performance but because the metrics are underreporting due to stricter privacy measures. And with privacy becoming a stronger selling point over time, this trend is likely to continue, potentially obscuring 100% of website visitor data.

The good news? Businesses can address this issue today if they recognize the problem. Being proactive about adapting to these changes is essential for maintaining effective digital marketing strategies in 2024.

Mike Zima, Chief Marketing Officer, Zima Media

Create Free Tools for Lead Generation

Google's AI-generated answers have had a major impact on SEO. Don't waste time creating content that might answer "what is…" this year. The number of clicks such content gets is quickly heading to zero.

While this door is closing, other opportunities are being created. For example, creating free-to-use tools has never been easier thanks to AI. Here's how you might release a free tool to generate leads for your business: running a construction firm, release a cost-of-service calculator. For example, a "swimming pool cost calculator." If you've launched a writing software company, release a "free sentence generator." There are opportunities here to get customers.

Alongside free tools, you should focus on longer-form content that requires you to click through to a web page to get the results. These are strategies that will work well this year.

Nico Prins, Founder, Crunch Marketing

Encourage User-Generated Content

Personalized, AI-driven experiences and the immersive world of AR and VR will increasingly define digital marketing in 2024. These technologies are not just enhancing interactions—they are becoming fundamental in capturing the attention of our clients' audiences. The persistent appeal of short-form video across platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels underscores the necessity for dynamic and concise content that engages viewers instantly.

On the flip side, traditional strategies such as generic email campaigns and static banner ads are facing significant challenges. These methods struggle to resonate in a world where consumers are overwhelmed with content and protective of their digital space. To truly stand out, we must shift towards marketing that directly addresses individual preferences and needs.

From my experience this year, I've seen firsthand the power of user-generated content to amplify trust and community engagement, and it doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Encouraging customers to share their experiences not only boosts authenticity but also strengthens trust and loyalty, creating a solid foundation for any brand looking to thrive digitally. The key in this era is creating a meaningful connection with your customers and an experience that resonates personally.

Tom Edwards, Founder, Bit Quirky Consulting

Optimize with Advanced Tracking Technologies

Digital marketing in 2024 is centered around high-quality data. With the impending elimination of cookies by 2025, implementing advanced tracking measures like API tracking, enhanced conversions on Google, and the Conversions API on Meta is crucial. These tools ensure that accurate information is sent back to advertising platforms, allowing for better targeting of high-value customers. Traditional cookie-based tracking methods are becoming obsolete, making data accuracy and integration between CRM systems and advertising platforms essential. To thrive, businesses must invest in these advanced tracking technologies to optimize their marketing efforts and achieve better results.

Koby Wheeler, Founder & President, Lobster Ferret

Repurpose Content for Multiple Platforms

In 2024, top-of-funnel blog posts (the generic 'What is [industry]/[topic name]?' type posts) are going to be overtaken by Google's increasing use of AI summaries in the search results. We will see more and more use of short-form video content bringing old content to life. Videos that can live on YouTube, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and TikTok. Blog posts and written content will have to focus on bringing to life a brand's point of view, what they stand for, and how they have helped their customers—much more bottom-of-funnel content. And I think we will also see a lot more repurposing of existing content. Not just to video, but breaking up blog posts into images, LinkedIn carousels, personal anecdotes building on top of pieces of content that were already written. We will start to see a lot more value being created from single pieces of content that have been written with distribution in mind, way before it was uploaded to the website.

Charlie Southwell, Marketing Director & Strategist, Charliesaidthat

Build Trust with Thought Leadership

What's Working?: Today, digital marketing is less about selling and more about engaging in meaningful conversations. Brands that succeed build trust at the top of the sales funnel. One effective way to do this is through strategic thought leadership, particularly with third-party media and analyst firms. This approach a) elevates brand presence b) positions companies as authoritative voices in their sectors.

What's Challenging?: The phasing out of third-party cookies has marked a significant pivot in digital marketing strategies. Companies now prioritize first-party data to tailor their marketing efforts, ensuring compliance with new privacy standards while maintaining personalization and efficiency. As these changes disrupt traditional methods, businesses must continuously innovate to stay ahead.

One Thing Businesses Can Do to Stay Ahead: Leverage the wealth of data available from direct customer interactions. Develop robust strategies to collect and utilize this data responsibly, offering value in exchange for user information, such as exclusive content or personalized experiences. This enhances user engagement while also fortifying consumer trust in your brand.

Jason Johnston, Chief Executive Officer, Conveyor Marketing Group

Embrace Mass Personalization with AI

Digital Marketing has always been dynamic in nature and will continue to be so with changes in trends and technology. 2024 has leveraged AI and data analytics to personalize experiences to a great scale. Traditional mass advertising is declining as we move forward to mass personalization with the capabilities of AI. Moreover, businesses prefer influencer marketing and targeted ads as their go-to investment. With the evolving nature of digital marketing, businesses must not compromise on ethical data use, authenticity, and a customer-first focus to thrive.

Akshita Lomsh, Marketing Strategist

Keep it Personalized With First-Party Data

Digital marketing in 2024 is learning from 2023, and for my team, it is defined by personalization, privacy, and new technologies. Short-form video content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels is a major focus and crucial for engagement, while AI and automation enhance efficiency through personalized email campaigns, chatbots, and AI-driven content. High-quality, informative content remains essential, and social commerce—where shopping happens directly on social media platforms—streamlines the buying process. Optimizing for voice search and local SEO is vital for our visibility.

Conversely, generic content and intrusive ads, such as pop-ups and autoplay videos, are becoming ineffective, often blocked or ignored by users. With stricter privacy regulations, there is a shift from third-party to first-party data collection, as over-reliance on third-party data is no longer viable. Additionally, the declining organic reach on platforms like Facebook makes paid promotion necessary.

An effective strategy in this landscape is hyper-personalization using AI and first-party data. Businesses should gather first-party data through website analytics, email sign-ups, purchase history, and feedback, then use AI to analyze this data and segment their audience based on behavior and preferences. This allows for the development of personalized email campaigns, product recommendations, and targeted ads.

Continuous engagement through interactive content and refining strategies based on feedback will ensure meaningful connections and increased customer loyalty. In 2024, successful digital marketing revolves around creating personalized experiences, leveraging AI, and respecting privacy.

Charles Dumont, Chief Marketing Officer, GoNano

Utilize Influencer Marketing for Authenticity

The increase in AdBlock usage and the shift towards a world without cookies have made traditional forms of advertising less effective, challenging habitual media ad placements. As a result, more and more businesses are turning to authentic and transparent approaches. To get their message across, businesses use influencer marketing. Influencers create genuine and transparent communication with the audience, fostering a human-to-human connection that modern audiences value.

Michael Kuzminov, Chief Growth Officer, HypeFactory

Treat Digital as Integral Marketing

In 2024, we should drop 'Digital' from the term and simply call it Marketing. Digital and non-digital channels are now so intertwined that differentiating between the two is unnecessary. For instance, Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising often appears on digital screens and gets shared on social media if the campaign is compelling. TV and radio have also gone digital, with ads on podcasts being similar to those on traditional radio.

Digital marketing in 2024 is at a crossroads. Many traditional tactics and channels are losing their effectiveness. For example, organic social media was never very effective, and search engines like Google and Bing are transitioning to generative AI, becoming Answer Engines. This shift means SEO and Paid Search might become less effective if they remain unchanged. Marketers will need to pivot to brand building and PR to capture more "Gen. AI real estate" than their competitors.

To succeed in 2024 and beyond, we need to treat digital marketing as proper marketing, applying the same principles and laws. This means conducting thorough research, setting well-defined strategies with clear positioning and targeting, and focusing on building strong brands that are memorable in buying situations. It's not enough to concentrate solely on performance marketing, which targets only a small segment of the market.

Businesses should focus on both performance marketing and brand building for sustained growth. Consistency in strategy and communication is key. Those who play the long game and avoid distractions will find the most success.

Marko Maric, VP of Growth, CAKE.com

Diversify Across All Marketing Channels

Digital marketing in 2024 is the Wild West.

In 2024, you have to diversify. Putting all your eggs in one basket is a recipe for failure. Businesses only focusing on SEO are seeing major declines in traffic and leads with the addition of generative AI by Google. Google Ads costs are through the roof. Meta ads are chock-full of fraudulent clicks. Email spam filters are tighter than ever.

So, what can you do? Diversify. Leverage all your channels in symbiosis. Strategically spread your marketing budget across the channels that make the most sense for you.

For example, home services still thrive in search but struggle with paid social in cold markets. For as little as $5/day on Facebook and Instagram, you can spin up a remarketing campaign to retarget your website visitors from your SEO and Google Ads.

Traditional marketing still works, too! Join a networking group or send out a direct mail campaign. The more eyes on your brand and message, the more likely you are to earn the conversion.

Jared Tangir, Founder & SEO Director, Elevated Audience

Adopt Multi-Channel Marketing Strategies

In 2024, digital marketing is all about personalization and leveraging AI to tailor content. We are seeing it evolve with changing customer behavior. Users, community, and influencers are helping us drive engagement and conversions. Overuse of keywords is no longer working. The lines between sales and marketing are getting blurred. For effective marketing, businesses should adopt a multi-channel strategy for maximum reach to the target audience.

Dhiren Gala, Director, Marketing, Open Weaver Inc

Create Engaging, Concise Content

Digital marketing in 2024 remains centered around content, but there has been a significant shift from traditional written formats to interactive and short-form content. Capturing the audience's attention is increasingly challenging; if you don't engage them in the first second, you risk losing them entirely. Long-form website content, no matter how well-crafted, often fails to resonate with today's audience, who crave immediate information.

To adapt, businesses should focus on creating engaging, concise content that delivers value quickly. Embracing formats like short videos, interactive posts, and real-time updates can help keep the audience engaged and informed effectively.

Arina Katrycheva, Chief Marketing Officer, actiTIME

Build Authentic Relationships with UGC

I believe that digital marketing in 2024 is all about leveraging advanced data analytics, AI, and hyper-personalization to connect with audiences on a deeper level. The use of first-party and zero-party data has become essential due to privacy regulations, allowing businesses to create highly targeted and personalized campaigns. What's working now are hyper-personalized ads, influencer collaborations, especially with micro- and nano-influencers, and the integration of user-generated content, which brings authenticity and trust. Platforms like Instagram's Reminder Ads and Meta's Threads are revolutionizing engagement strategies, while location-based targeting and Connected TV advertising offer new, effective ways to reach audiences.

What's not working as well anymore are generic, one-size-fits-all ads and over-reliance on third-party data, which is being phased out. Consumers expect personalized, relevant content, and anything less falls flat. To stay competitive, businesses should focus on building long-term, authentic relationships with their customers. One effective strategy is to embrace UGC in your marketing campaigns. Encourage your customers to share their experiences and feedback, then showcase this content in your ads. This not only boosts credibility but also fosters a sense of community and trust around your brand.

Dan Tabaran, Marketing Expert, Influencity

Optimize LinkedIn for Personal Branding

Digital marketing is a game-changer when it comes to moving the needle in your business. As the founder of both a service-based business and product-based business, utilizing digital marketing has 5x'ed my businesses. Personal branding is hot right now because people want to buy from people. You can spin that off into whatever product or service you are selling. Through using digital marketing, you speed up the know, like, and trust factor timeline. LinkedIn used to be a place where only job seekers and companies hiring hung out, but now it's a full-blown professional networking site! One thing business owners need to do on LinkedIn is optimize their profile!

Caroline Pennington, Podcast Host & Founder, The Feminine Founder

Shift to Service-Led Visionary Marketing

Digital marketing is harmonizing while also stretching us into new opportunities and technology. The authority marketing that has been popular and swooning many is beginning to take a back seat. Meanwhile, connective, service-led, visionary marketing is being celebrated. This is a result of the marketplace becoming tired and weary of hype, ego-centric content, and branding with no backbone of service or results. The demand is shifting towards heart-centered brands that genuinely want to create a solution and impact for others. This is the new magnetic marketing that I am so grateful to witness once again in the online space.

Jen Szpigiel, CEO, Becoming Iconic

Tailor Strategies for Gen Z Preferences

In the dynamic world of marketing, Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012) has emerged as a key demographic, redefining consumer behavior and reshaping strategies across sectors. Unlike previous generations, Gen Z has matured in an era dominated by the internet, social media, and mobile technology, making their preferences, behaviors, and expectations crucial for businesses aiming to thrive. Gen Z's influence signals a new era in consumer-brand interactions, playing a catalytic role in disrupting digital marketing.

In 2024, digital marketing is being defined by personalization, automation, and data-driven strategies. Personalized ads, hyper-targeted campaigns, interactive content, and AI-powered customer interactions enhance user experience and engagement, helping brands stand out. The evolution of digital marketing continues to shift from broad approaches to highly tailored strategies that leverage advanced analytics and machine learning. Businesses should invest in creating personalized customer journeys, ensuring content and messaging are tailored to individual preferences and behaviors, fostering deeper connections and higher conversion rates.

Akshita Agrawal, Senior Communications Specialist

Build Authenticity with Reputation Management

Digital marketing has changed from visibility-driven to authenticity-driven. Buyers are more savvy about detecting what feels overly curated and crafted to get a sale, so proof of "truth" becomes the new currency of brand trust-building in 2024 and beyond. A long-term authenticity-building strategy is to return to old-school reputation management, which includes sharing a unique and memorable take on solving a common problem and a clear, consistent demonstration of your core values—not just in words but in deeds—in every part of the customer journey. This strategy will be critical in any business's marketing and business development efforts and is a surefire way to create a consistent, differentiating message that fosters trust and cuts through the noise of the digital marketing landscape.

Michele Charles Gustafson, Certified Image Consultant & Confidence Coach, Hue And Style Image Consulting

Curate an Authentic Social Media Presence

Have an authentic and curated social media presence. This may seem obvious to Gen Z, but you would be surprised how many businesses (whether it be a local drywall business or a Fortune 500 company) lack a social media presence that accurately reflects their brand and values, instead of a cookie-cutter corporate website. In the age of COVID-19, remote working, and a new generation that primarily communicates online, curating your social media should be top of mind for every CEO.

Sara Nahon, Investment Manager