The past year has presented a mixed picture for the advertising community, filled with intrigue, innovation and its challenges.
A notable development of 2023 was the arrival of generative AI on the scene, with tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT amassing an impressive one million users in a mere five days.
The rise of AI-powered image creators like Midjourney and Stable Diffusion has also impacted the industry.
In this discussion, we’ll delve deeper into the implications of the AI revolution for advertisers and examine other notable changes, such as the preference for authentic interactions and the push for less aggressive advertising methods.
Principais pontos a reter
- With generative AI challenging trust on social media, there’s a growing need for authenticity. Advertisers can build trust by prioritizing genuine human connections, leveraging user-generated content, and nurturing partnerships with micro-influencers.
- In response to the pressure to generate B2C demand, take these steps: identify your target audience, create engaging content, use a marketing funnel, maintain ongoing interactions and invest in native advertising.
- Privacy regulations are making third-party cookies obsolete, forcing advertisers to deliver high-quality content to engage audiences. The use of first-party data and AI technology is becoming essential for targeted advertising.
- To ensure a seamless customer experience across all platforms, advertisers must strive for omnichannel marketing. This involves creating a consistent customer experience, centralizing customer data, establishing trust with user-generated content, and embracing change through automated tools.
- Addressing the problem of banner blindness, advertisers are refining their strategies to resonate with audience values. Using video content and inviting interactions through click-to-view ads can engage viewers, fostering an emotional connection and encouraging active participation.
Advertising Standards Expected for 2024
It has been observed that people are increasingly moving away from conventional social networks and are becoming more skeptical about the content they find on these platforms.
According to a study by Outbrain-Savanta, around 21% of users are considering reducing their use of social media, and a significant majority of 75% expressed a lack of trust in social media advertising, as opposed to editorial publications.
In 2023, the emergence of generative AI tools has highlighted an increase in distrust towards social media. Hootsuite's 'Social Media Trends 2024' report revealed that 621% of users doubt the authenticity of content if they suspect it was generated by AI technology.
It seems that older audiences are less inclined to engage with AI-generated tools and content. Therefore, understanding your audience’s age and preferences in detail has become more crucial. For example, promoting AI tools to people over 60 may not be effective due to their lower interest.
The Essence of Genuine Advertising
You might ask, if people are becoming less trusting of ads, what steps can advertisers take to counter this trend?
Reflecting the zeitgeist of 2023, the selection of 'authentic' as the word of the year by a prominent dictionary highlights society's desire for real, human connections.
To meet this demand for authenticity, marketers need to do more than simply proclaim their sincerity; putting it into practice requires a subtle approach. Brands should strive to project a more personal and approachable image, rather than being an impersonal entity hidden behind a logo.
Brands can experiment with different forms of content that show their human side, such as:
- Initiatives and advertisements that promote social causes and sustainability efforts.
- Personal narratives, including customer experiences and in-depth case studies.
- Content that embraces imperfections, preferring unedited, natural footage over polished productions.
- Encourage customer participation and showcase content created by the audience itself.
This type of content can be integrated into a more genuine advertising approach, often seen in native or contextual ads.
Take, for example, Article, an online-only furniture retailer, which demonstrates these ideas by inviting customers to share images of their products being used in real life. This approach not only provides an authentic look at their offerings, but also helps spread their message organically.
Aligning with micro-influencers – individuals who have a following between 10,000 and 100,000 – can add a layer of credibility and a personal touch to a brand’s marketing initiatives.
To illustrate this, when UK supermarket chain Iceland’s customer approval ratings dropped significantly, they moved away from celebrity promotions to partner with food-focused micro-influencers. This shift to leveraging user-generated content, promoted through natural and relevant advertising, produced impressive results, boosting their approval ratings from a mere 10% to an astonishing 70% in one year.
Increasing Consumer Interest through Demand Generation Strategies
As we look to 2024, there will be an increasing emphasis on consumer-focused demand generation. While in the past, B2C markets may not have needed to actively generate demand, simply by advertising to a ready audience, today’s crowded marketplace requires the adoption of strategies once typical of B2B—like demand generation—to adapt engagement and drive demand amid evolving consumer behavior.
Here is a guide to key actions to drive demand in B2C marketing:
- Identify your target audience: Focus on those whose needs or issues can be resolved by what you offer.
- Develop engaging content: Produce content that addresses and connects with the challenges faced by your audience, such as videos, articles, blogs or quizzes.
- Implement a marketing funnel: Organize a process that methodically moves potential customers toward a purchase by providing timely content throughout their decision-making journey.
- Ongoing engagement: Stay connected with your audience through regular updates, promotions, and more information that highlights your insights into their needs.
- Expand reach: Platforms like Outbrain can help get your content in front of more eyes, especially in reputable online locations, potentially catching people early in their search for answers.
- Conversion Strategy: Ensure your product stands out as the top choice for potential buyers by employing re-subscription tactics across multiple platforms, including Outbrain and social media, to ensure conversions.
Strategies for Adapting to a Cookie-Free Future
There is growing certainty that the world is moving towards a more restrictive phase in digital advertising. This shift is largely due to strengthened privacy regulations around the world, signaling the end of the dominance of third-party cookies.
Big tech companies like Microsoft and Mozilla have started this shift by setting their browsers' default settings to block third-party cookies. Google plans to join this initiative by 2024.
What implications does this have for professionals in the advertising sector?
For advertisers, this means reducing their reliance on third-party data. The focus is now shifting to investing in creating quality content, engaging audiences effectively and generating innovative advertising strategies.
However, moving away from third-party cookies does not mean a complete loss of data capabilities. Brands retain the ability to collect first-party data through their own websites, apps and various points of interaction with users.
In this new environment, AI technologies are emerging as valuable tools. They compensate for the reduction in third-party data volumes by leveraging their ability to detect intricate data patterns that might otherwise escape human analysis.
So even in the absence of third-party data, advertisers equipped with first-party data and AI tools can still tailor their content and ads as accurately as before, albeit through a different method.
Achieving Success Across Different Channels
Many businesses have yet to embrace omnichannel marketing, a strategic approach that ensures a consistent customer journey across all platforms. Those who don’t embrace this approach are missing out on a crucial opportunity to meet consumer expectations.
To create a successful omnichannel experience, consider the following:
- Unify the customer experience: Aim for a seamless experience for customers, regardless of the platform or device they use. Consistency in your brand and user experience should be evident across all your websites, physical locations, mobile apps, and ads.
- Centralize information: Keep your campaigns and communications consistent across all channels. By doing this, customers will receive a consistent message from your brand wherever they interact with it.
- Build trust: Emphasize sharing user-generated content across all your channels to foster trust, ensuring it is presented consistently.
- Adapt to change: Implement the latest automation tools and technology to streamline processes and improve the customer experience.
Conventional advertising methods like display ads are often overlooked in today’s digital landscape. Digital marketers must devise new strategies to capture attention.
Creating ads that resonate with your target audience’s values and interests can help mitigate the effects of banner ad fatigue. Creating ads that are socially relevant and convey value can help you stand out from the online clutter.
With the average person spending around 7 hours per week watching streaming videos, leveraging this medium for emotional engagement is key. Employing videos and ad carousels that tell compelling, value-driven stories is a compelling tactic.
Additionally, Click-to-View video ads, which require viewers to intentionally choose to watch, can increase viewer engagement and message retention, potentially leading to higher conversion rates. This interactive video format can be an effective solution to the challenge of banner ad fatigue.
Implement Fresh Strategies Today!
In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, it can be challenging to keep up with the latest online marketing techniques. Advertisers often express concerns about falling behind in the race for innovation.
However, it is important to remember that it is never too late to embrace change.
By adopting new marketing strategies and tools, you’ll increase your chances of business success. Here are three key strategies to help you keep up:
- Leverage AI for Better Personalization: Integrate AI into your advertising efforts to create more personalized ads. These ads will be more relevant to your audience’s interests, leading to higher user engagement.
- Implement an Omnichannel Strategy: Deliver a seamless customer experience across all channels – including your website, social media, physical stores and advertising platforms. This approach is key to fostering customer loyalty and active engagement.
- Embrace Video Marketing: Use video storytelling to engage your audience. Develop compelling video content that aligns with your brand values and story, rather than focusing solely on direct sales. It’s about making meaningful connections.