As we enter a new year, you’ll see plenty of institutions predicting what will make it big in 2024.
Fashion, technology, sports, and marketing is no different.
So, instead of regurgitating what you’ve probably read elsewhere, we thought we’d do something different.
We’ve picked out three trends we think you should avoid in 2024.
Marketing trends to avoid
Over the last year, we’ve seen several trends lead the way. From the continued dominance of short-form video and the rapid rise of AI tools such as ChatGPT to the ever-evolving social commerce landscape and a change to what it means to be verified.
But what does 2024 have in store for us?
Well, we’ve taken a look across many articles and it’s no surprise to see AI, short-form content, authenticity and collaborations all feature highly. And, to be fair, they’re relatively safe bets given what we’ve seen over the last year.
So, which of these marketing trends should you avoid in 2024?
Overreliance on AI
Artificial intelligence is only going to become more prevalent in all walks of life over the next year. And, as marketers, we’re usually the first to adopt, tinker with and, inevitably ruin these innovations.
Now, we’re no AI experts, so we’re not going to make predictions about what these innovations will be. We’re not even going to warn you off AI completely. What we want to do is send a cautionary signal.
If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.
These tools will improve over time. But, as things currently stand, there’s a race to fight against the implementation of AI, particularly in content creation.
For example, social media algorithms are fast developing ways to identify AI-generated content and will, most likely, penalise it.
So, yes, utilise artificial intelligence to help you. But be careful of becoming over-reliant on it as you may get caught out.
Split screen "sludge content"
If you’re a frequent user of TikTok, and to some extent Instagram, you may have seen this trend grow in prominence, and we believe it’s set to take over other channels soon enough.
Named "sludge content", if you’ve not seen it, a user will upload a video but split-screen it with another video. For example, you might have an interview in the top half of the video, the thing they want you to watch. Then, in the bottom half, they’ll have something mundane like someone cleaning windows or playing a video game.
The idea is that by having two bits of content in one, it’s more likely to keep you engaged. And, inevitably, just as the top video gets to the good bit, it will cut off and tell you to watch part 2.
As effective as these videos can be at farming engagements, they’re not ideal for brands. The second, supporting video normally appeals to a wide audience and therefore dilutes the targeting of the original video.
Also, it is a tactic used by meme accounts who are regurgitating content from other content creators. Not something you want your brand to be associated with.
Fake podcasts
In 2023, podcasts seemed to reach another level, yet again.
But is it all that it seems?
There have been several content creators who have set up what looks like a podcast when you see their content. But in reality, it’s all for show.
All the tech is there, cameras, mics, pop-shields, mixers, the lot. But all they ever produce is short video clips. A full-length podcast is never made!
Why?
Well, short-form content is hot right now. So, rather than producing a long-form podcast, they just sit down and manufacture short, pre-prepared clips they upload directly to social media. Psychologically, because it looks like a podcast, the viewers perceive them to be a subject-matter expert.
So, what’s wrong with this?
Nothing on the face of it. But if you’re going to go to all that effort, why not just produce a podcast anyway? You’ve done the hard work. It’s simply a matter of getting the best output you can from your time and resources.
Wrapping Up
Marketing is ever-changing. There will always be new trends. Some of them fads, some of them here to stay.
Our job, as marketers, is to test them. See how they work. And learn.
From there, it’s for you to decide whether they are worth adopting and putting resources behind.
But what those trends are, nobody really knows. We’re just making our best guesses.
Until next time, thanks for reading.