From AI to AR, from Voice to SGE, digital advertising is evolving at an unprecedented pace as we step deeper into 2024. Brands are using cutting-edge technologies to create immersive and personalized experiences, aiming to captivate the increasingly tech-savvy consumer. 

2024 marks a significant shift towards more interactive and engaging formats, and advertisers are searching for ways to break through the noise of traditional digital channels. The integration of artificial intelligence, augmented reality, voice search optimization, and other new and exciting tech is not just reshaping the way products are marketed, but also redefining the relationship between brands and consumers. 

Artificial Intelligence is Center Stage

AI has become the backbone of digital advertising, transforming not only how campaigns are created but also how they're optimized and scaled. According to a 2023 HubSpot survey, 90% of marketers report that AI tools have significantly increased their efficiency in completing routine and manual tasks. The industry is moving away from manual, time-consuming processes to automated, intelligent systems. AI's ability to analyze vast amounts of data in real-time helps crafting strategies that are dynamic and data-driven.

Nearly half of the marketers surveyed (48%) are utilizing these tools to create content. This approach accelerates the creation process and helps optimize for engagement and conversion. 

Google’s Search Generative Experience

Adapting to Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) is an important issue for advertisers in 2024. Good content was always a crucial part of any campaign, but this year, the stakes are even higher. Search results are changing. Advertisers need to create content that competes with AI-generated material. Marketers need to produce not only original and engaging content but also content that offers depth and value beyond what automated systems can generate.

Despite speculations and a shift in Google's ranking factors—where backlinks are no longer in the top three— they still have significance. Backlinks are seen as a marker of content popularity and credibility, a perspective supported by insights from Google employees. In the era of SGE, where Google aims to verify its AI-generated content summaries with web sources, backlinks are a critical signal.

A trend that’s gaining momentum in 2024 is the integration of videos within the SGE carousel, a move by Google to enhance the search experience with high-quality visual content. The current quality of these videos is not great, but it looks like incorporating playable videos into your content strategy will soon be necessary. 

Consumers are More Aware of Data Privacy 

Data privacy is a crucial challenge in the advertising sector, changing the way in which brands approach customer data. Data breaches and misuse impose financial burdens on companies and reduce customer trust. This leads to a reluctance among consumers to share personal information, directly impacting engagement levels and the effectiveness of data capture strategies.

86% of Americans now voice a growing concern over data privacy, with 68% expressing apprehensions about the volume of data collected by businesses, according to recent KPMG research. Consumers are simply more worried about their digital footprint.

A transparent, open dialogue with customers about data practices is recommended. This approach not only fosters trust but also positions brands as pioneers in transparency, potentially offering a competitive edge in a market that values honesty.

Advertisers should prioritize honesty in their data practices, empower customers with greater control over their information, and constantly evaluate the value exchange offered for their data. You should stay informed about data privacy regulations in order to ensure compliance and maintain consumer trust. 

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AR and VR

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The explosive growth in Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies is definitely a hot issue in 2024. There’s a huge increase in consumer interest, with searches for "vision pro" soaring by 2,400% from 2022 to 2023, and "beyond vr" experiencing a jump of more than 300%. Such metrics show a curiosity and appetite for immersive technologies that provide a different experience.

Research from Shopify shows that AR experiences can amplify conversion rates by an impressive 40%. This statistic shows the profound impact of immersive technologies on consumer behavior, encouraging businesses to explore ways to leverage AR and VR. Companies are turning to ready-made tools that simplify the integration of AR and VR into their marketing strategies. For example, there’s Auglio for virtual try-ons, Obessar for creating virtual stores, and Shopify’s virtual scanner, which enables 3D product visualization.

Social AR is another exciting field, with a significant move towards more lifelike avatars. Apple's introduction of the Apple Vision Pro, featuring Spatial Personas that employ machine learning for enhanced body language and facial tracking, exemplifies this advancement. Meta is developing Codec Avatars, utilizing deep generative models to automate the creation of realistic 3D faces, making these advanced avatars more accessible to the general public. 

The increasing use of mobile AR for remote assistance, training, product visualization, and other applications indicates that businesses are eagerly adopting these technologies to connect with customers in more meaningful and interactive ways. The continued growth in AR and VR technologies is poised to redefine advertising in 2024, with very interesting opportunities ahead.

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