The first and most important New Year's resolution for your B2B marketing efforts in 2024 should be MORE FOCUS.
You may have already asked yourself, "What should I focus on in 2024?"
A: Focus on representing your brand consistently, which should include creating impactful videos and optimizing your ad spend.
Read more to learn why.
Every year, the team here at Red Rocket Creative generates hundreds of leads for our clients while at the same time fortifying their reputation in their respective market sectors. We have to constantly evaluate our strategies and tactics because things change. These changes impact program performance - both positively and negatively.
I share this comment as a suggestion to do the same - evaluate your programs. As you consider improvements to your plan, let me share some observations and recommendations to help you build a sustainable marketing program in 2024.
Strategy
In 2024 AI will influence what you do because it is getting better. It will get more precise, creative, efficient, and accessible. More and more companies (and individuals) will create designs, websites, and different content formats because the quality of it will improve exponentially.
We are seeing the democratization of "creative work". What does it mean for you and your company?
Focus on your brand and it’s consistency.
Consistency and focus will become your company's secret weapons. If your messaging is blurry (thanks to a growing dependency on AI) and your creative deliverables are inconsistent across different channels and formats, this combination will damage your brand and erode your market value. Therefore, smart brands must continue fortifying their position with strategic and consistent messaging that resonates with their audience.
“Find and articulate your tone of voice: In an age where everyone has access to AI, you should be able to rise above the noise and make sure you bring something unique that reflects your personality and creation.” Eran Yacobovich, CMO AI21 Labs.
Find balance, and take a few risks along the way.
According to Veda Partalo, Former VP, Global Head of Marketing at Spotify, “Brands are approaching 2024 with two polarizing needs. On one hand, a need to innovate and push boundaries (largely driven by the AI scare in the system) while they need to balance their risk-taking to keep their brand safe and stable in the long term. How brands balance these opposing trends will depend greatly upon the creators they collaborate with.”
Veda’s advice for brands is a clarion call to action with authenticity, and I couldn’t agree more. She says:
“Take calculated risks. Don’t be afraid of experimentation, but make sure you stay true to your brand values.”
Make sure your marketing team is equipped with the right skills.
As technical editing and creation skills are becoming less important, creativity and strategic thinking matter more than ever.
Equip your team with individuals who can distinguish between what is considered "good" (which is now achievable by everyone) and what is exceptional. If your team lacks this expertise, partnering with a professional creative service company, like Red Rocket, will make all the difference in driving your company's success.
Orit Bar-Niv, Head of Motion Array at Artlist, comments,
“While AI tech lowers the technical barrier to entry, it also emphasizes the power of a creatively attuned “eye” because that’s what makes the content stand out.”
Channels and formats
Like many marketers, you may be overwhelmed by the multitude of available channels and formats. Don't worry, we can help you find formats and channels that work particularly well for your unique circumstances. If you see the title of the next section and think, "Video is only for B2C," that's not the case.
Video content will continue to dominate
Certainly, in the B2C retail categories, TikTok and YouTube are a force to be reckoned with. But what about B2B? If video content is not yet part of your B2B marketing mix, it's time to start incorporating it. Videos are a powerful tool for building awareness, explaining complex product offerings, and evoking emotions associated with your brand.
Source: Techcrunch, Qustodio
“Search” is not equivalent to “Google” anymore
A growing number of people use video platforms to search for products and services. This trend makes 2024 the year of video optimization. Marketers need to prepare for a significant shift towards video-centric SEO. This shift requires mastering visual storytelling and optimizing metadata to ensure discoverability within search engine algorithms.
Marketers allocate their ad budgets to stable and growing platforms
Elon Musk Says Twitter Bankruptcy Is a Possibility. This is the reason and the consequence of the drastically decreased ad spending on that channel in 2023.
Source: Guideline via Prof G
Time spent watching YouTube on TV now exceeds any other individual network or streaming service. As such, you need to seriously consider where you are placing your ad spend.
Source: Nielsen
Final thoughts
I’m very excited about the developments and opportunities that the upcoming year holds. But for now, if strengthening your brand, creating impactful video content, and allocating your ad spend to the right platforms are part of your marketing strategy, you are on track for success in 2024.
If you need any assistance with any of these or other marketing tasks, don’t wait to reach out to me or any of my colleagues at Red Rocket Creative.
Explore how to strengthen your brand, leverage video content and optimize ad spending in 2024.