Hesam Seyedi ● March 7, 2024
Navigating digital marketing in 2024 can be difficult.
Many channels promise great returns, but not all deliver. Choosing the best ones can be confusing.
It’s crucial to know where to invest wisely.
Today, we’ll simplify things. We’ll pinpoint the strategies that truly work and those that might drain you resources.
NP Digital surveyed 118 companies, each earning at least $100 million annually.
These businesses can afford to invest in different digital marketing channels, giving us insight into what works.
This study shows which methods deliver results and which ones waste resources.
Let’s explore the data to identify which strategies drive profit and which prove wasteful.
First, let’s see where companies focus their marketing efforts.
Organic social media leads the pack, with companies dedicating 38.2% of their time to it—more than double any other channel.
The chart compares digital marketing channels, showing strategies and company focus areas.
The data tell us a clear story about where companies focus their marketing efforts:
Which Channels Drive Revenue?
It’s important to shift from understanding investments to evaluating the results.
The NP Digital study shows the returns brands are getting across various marketing channels.
The study compares marketing channels, showing which ones give the best returns.
It reveals where $100M+ companies invest and the returns they see. This helps spot the channels worth focusing on and those that may need a rethink.
Large companies invest in many channels but find that capital-intensive paid ads brings the highest returns.
We’ve reviewed the investments and returns of large companies, but what about smaller busineses?
The chart below highlights the reliance of smaller businesses on organic channels like blogging, SEO, email, and content marketing for growth. It shows which channels have delivered the biggest ROI.
Source: HubSpot: The State of Marketing
The data provides insights, yet there’s no one-size-fits-all playbook for growth or a surefire digital marketing formula.
Experiment with different channels and strategies, then adjust to what works best. This is the benefit of an omnichannel approach.
Focus on easy wins and aim for low-hanging fruit. For example, simply adding PayPal as a payment option increases conversions by 33%.
Collecting your own data and forming your own conclusions is crucial, as every situation is unique.
The State of Marketing Report (2024)
Discover key 2024 marketing trends, from AI and chatbots to social selling and cookieless personalization, in this HubSpot report.
The NP Digital study shows that despite changing how we connect and communicate, the ROI from organic social media is low compared to the investment.
So, what’s causing the low returns? Here are a few reasons why:
Many people use social media, and according to DooFinder, here are the top reasons why:
With 16 million downloads, TikTok was the most downloaded mobile app worldwide for iOS users.
This “TikTokification” trend has reshaped social media dynamics, altering how content is shared and viewed.
Initially, TikTok prioritized posts from followed accounts and similar interests, but now engagement-based algorithms dominate.
TikTok now promotes engaging content regardless of who posts it.
This encourages users to keep swiping through a stream of interesting videos but leads to superficial engagement at the expense of depth.
The TikTokification model affects brand recall, as shown in an NP Digital study where 100 participants watched two types of videos.
The results showed participants remembered only 3.22% of the short videos but 34.9% of the long video, highlighting the difference in brand recall.
This trend suggests quick content might reach more people but often lacks lasting impact.
Marketers should invest in long-form videos to leave a deeper impression while using short content for broad reach.
Balancing long and short-form content helps brands engage deeply and stay memorable.
To reach your target customers, you need to understand where they spend their time online. Their choices are influenced by more than just economic or geographic factors – generational differences also play a role.
Below is a table that shows which platforms different age groups and generations spend their time on.
Despite the common belief that more attention could mean higher ROI, the reality is more complex.
Here’s a breakdown of the average time spent on various channels per day:
Though search engines get less daily user time than other channels, they provide a high ROI in SEO and paid ads.
This shows that user time spent doesn’t always match up with where marketers see the best returns.
Why Do People Use Social Media?
Discover the reasons behind social media usage in 2024 through Doofinder’s insightful study.
Paid ads provide immediate traffic but lose impact once spending stops.
On the other hand, SEO steadily improves a site’s search rankings and authority through targeted keywords and quality content. This leads to higher organic traffic and stronger domain authority over time.
Marketers prefer SEO for its long-term user trust and engagement, making it a more strategic choice than the temporary boosts from paid ads.
Google’s algorithms frequently change to improve search results and combat spam.
Traditionally, strong ranking factors have included keyword relevance, backlinks, and high-quality content. These updates ensure users get the most relevant and reliable information.
According to Semrush, these top factors impact search results. The chart shows each factor’s correlation with SERP positions, scored based on their influence on the top 20 results.
Text relevance, or the quality of your content, is the top ranking factor. But why?
Text relevance means a webpage’s content closely matches the user’s search query. It ensures the information is pertinent and useful.
Google’s main goal is to provide the best answers to meet user needs and improve their experience.
Text relevance indicates a website’s relevance to a search term.
The top SEO factor, as Google prioritizes high-quality, informative content to ensure search results meet the user’s needs.
According to Conductor, the 2024 State of SEO report provides valuable insights to help shape your strategy for the next 12 to 18 months.
Email marketing remains a powerful tool for 2024 and beyond.
In 2023, email marketing had an average ROI of $26 for every $1 spent. In retail and e-commerce, it rose to $45. This year, Litmus reports an ROI of $36 per dollar for email marketing.
Despite being less flashy than social media, 41% of marketers consider it their most effective channel. Frequent email checks make it crucial for staying connected with audiences.
Companies like Mailchimp and HubSpot, valued at over $10 billion and $30 billion respectively, thrive due to this steady ROI.
Global email marketing revenue is projected to hit $17.9 billion by 2027.
In February 2024, Yahoo and Gmail introduced new rules for those sending over 5,000 emails daily. To avoid the spam folder, follow these guidelines:
These key trends are shaping the future of email marketing and are worth incorporating into your strategy:
Integrate Your Email Tools:
Integrate email tools with CRM, analytics, and marketing automation platforms. This boosts insights, personalization, and transparency.
Trends Showing Improvement:
These trends will help your brand stand out in 2024, based on the Litmus 2024 State of Email Trends Report.
Social shopping is expanding rapidly.
In 2024, the U.S. will have 110.4 million social buyers, accounting for 42% of internet users and over half of social media users, with social commerce sales expected to exceed $100 billion by 2025.
eMarketer notes that 17% of social media users make purchases directly through these platforms, highlighting the growing importance of social commerce in marketing strategies.
Brands are enhancing their social media presence to boost not only customer loyalty but also sales.
SEO is crucial on Google because users search for answers to their problems.
Brands can reach their audience by ranking high in search results. Match your content to relevant search queries and stay updated with search trends.
Google’s search results page (SERP) is always changing, so staying visible requires adapting to new features.
To refine your Google strategy, see how key SERP features will change from 2023 to 2024:
What are Carousels?
Carousels are swipeable lists on mobile, showcasing grouped content for easy exploration. Smart use of SERP features grabs attention and delivers audience solutions.
Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) is a game-changer, further entrenching AI in SEO.
SGE provides detailed responses, including text, images, and videos, to answer user queries.
For example, searching “how to bake a cake” gives a complete recipe with visuals, while “what are the effects of climate change” offers expert insights.
This AI advancement is rapidly changing SEO. According to a report by Insight Partners, organic search traffic is predicted to decline sharply as SGE gains traction.
The key impacts of SGE include:
Marketers must adapt to Google’s AI-generated overviews in search results to stay visible and competitive in 2024.
To stand out in search results and stay ahead in 2024, focus on these key strategies
Create comprehensive content that answers all your audience’s questions. This improves user experience and shows search engines your authority.
Remember that quality content is the most important ranking factor.
2. Showing E-E-A-T:
Google uses E-E-A-T to evaluate web page quality for SEO, and applying these principles can boost content quality and visibility.
3. Long-Tail Keywords:
Long-tail keywords may have fewer searches but often attract intent-driven users. Use them to reach relevant audiences and prove your expertise.
Cover topics thoroughly, follow E-E-A-T, and leverage long-tail keywords to maximize your search visibility in 2024.
Personalized content is crucial for success in 2024.
Tailor your content and messaging to address their specific preferences and pain points, ensuring better engagement and connection.
Target Audience by Personality:
Go beyond demographics like age and location. Analyze their personality traits to tailor content to their interests and challenges.
Mix of Persona Traits:
To create a comprehensive understanding of your audience, consider a blend of these traits:
Create Persona-Focused Content
Craft content that resonates deeply with your audience by focusing on these elements:
Winning Content Formulas for 2024
Utilize these proven strategies to enhance your content’s effectiveness:
Use these strategies to create content that speaks to your audience’s personalities, driving deeper engagement and better performance.
Tools and Guides:
Guides are valuable for generating backlinks, shares, and mentions.
They dive deep into topics and help form a comprehensive, evergreen content strategy, attracting buyers as lead magnets.
An example of an effective guide is “The Ultimate Guide to Digital Marketing”.
First-Party Data and Insights:
Collect data directly from customers to understand their preferences and behavior.
This unique data helps produce original, trustworthy content that distinguishes your brand.
An example of this is how Starbucks did a great job leveraging first-party data to improve their mobile app.
Thought Leadership:
Thought leadership articles boost credibility by showcasing your brand’s expertise.
They question the status quo and introduce new solutions, strengthening your authority.
An example of an innovative thought leadership article is “How to Get High Quality Backlinks“.
Create Content Worth Sharing:
Concentrate on producing guides, utilizing first-party data, and writing thought leadership pieces.
This content is engaging, builds credibility, and delivers lasting value, capturing attention effectively.
Optimized video is crucial for search results.
As the second-largest search engine, YouTube is crucial for engaging audiences. With over 2 billion monthly active users, it provides a vast platform for creators to reach diverse viewers.
Videos can convey messages more effectively than text, making YouTube essential for brands and individuals.
Key Stats:
Why Video Matters:
Videos reach audiences in ways that written content can’t. They let you share stories, show products, and give tutorials quickly and memorably.
For example, a makeup tutorial shows techniques and results in real-time, which is more impactful than a written description.
Optimize Your Video Content:
Optimize your videos to boost visibility and reach an engaged audience. SEO-friendly videos will help your brand stand out and effectively communicate your message.
To increase your video’s reach and impact, focus on popular topics.
How to Find and Target Key Themes:
Using these methods, you can create video content that resonates with your audience, builds a strong presence, and attracts more viewers to your brand.
Google’s Shift Toward Product-First Results
In 2023, Google focused on product-first results to compete with Amazon.
Google is testing tabs in Search Generative Experience (SGE) for e-commerce results, making it harder for organic listings to rank high in searches.
Key Strategies for Success:
Adapt to Google’s “Amazonification” by refining your product pages, boosting your SERP rankings, and reaching more customers.
Optimize your product listings in Google Shopping and Google Merchant Center to attract more shoppers.
Google Shopping lets users search, compare, and find deals.
Key Elements:
Optimize Title Length:
Additional Tips:
Follow these guidelines to make your product listings stand out, attract more customers, and increase conversions.
Structured data helps Google and other search engines understand your product detail pages (PDPs).
Schema markup adds extra context to your products, improving their chances of appearing in relevant searches.
Benefits of New Schema Markup:
Steps to Implement:
With structured data, your PDPs will rank better for specific queries, boosting organic conversions and providing a smoother search experience for customers.
While SEO is key for online visibility, adding Google Ads helps you reach your audience with precision.
This approach boosts click-through rates (CTR), conversions, and ROI.
Optimize with Ads Grader Tools:
Use an Ads grader tools like WordStream, Ads Grader by NP Digital, or Adalysis for a thorough analysis to find strengths, weaknesses, and ways to improve.
Pair SEO with a strong Google Ads plan for a powerful strategy that increases your brand’s visibility and impact.
Google Ads offers a variety of campaign types to suit different marketing goals and strategies.
Here’s a quick overview of each type and their benefits:
How Gemini Optimizes Your Assets:
Google’s new AI tool, Gemini, makes campaign creation easier with a natural language experience.
It processes text, images, audio, video, and code, making it versatile and powerful for various tasks
Data indicates that small businesses using Google Ads’ conversational experience are 42% more likely to publish high-quality ads. Higher quality ads result in higher conversions.
How Gemini Optimizes Your Assets:
Using Gemini boosts creativity, saves time, and lets you test more campaign variations to see what resonates best with your audience, maximizing your Google Ads performance.
After streamlining campaign creation with tools like Gemini, listen to data and track performance.
Whether it’s organic SEO or paid ads, insights and AI can enhance your campaigns and ROI.
Key Strategies:
These strategies will help you improve campaign efficiency and effectiveness, ultimately boosting ROI and conversion rates.
In this section, we will delve into social media to understand which platforms marketers use for successful campaigns and why they are effective.
Here’s some key data on the top social media channels for marketing performance.
Key Insights:
From the data above, we can draw the following insights:
The first social media strategy is using paid ads with a focus on user experience. In-feed ads blend into users’ feeds, letting them explore products without pressure.
These non-invasive ads are personalized and often lead to higher ROI. Invasive ads may get more impressions.
Matching the platform’s style engages users better and boosts conversions.
Key Strategies:
These strategies will help you improve campaign efficiency and effectiveness, ultimately boosting ROI and conversion rates.
If you want to reach a younger audience, include TikTok in your strategy.
Learn to use TikTok Ads Manager, which is constantly updated to help you optimize campaigns.
One powerful feature is the AI chatbot, which can find trending hashtags, write scripts, suggest campaign ideas, and simplify reporting.
Key Points to Remember:
Key Tips for Success:
Here are some key tips for creating successful TikTok ad campaigns:
Leverage TikTok’s creative tools and insights to effectively connect with younger audiences and build campaigns that resonate and convert.
To expand your reach and impressions, use Meta Ads.
Meta has the largest platform in terms of scope and usage, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Threads, creating a powerful network effect that top brands and influencers use to increase their presence.
Key Benefits of Meta Ads:
With Meta Ads, you can reach the right audience across its large network, amplifying your brand’s visibility and maximizing campaign impact.
Reach – Masthead Ads:
These premium ads appear at the top of YouTube’s homepage, offering maximum reach in a single day. Ideal for quickly capturing a large audience.
Brand Consideration – Video Discovery Ads:
Appearing alongside related videos or in search results, they tell a long-form story and encourage viewers to explore your brand.
Brand Awareness – Non-Skippable Ads:
These 6 to 15-second ads play before or during videos and can’t be skipped, ensuring your message reaches the full audience.
Lead Generation – In-Stream Ads:
These ads drive conversions with interactive features like CTA buttons and product feeds, encouraging viewers to interact.
Message Reinforcement – Bumper Ads:
Quick, 6-second messages reinforce your brand’s story. Great for mobile audiences needing a short, focused message.
User-generated content (UGC) is a powerful way to build trust and show off your products’ value.
Impact of UGC:
UGC Formats to Try:
Example: GoPro
No one’s customer base leverages user-generated content better than GoPro’s.
GoPro includes user videos in its ads, showing thrilling moments like skiing down a steep slope with a GoPro camera. This authentic perspective makes viewers feel like they’re in the user’s shoes.
It has worked wonders for the brand and has helped them become a $1B a year company.
Why UGC Works:
Incorporating UGC into your marketing strategy helps you build trust, reach new audiences, and showcase product benefits through genuine customer experiences.
User-generated content (UGC) is gaining traction across social media. Here’s where UGC is most successful:
Platform Breakdown:
Insights from the Data:
Rising Trend:
UGC will continue to grow, even for B2B. Its authenticity and relatability make it appealing to all audiences, building trust and reinforcing brand messages.
Understanding each platform’s strengths will help marketers craft UGC strategies that align with audience preferences, maximizing engagement and ROI.
Targeting informational keywords like “who,” “what,” “when,” “where,” “why,” and “how” is key to reaching your audience with valuable content.
Three Ways to Use Informational Keywords:
Examples of Informational Keywords:
Answering Common Questions:
💡 Pro Tip:
Use Google’s “People Also Ask” or AnswerThePublic to find trending content ideas and popular questions. This reveals valuable search phrases for your content.
Focus on informational keywords to provide relevant answers that resonate with your audience and boost search visibility.
More people now use social media to find answers instead of just connecting with others, often replacing search engines.
On average, people spend 2 hours and 27 minutes daily on social media, with 17-year-olds spending up to 5.8 hours.
As user behavior shifts, social media optimization is crucial.
Key Insights:
Observing Social Media Behavior:
Users frequently ask questions in comments, seeking answers from post authors or others with similar experiences. This interaction makes social media a trusted source for solutions.
How People Search Online:
Search Preferences by Generation:
The Importance of Social Media Optimization:
Social media optimization is vital to engage users where they search.
Brands should optimize their content to directly address user queries with posts, videos, and comments.
By adapting to these trends, businesses can remain relevant and build stronger connections with their audience.
TikTok – Creator Search Insights:
YouTube – Auto-Suggestions:
Finding trending keywords for each platform allows creators to tailor their strategy to audience interests and produce relevant, engaging material.
Finding the right posting frequency for social media can boost engagement and reach.
NP Digital studied 330,000 accounts over 30 days to find the best posting times.
Here are some guidelines for a consistent and effective schedule:
Stay Alert for Algorithm Changes:
Social media algorithms change often, affecting content visibility. Monitor updates and adjust your strategy.
These tips help maintain a consistent presence and keep your audience engaged. Stay adaptable to changing algorithms and audience behavior.
To improve and increase engagement, it’s crucial to focus on the types of content that resonate best with your audience.
Videos:
Text-Based Social Content:
Takeaway:
Mix short and long videos for a balanced strategy. Short clips grab attention, while longer videos and text deepen engagement.
Use how-to guides, listicles, and UGC to cater to diverse preferences and sustain interest.
Influencer partnerships are key to social media strategies.
In 2023, one in four consumers bought something due to an influencer’s recommendation.
Half of marketers using influencers plan to increase investment in 2024, highlighting the power of authentic user-generated content (UGC).
Why Influencer Partnerships Matter:
If you’re not using influencers, now’s the time to start. They can amplify your message, boost conversions, and enhance your social media success.
Why Influencer Partnerships Matter:
If you’re not using influencers, now’s the time to start. They can amplify your message, boost conversions, and enhance your social media success.
Understanding different influencer tiers and their follower counts can shape your marketing strategy:
Key Strategies for Effective Influencer Marketing:
Use these tips to build campaigns that resonate with audiences, build trust, and drive conversions.
Even well-planned marketing strategies can backfire if campaigns aren’t considerate of how they’re perceived.
Tarte Cosmetics’ #TrippinWithTarte influencer trip to Bora Bora is a cautionary tale about what can happen when relatability and inclusivity are neglected.
Use these tips to build campaigns that resonate with audiences, build trust, and drive conversions.
Social media is key for Gen Z and Millennials to discover products.
It’s not just about Amazon anymore, so use multiple platforms to reach your audience.
Why Social Media Shops Matter::
Strategies to Try:
Takeaway:
Set up shop on various platforms to increase brand visibility.
Use each platform’s features to build a strong, diverse shopping presence for your audience.
Pinterest’s active users have surged to nearly 500 million, an 11% increase year-over-year in Q4 last year.
This growth, alongside strategic partnerships, makes it a valuable addition to your marketing strategy.
Key Developments:
Why Marketers Should Pay Attention:
Leverage Pinterest’s popularity and new ad tools to connect with an audience ready for product discovery and shopping.
Personalized messaging aligns your brand with the customer journey, addressing pain points and offering sought-after solutions.
Why Personalized Messaging Matters:
Rising Investment in Mobile Messaging:
Align Your Brand Communication:
Investing in personalized messaging deepens brand connections, boosting engagement and sales.
HubSpot’s 2024 report and KIBO data confirm this approach’s importance.
While many are familiar with ChatGPT, it’s crucial not to overlook Meta’s powerful chatbot capabilities.
Currently, over 300,000 chatbots are in operation on Facebook Messenger, offering significant opportunities for brands to streamline customer interactions and drive conversions (source: VentureBeat).
Why Chatbots Matter:
Explore Meta’s Chatbot Technology:
Takeaway:
Using chatbots through Meta lets you engage customers, offer personalized help, and boost conversions.
This technology builds connections, provides timely support, and increases ROI.
In February 2024, Yahoo and Gmail introduced new rules for those sending over 5,000 emails daily. To avoid the spam folder, follow these guidelines:
Key Rules for Deliverability:
Why This Matters:
Providers are tightening their rules, so it’s crucial to follow these steps to ensure your emails reach the inbox. These best practices are now strict guidelines affecting deliverability.
By sticking to them, you can ensure your emails land in the inbox and your audience receives valuable content.
