2023 marked a year of many highs and lows; successes and losses, as well as developments in the digital advertising space. From social commerce tips to Meta AI, we have curated the trends and updates in the industry that made December 2023.
1. Google moves to remove cookies from sites
- Google seeks to limit cross-site tracking of cookies. Users will not be tracked on websites henceforth.
- Google introduces a new feature called “Tracking option”, which limits access to default third-party cookies.
- This feature will be introduced to 1% of Chrome users worldwide by the second half of 2024.
2. Meta introduces AI across its platforms in 20 different ways
- Meta AI is an in-built virtual assistant that answers questions, creates photorealistic images and answers other requests on command.
- The AI also works on group chats by answering questions asked by members, giving content recommendations and linking posts that people find helpful.
- Meta is slowly onboarding users by asking admin members to apply to be on the waiting list for this feature.
3. Shopify Audiences introduces new updates
- Shopify introduces Audiences v2.1 which helps merchants reach their best-performing digital advertising algorithms.
- This feature has new benchmark data that helps them see how they are performing compared to competing merchants with similar business models and targets.
- With Audiences v2.1, users can decrease customer acquisition costs by as much as 50%
- The platform will expand from Google, Meta and Pinterest to Snapchat, TikTok and Criterion
4. Google celebrates 25 years in search
- Google hits a milestone celebrating 25 years in the search for global information
- They release Google Trends’ annual Year in Search for 2023, highlighting the topics that were most searched locally and internationally
- Google also created a time capsule which gives a historic cache of the trends and cultural milestones over the past 25 years and the impact of search engines in shaping our interests.
5. Google makes an update to Google Business Profile suspension emails
- Google adds a new update to their Google Business Profile suspension emails by allowing businesses to appeal their suspension directly from the email.
- The update now has a blue appeals button with which they can appeal and provide appropriate information to help their case.
6. TikTok set to soar US social commerce sales past $100 billion by 2025
- A forecast by Insider Intelligence reveals that social commerce in the United States is set to rise past $100 billion by 2025 due to the rising domination of TikTok and increased buying on the app on TikTok Shop, its social commerce outfit.
- Categories such as beauty and personal care account for about 85% of TikTok Shop sales, according to NielsenIQ.
- The rising adoption of TikTok, however, creates a new challenge of counterfeit products and dependence on low-cost items from China.
- Meta partners with Amazon to focus on shoppable ads.
7. 1 in 3 Gen Zers have bought from an influencer-owned brand
- Statistics by Morning Consult disclose that 33% of US Gen Z consumers have purchased from brands founded by influencers, with millennials at 29% and Gen Xers at 15%.
- According to the Piper Sandler Report, Alix Earle and Mr Beast rank as the leading influencers among US teens in fall 2023, with Mr Beast already selling his products and Earle about to launch her brand.
- This report showcases the impact of influencer marketing on the rising Gen Z customer base and how brands can leverage it to increase sales.
8. 79% of top marketing executives report a boost in ROI with AI tools
- 84% of marketing leaders are reported to have utilised AI tools in their digital advertising strategies, with 79% recounting a boost in their return on investment, per BrightBid.
- Generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT in particular, rank as the favourite among the AI technologies.
- 64% of marketing executives plan to use more of these tools in their marketing campaigns.
9. Advertisers will increase spending on creators in 2024
- A report by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and TalkShoppe reveals that 44% of surveyed advertisers plan to ramp up spending on content creators by about 25%.
- The digital creator economy worth $250 billion in 2023 is projected to hit $480 billion by 2027, with creator ads having tremendous impacts on brand loyalty, consumer research and consideration.
- 39% of consumers report watching more creator content, while 22% reported the same for studio-made content.
10. Coinbound makes 12+ predictions for the tech marketing world in 2024
- Coinbound makes predictions for the tech marketing world bordering on a surge in enhanced personalization through AI, immersive technologies such as AR/VR, a heightened emphasis on optimising for voice search, and a significant focus on sustainability and ethical marketing practices.
- The marketing landscape will be shaped by the decentralized web and Web3 marketing, coupled with escalating concerns about data privacy.
- There are also projections on video content and influencer collaborations assuming a central role, and the proliferation of 5G internet speeds for data-intensive strategies, along with the prominence of virtual events and webinars, persist.
11. MikMak unveils platform innovations such as one-click purchasing options
- A software company called MikMak unveils some innovations to MikMak 3.0, its e-commerce analytics platform.
- MikMak partners with Circana to provide brands with insights into how to use digital advertising to help offline sales.
12. Threads by Meta is now available in Europe
- On the 14th of December, Meta announced that they have finally launched their Threads app in Europe via the CEO, Mark Zuckerburg.
- Zuckerburg addressed some of the challenges of retaining users because of the lack of a “trending topics” feature like X, stating that keeping the app more positive and free from spammers is more important to them.
13. YouTube shares tips for successful campaigns
- YouTube shared the secret to the most successful campaigns in 2023 with collaborations with creators being the top recommendation.
- They revealed that YouTube Shorts produced 10% to 20% more conversions than extremely long ads or ads in landscape format.
- YouTube also recommends storytelling to attract the audience and using AI to create unique content.
14. Multi-profile options may be a big social media feature in 2024
- Instagram is launching a new feature called “Flipside” that enables users to create another version of their profile and share it with people they want to.
- Alessandro Paluzzi, a software developer at X, also shared a sneak peek of a similar feature on X.
- This feature is likely to fix the problem of creating multiple separate social media profiles and optimising them all into one.
15. Microsoft provides comprehensive media solutions to advertisers
- Microsoft offers full-funnel media solutions to advertisers with Microsoft Audience Network
- This platform enables advertisers to connect to their target audience through smart TVs, online video, display, product and search ads.
16. Search results become volatile days after Google November 2023 recap
- Days after the Google November 2023 reviews update was completed on the 7th of December, Google search results experienced high volatility and intense fluctuations.
- While the online community and SEO professionals analyse the impact of this update, this shows the effect of optimising websites for better visibility.
17. Rumours on Google’s Search Algorithm Update
- The SEO community was abuzz with rumours on New Year’s Eve about the possibility of a Google algorithm update.
- There were spikes and dips in rankings however, Google has neither confirmed nor debunked this rumour.
Conclusion
The digital marketing world stays dynamic every day, and it is important to keep up with the trends to keep your business afloat. While some are tips from top companies, others are new features that you can incorporate. Stay up to date with all the latest trends on Primeclick Media.
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