Digital Advertising Trends in 2024

Just like in previous years, we are delivering you the top digital advertising trends of the year. This time Barbara Pawłowska, Digital Media Strategist at Polish Media People gathered the most important and influencing trends in digital advertising.

1. Not just Google search anymore

The number of searches outside the Google search engine is growing. Social media platforms and ChatGPT are gaining significance. The largest growth is observed among the youngest age groups, indicating that the number of searches on these channels will continue to rise steadily. Already, the percentage of searches on Facebook and Instagram among Generation Z is almost the same as on Google Search. To effectively meet user needs, it is important to focus on educational content that is tailored to basic SEO principles, making it easier for users to reach the brand's profile even several months after content publication. Another significant force in the context of information search is AI, including ChatGPT. Users appreciate condensed knowledge without the need to browse multiple pages.

2. The rise of Threads app

In the second half of 2023, we witnessed the global launch of a new communication app - Threads. The app poses serious competition to Elon Musk's X platform. At the end of last year, the service was also launched in the EU after adjusting its operation to comply with European Union laws. I will be keenly observing its further development, especially since the app's creators cleverly integrated with Instagram, thereby increasing its reach. The application is also an excellent alternative for those who dislike the changes made by Elon Musk in the X platform.

3. Rapid development of AI

AI has already found broad applications in many areas of our lives. According to Kantar Media data, as many as 67% of marketers positively evaluate AI's capabilities. Many companies openly state that they are testing AI capabilities for graphic projects, creative concepts, engaging content, and data analysis. With positive experiences and increasing confidence in new mechanisms, we can expect the efficiency of marketing activities to grow in the near future. The emphasis will shift from knowledge to physical skills that artificial entities cannot replace.

4. What's new in the Cookieless world?

The long-postponed change regarding 3rd party cookies is expected to take effect this year. Safari, Firefox, and Edge owners have already decided to limit the life of cookies to a few days. Google has set a new deadline for changes in mid-2024, providing additional time to test new solutions aimed at acquiring solid data for further monetization. Here, we will face the growing importance of contextual and native advertising, email marketing, as well as partnership marketing and influencer marketing.

5. Changes in data analytics

The transition from the Google Analytics Universal system to GA4 has shown that even the most well-organized system can be changed, and data analytics must start from scratch. GA4 offers more data analysis possibilities, introduces new efficiency indicators, but also presents many challenges. Although Google announced the change well in advance, many marketers were not adequately prepared for it. To this day, many struggle with the correct implementation and evaluation of campaign effectiveness according to the new standards. In the era of data-driven marketing, systems enriched with AI will feature an increasingly important role, integrating and analyzing data from multiple sources for cost optimization and helping take better marketing decisions.

 In 2024, we also published the most important creative advertising trends, check it out!