Changes are ahead in 2024 for small business marketing, in fact, they are changing already. Want to know how to market your business next year, these are our small business marketing predictions for 2024, let’s delve in and see what lies ahead.
Before we look into the future, we must briefly 2023, and what a year it has been. AI has set a rocket to business marketing and is changing all our lives on a daily basis. This will continue to have a dramatic impact on your business’s marketing in 2024, in fact, our key prediction for 2024 is in response to the ever-changing world of AI.
How AI will impact your small business marketing in 2024
Google is launching SGE or search generative experience. Already being rolled out in the USA, it is only a matter of time until it lands in the UK, dramatically changing the way we search and consume information on a daily basis.
Googles SGE is expected to hit companies’ search engine rankings. So if you currently sit high in search results for your chosen search results, you should pay attention.
But what is SGE?
The new search generative experience utilises AI to generate search results. It will gather information from websites that answer the search query and create an informative answer utilising the information available. The sites used will be referenced with links.
Searchers then can ask further questions or see additional information.
The intention would be to empower searchers with the information they need without the requirement for them to enter multiple websites.
Googles SGE may impact on your website traffic.
If Google is providing consumers with the answers to their questions in the search results then there is less reason to visit websites, and that is not necessarily good for traffic. You can read more about SGE here.
How can you prepare for Googles AI search results to ensure you do well in 2024
We predict content will be king in 2024 when it comes to generating website traffic.
If your website has limited content, then now is the time to get a content plan and start implementing it. Google’s AI will need to draw on websites that are subject area experts in order to put together the best answer possible to its users (your target audience!). By creating meaningful, informative and helpful content you are giving Google’s AI the food it needs to create fabulous responses and cite you as the information source.
Should your competitors have low-content websites then you are in an even better position to fly past them and be seen in your industry and location.
Already got an information based website and post regularly, answering questions that matter to your target audience? Don’t panic. Review and update your content ensuring it is the best it can be. Review keywords and incorporate into your content.
Longtail keywords could be your time to shine
Longtail keywords are the longer phrases that your ideal clients are searching for. You can read more about longtail keywords in our dedicated article. If your competitors are outshining you on smaller keywords and phrases that may have higher traffic you can still pick up some great clients using long tail keywords.
A word of warning when generating content
If you have been using (or are planning on using) AI to create your content then there are a few things to remember:
- AI tools like Chat GPT are brilliant for idea creation, but remember to make the content your own. Tailoring AI written content and using the most specific requests will give you the best content for your marketing.
- If you do use AI written content, check it for accuracy, and that includes localisation such as Chat GPT can include American spellings which is a quick fire giveaway for AI content.
- Use AI tools like Chat GPT often and you will get accustomed to the standard writing style, phrases etc. Tailoring your generated content is key to creating interesting articles that sound like you, and show you as the subject matter expert on the topic. This is especially true if you are a B2B company as other business owners will likely be able to spot your content isn’t written by you and may look at your competitors. Where earlier this year AI helped your content stand out, now it can have the opposite effect.
We are not saying don’t use AI content generators just use them with care to get the most out of them.
Focusing on your website content alone isn’t enough.
While our prediction is that content is going to play a critical part of your marketing strategy and success in 2024 it must not come at the expense of a multi-channel marketing strategy.
Platforms increase and decrease in popularity, new platforms and technologies are launched and consumer choices and opinions change. Keeping a strong mix across multiple platforms and embracing changes, and thinking outside of the box is key to excelling in your business marketing.
Digital marketing isn’t the only way to reach clients either!
Want to get your plan together to smash your marketing and increase your sales in 2024, book a free initial call and let’s chat.