5 Essential Tips to Guide Your Marketing Messaging in 2024

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but words still matter — especially the words we use to communicate with customers. Here are five recommendations to keep in mind as you develop your marketing messaging for 2024.

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1. Be relationship-focused

In a world that feels lonelier than ever, building relationships with your customers is critical. Relationships go beyond basic personalization and email marketing. It’s not just about sending emails, it’s about sending meaningful emails. It’s about engaging with customers when they comment or tag you on social media. It’s about remembering who they are.

Being relationship-focused also means being considerate of your customers’ time, just like you would with a real-life relationship. Enable your customers to opt in to how often they hear from you, what you reach out to them about, and on what platforms (SMS, social media, email, direct mail, etc.).

2. Be authentic

It’s no coincidence that authentic is Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year. Carry that energy into 2024 with authentic marketing messaging. This starts with knowing who your brand is. What is your brand voice? What are your values? If, like many brands, you’re using AI to craft better communications, make sure to review it for brand voice and consistency.

Speaking of authenticity, over 80% of millennials don’t trust traditional advertising. What do they trust? Other people, including their friends, family, and online reviewers. Experiment with featuring reviews and testimonials in your email newsletters and social media posts.

This messaging strategy not only delivers what customers are looking for, but drives social commerce as well. According to research by Yotpo, views shared to X, Facebook, and LinkedIn significantly boost sales, increasing conversion rates by five- to forty-fold.

3. Be transparent

With concerns about AI and data privacy on the rise, it’s more important than ever for brands to create trust with their customers. Customers are asking questions like: “What’s real and what’s not?” “How is my data being used?” “Where are my dollars really going?”

This presents an opportunity for brands to answer their questions. Be honest and share how you’re using AI to provide value — from answering customer service queries more quickly to providing more personalized product recommendations.

You may even be using AI in more exciting and innovative ways, such as creating new apps, features, or services. Fill your customers in on all the creative ways AI is helping you meet their demands and enrich their lives with your products and services.

4. Be available

Customers have an increasing amount of access to connect with brands, from text and phone to social media and email. When they reach out, they expect you to talk back — and quickly.

Most businesses already understand that customers expect a quick response. But, are you aware of how quick? Nearly half of all customers expect a response within 4 hours, including one in ten who want an answer within 15 minutes or less. Again, AI can come to save the day here, with website chatbots, Facebook Messenger, and more.

5. Be on video

Having just passed its third birthday, Instagram Reels now vastly outperforms any other type of Instagram content, generating 55% more engagement than single-image posts. At the same time, brand presence and engagement on TikTok has skyrocketed.

91% of businesses already use video in their marketing (a 5% year-over-year increase), and in 2024, savvy brands will continue to invest in TikTok, Reels, and YouTube.

Suffice it to say, video deserves a spot in your marketing messaging this year. If you’re not sure where to start, try explainer videos. These videos have swayed 89% of people to make a purchase, including 79% who purchased apps or software. For more, check out our blog on TikTok video tips.