The Most Important and Effective Marketing Channels for Businesses in 2024

Things are constantly changing in the world of marketing, and it’s a marketer’s responsibility to keep their finger on the pulse of what’s new and trending. While some strategies continue to prove their effectiveness year after year, other marketing channels that made sense for businesses three years ago may be obsolete in 2024.

The fact of the matter is that a marketing team’s strategy depends on the consumer. Is your target audience flipping through a magazine or listening to a podcast? This will determine whether a print ad or podcast ad wilI be more effective in your efforts. It’s likely that as we’ve transitioned to a primarily digital world, consumer behaviors have changed too. How they choose to consume information in their free time is evolving with new technologies. And as such, marketers must pivot in order to target their ideal audience in new ways. 

Here are nine of the most effective marketing channels for businesses in 2024 (in no particular order).

Social media

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you have witnessed the explosion of social media over the course of the past 10 years. Businesses have been using platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to advertise their products and services for nearly a decade, but in 2023 and beyond, utilizing social media as a marketing tool is a top practice. Between Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, LinkedIn, and the newest player— TikTok— marketers can find a platform that resonates best with their target audience. Depending on their content, and goals, social media managers can share organic content to generate brand awareness and leads or opt to put money behind their posts for more of a controlled ad experience. 

Podcasts

There are over 5 million podcasts globally, which speaks to its growing popularity. Podcasts are the new radio, and what professionals are likely listening to on their commute to and from the office, on their lunch breaks, or in their free time on weekends. Using podcasts as a marketing strategy can look one of three ways; 1) hosting a podcast as a way to distribute content that positions your brand as a thought leader in the industry, 2) an executive of the company being a guest on a relevant podcast as a PR play, or 3) running podcast ads.The benefit of podcasts are that each speak to a niche topic or industry, so you can get much more accurate targeting to your ideal audiences than you would on radio. 

Influencer marketing

Brands are expected to spend $7.14 billion on influencer marketing domestically in 2024, a number nearly quadrupeling since 2019. Working with influencers, or content creators, is most popular on (but not limited to) Instagram and TikTok. A typical partnership would include paying an influencer to create content featuring your brand and share it with their followers. From there, brands can opt to repurpose the content on their own channels or put money behind the influencer’s original post to boost the reach. Influencer marketing works so well for businesses because brands are able to tap into the loyal following, and trust, of their audiences while getting more eyeballs on their product or offering outside of the brand’s own social network. 

Videos

Videos will continue to be the king of content in 2024, and we have platforms like Youtube and TikTok to thank for that. Companies can use short-form content on social channels to create brand awareness, and long-form videos on their website to share product demos, testimonials, or additional branding. Videos in general tend to be more engaging than static images or graphics, so many companies have adopted the dynamic content to help share their offerings to new audiences. In 2024, setting aside budget for video production should be top of mind for marketers. 

AI-powered marketing

Artificial intelligence is showing no signs of slowing down in 2024, and as such marketers can expect to incorporate AI into their strategies. AI-powered marketing is a cutting-edge approach to marketing that leverages artificial intelligence technology to optimize and automate various marketing processes. AI can analyze large amounts of data, identify patterns, and make predictions, enabling marketers to make more informed decisions and deliver personalized experiences to their customers.

Marketers might also take advantage of generative AI to help curate unique content to publish on various marketing channels. 

Paid search

Paid search is nothing new, but continues to be an effective digital marketing strategy. Essentially, teams are paying search engines— like Google— to display ads on their search engine results pages (SERPs). It is also known as pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. Companies pay for each click on their ads, which helps increase visibility, drive website traffic, and generate conversions. Paid search allows businesses to target specific keywords and demographics, ensuring their ads are shown to the most relevant audiences. This form of advertising can be highly effective for a brand when combined with the right tools and strategies.

Email marketing

We’ve all fell victim to email marketing. It’s a direct marketing channel that involves sending targeted emails to a group of recipients, typically customers or potential customers. It is an effective, and low-cost, way for businesses to communicate with their audience, promote products or services, build brand awareness, and drive conversions. Email marketing allows businesses to reach a large number of people directly, targeting specific segments and personalizing messages. It is cost-effective, measurable, and can generate a high return on investment (ROI) when done thoughtfully. 

Search engine optimization

Search engine optimization— SEO— is the practice of optimizing a website to improve its visibility and rankings in search engine results pages (SERPs). It involves making strategic changes to various elements on a website to make it more search engine-friendly and increase its organic (non-paid) traffic. This can involve different landing page strategies, blog content, and specific web development best practices. 

Website development

The goal of all of the above is to drive traffic to your website in the hopes of converting leads to new customers. This means your website needs to align with your brand and the rest of your marketing efforts, while extending a professional user experience. Website design can make or break a brand. Investing in website development is arguably one of the most important marketing channels for 2024, as it will determine whether decision-makers feel confindent enough to take the next steps to purchase.