The Approach of Small and Medium Businesses towards Digital Marketing in 2024
A new report released by Intero Digital titled “Revolutionizing Reach: The 2024 Digital Marketing Landscape You Can’t Ignore” provides valuable insights into the digital marketing strategies and priorities of small and medium businesses (SMBs) for the year 2024. The report covers various aspects of digital marketing, including spending trends, goals, content marketing, emerging trends, SEO, influencer marketing, and video marketing. Let’s take a closer look at some key highlights from the report.
Revenue Growth: The Top Priority
Unsurprisingly, revenue growth emerged as the top priority for digital marketers in 2024. A staggering 79% of respondents prioritized revenue growth as their primary goal. This emphasizes the importance of driving tangible results and the bottom line. Marketers are not backing down in their pursuit of growth, with 46.2% planning to increase their spending.
Pain Points: Lead Generation, Budget Constraints, and Competition
The report also shed light on the common pain points faced by SMBs in digital marketing. Lead generation, budget constraints, competition, and changing algorithms and SEO best practices were identified as the top pain points. These challenges often intertwine with each other, making it necessary for marketers to have a comprehensive and well-executed digital marketing strategy.
Digital Marketing Goals: Revenue Growth and Web Traffic
In terms of goals, revenue growth took the top spot with 79.5% of respondents prioritizing it. Interestingly, lead generation, which was a significant pain point, came in fifth place as a goal. This suggests that marketers are consistent in their priorities and are focused on achieving revenue growth through various channels. Brand awareness and thought leadership also featured prominently in the goal list.
Content Marketing Insights: Shorter Word Counts and Diversification
The report analyzed over 100,000 pieces of content and found that the most-shared content had an average word count of 552, significantly lower than the previous year’s average of 792 words. This indicates that concise and impactful messaging is more important than being wordy, especially in the social context. Additionally, digital marketers are diversifying their content beyond written articles, with video, podcasts, and newsletters being popular choices.
The Evolving Digital Landscape
The report concludes by emphasizing the rapid evolution of the digital landscape. While it remains uncertain whether next year’s survey will bring significant changes, it is clear that early adopters have opportunities to thrive in various channels despite competition. The digital marketing strategies and approaches discussed in the report provide valuable insights for SMBs looking to navigate the evolving landscape and drive growth.
In conclusion, the Intero Digital report provides valuable insights into the approach of small and medium businesses towards digital marketing in 2024. With revenue growth as the top priority, marketers are focused on driving tangible results and overcoming common pain points such as lead generation, budget constraints, and competition. By adopting a comprehensive digital marketing strategy and staying up-to-date with emerging trends, SMBs can thrive in the evolving digital landscape.
