Comms trends we LOVE this Valentine’s Day

A few of team J&G (plus a guest appearance from ChatGPT) share the 2024 comms trends they love.

 

Longform content is back

Attention spans are on the decline, for lots of reasons (see this post from Stephen Waddington about Stolen Focus by Johann Hari).

But people seeking out longform content is on the rise – whether that’s in-depth articles, videos or audio.

Longform blogs attract 77.2% more clicks than shorter articles. And even TikTok has moved to offer longer-form video options.

Longform engages audiences, builds trust, and delivers greater impact in an era where depth and context are valued more than ever.

On which note, if you haven’t checked out The Guardian’s Long Read this week yet, now is your chance.

 

Podcast audiences want more, more, more

A third of UK adults are monthly podcast listeners, according to an October 2023 RAJAR survey. The average person now spends seven hours per week listening to podcasts.

Over the last five years, podcast audiences have grown exponentially and they continue to grow in terms of the number of listeners and the amount of content consumed.

Podcasts offer a really accessible and intimate way to reach people, offering a unique opportunity to establish a genuine connection with the audience.

They also allow brands to:

• Showcase expertise and share industry insights
• Humanise their identity through authentic conversations
• Foster a deeper emotional connection with listeners
• Reach a global audience and boost brand visibility

There’s a risk podcasts are the new brochure (in that everyone wants one, even if it’s not the right comms tactic to achieve objectives). But when it’s done right, it’s really powerful.

We made a podcast called Kill Phil a few years ago. It very nearly won an award. Here’s the blurb – and a link to listen in case you want to check it out:

When is the right time to die?

Two friends try to answer that question. For one it’s theoretical, and for the other it’s all too real. In this podcast, we follow Phil’s journey living with an incurable and life-ending illness, and unpack some of the key debates around assisted dying – with some help from experts and campaigners.

Listen here: https://shows.acast.com/kill-phil/about

 

Evergreen influencer partnerships

Establishing influencer partnerships with longevity offers brands a chance to connect with audiences in an authentic way and builds loyalty and trust.

By ensuring promotional content aligns with the brand, influencers can become trusted ambassadors – fostering a sense of continuity and familiarity, whilst reinforcing brand messages in the minds of audiences.

The longer you work with an influencer, the more it enables a platform to give you valuable feedback and insights – which can make the difference between a good and an outstanding marketing strategy.

 

LinkedIn over X

LinkedIn has unmistakably taken over the professional networking landscape, redefining the way people connect and engage in business.

The days of merely job-searching on LinkedIn belong to the past – it’s transformed into a dynamic content hub, where professionals share expertise, industry trends, and thought leadership.

 

New year, new Google

The words sound in the wrong order, but Google hopes its Search Generative Experience (SGE) will mean search results aren’t.

SGE will be a big change from what we’re used to when we Google something. Instead of providing us a list of websites, SGE will use AI to generate answers tailored to individual searches. This will enable users to find what they’re looking for more quickly without the need to trawl through websites for an answer.

This new search experience is available as an experimental feature in some countries already, and will continue to be made available across the world in 2024.

It could have implications for your website traffic and SEO strategy, so it’s important to have on your radar. There will be potential benefits too and understanding how to make the most of them will be key – something we’re already exploring for our clients.

Want a taster of this new search experience? Bing has already launched its own version.

 

The party’s over for third-party cookies

Third-party cookies are on the way out in 2024. And we’re not all that sorry to see them go.

These cookies track you across the internet then share your details with advertisers, websites and other third parties. When collected and put together, these cookies can provide extensive information about a user, without a user giving informed consent. Phasing them out will mean less audience data but a lot more privacy – which we think is a good thing.

And crucially, first-party cookies will remain – these help improve general browsing experience, like language settings, font size and keeping you logged into a website. They also provide lots of really useful information on an audiences’ behaviour without the privacy concerns. Learning how to use that data will become even more important this year.

 

Test and learn approach (because we are SO on trend, we let AI write this one for us, can you tell?)

If you never try, you never know – right? Perhaps not a new trend, but still one we love. Experimenting with new strategies, products, or processes can help you identify what works and what doesn’t and also fosters a culture of adaptability and continuous improvement.

The nature of this approach allows businesses to mitigate risks and refine their offerings based on real-time feedback and data analytics.

A welcome side effect: a test and learn mindset encourages creativity and agility within teams, promoting a dynamic environment that responds effectively to market changes.

 

Engage don’t just broadcast

Engaging doesn’t mean posting twice a day. It means actively participating in conversations, responding to comments, and addressing concerns.

In the digital age, audiences seek more than just products or services – they crave genuine interactions and a sense of community. Engaging with your audience forms the cornerstone of building lasting loyalty and meaningful connection.

By actively engaging you can spark discussions, encourage user-generated content, and create a two-way dialogue, transforming a brand’s social media presence into a dynamic and interactive space.

We often liken it to being good company at a party. If you just blast out stuff about yourself, no one is going to want to listen. Same thing applies on LinkedIn.

 

Lots of love, team J&G