The Cookieless, and Yes, AI-Driven 2024 in B2B Tech Marketing

Alright, we have entered 2024. The holiday glitter has settled, we've somehow managed to remember our computer passwords (phew), and we're bringing a bit of that zen holiday mindset into the hustle of the new year. So, let’s have a look at what’s up and coming within B2B tech marketing this year, shall we? Here are the trends and forecasts for 2024, informed by industry experts and current research.  

The continued rise of AI 

In 2024, AI will reach new heights. It's spreading its magic into every aspect of our strategies, making everything from content creation to customer insights smarter and faster. AI is definitely not a buzzword anymore, it’s the main character in marketing.    

Andy Crestodina, Co-founder / Chief Marketing Officer at Orbit. Media, predicts a growth in the use of AI chatbots in 2024. Thousands of B2B tech brands will add AI chatbots to their websites in 2024. These chatbots aim to make content programs more accessible. However, Crestodina cautions that visitors seeking detailed information might find these chatbots lacking, leading to lower engagement.   

“Visitors looking for detailed information will be disappointed. Chatbot engagement will be low. But here’s a little tip: if you add an AI chatbot, set it up to share links to your best content. Bots are guides, not experts themselves.” Crestodina says.  

AI's role in marketing 

Omprakash Karuppanan, CMO at Fuego Systems, underscores the integral role of AI and machine learning in enhancing marketing campaigns, sophisticated lead scoring, and customer engagement. Karuppanan also highlights the rise of voice search and conversational AI, reshaping how B2B buyers interact with information.

Christian Weiss, Director ABM at Autodesk, provides a nuanced view of AI's role in marketing. He acknowledges AI's inevitable integration into marketing roles but warns of the potential for failure without a clear strategy. 

”We will be overwhelmed by mountains of content and images created – and the positive results will be limited. The audience will be overwhelmed and bored and will ignore them on longer term. But I’m convinced that we’ll see innovations around AI. Smart and creative people will innovate and create services and content with the real values of AI – using account insights and leveraging behavioural insights.” Weiss says. 

While the easiest and most common use of generative AI for marketers in 2024 will be improving efficiencies, Dr Debbie Qaqish, Partner & Chief Strategy Officer at The Pedowitz Group predict that savvy and career-oriented marketers will be looking to use AI more strategically.    

“I believe that many marketers will shift from data reliance to developing deep, customer-centric insights and personalized solutions. It will also be important to embrace AI to streamline operations, introducing innovative methods that drive digital transformation and organizational efficiency.” Qaqish says 

Sales and marketing, hand in hand

Even with all these flashy tech advances, let's not forget that at the heart of marketing is that all-important human touch. Those genuine, warm connections and personal interactions aren't just nice-to-haves, they're absolutely essential for deeper engagement with audiences. Laura Erdem, Sales Leader Americas at Dreamdata, emphasizes the increasingly intertwined roles of sales and marketing. ”Due to the vast majority of information available online, buyers are coming to the sales calls well informed about the product. Therefore, salespeople will have to start thinking like marketers.” Erdem says.

The cookieless future 

Ah, the cookieless future – it sounds a bit like a sci-fi plot, doesn't it? But it's not just a distant dream (or nightmare, depending on how you look at it); it's quickly becoming our reality in the marketing world. 

Christian Weiss touches on the impending reality of a cookieless future in marketing. He notes that many are unprepared for this shift.  

“The cookieless future will become reality for many marketers – and many will not be prepared.  Many of our Autodesk resources have been invested in the past years to transition single email addresses into humans in a role and position with behaviors and interests. That way we’re at least less depending on cookies.” 

Say au revoir to ROI headache

This year, it's like ROI got a tech-savvy makeover. Gone are the days of scratching our heads over the numbers. Thanks to smarter tech and sharper analytics, measuring the impact of our marketing moves is becoming clearer. AJ Wilcox, founder of B2Linked – The LinkedIn Marketing Agency, predicts that by 2024, the uncertainty surrounding ROI in B2B social media ads, particularly LinkedIn Ads, will end. The integration of technology will make it commonplace to see the contribution of these ads to the bottom line, easing budget allocations and proving their worth.

Content – quality over quantity

In 2024, there's a shift from traditional content strategies like e-books and nurturing emails to content grounded in original research and data. This shift isn't just about keeping up with the times – it's about captivating those executive audiences with content that's not just informative, but also insightful and fresh.  

Omprakash Karuppanan envisions a future where personalization in marketing becomes more pronounced, focusing on hyper-personalized content and experiences tailored to individual stakeholders.  

 Amanda Thomson, Senior Copywriter at Brightvision says that audiences are going to have shorter attention spans than ever before.  

“2023 was the year of generative AI, and I don’t see that train slowing down in 2024. But the more AI content brands use, the easier it will be to sense that content is AI-generated. This will lead to “AI blindness” like banner blindness. Add to that the prevalence of short-form, endlessly scrollable video content like Reels and TikToks, and holding your audience’s attention long enough to really engage—and sell—is going to be more challenging than ever. Longer-form content like blog posts and eBooks will need to become more interactive. Headlines and images will need to be bolder. And overall, messaging will need to be more direct, immediate, and personalized.” Thomson says 

Okay, so what’s the conclusion?

 And there we have it, our grand tour of B2B tech marketing as we embrace 2024 with open arms and open minds. We're stepping into a future where technology like AI and voice search modify our strategies, while the cookieless landscape challenges us to be more creative and personal in our approach. This year will bring clarity to ROI in digital advertising and urges a shift towards content rich in original research and insights. So, let's embrace 2024 with enthusiasm, ready to meet its challenges and seize the opportunties it brings.