E-commerce budgets are growing, but what are marketers focusing on?

We found that three out of four marketing decision-makers are increasing their budgets this year, underscoring a sense of renewed confidence in the industry. The most important service areas attracting investment include digital PR, SEO and content marketing.

An increase in goal-oriented content

Purpose-driven content is one of the top areas of focus for e-commerce marketers, with 18% of marketers putting it at the top of their list.

By integrating purpose-driven content into their marketing strategies, brands can create stronger connections with their audiences and stand out from the competition. It’s no longer just about visibility; it’s about building meaningful relationships that drive engagement and loyalty. Brands, now more than ever, are prioritizing content that both appeals to their audience and ranks high on search engine results pages.

Upskilling for the future of AI

Artificial intelligence and “trusted” content are also among the most important investments made by marketers.

The explosion of available AI-based software has not, as one might expect, resulted in a huge desire to incorporate AI into strategies that will help increase efficiency and reduce costs. However, despite the growing importance of artificial intelligence, there is still a significant knowledge gap – 18% of marketers admit to a lack of understanding of its implementation.

When it comes to artificial intelligence, brands have revealed that internal training and upskilling is a top priority for 2024 to improve the technical capabilities of employees. This will enable them to use AI to understand user journeys, understand audience behavior online and maximize conversions from the channels they invest in.

However, while AI adoption is a hot topic on many marketers’ agendas, there is still caution about its ethical implementation. It’s critical for enterprise data leaders to understand the impact AI can have on data protection, privacy regulations, and copyright, not to mention the impact AI-generated content can have on websites and user experiences. A key takeaway from the data is to use AI ethically to enhance (not replace) the skillset of existing teams.

The changing exploration landscape

Search engines are constantly changing, but with macro factors like the advent of artificial intelligence and the deprecation of cookies, marketers are preparing for even more change than usual. In our survey, many people revealed that “search engine updates and volatility” are key challenges to address in 2024.

Google’s March 2024 algorithm update understandably brought this issue to the forefront. The rankings of thousands of websites dropped overnight, mainly due to the use of low-quality AI-generated content.

Can we expect organic growth?

Unfortunately, many brands still fall into the trap of investing only in paid advertising and overestimating the effectiveness of these ads due to their transparent attribution chain. They too downplay impact of organic and earned channels. It’s up to marketing leaders to verify this traffic through analytics, but it’s often more difficult to determine which organic content drives consumers to make a purchase.

While large brands may gravitate toward last-click attribution models, a broader strategy is needed to understand your brand’s customer journey. That’s why marketers are increasingly investing in AI tools and strategies that shed light on the impact of organic channels. And brands that aren’t already prioritizing adaptation and innovation absolutely should do so to keep pace.

By combining digital PR and SEO strategies with purpose-driven content (backed by credible experts), investing in artificial intelligence capabilities and adhering to ethical standards, brands will be well-positioned to successfully grow their online presence and build consumer trust throughout the rest of 2024 , all while “doing good business.”

For a deeper analysis of the retail heroes and villains of 2024, visit our website center of the week of recollection.