As we step into 2024, the digital realm continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, shaping the way we connect, consume information, and make decisions. In this blog post, we will delve into five key digital trends that are set to dominate the landscape in 2024, namely Customer Data Platforms (CDP), Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Advertising, TikTok Search, Connected TV (CTV), and Privacy-Centric Marketing.

Customer Data Platforms (CDP)

In the era of data-driven decision-making, Customer Data Platforms (CDP) are becoming the cornerstone of successful marketing strategies. CDPs enable businesses to consolidate customer data from various touchpoints, creating a unified and comprehensive profile. This holistic view of customer behavior and preferences allows for more personalized and targeted marketing efforts. In 2024, we anticipate a surge in the adoption of CDPs as businesses recognize the importance of understanding their customers on a deeper level.

AI in Advertising

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has already revolutionized the advertising landscape, and in 2024, it’s set to become even more integral. AI-powered advertising enables businesses to deliver highly targeted and personalized content to their audiences. From predictive analytics to programmatic advertising, AI optimizes ad placements, ensuring that brands reach the right audience at the right time. As technology advances, we can expect more sophisticated AI algorithms to enhance ad relevance and engagement.

Search on TikTok

While TikTok has taken the social media world by storm, 2024 will see a significant shift towards search functionality within the platform. With the introduction of advanced search features, users can discover content more efficiently, opening up new opportunities for brands to be discovered. This evolution in TikTok’s search capabilities will make it an even more powerful platform for marketers looking to connect with their target audience through creative and engaging content.

Connected TV (CTV)

Connected TV (CTV) is redefining how consumers access and interact with content. The rise of streaming services and smart TVs has paved the way for personalized, on-demand viewing experiences. In 2024, CTV is poised to become a dominant force in the advertising space. Marketers can leverage CTV to reach audiences on a larger scale, delivering tailored content directly to viewers’ living rooms. The shift towards CTV highlights the importance of adapting advertising strategies to meet consumers where they spend their screen time.

Privacy-Centric Marketing

With growing concerns about data privacy, consumers are increasingly seeking transparency and control over their personal information. Privacy-centric marketing is not just a trend; it’s a fundamental shift in how businesses approach customer data. In 2024, we expect companies to prioritize privacy in their marketing strategies, building trust with consumers by adopting ethical data practices. This shift will influence everything from targeted advertising to data storage and handling as businesses strive to demonstrate their commitment to protecting user privacy.

As we embrace the digital trends of 2024, it’s evident that the landscape is evolving towards more personalized, transparent, and user-centric experiences. From harnessing the power of CDPs to navigating the realms of AI in advertising, TikTok search, CTV, and privacy-centric marketing, businesses that stay ahead of the curve will find themselves well-positioned in the competitive digital landscape. By understanding and adapting to these trends, marketers can create meaningful connections with their audiences while staying at the forefront of innovation.

31% of consumers prioritize experience when interacting with brands.*

Do you know the difference between brand experience and digital experience?

Brand experience is about building meaningful connections that matter and contribute to people beyond the product or service being sold, with digital experience being a fundamental pillar that brands must strengthen to connect with their current and future audiences.

Today, digital experience has become an additional value proposition that brands need to map and execute to generate qualified connections, in addition to qualified leads.

‘Must-Haves’ to Create Strategies That Bring Brands to Life

1. Build an Engaging Narrative by Adopting the Language of Digital Natives

The Nude Project is a brand born for a Generation Z audience that lives on Instagram and TikTok. Bruno Casanovas and Alex Benlloch, its founders, started the company in 2019 and in just four years, it has become a cornerstone of communication. With 719.3K followers on TikTok, a podcast featuring interviews with the business world’s top figures, and a staggering 11M in revenue for 2022, Nude Project is an example of a brand that tells stories, connects with its audience, and sells not just clothing but individuality through fashion and a sense of belonging through community feeling, all communicated through codes common to an entire generation.

What’s needed to develop an engaging narrative?

• Create a meaningful message
• Generate entertaining content
• Be present on the channels that are most relevant to our audience

2. Create Digital Proximity via Easily Consumable Formats

Once again, the well-known brand Zara surprises us with the inclusion of ordinary photos throughout its catalog. Scrolling through their website and app, they offer images of everyday situations so you can get an idea of how the outfit or garment fits into your daily life. This activation, besides being immensely creative, is approachable, something we don’t often see from brands in the market. Such formats demonstrate that the brand pays attention to people’s needs. It’s proof of what the brand is willing to do for its consumer.

What’s needed to develop digital proximity?

• Understand the consumer and listen actively to their needs
• Innovate using digital formats by adapting to the style of consumers

3. Unique Personalization by Delivering Customized and Recurrent Content

We can’t overlook the current fashion marketplace sensation, Shein.

Shein is a brand that relies on big data to offer tailored personalization to its customers.

It provides product recommendations, personalized web content, and promotions, as well as app features like garment recognition and suggestions for similar items. Moreover, it can predict trends and anticipate search behavior.

What’s needed to develop unique personalization?

• Collect consumer data in a privacy-safe way to discover new touchpoints
• Monitor and anticipate consumer’s purchasing needs

How to Connect with Consumers Digitally

Achieving a great experience is not an easy task. It implies communicating more than just the brand, more than sales, and investing in understanding what would make things easier, more entertaining, or useful for future buyers.

Throughout this article, we have identified three key elements when developing a brand experience strategy:

• Engaging Narrative: Message + Entertainment + Channels
• Digital Proximity: Listening + Format
• Unique Personalization: Data + Monitoring

These keys will guide your brand experience strategy, working on relevance beyond conventional communication in order to create exceptional communication.

Do you want to work on your brand’s digital experience? Our team of Brand & Content and Social Media experts can assist you. Get in touch to tell us about your project.

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*According to a study conducted by Twilio in 2023.

Can you tell us a bit about your background and experience that led you to join our team?

I began my career in Finance before transitioning to Google, where I joined the Google Marketing Platforms team. During my tenure, I had the privilege of working with clients of diverse scales, honing my skills in consulting Agencies and Resellers by creating tailored solutions to meet their GMP advertising objectives. Unfortunately, our team was affected by the layoffs in January 2023. However, this presented a remarkable opportunity for me to join Making Science alongside fellow ex-Googlers. I am thrilled to collaborate as a team and drive the growth of the US GMP business together.

How would you describe your role within the team and what are your primary responsibilities?

As a Customer Success Manager at Making Science, my primary role is to ensure the success of our clients’ GMP initiatives. Working collaboratively across various functions such as sales, new business, data, ad tech, and programmatic, my team and I strive to deliver expert solutions and support to our valued clients. We also work closely with our Google partners to ensure optimizing GMP products to meet the specific needs and goals of our clients.

Do you think being certified in Privacy is essential to operate and improve the activity on Google Marketing Platform?

Being certified in Privacy is a critical skill all professionals in this industry should strive to have and continue developing. It equips advertising technology professionals with the knowledge needed to navigate privacy regulations, protect user data, maintain trust, and stay ahead in a privacy-conscious industry.

What are the advantages of being certified do you think bring the most value to the client?

Privacy regulations and laws, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), have strict requirements for handling and protecting user data. Having a comprehensive understanding of the laws and insight into where regulation is headed in the (near) future will ensure compliance and allow you to set your clients up for success in their long term initiatives.

In the evolving landscape of adtech, privacy is increasingly valued by consumers. Advertisers who can demonstrate expertise and certification in privacy have a competitive edge. Clients and partners seek professionals who understand the complexities of privacy regulations and can navigate the challenges associated with data protection.

Overall, being privacy certification equips ad tech professionals with the knowledge and skills required to navigate privacy regulations, protect user data, maintain trust, and stay ahead in a privacy-conscious industry.

Tell us a bit about your background and experience that led you to join our team.

I started my career in the agency space at OMD as a media planner, working with large CPG brands to define advertising strategies. Then, I moved to Google and started on the Google Customer Solutions team, working with small and medium businesses to build Google Ads strategies. I then transitioned to my most recent role at Google under GMP Solutions, where I consulted with global customers to guide their GMP advertising strategy and provide account support. After our team was impacted in the Jan ’23 Google layoffs, I’m excited to join many fellow ex-Googlers at Making Science to launch the US GMP business! 

How would you describe your role within the team and what are your primary responsibilities?

I am an AdTech Consultant at Making Science and my team’s primary objective is to ensure we are providing successful and positive experiences for our clients. My team works cross-functionally with Sales, Project Management, New Business, and Data & AdTech to build and execute comprehensive plans to suit our client’s advertising needs using the Google Marketing Platform house of products. With our combined expertise, we partner with our Google specialists to provide our clients with tailored solutions. 

What are the advantages of being certified in DV360?

Being certified in DV360 (Display & Video 360) offers several advantages. First, the certification provides you with the credibility to demonstrate your knowledge of the platform and the ability to effectively execute display and video ad campaigns. Additionally, the certification provides you with a deeper understanding of the platform’s advanced features and tools, enabling you to leverage the product’s full potential in advanced advertising strategies, increased efficiency, and performance. Ultimately, this helps to achieve better results for you and your clients. 

What are the advantages of being certified do you think gives more value to the client?

One of the many advantages of being certified in DV360 includes building client and stakeholder trust. Proving your expertise allows clients to rely on these skills to maximize their advertising budgets, optimize their campaigns, and deliver measurable results. With the certification, you gain skills to navigate the platform efficiently and effectively. This translates into improved campaign management, better targeting capabilities, and more accurate performance tracking. 

In what ways does having a DV360 certification set a professional apart in the industry?

A DV360 certification provides professionals with a competitive advantage of demonstrated expertise. The certification displays a commitment to the digital advertising industry and staying ahead of the trends in the marketplace. A DV360 certification requires professionals to keep updated with the platform’s latest features, updates, and industry developments. 

Learn more about our Google Marketing Platform expertise.

Tell us a bit about your background and experience that led you to joining our team.

I worked at Google for the last 6 years. I started on the Google Ads Search and performance marketing side before transitioning to the Google Marketing Platforms suite of products for the last 4 years. After being impacted by the layoffs in January, I was lucky enough to earn this exciting new opportunity working with a number of ex-Googlers to launch Making Science’s GMP business in the US!

How would you describe your role within the team and what are your primary responsibilities?

I lead the Customer Success team at Making Science US in order to ensure our clients receive the best possible services and experience. I focus on our complex customers with projects across multiple Making Science business units (Data Analytics, AdTech, Media, etc.) in order to plan, organize, and execute strategies that deliver exceptional quality. My team works across all the GMP products to provide a centralized perspective and identify expert solutions that exceed client expectations. As the main customer point of contact at Making Science, we streamline operations and meet all their needs.

What are the advantages of being certified in Search Ads 360 (SA360)?

Certification in Search Ads 360 means we’re trusted by the experts, Google, to perform critical tasks and workflows in the platform. Hands-on experience in Search Ads 360 is necessary to achieve certification, indicating we have the knowledge and experience on how to utilize SA360 to achieve the best results. Given the importance and power of performance marketing data and activation, this certification is specifically critical to brand success. Most importantly for my team, it also means we’re qualified to provide the highest caliber of customer service because our expertise allows us to understand the inner workings and/or root causes of any issues and therefore more efficiently determine viable solutions for our customers.

Do you think being certified in SA360 is essential to operate and improve the activity on the platform?

As certified experts in SA360, my team and I can use our knowledge and expertise to identify if/when there are potential product bugs and then go through the proper Google channels to acquire the appropriate support. Additionally, coming from the Google side, I personally have experience with product feedback and improvement so I understand the impact of direct user input to pave the way for product roadmap improvements. Having intimate, first-hand experience in products makes feedback significantly more impactful and much more likely to come to fruition.

What are the advantages of being certified do you think gives more value to the client?

The product experience and expertise required to achieve certification establish a foundation of trust for our customers. We’ve put in the time and effort to know the ins and outs of the products with the specific goal of best supporting our clients in achieving their objectives. Being certified means we have a more thorough background in the product so we know if/when issues arise, we have an established process and solution to promote customer success and excellence. 

How has your certification in certification positively impacted your work output or processes?

Without the knowledge and expertise gained prior to and throughout the certification process, my team and I wouldn’t be able to manage our customer’s success as effectively. As the central point of contact for our customers, we need to understand each GMP product enough to be able to bring in and/or consult the appropriate resources to support clients. We have a duty to our customers to meet their needs and expectations and certification allows my team to demonstrate their knowledge and apply it to their everyday responsibilities.

Learn more about our Google Marketing Platform expertise.

Tell us a bit about your background and experience that led you to join our team.

I’ve been privileged to have a dynamic career, spanning diverse industries such as technology, management consulting, and financial services. My journey has taken me to organizations I refer to as ‘digital marketing universities,’ including the likes of Google, Accenture, and Ogilvy & Mather.

Interestingly, my introduction to Google Analytics happened during my initial week at Ogilvy, right out of college. While it seemed like a detour from my initial ambition to be the next Don Draper, it turned out to be an unforeseen blessing. This early encounter with data analytics set the stage for my career, cultivating my proficiency in marketing strategy and data analytics. Gaining fluency in Google Marketing Platform (GMP) was not just beneficial but proved to be indispensable throughout my professional journey.

When I discovered Making Science and its avant-garde approach to digital acceleration—blending their expertise with Google technology—I was intrigued. I saw an opportunity to apply my accumulated experience in unique and impactful ways, and I knew I had found the perfect environment for my next professional adventure.

How would you describe your role within the team and what are your primary responsibilities?

As the Head of Data & Analytics at Making Science US, I’m leading a team of data enthusiasts who, like me, are committed to unlocking and leveraging the transformative power of data. Our mission is to guide our clients towards their goals and we do this by helping them find insightful nuggets that fuel their strategic decisions and ultimately grow their businesses. 

Without measurement, it’s not marketing, it’s gambling, right? With GA4, we empower clients to see a comprehensive view, so that their marketing bets are less of a gamble. We’re maniacally focused on spotting the gaps, encouraging a data-driven mindset, and ensuring we’re all rowing in the same strategic direction.

What are the advantages of being certified in GA4?

It’s not a hard-and-fast rule, but being certified in Google Analytics 4 can definitely make a big difference. It helps to ensure that you’re not just operating the platform, but you’re also capable of unlocking its full potential, identifying insights that might be overlooked otherwise. It’s like the difference between being a tourist and a local in a new city – certification indicates you probably know a lot of the back alleys and hidden gems.

What advantages of GA4 certification are most valuable for your clients?

Certification is just part of the story, but it does indicate that someone has an understanding of the intricacies of Google Analytics 4 and shows their commitment to drawing meaningful, actionable insights from data. Hopefully, this helps clients trust they are receiving cutting-edge insights and strategies from dedicated practitioners, but the proof is really in the work.

Some of the areas that GA4 certification aids the work we deliver are below: 

1. Data-Driven Decisions: Certification helps us validate our strategies for uncovering deeper insights about users’ behaviors across platforms and transforming complex data into actionable strategies. It’s all about making smart, informed decisions that drive growth.
2. Efficiency All The Way: We leverage GA4 to fine-tune our client’s marketing strategies and ad spend. Better insights lead to improved Return on Advertising Spend (ROAS) and overall marketing efficiency. Certification ensures we stay up to date on all the learnings.
3. Privacy-first approach: We navigate this landscape with our clients, offering guidance on data compliance and best practices. Google’s dedication to privacy-first solutions are well imbued throughout the journey to certification. This only reinforces our nuanced understanding of how to deploy the for tools for clients of different tech maturity levels.

Are you ready to extract the most value of Google Marketing Platform? Our team of experts can help you with any need or case you have related to the platform. Don’t hesitate to get in touch!

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Making Science wants to show you the true potential behind the technology: our outstanding teams.

Welcome to our new interview series called called “Meet the Expert,” in which our team members that are certified in Google Marketing Platform, Google Cloud Platform, and many more will tell you the keys to operating the most advanced tools and technology and what’s the primary value they bring in every project.

Meet Cass Grimm, a Google Marketing Platform (GMP) Expert certified in Campaign Manager 360 at Making Science US, who talks to us about the benefits to be certified in the GMP tools and how to extract the most value in our marketing strategy.

What are the advantages of being certified in Campaign Manager?

The main advantage of having the certification is that it lends a lot of credibility to the work you do. One thing is to use a tool on a daily basis; it’s another thing entirely to take the time to study all the features and vocabulary. This makes it so much easier to deploy new ideas quickly. And, it brings me the ability to suggest ideas that are very valuable for the business of my clients.

Here are a couple of other concrete benefits of being certified:

1. Knowledge about planning, implementing, reporting, and troubleshooting reservations while working across partners. It also gives one the knowledge to assess ad tag delivery, measurement, and troubleshooting methods used to optimize performance.
2. This exam covers general product use from trafficking all the way through to reporting. As such, having the certification means you understand the 360º pipeline for implementation.

Do you think being certified in Campaign Manager is essential to operate and improve the activity on the platform?

With any tool, whether it’s Salesforce, Google Marketing Platform, or Meta, having a certification shows you really know the ins & outs. In addition to making the work go faster, if you are at least knowledgeable about the different features, you can wow your clients with opportunities they hadn’t thought of before. 

What advantages of being certified do you think gives the most value to the client?

A Campaign Manager certification shows that you’re knowledgeable about ad serving, targeting, verification, and reporting. In a world where things change so quickly, you have to know how to create a hypothesis and then experiment & iterate to get the results you’re trying to achieve. Being able to adapt reports means that no matter what the results of a campaign are, you can always make adjustments and fine-tune them to get the results you’re looking for.

Ultimately, my mission is to bring value to the client’s project or business. By working closely with our technology partners, I can offer up the best tools in the industry, plus the knowledge about how to make the most of them. And this is why Making Science is truly a digital acceleration company.

Are you ready to extract the most value of Google Marketing Platform? Our team of experts can help you with any need or case you have related to the platform. Don’t hesitate to get in touch!

Contact us