2023 was a year of disruption we haven’t seen in a while in digital marketing, driven by the rapid advancement of AI and the ever-evolving trends in digital marketing. Here at Hennessey Digital, it was also a year of data-driven strategies and innovation in order to deliver unmatched service and results for our clients.
Before we all dive headfirst into 2024, let’s take a moment to rewind and relish in the learnings and victories that defined our journey.
Highlights of our 2023 journey
- We launched our 3rd-annual Lead Form Response Time Study that revealed 27% of law firms are missing out on valuable cases.
- Our newest study revealed the 25 most-recognized personal injury law firms in the United States and the 5 most-recognized firms in 50 of the country’s largest cities.
- We took pride in earning a coveted spot on Fortune magazine’s 50 Best Workplaces in Advertising and Marketing, maintaining our streak on the Inc. 5000 list of Fastest-Growing Companies in the U.S. for the 5th consecutive year, and securing our place for the 3rd time in a row on Financial Time’s Americas’ Fastest-Growing Companies.
- Our engineering team developed HD Translate, a proprietary, advanced website translation tool powered by AI. It facilitates reaching diverse, multilingual audiences while enhancing SEO, and demonstrates our commitment at Hennessey Digital to leading the way in digital marketing trends.
Insights on the latest digital marketing trends
- Over the past 12 months, we actively navigated the prominence of ChatGPT and its transformative impact on the digital marketing landscape, particularly in transforming personal injury law firms through AI integration—an ongoing narrative in current digital marketing trends.
- We monitored the implications of FTC regulations for online reviews and what that means for businesses.
- The shift to Google Analytics 4 kept us on our toes and responsive to emerging digital marketing trends, ensuring our strategies align with the shifting analytics landscape.
- AI is here to stay – and listen! Zoom’s smart recording incorporates AI to enhance meetings. And companies like Gong, an AI-powered revenue intelligence platform, empowers companies to optimize revenue efficiency, predictability, and growth by leveraging artificial intelligence for precise insights into customer interactions.
What to expect from Hennessey Digital in 2024
- Continued internal innovation. Hennessey Digital has projects in the pipeline that will help us continue to streamline our processes and technology that will benefit our clients.
- Continued industry-leading research. We back our claim by being digital marketing experts with research that proves we’re constantly in the know when it comes to digital marketing and what law firms need to succeed.
- On the road at events and conferences. Be on the lookout for Hennessey Digital at the top legal conferences again this year, starting with the NTL Summit in Miami.
- Latest digital marketing trends. Get ready for Hennessey Digital’s innovation on steroids—streamlining processes and testing new strategies like never before, because why settle for ordinary when you can aim for ‘next-level’? Plus, expect our expert-backed research to unveil the juiciest details in law firm digital marketing trends—because staying ahead isn’t just a goal, it’s our playground.
Insights from our experts into digital marketing trends to watch in 2024
“The official sunsetting of Universal Analytics and the migration to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) was completed in 2023. If I could describe the rollout, I would say, “The cornbread isn’t done in the middle.” In 2024, I’m looking forward to Google fixing the remaining bugs in GA4 and finishing their incomplete product.” – Brandon Caballero, Director of Analytics & CRO
“This year, Google introduced a new campaign type, “Demand Gen,” to broaden advertisers’ reach from discovery to retargeting. At the same time, Google removed some of the features from Google Ads like similar audience and customer match list. Performance Max campaign is now available in Google Ads for smart shopping and local campaigns with fewer controls and more AI. In 2023 we also saw the postponement of sunsetting third-party cookies to 2024. In 2024, I expect significant AI enhancements in Google Ads and other PPC platforms. Audio ads are expanding, especially with the rise of devices like Alexa, Cortana, Siri, and Google. This could lead to the emergence of “Paid Search Audio Ads”. On third-party cookies, Google Chrome will stop supporting them by the end of 2024.” Ghulam Nabi, Paid Media Manager
“How consumers access information will continue to diversify – and get easier – in 2024. They won’t have to think as much or will be able to do it in seamless, inventive ways through advancements in technology and integrations. This includes new ways to search, immediate access to information or outcomes made possible with AI, and shifts in how we consume information. The written word will remain important, but the consumption of visual content such as images, video, and audio will continue to skyrocket. I anticipate what we do from our phones will continue to grow and play a significant role in consuming media, making decisions, and going about our daily lives. Each of these things will be important for companies and brands to factor into their marketing mix in order to be discovered on Google and to cut through the fragmented media and short attention spans online to build brand connections with their audiences.” Cindy Kerber Spellman, Senior Director of Marketing
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
“AI dominated the conversation in 2023. We learned a lot about what works for SEO content, what doesn’t, and most importantly, how we can use AI in innovative but safe and sustainable ways. Going into 2024, I’m excited to leverage that knowledge and the tools that we’ve built at Hennessey Digital to take our data-driven strategies to the next level.” Jessica Rowe, Senior Director of Content
“2023 was all about the transformative influence of AI. Our clients wanted to know as much about it as possible and understand how it would affect their marketing. Clients have become more technically savvy, a trend I see continuing into 2024 and beyond.” Kristine Hyman, Director of Client & Creative Services
“AI has truly revolutionized the field of SEO. We’ve entered a new era where understanding user intent and creating more personalized content strategies is easier than ever. With AI’s ability to analyze vast amounts of data, we can now uncover patterns and insights that were previously hidden. This improves search engine rankings and elevates the user experience to a whole new level. It’s fascinating to see how AI reshapes SEO, making it more dynamic and efficient. We have embraced AI into our workflows this past year, and we are on track to do so much more with it in 2024.” Steve Guberman, Vice President of SEO
At Hennessey Digital
“When I compare where we are now to where we were at the end of 2022, I’m amazed by how many parts of our business already incorporate artificial intelligence. We’ve introduced a tool that uses AI to translate English-language pages to multiple other languages, we can now use AI to analyze our clients’ phone calls from prospects, and we’re getting even more experimental with using AI to generate content in an entirely new way. I can’t wait to see how we continue to innovate in 2024.” Scott Shrum, President & Chief Operating Officer
“2023 was a year where we reset benchmarks and adapted to a rapidly-changing landscape. I am proud of our team’s accomplishments, which include record-breaking performance, the launch of numerous new tools and features, and the creation of many innovations that will greatly benefit our clients. We rewrote the recipe for creating highly effective websites, and 2024 will be all about execution and keeping pace with all the new technologies.” Blin Kazazi, Chief Technology Officer
“Culture and ‘happiness’ dominated the employment headlines for 2023, and it’s no different here. We lead the way by continuing to invest in our total rewards package, with a special emphasis on growing our modern benefits package: everything from mental health to pet insurance to discount programs. Our focus on streamlining communication systems for learning and development, and improving performance accountability with individual and team goals, ensures we are supporting team growth and reaching company objectives. I’m looking forward to another year of success.” Jill Wenk, Vice President of People Success
In 2024, we’re all about client success through innovation and results—think trendsetting, not trend-chasing! Get ready to learn, grow, and celebrate with us as we ride the waves of the latest digital marketing trends together.
To join the adventure with us and gain access to our tools and strategies that are driving website performance and increasing leads for our clients, fill out the form below.