A small business that launched its Facebook campaigns with precise interest targeting saw its cost per acquisition rise significantly at the beginning of 2024, without changing its budget or visuals. The cause was not algorithmic: it was regulatory. The rules of the advertising game in Europe have changed, and this shift redistributes the priorities of digital marketing well beyond just paid advertising.
DSA and DMA: what European regulation changes for your campaigns
Since February 17, 2024, the Digital Services Act (DSA) requires that all advertising clearly displays the advertiser, the payer, and the targeting parameters used. Targeted advertising to minors is prohibited, as is advertising based on sensitive data (political opinions, religion, sexual orientation).
The Digital Markets Act (DMA), applicable since March 7, 2024, adds an additional layer. Major platforms (Meta, TikTok, Google) can no longer combine personal data across their services without explicit consent and must offer a less personalized alternative.
In practice, granular targeting options are decreasing on major ad networks. Campaigns that relied on cross-referencing behavioral data between Instagram and Facebook, for example, are losing precision. To compensate, one must rethink their strategy by relying more on proprietary data (first-party data) and the quality of organic content. An overview of the Cyber Business site helps identify the levers that still work in this constrained context.
Short content and social search: where consumers really look
Google has long been considered the starting point for any search. This reflex remains dominant, but an increasing share of product searches, reviews, or tutorials now goes through TikTok and Instagram. Users directly type into the search bar of these platforms to find a restaurant, compare products, or discover a brand.
Social search redistributes visibility between brands that produce native content and those that stick to traditional SEO. A well-titled thirty-second video on TikTok can capture a query that your web page takes months to rank on Google.
What this means for production
Adapting communication to social networks as search engines does not mean betting everything on viral video. It’s more about creating short, utility-driven content designed to answer a specific question.
- Title each video or carousel with the keywords your customers would type (product name, location, problem solved)
- Add subtitles and embedded text, as most videos are watched without sound
- Post regularly rather than in bulk: platform algorithms favor consistency over volume
Feedback on this point varies by sector, but local B2C companies generally benefit more from social search than B2B players with long sales cycles.
Generative AI in digital marketing: beyond automatic writing
Artificial intelligence applied to marketing is not just about generating text or visuals. Its most concrete contribution in 2024 concerns the automation of large-scale personalization: dynamic audience segmentation, real-time product recommendations, chatbots capable of qualifying a prospect before the first human contact.
According to a Brandwatch study conducted with 517 marketing professionals, AI is among the top priorities for marketers this year. Their concern is not about adoption (most already use at least one tool) but about coherent integration into their overall strategy.
Three real-world use cases that change daily operations
- Next-generation chatbots: they no longer just respond to FAQs. They analyze intent, guide to the right product, and pass a qualified lead to the salesperson
- Creation of ad variants: AI generates multiple versions of the same visual or text, automatically tested to identify the most effective combination
- Predictive analysis of purchasing behavior: some tools identify customers about to unsubscribe or repurchase, allowing for timely communication
Authentic content strategy: what brands still underestimate
Consumers have developed an almost automatic filter against overly polished content. Brands that perform well on social media in 2024 share a common point: they show their processes, their teams, and their real constraints.
Authenticity in digital marketing is measured by the ability to publish imperfect but credible content. A video shot in a warehouse with a phone often generates more engagement than a calibrated studio production.
This trend aligns with the rise of user-generated content (UGC). Companies that incorporate customer reviews, spontaneous video testimonials, and field feedback into their communication build a stronger trust relationship than with traditional campaigns.
Micro-influencers and niche communities
Rather than targeting influencers with a large audience, collaborations with specialized creators (a few thousand engaged followers) tend to produce better returns. Their community trusts them precisely because they do not recommend just anything.
The cost of these partnerships remains accessible, making them relevant for companies that do not have the budget for a national campaign. The selection criterion to prioritize: the alignment between the creator’s audience and your target customer, not the number of followers.
Digital marketing in 2024 is less about the quantity of activated channels and more about mastering a few well-chosen levers. European regulation pushes to rethink advertising targeting, social search alters search habits, AI accelerates personalization, and authenticity becomes a measurable performance criterion. Adapting your strategy to these four axes, even gradually, provides a concrete advantage over companies that continue to apply the recipes of 2022.
