Read this before starting your Digital Marketing Campaign in 2021!
As we all know, COVID-19 flipped everyone's marketing strategy on its head and pushed us into the future. With the entire world being forced to stay home and mostly in solitude there was a massive shift to prioritizing a brand's digital presence since that was the only way to communicate with customers and sell products. This was difficult because when everyone moves online at once the competition gets overwhelming and paid-ads get expensive. So through lots of trial and error, one year later we have learned a lot about what is important to keep in mind when developing future digital marketing campaigns.
Here are my top 5 tips and takeaways from the past year that I would recommend everyone to keep in mind when developing their digital marketing strategies moving forward:
1. There is no one right way.
When seeking advice online from digital marketing specialists and educators it's easy to come across someone selling their foolproof Instagram strategy or a call that claims to be the best way to run Facebook ads. As nice as it sounds to have someone spell out the perfect method that will 100% bring you success, the digital space is just not that simple. Every brand and company has different audiences, different messaging, and different goals which means that everyone's digital marketing strategy can change. What I think is important for anyone looking to introduce a digital marketing strategy to their overall marketing efforts however is knowing how the platforms work and how to most effectively utilize the information and tools available to us. Almost every platform online has its own certification or course, most Free to use and extremely insightful. A successful marketing campaign is always changing based on KPIs and trends which means getting it right the first time is almost impossible.
2. Quality over Quantity.
For a long time, we thought that in order to successfully run a social media following for your brand it to consistently pump out content. You don't need to post 3 posts, 10 stories, and 2 reels a day on Instagram to grow a following, that's not sustainable, and annoying to followers and I am almost certain that there is no value in those posts. Instead, find a happy medium of how often you can post meaningful and valuable content. This applied outside of Instagram as well: Blogposts, youtube videos, Facebook ads, podcasts, emails, etc. Spend your time creating content and messaging that you are proud of and that has a very clear goal in mind — not just churning out low-quality content quickly which can hurt your brand's perceived value to consumers by diluting the quality.
3. Build A community — a strong one
The more clear you can get on who your target audience is the more successful your digital marketing campaigns will be. Starting with a very specific target does not mean that is the only target you can ever sell to, it's just easier to win one community over and create content and marketing that resonates with them. For example, If I wanted to start a brand of children's toys I could target “All Parents” — but that is a very saturated and competitive market and gaining traction is difficult, and it's easy to fall to the last page of the search results.
However, I could start a brand of children's toys targeting “Single Moms with daughters under the age of 5 living in the Tri-State Area” Now I can build the product and the digital presence specially crafted for this community. This allows us as the company to build higher quality, strong and relatable content that resonates and stands out in the crowd for our audience. Marketers have seen great success with community-based marketing and I believe that it can be a powerful tool for local and small business starting out digitally.
4. Be Honest and Transparent
I've spoken about data privacy and consumers' concerns before on my blog because it has really become an important topic among marketing professionals. Consumers have also become aware of how brands have access to their data but often are left in the dark about how it is used. Brands that are transparent and honest online find an increase in customer loyalty and trust, as well as a stronger connection with their audience. 73% of consumers, say they are willing to pay more for a product that offers complete transparency.
5. Don't be afraid to try something new and experiment.
Like I mentioned before what works for one campaign might not work for another, even in the same category. The digital space is constantly evolving and new platforms and media are being developed. Testing out a new form of media can rarely hurt you and can connect with people that might have never seen you on more mainstream platforms. Just one example is TikTok- a platform that has blown up in the last year and reimagined algorithms and advertising. Even when the platform was new Big Brands tested it out and saw incredible results from their initial campaigns. Some other new technology includes voice search, Spotify ads, virtual reality, and AI. This will also allow your brand to stay relevant and ahead of competitors as digital trends change.
It's important as a digital brand to be willing to accept change because often those who fight it get left behind and replaced by newer more relevant ones. These were my 5 main tips to keep in mind as you begin or continue to develop your digital strategies. These tips are also extremely useful for brands looking to grow organically and not rely on paid ads all the time. Some may be more or less relevant to your brand but all are worth considering and testing out. Good Luck out there!
