At this time of year, many businesses will be assessing how well their marketing strategy has worked over the last 12 months. And with 2024 fast approaching, now is the perfect time to update your approach to hit the ground running.
Here are 10 things you should consider focusing on as you refresh your marketing game plan:
Most businesses don’t have the budget to get in front of their audience in every way possible, but that doesn’t mean diversifying is out of the question.
By researching your customer base, you can find new ways to attract their attention in less competitive areas.
For example, if you plan to develop a social media presence, choose the platforms that make sense based on your audience’s age range and interests rather than trying to appeal to everyone.
- Invest in paid advertising
According to WordStream, over three-quarters of businesses currently run paid campaigns on Facebook, which is unsurprising considering the vast amount of data it holds about its billions of users.
With other social media platforms promoting their advertising options, building a following just by organic means is becoming increasingly difficult. So, if your business is struggling to gain traction, consider dabbling in paid ads where it makes sense for you.
New, high-quality content will always help businesses grow their audience – but don’t overlook what you already have.
Regularly updating and republishing old articles and posts can boost SEO and visibility, while videos, slides, and infographics can be repurposed in different contexts to bulk out your offerings.
If some of your older content performed well, use it to inform spin-off content that will attract people back to your business.
Our social network influences us when it comes to engaging services or purchasing products. Ensure your customers have a good reason to sing your praises, whether setting up an affiliate programme, creating fun hashtags, or rewarding reviewers.
Your marketing efforts could go to waste if your customers find it difficult to interact with your business. Think slow-loading websites, a lack of mobile-friendly content, or hard-to-find information. Always keep user experience in mind throughout the whole process.
If you employ digital and in-person marketing strategies, focus on linking them together to drive particular actions, such as mailing list sign-ups, phone calls or product sales, to create a cohesive campaign.
It often pays off to be less ‘business-y’ and more human by sharing your personal journey and running events such as podcasts, live workshops and streams to show your audience who you actually are and why they should trust you. After all, most consumers have become wise to traditional sales tactics.
Linking your business or brand to something positive – such as supporting an important cause related to your product or service – can help customers connect with it and see it in a more positive light. This will help boost brand loyalty and encourage sales.
Networking is a powerful tool for many reasons. The more influential people you build a rapport with, the easier it is to join forces to increase your reach and generate warm leads. Social media influencers are also often open to reviewing products and services or promoting them within their content in return for support.
- Don’t rest on your laurels
While sticking with what you know is tempting, the market is constantly shifting and evolving. Instead, continually review the data to make real-time changes to your marketing campaigns based on the results. Once a campaign ends, analyse it in detail to see how you can improve next time.
There’s a good chance your business has already implemented the above strategies. But, let’s face it; it’s easy to get distracted by the day-to-day running of a company, so it’s always worth refreshing your approach to adapt to the current market.
Thankfully, there’s still time to update your tactics before the New Year. Which one will you try first?
