Stay on top of these challenges throughout the coming year with our tips to help you respond.
Recent years have been challenging for marketing professionals, and 2022 promises to keep up the pressure.
Consumers have endured a pandemic, faced global unrest, and felt the effects of economic sanctions while facing the specter of inflation.
Meanwhile, marketing professionals are having to grapple with sustaining and tracking engagement from their audience on more platforms, but without the tools they’re used to.
Although these issues sound daunting, it's important to be aware of the specific marketing challenges you're facing so you can implement the right strategies to overcome them. Let's dive in.
Challenge #1: Dealing with a cookie-less online world
Google announced several years ago that it would be phasing out cookies[1], a staple of consumer tracking for marketers. This decision isn’t surprising, given that 79% of Americans[2] are concerned about how businesses use their data.
Government regulations (such as 2018's GDPR) are a reflection of consumers’ growing distrust and desire for control. While consumers are willing to share some of their data with your business, they want to do it on their terms.
Many sites are now offering various opt-in options that give users more choice about how their data is tracked and used. Since traditional cookie tracking is on its way out, marketers will have to find new and effective ways[3] to track consumer behavior while respecting privacy.
Adapting to this cookie-less world is not optional since many regulators are establishing stricter rules about data sharing and third-party cookies. And while that may sound dire, saying goodbye to cookies doesn’t have to be such a big deal for you.
Here are some strategies that will help you adjust:
Amplify your consumer loyalty and referral programs.
Double down on your connections with existing clients by considering deeper segmentation of communications such as email and SMS.
Branch out into emerging channels such as podcasts or offline channels like events and in-person experiences.
Challenge #2: Choosing which networks to use for online advertising
Choosing the right channels and networks[4] for your marketing campaigns is essential and another marketing challenge.
There are so many choices that all appeal to different demographics and have their own brand personality. These social media platforms[5] include Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
According to Capterra's 2021 marketing trends survey[*], 58% of small and midsize marketing professionals are still only using basic office management software (e.g., Microsoft 365, Google Workspace) to manage their marketing efforts. This lack of technical skill limits their ability to market effectively on social media.
Fortunately, social media marketing doesn’t have to be harder than it needs to be. Making use of social media marketing software and implementing some helpful marketing tips will have you enjoying:
Increased traffic
Better brand awareness
Healthier customer satisfaction
While advertising on social media is necessary for any marketing campaign, choosing the right platforms depends on several factors. Determining which channel will work best requires identifying your goals. Are you trying to sell more items, boost website traffic, or increase brand recognition? Who are you trying to reach?
You also need to consider the personality of your brand and match it with the appropriate social media networks. For instance, if you are marketing items that appeal to college graduates, Facebook is a key ad buy since 82%[6] of college graduates are on Facebook. Gen Z users[7] are all about TikTok.
tip
Don't just automatically choose the network favored by your competition—match your brand with the right platform for your product.
Challenge #3: Managing your website
Once you set up your website[8], it's easy to let it stagnate. You may do a few simple upgrades now and then, but put off any major overhaul. Sadly, websites don't age well or adapt to market changes/trends on their own.
Last year, 64%[8] of companies planned to upgrade their websites. Doing so requires planning and consultation with many departments, but it is worth the time and effort to ensure your site doesn't lag behind your competitors' or fail to offer functionality your customers want.
Simply managing[9] your website to keep it up to date with the latest product information and marketing content can be quite involved. You need to include fresh and engaging content on your blog pages, as well as information on key industry topics. Plus, you must make certain that your website is free of outdated or simply incorrect information.
Key ways to meet this challenge include:
Building in time each week to address website issues
Keeping your website uncluttered and promptly removing outdated information
Focusing on ease of navigation
Aligning your content with user intent
Upping your SEO game step by step
Want to work on your website without spending a lot of money?
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The right tech will help you tackle these challenges
You can turn these small-business marketing challenges into opportunities if you tackle them without fear and in a timely manner.
Consumers around the world are facing some pretty serious life challenges, so your marketing efforts will have to reflect this reality. Potential customers don't have the time or patience for any sub-par efforts.
The right tools can make all the difference, and help ensure that your marketing hits the mark. Get started with this list of must-have tools for your marketing tech stack.