CEO/Founder – Banch Marketing.
Klaus Vedfelt
Personalized marketing, extended use of multimedia and exploring new digital channels remain top content marketing strategies. However, marketers may face unique challenges in 2023 that will change how we approach digital marketing.
Here’s how you can prepare for digital marketing shifts.
The Biggest Challenges Marketers May Face In 2023
At its Worldwide Developers Conference in 2020, Apple announced iOS 14 and new privacy features. As a result, marketers have less data to use to understand customers and personalize marketing efforts. However, that announcement was just the start.
Now, we’re looking toward a cookieless future. Google is planning to make cookies a thing of the past by the end of 2024. We need to start preparing in 2023 for the change.
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How To Get The Upper Hand
If you know about stocks and investing, you know that the strongest portfolios are usually the most diverse. No expert investor will throw all of their resources into one stock, because if that stock fails, they’ll lose everything.
Marketers can learn from investors. Throwing all of your marketing budget into one or two strategies puts your business at risk. Instead, diversify your approach. For example, keep running your ads because they’ll still be relevant without cookies, but also invest in email marketing.
The most effective content marketing strategies work together to fill in the gaps where some strategies are weak or where you aren’t reaching customers. By using diverse strategies in tandem, you reach the most customers and aren’t impacted as significantly by changes.
Four Strategies To Excel At Marketing In 2023
Here are four strategies to add to your arsenal of digital marketing tools to ensure that you continue reaching customers in a more restrictive digital world:
1. Gather First-Party Data
First-party data will likely be the most valuable source of information in 2023 as third-party data continues to go the way of the dinosaurs. Instead of purchasing information from outside companies, rely on your own assets to gather customer data. According to a Gartner survey, 79% of consumers want more control over their personal information and its use. You will benefit from respecting customers’ privacy and turning to first-party data instead of using outside data.
Some valuable sources of first-party data include:
• Website visitor tracking.
• Digital forms and surveys.
• Social media interactions.
• Customer service interactions.
• Marketing email and text message responses.
2. Run Pay-Per-Click Ads With First-Party Data
Many e-commerce retailers rely on Google and social media ads to retarget and create an ad funnel. For example, imagine a customer stopped by your website and looked at new dresses but left. Retailers retarget by showing ads on other sites to entice the customer back. However, Apple’s privacy updates are making that more difficult, and cookieless browsing will only make it harder.
Thankfully, retargeting through ads is still possible.
Many marketers are turning to services like Google’s Customer Match, or Facebook’s Custom Audiences. These solutions use a custom audience list that businesses create with first-party data and match that list to users on the ad platform. That way, companies can deliver personalized ads to customers based on first-party data to create an ad funnel.
3. Focus On Email And Text Message Marketing
Email and text message marketing are two of the most valuable first-party data sources. Through these marketing channels, you can target specific customers and segments. For example, you can divide your email list by location and send out location-specific promotions to customers. According to research by eMarketer, most consumers prefer personalized emails based on behaviors like purchase history.
Then, you can track which customers open emails and text messages and how they respond to the content. This data will allow you to customize marketing to current customers based on behaviors, like how they respond to certain promotions.
4. Work With Brand Ambassadors And Influencers
Brand ambassadors and influencers will likely play a crucial role in 2023 as companies continue to find creative ways to reach their target audiences without the help of cookies and data-tracking tools. In 2022, more than 75% of brand marketers planned to budget for influencer marketing. You can choose an influencer with a niche audience to help you reach your target market.
Brand ambassadors and influencers promote businesses more personally than a traditional ad that pops up on someone’s social media feed. Brand ambassadors are friendly and familiar faces offering product recommendations, which boosts your brand’s authenticity.
Prepare Your Business For Change
Digital marketing is changing. Is your business ready to change with it? Gear up for 2023 with strategies that will equip you with first-party data and prepare you to reach your customers in new ways.
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Author: Drew Urquhart, Forbes Councils Member
