Every year more innovations and technologies are available for marketers, and businesses must evaluate their digital marketing strategies and adjust accordingly. With the ever-changing digital marketing landscape, staying up-to-date on the latest trends and techniques is crucial to stay ahead of the competition. If you are not staying current, you immediately lose ground in digital marketing.
In this blog, we’ll discuss ways to rev up your digital marketing strategy, considering the current state of the industry and what’s to come in the remaining months of 2023. From social media marketing to search engine optimization (SEO), we’ll provide practical tips and insights to help you maximize your digital marketing efforts and achieve your business goals. So, let’s dive in and explore how you can level up your digital marketing strategy in the second half of 2023!
AI & Machine Learning
On February 7th, 2023, Microsoft announced a search with a new AI-powered Microsoft Bing and Edge. I’m sure you’ll agree; things have been moving at lightning speed since that announcement.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the digital marketing landscape, and businesses are leveraging this technology to gain a competitive edge. With AI-powered tools, marketers can analyze vast amounts of data in real-time, which helps them make informed decisions on their digital marketing strategies. AI algorithms can identify patterns in consumer behavior and preferences, allowing marketers to personalize their campaigns and target their audience more effectively. Chatbots, which are powered by AI, can offer personalized customer support 24/7, enhancing customer satisfaction and engagement. Moreover, AI can help automate mundane and repetitive tasks such as data entry, freeing up marketers to focus on more strategic initiatives. Overall, AI is proving to be a valuable asset in digital marketing, and its adoption is expected to grow in the coming years as businesses continue to seek ways to optimize their marketing efforts.
Take a look on how Above The Fold is using machine learning and AI within programmatic for perspectives on how these approaches are changing the digital world.
Voice Search
By 2024 there will be over 8 billion voice assistants in use and by 2026, the global voice recognition tech market will reach nearly 30 billion dollars. The sheer adoption alone is one reason that digital marketing professionals need to be thinking about voice search when it comes to their digital marketing strategies.
As more consumers turn to voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri to perform searches, businesses need to optimize their marketing strategies to cater to these voice-activated devices. Programmatic marketing uses AI-powered algorithms to deliver targeted ads to specific audiences in real-time, and using voice search data can help inform these algorithms. Programmatic benefits a variety of ways of searches that are conducted, whether those searches are executed by typing or by voice. Here are just a few examples of how programmatic benefits from searches. By analyzing the language used in voice search queries, marketers can gain valuable insights into their audience’s intent and use this information to optimize their programmatic campaigns. Additionally, voice search allows for more natural and conversational language, which can help marketers create more engaging and relevant content for their audience. In short, integrating voice search into programmatic marketing strategies is crucial for businesses looking to stay ahead of the curve and reach their target audience effectively.
Changing Consumer Habits
If we’ve learned one thing over the past few years, change is a certainty regarding the economy and consumer buying habits. In 2023, the economy is hanging in the balance as the Federal Reserve continues to increase the key interest rates.
One effective way to stay ahead of changing consumer habits is to utilize social media listening tools. Social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook provide businesses with a wealth of data on consumer behavior, preferences, and sentiment. By using social media listening tools, businesses can monitor and analyze social media conversations related to their brand, industry, and competitors. This information can then be used to inform marketing strategies, create personalized content, and engage with customers more meaningfully. Social media listening can help businesses identify new trends and emerging consumer habits, allowing them to adapt their marketing efforts quickly.
Also worth calling out that navigating the impact of the recession and changing consumer habits requires a multi-pronged approach. Marketers should rely on more than one strategy or tool but adopt a comprehensive approach that integrates various techniques such as programmatic marketing, social media listening, and more. By staying agile and adaptable, businesses can weather the storm and emerge stronger on the other side. The key is to be proactive and responsive, continually monitoring and analyzing the market to identify new opportunities and adjust strategies accordingly.
Smart marketers are actively seeking ways to navigate the impact of the recession by recognizing the evolving consumer behavior amid the cost of living crisis, which could potentially lead to new opportunities. This serves as a valuable reminder to brands that haven’t yet explored new markets or occasions to do so promptly to avoid falling behind.
~Performance Marketing World
One way to align your marketing plans with the fast-paced, always-changing consumer habits is by utilizing programmatic. Programmatic marketing allows you to target real-time intent through web searches and other behavioral data. You can target many consumers (scale) but in a very one-to-one targeted way. If a single consumer’s intent or behavior changes, they will no longer be targeted in your marketing campaigns.
Adaptive Budget Strategies
In a time of financial uncertainty, perhaps, even a recession, marketers have become accustomed to “moving goalposts.” Moving the goalposts refers to changing the rules. We have all likely been in a situation where we are given clear goals for any given year, we put together a beautiful marketing plan, then go to work to get everything in place for masterful execution. Fast forward a few months (or weeks) into the given year, and suddenly the rules change. The finance team might decide that the Cost Per Acquisition target needs to be pulled back, or perhaps the new acquisition goal is being increased. It would be a significant enough challenge to hit the original media plan, but now you have to re-gear the plan just a few months into the year.
Programmatic marketing allows you to make data-backed changes to your marketing approach on the fly. Not only can you make changes on a dime, but you can ensure you are putting the dollars to use in the most effective ways.
How to Get Started
Above The Fold has run millions of dollars of programmatic campaigns. We are happy to put together a set of options that are custom designed for your business. We provide detailed reporting and insights which will drive meaningful results. Reach out today!