Marketing is rapidly changing, and it's hard to keep up

If I've learned anything as a marketer over the last month and a half, it's that we all need to be prepared to throw out the playbook. On everything.  

There is zero room for pridefully "sticking to your guns" throughout this crisis. 

The fact of the matter is that many techniques and strategies that worked in the past don't work in this environment. And living in denial about that fact is a surefire way to face plant.

My colleague Dom worked through some survey data and feedback from clients on what's changed the past six weeks. Here's the gist of his findings:

1. Get comfortable with topic shifts. There's a good chance your tried-and-true topics aren't relevant right now. We love to write about advanced SEO topics. It's our bread and butter. But guess what? Our audience does not care right now, so we're pivoting into what they do care about. 
   
2. Use caution with paid ads. There's a good chance a chunk of the audience that would click on your paid ads no longer has any interest. Be mindful about throwing away resources carelessly. 
   
3. Think like a content marketer. Content marketers are constantly thinking about messaging through the crisis, in everything they create. This mindset can and should be shared by every marketing division, client facing and internal. 
   
4. Lean into email. It's probably the cheapest and most effective way to communicate with your audience, take advantage of it. 
   
5. Be mindful about gated assets. You may want to think about giving away some of the assets you usually have gated. Give now, receive later. 

If it feels like you're wandering through a minefield, you're doing it right. You are walking through a minefield. But we're all walking through it together. 

Jeff

Brafton Inc. | 2 Oliver Street | 2nd Floor | Boston, MA 02109 +1 617-206-3040