The year 2020 changed how marketing leaders and business owners viewed their digital strategies. As we move into 2021, it’s a great time to assess what worked and what needs changes for the new year, and this requires data. To be honest, Ironistic has a team of data enthusiasts. We enjoy exploring data in depth and planning strategies months ahead. Let’s invite you into our process to help you create your marketing strategy for 2021.
Channel Your 2020 Data
As the old saying goes, history has a way of repeating itself. In marketing, it’s essential to utilize all of the data you’ve collected over the year to gain insights into your company’s wins, losses, and everything in between. What strategies or tools worked well and contributed to your business’s impact online this year? Google Analytics, a tried-and-true tool used to track website data and traffic, is a great place to start when pondering this question. End-of-year metrics to review include top referrers and landing pages, traffic patterns, behavior analyses, and flow, and top content pieces, just to name a few. With these findings, you’ll have a better idea of what to include in your 2021 planning processes, such as editorial calendars and campaigns that will convert users.
Define Your Brand and Product
It’s somewhat difficult to truly market a brand, product, or service without a clear and defined voice and tone. And it’s never a bad idea to circle back and remind yourself why you started a business in the first place. Before mapping out goals for the new year, ask yourself the following questions:
- What specific products or services does my business offer (We hope you already know this one!)
- Who is my current target audience? Any new demographics that I am trying to reach?
- What is my company’s mission? (A mission statement and distinguished backstory are good places to start.)
- How are my competitors reaching their target audiences?
Ironistic starts any new marketing engagement with a detailed questionnaire that includes these questions (and more!) to make sure we’re focusing on the best targets and goals for our clients.
New Metrics, New You
Now it’s time to plan those 2021 #goals! By using SMART objectives to set realistic expectations for your business’s success in the new year, you can answer the common question, “Are my strategies practical for increasing ROI and customer reach in 2021?” As a reminder, SMART objectives are measured as:
