Marketing initiative devised, content created, media deployed, and then... no visible results? It happens more often than you think. It's challenging when you want to gain control over campaigns or when you need to justify your actions.
The keyword here is 'visible.' Often, there are indeed results, but they aren't visible in the metrics. This happens when only a portion of the marketing mix is measured, or when visitors don't make direct purchases. For instance, they might place an order using a different email address or come back through a completely different channel to make a purchase. It's frustrating because your campaign is yielding results, but you don't see them (yet). Below are some common observations from practical experience. Perhaps you recognize them?
“The campaign has been running too briefly to draw any meaningful conclusions”
Nothing could be further from the truth. From the early stages of the campaign, you can start measuring and tracking results immediately. With real-time tracking, you can see clicks, landings, and purchases right away. Many third-party trackers like GA4 deal with reduced data (due to lack of cookie consent). They compensate for this with 'estimations,' which result in larger margins of error for small numbers. There are many ways to quickly gain certainty about what works and what doesn't even with small sample sizes. Especially in the initial phase of your campaign, it's crucial to be able to make quick adjustments!
“Measuring direct impact, remains challenging in our business”
A commonly heard statement. In every market, it's valuable to measure your sales and marketing activities, whether you're selling consumer products, offering a service, or closing deals face-to-face. A campaign doesn't always have to result in an online purchase. It can provide insights into what your customers are interested in, what topics they find relevant, or at what stage of the purchasing process they are. This data gives you an advantage. Armed with this information, you can make a relevant offer. And, importantly, you can now assess the right timing to reach out to that lead or customer!
“We focus solely on visibility”
Reaching your target audience is undoubtedly important. But what does 'reach' mean? Ultimately, you want your audience to demonstrably exhibit specific behaviors. For instance, you may want them to become more interested in a particular topic or search for your products or brand name more often. Assessing the effectiveness of your media is essential. Should you rely on the data provided, or do you actively steer the campaigns based on that data? It's time to take control of your own campaigns!
“We don't know what a lead should cost?”
Result equals income minus expenses. Content creation and media deployment incur costs, but what are the returns? By establishing in advance what a lead or order should cost, you can coordinate your marketing actions very precisely. This is especially true if you have data from previous campaigns. Don't have this data? A short test can quickly provide you with this insight.
