Happy New Year!
I hope you had a great time over the holiday period. What are your goals for 2024? I'm always excited to hear other people's because they seem to motivate me more towards mine!
Anyhoo, let's dive into the nuggets I've found for you this week...
1. FBM EXPERT TIPS:
Email and origin story writer Jerry O'Brien gave me some short and sweet gold earlier this week.
He said, "What I've noticed from many conversations with businesses is that most of them don't optimize the simplest things.
This January, if people focus on setting themselves up:
- A desirable freebie with an opt-in page to collect emails
- A strong, conversion-oriented email sequence
- A simple method of generating consistent traffic
They'll be ahead of 99% of other businesses and will see growth that will surprise them."
He's not wrong. If you have a list that grows every day and a powerful email sequence that gets sales here and there, you're well on your way to having the business run on autopilot.
If you would like to speak to Jerry about writing a high-converting email sequence or an origin story that makes your audience know, like, and trust you even more, check out his services here and send him a message to see what he can do for you.
2. MARKETING TIPS: DIGITAL MARKETING TRENDS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER IN 2024
The extra motivation you have at the start of a new year makes it a great time to investigate and try out new forms of marketing.
So, I figured I'd save you the research and send you a few of the things that are expected to be big in 2024:
1. AI-Powered Personalisation
Similar to how streaming services suggest movies based on viewing history, AI is going to take personalised shopping experiences to the next level.
If you have an e-commerce site could use AI to show customers products related to their past purchases or browsing behaviors, enhancing the likelihood of additional sales.
2. Voice and Visual Search Optimisation
With gadgets like Amazon Alexa becoming in-home norms, optimising content for voice search is going to be more and more important. Voice searches are slightly different from typed searches so organising your keywords around this will be very beneficial (especially as hardly anyone else is going to do it!).
For example, a home improvement store could optimise its website for voice search queries like "best energy-efficient windows near me".
3. Augmented Reality (AR) in Marketing
Using AR to create interactive and immersive experiences for customers is still a lengthy process but it's worth keeping tabs on because I'm sure they'll be developments that make it easier to implement.
As an example of how powerful this will be, a real estate company could use AR technology to offer virtual tours of properties, allowing potential buyers to explore homes from their phones and laptops.
4. Short-Form Video Content
Embracing platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels for marketing, creating sub-60-second engaging video content.
A local coffee shop could create short, engaging videos showcasing their special brewing process or daily specials, attracting a wider, social media-savvy audience.
5. Sustainable and Ethical Marketing
This is already a common practice with many brands but highlighting your commitment to sustainability and ethical practices stands to help your brand grow in 2024.
A clothing brand could run a digital campaign emphasising their use of ethically sourced materials and sustainable manufacturing processes, appealing to environmentally conscious consumers.
6. Data Privacy and Security
Another thing people are going to want to see more of is that you prioritise the protection of their data.
This is almost a step back to how online businesses in the late 90's, early 00's would show security badges and whatnot to show their site was safe.
Highlighting your secure checkout process and transparent data usage policies will build trust with customers wary of online privacy.
7. Authentic Influencer Collaborations
We've definitely discussed this one before but forming genuine partnerships with influencers for marketing is going to be even more important in 2024 as it's how a new generation of people are deciding on what they want to buy.
For example, a company selling snacks and supplies for adventure enthusiasts could partner with a well-known trekker for an in-depth review of their latest product, leveraging the influencer’s credibility and audience base for broader reach.
3. TOP TIP FROM A FELLOW COMMUNITY MEMBER: FACEBOOK AND IG REELS DRIVE MORE VIEWS THAN TIKTOK REELS
On the topic of marketing avenues for 2024, a report by Andrew Hutchinson showed that, based on an analysis of more than 1,300 brand IG and TikTok sister profiles, Instagram Reels drove far more views, with longer Reels clips performing best.
On top of that, Emplifi’s data also shows that on Facebook, Reels are outperforming regular video uploads by a significant margin.
This is for brand content specifically, so that may be a factor, but it is interesting considering that TikTok has been more hyped as a platform for some time.
Something to think about...
4. FUNNELS OF THE WEEK: A MAJOR AIRLINE'S UNDERWHELMING FUNNEL
The funnel this week is from a major airline, known for their high customer service and avant-garde approach to flying.
However, I think this landing page could use a lot of work.
The reason for sharing it is to first show you there are a wealth of opportunities for those in the digital marketing world and second so you can flex your funnel design skills.
The page could have far better copy and then, when you sign up, you don't get offered anything interesting, it's just a simple thank you page when I know there are offers they could present that would get me spending money.
Check it out here and let me know what you would change and add.
5. FOOD FOR THOUGHT: 3 SIMPLE THINGS TO GET AHEAD OF 99% OF BUSINESSES
"The buyer journey is nothing more than a series of questions that must be answered."
- Sergio Zyman
That's it for the first digest of 2024! The way we start this year will have a big impact on where we end it so let's go big!
See you back here next Friday,
Lee
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Highlight of my week!
Come on Fulham!