No time like the present to undertake a Marketing Audit

Small and large businesses around the world are confronting unprecedented challenges when it comes to their marketing strategy, all brought on by the Coronavirus pandemic. Many have had to adapt to the changing climate accessing how they communicate or service their customers, which has brought marketing to the forefront.

With all indications showing that the crisis has impacted consumer behaviour, it’s important for businesses to understand how their marketing practices affect their bottom line.  In short, with Coronavirus increasing the number of active online users, businesses now have the power to reach increased numbers of the right people (at the right time) by simply implementing the right digital strategies.

But how do you stay on top of the digital marketing game?

Well, your promotional tactics need to evolve and adapt over time – this will depend on how your business is growing and how your target audience is changing. Regular and relatable content is a good start; but it’s important to keep in mind that what worked in the past might not necessarily have the same results now.

There is no better time than now to undertake a marketing audit on your business. Not only is it timely but provides an opportunity for you to review what is and isn’t working. And what might need a makeover, to ensure you are ready to bounce back when the market and consumers do.

Astute with the digital world, Brilliant Logic has recommended a few simple ways business can get started with an audit:

  1. Think BIG (picture)

Conducting a marketing audit doesn’t have to be overly complicated, and can start by simply answering a few crucial questions:

  • Where is my business now, and where do I want to be in the next 6-months?
  • What do my customers look like today, and are they the right people to be targeting?

An audit is a good way to investigate and question what you thought you knew about your brand and customers.  It’s an opportunity to think very carefully about how your business has changed, how your goals may have shifted over time and how your customers’ needs have evolved.  It’s a chance to step back, consider the big picture and assess whether your marketing efforts match your current reality.

By re-evaluating, you’re better able to identify what you’d like to achieve in the long-term and build an effective marketing strategy that contributes to your brand’s present and future success.

  1. Data is king!

Now that you know where you’re going, it’s important to understand how to get there.

There are plenty of digital tools built into the commonly used digital channels to help you gather as much detail as possible when it comes to your digital landscape.  These will give you insights into the campaigns you’re running, the audience you’re reaching, and which strategies are performing the best.

Social networks, for example, usually have their own basic analytics tools built in and easily accessible through your business profile. With this in-depth information guiding you, you’ll be better equipped to promote your brand and build your business using digital channels.

If you haven’t already, you may want to consider setting up Google Analytics and Google Ads.  Whilst gleaning insights can require an initial 30-days of data-collection, these are some of the best tools for learning how your pages are performing in real time.  Combined with keyword tools, this data will assist in guiding your content and SEO strategies, and even measure your performance against that of your competition!

And whilst interpreting the data can seem overwhelming, this isn’t a part of your business strategy that you can afford to cut corners with.  It’s clear that digital channels are growing exponentially, rendering these insights invaluable to effective strategy planning. If you need a hand, that’s what Brilliant Logic is here for.

  1. Brand consistency = memorability

It is time to talk about your brand image. You’ve probably heard it said that consistency is key when it comes to growing your brand.  But what does that really mean?

Basically, maintaining the same personality, look and feel on every platform is your best way of becoming more memorable, building consumer trust, and developing brand loyalty.  During your audit, look at every customer touchpoint and ask yourself: are my customers receiving a similar experience?  Some commonly over-looked areas include:

  • Misspelling or shortening of the company name
  • Incorrect or low-res logo use
  • Using non-brand colours, fonts, and typography
  • Incorrect slogans or taglines
  1. Website = portal to your business

The last puzzle piece to the marketing audit is a thorough, honest and detailed review of your business website. Here are some questions to consider:

  • Does our website convey our vision, services and offering adequately?
  • Are mobile users of the website able to view it sufficiently?
  • Does our website imagery, layout and content match our other marketing materials?
  • Does our website adequately sell our key messages, our brand and our personality?
  • Can you easily navigate the site and find information consumers may be looking for?
  • Does our site look outdated?
  • Is our website as good or better than our key competitors?
  • Where do we rank on a Google search for consumers to find our website?

If any of these questions raise concerns, now might be the time to consider a refresh or update of your business website.

Lessons Learned…

If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it’s that disruptions are constantly around the corner.  Whether it’s a new trend, an innovative competitor, or a global pandemic – just because you now understand how to get on top of your digital marketing, doesn’t mean that the insights remain constant.

A good idea is to set aside some time for a digital marketing audit every six to twelve months.  This regular check in will allow you to keep an eye on your business insights, adjusting as needed rather than dealing with extensive issues down the line.

If you need help with your digital marketing or branding, tap into our Brilliant Logic for advice on how we can support your digital marketing strategy.