It’s now time to start planning and actualizing your growth for 2020. At Finch, we’re hearing from many marketers who wonder if, toward the end of the year, it’s wise to pause their online paid media efforts for some wind-down time. Considering that you have most likely started running your B2C or B2B holiday campaigns, wind-down time might sound nice. However, it’s best not to pause any campaigns at all.
Why? Because audience and conversion data is your best friend. If you have been running campaigns wisely, you now have a gamut of conversion and audience data to capitalize on in the coming year. Now it’s time to draw insights from your data and use it to power your future campaigns.
The end of the calendar year brings tidings of great joy for digital advertisers. The data you’ve collected over a year of campaigns is more valuable than any sales you’ve made. And, if you structure your data granularly, you will gain the insights needed to power future campaigns. Remember: historical Search and Shopping data is your road map for future success.
By harnessing your unique, historical data, you can use it to expand your marketing funnel further. Power your future campaigns with the metrics that have succeeded in the past. Additionally, you can engage more of your buyers with the help of full-funnel optimization. This tactic allows marketers to attract more of their ideal buyers and expand reach efficiently.
Let’s be honest: without insights and a granular campaign structure, A.I. is just another buzzword. The most critical task for every business (at this juncture) is reflecting on what worked well–and what didn’t. Being happy with your paid media ROI doesn’t mean the train stops after the hustle-and-bustle of holiday campaigns–far from it.
During late December 2019, there is no need to have your Google Ads campaigns paused. Or any campaigns on any advertising platform, for that matter. In fact, it’s best to keep them running through the remainder of the year. If you’re looking to optimize ad placement times, keep in mind the following statistics, before the holidays arrive*:
*69% of users research products during the workday
*73% research during the evenings
*51% research during the weekend
Needless to say, it’s best practices to keep your campaigns live throughout the majority of the day. You never want to miss an opportunity. Now is the time for people to understand your products/services. Using this approach allows researchers to remember your brand, of course. But it also greatly helps your sales.
Many marketers might believe the fallacy that doing short bursts of spend at “optimal times” is a great way to increase conversions, CTR, and other metrics while reducing costs. The truth couldn’t be more of the opposite. Studies show that using an “Always-On” approach consistently yields better performance at a reduced price.
Of course, this option will increase ad spend, but your overall cost-per-sales and cost-per-lead diminish significantly. Additionally, using an Always-On approach increases trust between you and your customers. With more conversions, more clicks, and impressions, you’ll quickly realize a sizable ROI. But this immediate gratification pales compared to how much you stand to gain in 2020 and beyond.
For Finch customers, it’s merely the sowing season. Yes, those who use the Finch platform, insights, and expertise are happy with their holiday performance. However, the most valuable asset marketers have going into 2020 is the stack of data and audiences they’ve accrued over the last year. Due to the Finch platform’s granular data structure, we’re able to discern the “traits” of our customers’ ideal buyers to better target them in the future.
By using the Finch platform, our customers will be able to attract and retain customers across multiple channels using a platform-agnostic optimization approach to grow into the new year steadily. Unique audience data is the key to determining what drives continual performance. This approach eradicates the “Black Box” of paid media.
Happy Holidays from your friends at Finch!
Got questions? Drop us a line at contactus@finch.com. And if you are currently a Finch customer, reach out to your respective CSM.