The marketing world is changing. With new technologies and social media platforms, there are more ways to reach your target audience than ever before. But it can be difficult to know if you’re doing the right things.

If you often find yourself wondering, “Is my marketing outdated?” you’re not alone. It’s hard to keep up with the latest trends and stay on top of your game. Luckly, your friends at Golden Medina Services got you covered! 

The following self-assessment test, we'll look at a few questions that will help you assess your marketing strategy and identify areas where you need to improve so that you can stay up to date with the latest trends.

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1. Do you only use social media to promote your business?

If the answer is YES, then the first big problem you need to fix is the lack of interaction on social media channels. 

Social media is not just a digital marketing tool. It is a way to connect with your customers, to answer their questions, build relationships and create organic content that can go viral. If you're only using social media for marketing, then you're missing out on all the benefits that social media offers. Regular interaction with your customer base on social media will help you stand out from the crowd. Social media will also help you connect with potential employees, clients, vendors, and investors. You can also use it to share content about your company with an industry-specific audience.

How to fix this: 

• Maintain a social media calendar. This will help you stay on top of your marketing activities and make sure that you are posting regularly enough. Align your posts with seasonal trends and holidays. And no, you don’t have to post about every single made-up holiday you see online. Keep it relevant! 
• Make them laugh. Share relatable memes and pop culture references regularly. Find creative ways to tie memes down with your brand or your product. You can even post your reaction to a meme by creating short Stitching or Dueting the content.
• ‍Get someone to do this for you. A marketing agency will not only help you come up with regular posts, but also maintain your ongoing social media marketing strategy and campaigns. They’ll keep your customers coming back for more and increase your organic followers.

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2. Do you personalize the emails you send to your customers?

If the answer is NO, then why aren’t you?

Sending your customers cookie-cutter, ‘template-ized’ emails is a surefire way to get them flagged as spam. Your customers are savvier than you think. They can spot an email sent in bulk from miles away. Your customers won’t feel a personal connection, and they may switch off from your brand over time.

How to fix this: 

Here are a few highly effective ways you can personalize your marketing emails. 

• Based on their recent behavior. If you can find a way to understand your customers’ recent behavior, you can personalize your messages and make them more relevant. 
• Based on who they are and where they live. Start by personalizing the subject line of your email. You can do this by using their name and mentioning any relevant information. The body of your email should also be personalized. 
• Based on special occasions in their lives. If you have information about their birthdays or anniversaries, make sure to wish them about the same. Also wish them on holidays and other major events. 
• Bonus Tip: Refrain from blatantly pushing them to buy your products. You need to make sure you’re providing value first and foremost! Once you have confidently developed and established relationships with your customers, it will become a lot easier to promote your business.

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3. Are you only using text ads or social posts?

If the answer is YES, then you need to start diversifying your marketing. Pronto.

Online marketing has evolved since the early 2000s. A large chunk of today’s population finds plain text ads as boring and outdated. Chances are they will just scroll way past your content without even reading a full line of copy. When competing brands use dynamic and exciting visuals in their posts, and you’re not, you’re not even going to register on their radar, let alone create an impression! 

How to fix this: 

It’s simple — use visuals. Find creative ways to get your message across through a combination of images and short video clips in the form of Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts. Short “munchable” videos and dynamic images are what will make your customers and followers sit up and take notice. Keep in mind, our average attention span is less than 8 seconds! 

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4. Do you use only one type of content?

If the answer is YES, then you should put some serious thought into using different types of content.

There are a number of reasons why you should use more than one type of content in your digital marketing. These range from the fact that people have vastly different preferences and interests, to the need to reach a wider demographic, to even lowering your overall advertising spend. 

How to fix this: 

Different types of content serve different purposes. For instance, you can use a video to show a product or service and explain how it works, or post an infographic which can be used to provide more stats or charts. Remember that people consume content differently now than they did before. If you can understand which content is effective on which platform, you’ll be able to leverage digital marketing to do wonders for you.

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Wrapping up

Just doing the basics isn’t enough anymore. Having a website, social media accounts, and an email list won’t do you any good if you’re not marketing in the right way. Changing times require you to stay ahead of the curve by using the latest digital marketing strategy. Having a digital marketing agency on your side will help you ace your marketing.

A digital marketing agency will help you create a cohesive strategy for your business, make sure that you are reaching the right audience, and help you stay up to date with the latest trends in your industry. Your agency can also provide you with services such as content marketing, paid ads management, social media account management, influencer campaigns and more. 

Want more in-depth insights on your business’s marketing? Claim your free Snapshot Report! This will give you a clear understanding of where your business’s online presence stands and what needs to be done to reach new customers and get them interested in your products or services. 

Get in touch with our team today and find out how we can help you take the next steps!