Looking at your 2017 marketing plan, there are a million places you COULD spend your budget. The challenge for you is to determine the handful of places that you SHOULD.  What will most impactful? Most targeted? Most actionable? Most measurable?

US Internet Advertising, 2009-2015We have been experiencing great success with digital advertising, and we’re apparently not alone. In 2015, digital advertising revenue grew to $60 billion, 20% over 2014. Of that, mobile ad revenue grew by 66%.

In marketing, we want to “fish where the fish are,” and the average adult is spending more than 20 hours per week online – at work, at home, on Facebook, shopping, researching, arguing politics, you name it.

Here are 5 tips and trends to consider for your 2017 tactical marketing plan.

Tip #1: Think Small
The fastest growing online ad revenue is mobile. Your target is much more likely to see your ad on their phone than on their desktop. The average adult is spending 2.5 hours per week online while on the go.

As you plan your messaging, think multi-screen, but focus on mobile.

Tip #2: The Death of Direct Mail
If you can acquire a list of physical addresses for your target audience, you can also identify many of their home IP addresses. You can use any data list and target homes, conventions, businesses, dorms, hotels, you name it.

With their IP address, you can place ads on targeted individuals’ computers, tablets, phones – whatever they link to their router. This is the most targeted form of Digital Display. And, there’s no printing or postage cost.  You can also hit them with multiple messages rather than one card or letter that may get tossed with the rest of the “junk mail.”

Tip #3: Retargeting
How many people visit your web site every day? How many leave without taking your desired action?

Retargeting allows you to focus messages on people who have been to your site. For example, someone visits your auto loan page and leaves. You can immediately target them over the next few days and weeks with auto loan messages while they are cruising around the web.

Tip #4: Geo-Fencing
Sting said it best, “Every breath you take, every move you make, I’ll be watching you.” It’s the ultimate marketer song (and stalker song).

Geo-fencing uses the GPS in a target’s cell phone and targets them when they have gone to a particular physical location. You can target people who have been near your biggest competitor. You can send auto loan messages to anyone who visits your market’s largest auto dealers. Where do your most profitable customers live? Draw a geo-fence around their neighborhood and target their neighbors.

Tip #5: Be Tastefully Disruptive
It’s just a matter of time until this industry changes. A recent study showed that 92% of 3,200 internet users said that they would consider using an ad blocker and 62% said that pre-roll ads annoy them. Creatively, try to make the ads worth-while. Entertain, educate, make them feel something. Do NOT simply design a print ad for digital!!!

Digital is changing the marketing game.

  • You’ll never know exactly who sees your TV ad
  • A listener can never click a radio ad and go to your site
  • There’s no reliable data on who sees your outdoor
  • You never know who throws away your direct mail without reading it

Digital is actionable, the target can click directly to your desired landing page. It’s targeted, not simply by age, location and income demographics, but be psychographics, life stage and search trends as well. It’s measurable, you know exactly how many impressions, how many clicks – and which ad size, message and placement is most effective.

In addition to being a strategic consultant for community banks and credit unions, MarketMatch also has nationally and internationally requested speakers. Contact us to bring our marketing ideas to your institution or next conference.

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