How to Create an Effective Digital Marketing Strategy for 2021?
2021 is finally here, which means that it is time to think about new digital marketing trends and strategies. 2020 has witnessed drastic changes in digital marketing during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it seems like many of these changes are here to stay.
So, how can you create an effective digital marketing plan for 2021? Don’t worry; we are here with some ideas that should help you assess your digital marketing strategies and set up new ideas to reach your optimal marketing objectives.
1- Define your Marketing Objectives:
You need to define your marketing goals and specify what you really mean to achieve in the upcoming year. Use the SMART criteria to help you set your goals, for your goals need to be Smart, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. In this sense, if you aim to drive traffic to your landing page or website, you should create high-quality content, and if you aim to boost your conversion, you should optimize your resources and invest in SEO to increase targeted users.
2- Assess Your Past Performance:
You should evaluate and assess your past efforts because they will inform your 2021 strategy and budget. By assessing your past digital marketing performance, you can identify the best tactics and strategies and the best channels and platforms. It is important to note that if one strategy or channel has not performed as you had hoped, that does not necessarily mean that you should dispose of it altogether; it means that you may need to revise your approach based on the findings from past actions.
3- Marketing Strategies for 2021:
Brainstorm new ways to use existing and new marketing channels to help you achieve the new year’s goals. Look at the market at large and see what your competitors are doing and where you are lagging. You need to consider whether you have explored all marketing options, including social media and native advertising, and applied all the best practices to ensure the highest results and maximum ROI. Some of 2021’s marketing strategies will include SEO (search engine optimization), blogging, video marketing, conversion optimization, and personalized marketing (especially for e-commerce).
4- Develop a Digital Marketing Budget:
We do recommend that your marketing budget ranges between 7-15% of your total business revenue. Once you settle on your budget, you can distribute it on the various channels and based on the different tactics and strategies you chose to boost your business.
Some of the most popular digital marketing channels that can raise your brand awareness, increase your conversions, and maximize your ROI, include the following:
- Email Marketing
- Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC)
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Native Advertising
- Social Media Marketing (SMM)
- Affiliate Marketing
But how can you split your budget in a way that enables you to achieve your marketing goals? You need to find a good balance, for you don’t want to be a spendthrift, but neither do you want to spend less than it takes for the marketing strategy to be successful. We suggest the following general guidelines:
- Set a reasonable total budget
- Prioritize your objectives and align all your marketing activities.
- Identify your key audiences, and look into their purchase-paths.
- Prioritize the key channels according to ROI and previous experience.
So if you own a new business that wants to scale quickly, you can set a 15% marketing budget. You can divide it between social media to drive awareness, CRMs and marketing management software, content and email marketing to build trust and relationships with your customers, and native advertising to generate leads and secure conversions.
Determining your marketing budget does not only involve deciding on how much money you can afford to spend, but it also involves dividing it up and allocating it to the right channels. Remember that even if your revenue is not very high, you need to spend money to make more money.
Why Native Advertising Matters in 2021?
As Native experts in the MENA region, we can safely tell you that native advertising should be an integral part of your digital marketing strategy. For it is predicted that companies would spend over $52.75 billion on native digital display advertising by the end of 2020 (Source:statista.com).
This number will only grow in 2021 as the pandemic tightens its hold on the economy, and people will spend more time online. Display ads will become less effective the more users are exposed, and native ads will soon be the most reliable vehicle through which brands can get their message across to customers.
How Can You Start?
Don’t hesitate! Join us. Our dedicated account managers will help you grow your business, achieve your marketing goals and see your ROI soar to new heights.
Market Your Brand During the Eid Season 2021
The Eid season is upon us, kicking off three days of celebrations, food banquets, and family gatherings. The Eid marks the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan, a month of fasting, worship, and good deeds. Over the past few decades, the Eid season has become a season of increased shopping and gifting. That is why marketers find themselves under pressure to come up with new igneous marketing ideas and keep up with marketing trends.
What are some of the products that sell well during the Eid season?
- Clothes
Muslim and Arab families always buy new clothes for themselves and their children. It is very common for everyone to dress in new clothes during Eid. - Jewelry
It is not only an accessory but for many, it is also an investment. This makes it a popular gift choice for loved ones during the Eid season. - Beauty and Cosmetics:
There is an increased interest in cosmetics, and beauty and grooming products for men and women, especially as people anticipate eid and look forward to resuming their regular lives after the month of fasting and worship. - Games and Toys:
Games and toys including electronics and online games spike during the eid season. - Travel:
With the interest of resuming old habits, people look into outdoor activities and short trips both locally and abroad.
How can you engage with your audience during this Eid Season?
To engage your audience, your message needs to tell a story, sends a personalized message powered by emotions. Despite the challenges, which are many due to the current pandemic situation and the continuous growth of mobile usage, the possibilities are endless. So get ready to unleashsh your creativity.
Eid presents a perfect opportunity for e-commerce and the food and beverage industries to market their products. Still, all industries and sectors should seize the moment and take advantage of the additional spending during this period.
- Choose Your Message:
Choose the perfect celebratory message for eid. Be authentic and endearing. Create personalized and genuine messages which include eid motifs marking the end of Ramadan. You can include lyrics from famous eid songs, or even come up with your own rhyme for eid. - Offer Something New:
Eid is the perfect season for gifting and shopping. Parents buy gifts and clothes for their children, and siblings, friends, and couples exchange gifts. Therefore, it is the perfect time to offer “Sales”, “Special Discount” or “Limited Time Offer”. Offers and discounts are exciting to use for all industries and businesses no matter what their size is. Prepare a special offer for this special occasion, and promote it in advance using engaging and exciting visuals. - Boost Your Brand Awareness:
Because Eid is a special period, create an Eid-themed marketing campaign to tell the audience about your brand and excite them with the Eid spirit. You can create a customized logo or image.
Contests and Giveaways:
Engage your audience by launching contests and giveaways. It is one of the best ways to promote your business and create a positive vibe; it is also a creative idea to generate leads and increase engagement. This can be a great incentive for users if you are marketing e-commerce, restaurant, or any business.
Seize this time to boost your brand awareness, grow your sales, and maximize your profits.
How Can Your Travel Brand Boost Awareness and Increase Sales with Speakol’s Native Ads this Summer
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has undeniably changed the world. It had a severe impact on the global economy, but a few sectors have been affected as much as the travel industry. Bookings were down by 95% at the height of the pandemic, as entire nations were ordered to remain in lockdown, airlines went bankrupt, and travel companies and hotels laid off massive amounts of workers.
The prolonged period of lockdown has increased people’s sense of adventure and search for escapism. With new air corridors opening and better testing protocols, and vaccination rollout is finally and thankfully well underway, it seems like the world is starting to get back on its feet. Global research indicates that people have a strong desire to travel, with more than 70% of people planning their next trip. So clearly, travel is beginning to recover in stages – first locally, domestically, and internationally. Still, multiple factors will influence travel, such as social distancing on planes, different entry requirements from country to country, and vaccine rollouts, to name a few.
So after over a year of lockdown, what will travelers look for in planning their next trip??
- Seek out “ecotourism” with minimal impact on the planet.
- Look forward to “wellness-tourism” that will leave people feeling better and relaxed.
- Safely engage with local communities in an attempt to form human connections.
- Look for “workstations” where work can be combined with vacations, especially for longer trips. [the average length of stay has doubled from 5 to 10 nights]
- Opt for “challenging trips” seeking adventure and new local experiences.
- Request travel reassurances that their bookings will be protected if policies and restriction measures change.
The world is experiencing a new kind of travel with the increased number of digital nomads, where people are working remotely with no rush to head back to the office. They also have a new experience-driven travel mentality; after being cooped up in their homes for months, people want to explore new places, cultures, landscapes, cuisines, activities and reconnect with nature.
So if you have a Travel brand or agency that has been idle for a while and want to market your new destinations and activities to users, there is no better time to promote your business than NOW. Remember that 78% of travelers stated that informative content provided by travel brands has influenced their purchase decisions, while 46% claimed that travel ads had the same influence; not only that but 40% of travel bookings are done via phones. Since travelers always check the internet before planning any trip, you should address and target them as they browse their most trusted publishers. You do not have to be an airline or a hotel chain to leverage your brand with native advertising. Native advertising platforms offer an effective way to promote your business regardless of its size.
You need to incorporate Native Advertising in your marketing strategy because it will allow you to:
- Connect you with engaged readers as they read and browse their most trusted publishers online.
- Display non-disruptive ads to interested users, which renders them more likely to engage with your ad.
- Achieve any marketing goal you have, including raising your brand awareness, driving traffic, and increasing conversions.
- Enable you to target users based on their location (region, country, and city), devices, and ISPS.
- Target particular article categories and publishers such as travel websites or sections and articles on premium websites.
- Use the algorithms that build comprehensive interest maps for each user based on their interests and reading history, which means you can reach more qualified users.
- Cross target audience who may be interested in other topics besides travel. For instance, you can promote your trips to Turkey to readers interested in Turkish drama or series.
- Reach readers on their mobile phones. Dedicate ad campaigns targeting mobile phones where 40% of bookings take place.
- Pique readers’ interest by providing relevant, interactive, engaging content using video ads that offer visual engagement and story.
How can you start your Travel Ad Campaign?
- Define the budget you are willing to allocate for native advertising.
- Define your objective clearly because it will affect the type of ad you choose and the action you would like your users to take.
- Register with Speakol, the most prominent native ads platform in the MENA and GCC.
- Once you create an account, a professional, experienced and dedicated account manager will guide you through a thorough onboarding process.
- If you are trying to raise awareness, you can create engaging blog articles and run them as ads using captivating visuals and exciting titles.
- If you are trying to drive conversions, you can create specific landing pages with direct CTAs (call-to-action) to prompt users to take the desired action, including signing up, sharing their emails, registering for a newsletter, or registering for any trip.
Seize the opportunity to reach interested users eager to explore new destinations and activities, using the trendiest marketing channel of our time.