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The Only Marketing Calendar You’ll Need in 2024 (Packed with Ideas + Free Template!)

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The Only Marketing Calendar You'll Need in 2024 (Packed with Ideas + Free Template!)

Planning your marketing for the whole year can feel daunting. But, creating a marketing calendar can help you organize your planning and stay on track to meet your goals.

Whether you’re feeling stuck when it comes to creative marketing ideas, you’re not sure where to start, or you just want a few tips to round out your marketing plan, we’ve got you covered.

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In this post, we’ll be sharing:

  • Monthly marketing calendar templates
  • Marketing promotion ideas to make each month a success
  • Social post ideas for each month

We’ll also be sharing relevant hashtags to keep you #trending all year long.

Let’s get started.

🛑 But, first: Want to get this sent to your inbox along with trends and even more hashtags, ideas, and email subject lines? Download our 2024 marketing calendar guide here!

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Table of contents

Looking for a specific month? Click below to skip to where you want to go!

January 2024

In the first month of the year, make a splash with these ideas by adding them to your 2024 marketing calendar.

January marketing and promotion ideas

  • Run a 24% off sale to celebrate the year 2024.
  • Make New Year’s resolutions for your business, and if applicable, share them with your customers on social media or through email marketing. (Get more New Year’s social media post ideas here!)
  • Host or attend a blood drive as a company–January is National Blood Drive Month.
  • Write a holiday or year-end round-up post for your company blog or social sites–include pictures of how you and your team celebrated.
  • Check on your local PPC ads to make sure you’re bidding for the right keywords to start off 2024 strong. (Or get started running local PPC if you’re not already!)

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January social media calendar ideas

Here are some key January social media holidays and observances plus January hashtags to incorporate into your 2024 social media marketing calendar.

Jan 13: Make Your Dream Come True Day

Share how you or one of your team members has had a dream come true – whether it’s a goal you reached, a milestone you celebrated, or a trip to Disneyland! Ask your audience what dream they want to come true this year. #dreamcometrue

Jan 15: Martin Luther King Jr. Day

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Celebrate this day by sharing your favorite Martin Luther King Jr. quote and asking your audience to share theirs. #MLKDay

Jan 24: National Compliment Day

Share the love with other businesses in your community! Post a comment on another local business’s Instagram or Facebook page giving them a compliment. #nationalcomplimentday

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Get a full list of 400+ social media holidays for every month of the year here!

February 2024

Don’t skimp out on the shortest month of the year. There are still plenty of observances and opportunities for your business to celebrate as part of your 2024 marketing plan.

February marketing calendar ideas

  • Run a Valentine’s Day sale or promotion to show your customers how much you love them.
  • Send your customers your Valentine’s Day promotion over email so they get a little love in their inboxes. (We put together 100+ February email subject lines you can use!)
  • To celebrate Black History Month, share your favorite quotes from Black leaders or historical figures on social media and ask your audience to share theirs.
  • February is also Heart Disease Awareness month, so share resources on your social sites to educate your audience.
  • Send an extra February promotion to customers on Feb. 17 for Random Acts of Kindness Day.

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February social media calendar ideas

Add these special February holidays and observances to your social media calendar to show your audience some love.

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Feb 11: Super Bowl Sunday

Share your and your team member’s Super Bowl Sunday plans and ask your audience to share theirs. The day after the Super Bowl, ask your audience what their favorite commercial was. #superbowl2024

Feb 14: Valentine’s Day

Socialize your Valentine’s Day specials or promotions on your social sites. Target those last-minute shoppers with a special gift basket giveaway. #valentinesday

Feb 20: National Love Your Pets Day

Who can resist a picture of some cute pets?! Share pictures of your pets and ask your audience to share theirs and tag your business. #loveyourpetsday

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💡 Free guide >> 130+ of the Best Online Marketing Tips for Generating More Traffic, Leads, & Sales

March 2024

This month marks the end of Q1, so take a look back at your marketing objectives and goals for 2024 to see what needs to be adjusted and what’s on track. Remember: This is just a template for your marketing calendar, so you can make tweaks as needed to make sure you’re reaching your growth goals.

March marketing and promotion ideas

  • Run a St. Patrick Day special–17% off services or products. (Get more St. Patrick’s Day marketing ideas plus March email subject lines here!)
  • March is Women’s History Month, so share inspirational quotes from inspirational women on your social media pages.
  • March is also National Reading Month, so get into #BookTok and #Bookstagram by sharing what you and your employees are reading.
  • Celebrate your employees this month by giving them a special incentive or a paid day off–your employees are the backbone of your business!
  • Spruce up the About page on your website to make sure it accurately conveys your brand story.

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March social media calendar ideas

Here are a few March social media holidays and observances you can incorporate into your social media planning for this month.

Mar 1: Employee Appreciation Day

Shout out your employees on your social media pages with a picture or video highlighting each one and sharing why they’re special. #employeeappreciation

Mar 14: Pi Day

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Share pictures of you and your team enjoying some pie to celebrate Pi Day. If you don’t offer pie, make sure to tag your local bakery in your post to support another local business! #piday

Mar 20: International Happiness Day

Ask your audience to share what makes them happy–it can be a picture, a post, or a video. You can even turn it into a contest and choose one winner to make extra happy! #internationaldayofhappiness

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April 2024

Start the second quarter off strong with these ideas to add to your April marketing calendar.

April marketing ideas

  • With many schools on Spring Break this month, consider a Spring Break sale or promotion. (Make sure to send an email about it! Get April email subject lines here.)
  • Run a Tax Day sale to entice shoppers to spend their refunds with you–or to help those who just paid their taxes save.
  • Spring clean your web presence by doing a quick search for your brand name and taking note of what shows up–does everything look good?
  • Try your hand at some Easter marketing and promotion ideas to get business hoppin’.
  • April is National Volunteer Month, so gather your employees and volunteer with a local organization. Make sure to share pictures on your social sites!

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April social media calendar ideas

Start the month off right away on social media with April Fool’s Day and then end it strong by highlighting Earth Day on your social calendar.

April 1: April Fool’s Day

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If your business is into pranks, post the aftermath on your social sites. Ask your audience the best prank they’ve pulled–or had pulled on them. #aprilfools

April 13: National Scrabble Day

For all those word lovers, celebrate this fun holiday by sharing the best Scrabble word you’ve played–or by sharing some unique Scrabble-approved words your audience can steal. #nationalscrabbleday

April 22: Earth Day

Celebrate Earth Day by sharing ideas for sustainability, pictures of you and your team volunteering with a local clean-up, or how your business contributes to restoring our earth year-round. #earthday

Get more April marketing ideas here!

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May 2024

Hopefully, it’s starting to warm up where you are, so it’s time to break out some new ideas to test as part of your May marketing calendar.

May marketing and promotion ideas

  • Take some time to make sure you’ve responded to all your business’s reviews so far this year.
  • Also, use this month as a chance to refresh your social pages. Do your profile and cover photos look on brand? Are your business descriptions updated?
  • If you’re near a college, offer a special student discount before school gets out for the semester.
  • Launch a customer loyalty program if you don’t already have one to reward your customers and keep them coming back.
  • Consider partnering with a few local businesses for a “block party” to take advantage of nicer weather and get the word out about your business.

customer retention strategies - rewards program examplecustomer retention strategies - rewards program example

May social media calendar ideas

This month is packed with holidays and observances, so your social media calendar should be in great shape. Here are some ideas to get you started. 

May 5: Cinco de Mayo

If you’re celebrating, share your pictures on social media. Restaurants can share Cinco de Mayo party recipes. #cincodemayo

May 12: Mother’s Day

Shout out to all the moms on social media–share a special message, and include a picture with you and your mom, or you and your kids if you’re a mom! #mothersday

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May 27: Memorial Day

Use quotes, images, and other posts to show your support for those who have lost their lives for our country. #memorialday

Get more Memorial Day social media posts and Memorial Day messages here.

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June 2024

Keep the momentum rolling in the last half of 2024 with these June marketing ideas, promotions, and social media post suggestions.

June marketing calendar ideas

  • We’re halfway through the year–are you on track to hit your business and marketing goals? Review the goals you set and adjust as needed.
  • Run a summer sale or promotion to get more people to try out your business. Make sure to promote it with email marketing. (Try out one of these June email subject lines to increase opens!)
  • Consider testing out a new marketing strategy in the last half of the year–research some options or talk to your marketing partner for ideas.
  • Celebrate Best Friend’s Day on June 8 by running a buy-one-get-one or referral special so best friends can take advantage of your products or services.

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June social media calendar ideas

Don’t let your social media sites go dark this summer–keep your calendar packed with these holidays and observances.

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Jun 7: National Donut Day

Bring donuts for your team (and for your customers if you have a storefront!) and share pictures or videos of people enjoying them. If you got donuts from a local bakery, make sure to tag them in your social posts! #nationaldonutday

Jun 16: Father’s Day

Now, it’s time to highlight all the dads out there! Share a picture of you and your dad or you and your kids if you’re a dad and ask your audience to share how they’re celebrating. Or keep it casual and share your favorite dad joke. #fathersday #dadjoke

Jun 21: National Selfie Day

This is an easy one: Share your best selfie and ask your employees to share their selfies! #selfieday

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Get more June marketing ideas here.

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PS: Summer starts June 20. Try these summer marketing ideas to make a splash this season!

July 2024

Heat up your marketing calendar planning with these hot tips and creative marketing ideas for July.

July marketing and promotion ideas

  • Run a special Fourth of July sale or promotion to get more people to visit your business this month. (Use these July email subject lines to help boost your promotions!)
  • Closed on the Fourth of July or have adjusted hours? Make sure to update your hours on your website, your social media sites, and your local business listings!
  • July is National Grilling Month–share your favorite recipes, grill safety tips, or the best grilling tools (and where to get them–locally!).
  • Get in front of website visitors who haven’t yet converted by running remarketing campaigns this month.

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July social media calendar ideas

July has more than just July 4th to highlight on your social sites. Use these ideas for your July social media calendar.

July 4: Independence Day

Share a simple Happy July 4th post with a nice graphic–or share pictures of how you’re celebrating and ask your audience to share theirs! #july4th

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Get our full list of 4th of July marketing and social media posts here!

July 15: National Give Something Away Day

This is the perfect day for a Facebook or Instagram giveaway! Run a social media contest and choose a winner to give something away to. #givesomethingawayday

July 21: National Junk Food Day

Use the Poll feature on Facebook and Instagram to ask your audience about their favorite fast-food chain–or their favorite junk food item! #nationaljunkfoodday

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✉️ Need email inspo? We’ve got you covered: 30 Free Email Templates Perfectly Worded for Every Situation

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August 2024

As we get into the back half of the year, don’t let your marketing and promotions slip away. Use these August marketing ideas to capture those back-to-school searchers and end-of-summer customers.

August marketing ideas

  • It’s the back-to-school season! Run a back-to-school promotion or contest to reach students and their parents.
  • Don’t forget about social media–Any business can get in the back-to-school spirit on social media with the right back-to-school Instagram captions.
  • It’s not too early to start thinking about your holiday marketing plan–outline your specials and promotions now and let your marketing partner know what you’re planning.
  • Everyone likes a good pen or tote bag–consider giving out promotional materials to your customers to stay top-of-mind.
  • To help meet your year-end goals, check in on your lead management system. Is it working for you? Or do you need to revisit some other options?

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August social media calendar ideas

Use these August social media ideas to keep your social calendar packed all month long.

Aug 4: National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day

Share your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe–or your favorite place to buy them in your area and ask your customers to share theirs! If you enjoy any chocolate chip cookies today, make sure to share a picture on your social sites. #nationalchocolatechipcookieday

Aug 15: National Relaxation Day

Share your favorite tips for relaxing, a relaxation playlist, or a local business–like a spa–that helps you unwind. Spas–this is a great day for you to share testimonials from customers who you’ve helped relax or just an overview of what you offer. #nationalrelaxationday

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Aug 17: National Nonprofit Day

Get out and volunteer at a local non-profit and share pictures on your social sites. If you can’t make it out to volunteer, share a round-up of your favorite non-profits. #nationalnonprofitday

Get more August marketing ideas.

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September 2024

September marks the end of Q3 and is a great time to look back at all you’ve accomplished so far in 2024. Use these marketing and promotion ideas to keep your September marketing calendar moving.

September marketing and promotion ideas

  • Take a minute to plan out or confirm your Q4 marketing goals so you’re prepared to end the year in a strong position.
  • Check in to see how customers feel about your business by sending out a survey asking for feedback.
  • Use this month to optimize your Google Business Profile so you can increase your chances of it showing up for local searches.
  • Test some new fall promotions to get new customers this season.
  • September is a busy month for moving–re-introduce your business to locals and reach new community members by sending out a direct mail campaign with a special discount.
  • Send an email campaign for a fun holiday (like National Coffee Day on September 29!).

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September social media calendar ideas

September has a lot of holidays and observances you can use to plan your social media calendar.

Sept 2: Labor Day

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Wish your social media audience a Happy Labor Day with a nice visual or share a round-up of local Labor Day events. #laborday

Get more Labor Day messages here.

Sept 22: First Day of Fall

Share your favorite fall pastimes, any fall events you have coming up, or recipes for your most-loved fall treats. #firstdayoffall

Sept 25: National One-Hit Wonder Day

Share a YouTube video of your favorite one-hit wonder and ask your audience to share theirs! #nationalonehitwonderday

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October 2024

As we enter October, it’s time to get your holiday marketing going and make sure your 2024 marketing calendar is set for the rest of the year.

October marketing calendar ideas

  • Holiday shopping starts this month (we know, it seems early!)–make sure your holiday marketing is locked and loaded and maybe even running already.
  • Do a quick search for your competitors–are they doing anything in their marketing you should try? Are they offering something you’re not? Think about how you can stand out from them either through positioning your business, ramping up your marketing, or changing up your product offerings.
  • Find a local trunk-or-treat your business can sponsor or participate in.
  • Run a Halloween social media contest to get new followers this #spookyszn.

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October social media calendar ideas

Check out these October social media holidays and observances to help you create awesome social media content this month.

Oct 1: World Vegetarian Day

Share a recipe for your favorite vegetarian dish or spotlight local restaurants in your area with vegetarian options. Make sure to tag them in your posts! #worldvegetarianday

Oct 10: World Mental Health Day

Share social posts from reputable mental health resources on your social media pages to raise awareness for this cause. #worldmentalhealthday

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Oct 31: Halloween

Share pictures of your employees dressed up for Halloween and anyone who visits in costume. Launch a poll to get to the bottom of whether people actually like candy corn. #halloween

Get our full list of Halloween social media ideas here.

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November 2024

Only two months left to finish the year out strong! Use these seasonal and holiday marketing ideas to capture customers.

November marketing and promotion ideas

  • Do you have any seasonal products or services? Make sure to show them off this month.
  • Add your business to the Shop Small map and make a plan to participate in Small Business Saturday this month.
  • Check in with your employees to confirm when or if anyone is planning to take off for the upcoming holidays so your scheduling is streamlined.
  • Make sure to send holiday emails with your promotions, sales, and events. (Use these holiday email templates and subject lines.)
  • Send appreciation messages to thank your customers for their business over the last year. (Use these customer appreciation ideas for inspiration!)

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November social media calendar ideas

This is a busy time for social media. Keep your social media calendar on track with these November social media ideas!

Nov 11: Veterans Day

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Promote any discounts you offer active military or veterans. Or share a simple post thanking veterans for their service. #veteransday

Nov 28: Thanksgiving

Share what you’re thankful for when it comes to your customers and your employees. Make sure to share any pictures of employee or team celebrations! #happythanksgiving

Get 50+ Thanksgiving social media ideas here!

Nov 30: Small Business Saturday

Promote your participation in Small Business Saturday on social! Share any sales, special deals, or events you’re holding, and spotlight other local businesses in your area. #smallbizsat

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December 2024

Time to end the year on a high note with these ideas to add to your marketing calendar!

December marketing calendar ideas

  • Create a holiday gift guide for your customers with your products and services as well as related products and services from local businesses.
  • Take a minute to update your holiday hours on your listings, website, and social media sites. This will go a long way for customers!
  • Finalize your marketing plan for 2025–what’s worked well this year? What do you want to accomplish next year?
  • Ask your happy customers to leave you reviews. This will help you start off the new year on the right foot! Then make sure you’re responding to reviews as they come in!

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December social media calendar ideas

There are plenty of holiday festivities and cheer to fill your social media calendar this month! Here are a few ideas.

Get our full list of December social media holidays and ideas here!

Dec 5: International Volunteer Day

December is a great month for volunteering. Take part in this day by volunteering with your favorite organization or sharing local volunteer opportunities for your audience to take part in. #volunteerday

Dec 15: Ugly Sweater Day

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Have your team wear their ugliest holiday sweaters and share pictures on social media. Consider giving a discount to any customers who come in wearing their best ugly sweater! #uglysweaterday

Dec 31: New Year’s Eve

Share your New Year’s resolutions with your social media audience and ask them to share theirs! #nye2024

And, here are even more holiday social post ideas:

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A full year of tips for your 2024 marketing calendar

Whew! Now you’re all set with ideas and inspiration to build out your 2024 marketing calendar. Make sure to get our free guide for even more tips, observances, and holidays to help you plan your marketing campaigns, promotions, and sales.

Cheers to a very happy and prosperous 2024!

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9 Ecommerce Trends to Boost Your Business in 2024

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9 Ecommerce Trends to Boost Your Business in 2024

This year’s ecommerce trends feel a little oxymoronic. Machines and software are helping do more jobs, even communicating directly with shoppers. At the same time, consumers are heading towards online experiences that give them the personalized, human interactions of in-person buying.

As disparate as the rapid adaptation of technology and the longing for person-to-person retail seem, the two goals are actually coming together in unexpected ways.

Let’s unpack the specific trends ecommerce brands and marketers will face, and explore how to make sure you’re taking advantage of them.

Contents

  1. Conversational marketing becomes table stakes for ecommerce brands
  2. Ecommerce businesses will find new uses for AR
  3. More sellers slide into their customers’ DMs
  4. Gen Z spurs shift to social shopping
  5. Live commerce bridges the gap between online and in-person shopping
  6. Subscription services solidify customer loyalty
  7. AI fuels customized buying journeys
  8. Dynamic, personalized websites go mainstream
  9. Ecommerce brands will launch more data-gathering campaigns

9 ecommerce trends to monitor in 2024

These are the most high-profile ecommerce marketing trends we see headed our way this year. Learn them to stay in tune with customers and ahead of competitors.

1. Conversational marketing becomes table stakes for ecommerce brands

Conversational marketing is a strategy where businesses have two-way communication with customers in real time. Those one-to-one interactions can happen with live agents, but a lot of conversational marketing growth will occur with AI-powered chatbots.

For example, one study suggests that by 2028, around $72 billion in retail spending will happen through chatbot interactions. For context, that’s a 470% increase compared to the $12 billion in chatbot sales from 2023.

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Two factors are fueling this ecommerce trend: generative AI and consumers’ desire for fast answers.

Generative AI models like ChatGPT use natural language processing to understand conversational queries. That’s helped chatbots become highly successful sales agents that can guide website visitors through their buying journey.

Ecommerce trends - chatbot from Seattle Balloon company.

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For most consumers, the most significant upside of using chatbots is the 24/7 availability of information. Instead of waiting until regular business hours, shoppers can jump in when inspiration strikes and get all the information they need to make an informed purchase.

The great news is chatbots are becoming less expensive and easier to launch, so expect to see them gain traction in smaller businesses. You can launch your own chatbot in a jiffy.

💡 Conversational marketing relies on great calls to action. Download this free guide to get inspired by dozens of high-performing CTA phrases.

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2. Ecommerce businesses will find new uses for AR

The virtual reality (VR) craze hit its peak when Facebook rebranded as Meta, a signal that the social media giant was turning its vast resources towards developing online worlds known loosely as the metaverse. Despite some optimistic forecasts, most of us still aren’t guiding our avatars down digital promenades in search of the next digital deal. And with Meta still losing millions on its big VR bet, it’s unlikely to happen any time soon.

However, an interesting movement in ecommerce is taking advantage of augmented reality, VR’s cousin that overlays digital imagery on real-world environments in real time.

AR has become very accessible, even offered as free features like stickers and polls on social media platforms. Expect to see online retailers and brands taking advantage of AR in new ways. For example, fashion brands use AR to help mobile shoppers see how they’ll look in this season’s styles.

Ecommerce trends - screenshot of a VR eyeglass try on screen.Ecommerce trends - screenshot of a VR eyeglass try on screen.

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Users snap a picture in the brand’s app, and AR adds the products. Clothing brands, household goods, and even car dealers are all using AR to help buyers make a purchase decision.

Other retailers are using AR to highlight product details, like price tags or features, in promotional videos.

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Ecommerce trends - shopping video with AR price tags.Ecommerce trends - shopping video with AR price tags.

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With AR’s near-zero cost for these use cases and more app developers building creative AR solutions, expect to see it used more often and by a wider variety of ecommerce businesses.

3. More sellers slide into their customers’ DMs

Direct messaging, like the DMs on your Instagram or TikTok account, is ideal for brands to interact with customers and fans one-on-one. You can send links, images, and product videos. Plus, it doesn’t cost anything to send a DM. That’s why we’ll see more brands connect with their customers in direct message apps this year.

Ecommerce trends - Promotional direct message.Ecommerce trends - Promotional direct message.

Because of their private nature, DMs are a great place to have conversations about customer concerns. You can even use them as a lead generation channel as an alternative to collecting email addresses on your website.

Ecommerce trends - Lead generation campaign on Instagram.Ecommerce trends - Lead generation campaign on Instagram.

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A word of warning if you want to try this trend out for yourself. If you start messaging random people, you’ll definitely get blocked and probably reported. Always ask before contacting someone in their DMs. Offer a reason, like giving someone a personal discount code or asking them to share their experience with your products (free user-generated content!).

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4. Gen Z spurs shift to social shopping

At first, social media marketing was mainly a brand awareness play. Sellers could share their wares in organic and paid posts and then offer links to their e-commerce shops.

Jumping from one platform to the next adds friction to the sales process. With social shopping, consumers can click on the products they see in a post and complete the purchase without leaving their favorite social media apps.

Ecommerce trends - Shoppable facebook post from Nike.Ecommerce trends - Shoppable facebook post from Nike.

Revenue from social commerce could hit the trillion (with a “T”) dollar mark in the next few years. Younger adults lead the charge, with nearly three-quarters of 18 to 34-year-olds saying they’ve made a purchase from social commerce. But the trend is also permeating through all generations—around 25% of consumers over 65 said they’ve bought through that channel as well. With that kind of cross-generational spread, we expect to see a lot a lot more sales through social selling activities.

🛑 Download the newly updated All-Star Advertising Playbook to get expert-level tips for all four of the most lucrative advertising channels.

5. Live commerce bridges the gap between online and in-person shopping

If QVC and social shopping had a love child, it would be live commerce. During a live commerce event, a host interacts with viewers via video on a social media platform. Those viewers can then purchase the products on offer right from the video.

Live commerce offers the best parts of in-store shopping without fighting traffic or searching for a parking space. Shoppers get instant answers from a knowledgeable brand representative or influencer right from their living room.

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Ecommerce trends - live shopping example.Ecommerce trends - live shopping example.

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The most popular social media apps are participating in this trend. Instagram and TikTok offer live shopping features, and YouTube inked a deal with Shopify to let creators add shoppable links to videos.

While the most common format for live shopping involves one or two representatives on screen touting the brand’s latest and greatest, there’s another interesting way to use this tactic. Say you’re launching a new line of cosmetics. You could have a launch party and let viewers buy what they see on their screens.

Ecommerce trends - Live shopping example on YouTube.Ecommerce trends - Live shopping example on YouTube.

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The live commerce trend is expected to grow significantly in the near term, with some suggesting it could account for 20% of all ecommerce sales. Since conversion rates at live shopping events can reach 30%, ecommerce brands would be wise to take advantage of this trend.

6. Subscription services solidify customer loyalty

Buy almost any consumable from Amazon, and you’ll be asked if you’d like to save a few dollars by subscribing to auto-refill your order. The initial loss in profit to the seller is well worth the higher potential of repeat business. And the buyer sees the savings as a no-brainer since they’ll need more of the product later.

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The trend goes beyond monthly dog food or cosmetics deliveries (although those are common). Now, you can get a regular delivery of all sorts of themed products, like miniature items for your doll house or train set.

Ecommerce trends - Promotional social post for a subscription deal.Ecommerce trends - Promotional social post for a subscription deal.

Savings and customer loyalty are powerful win-wins that are likely to motivate sellers and shoppers to keep the trend going. 77% of consumers say they spend up to $499 annually on subscriptions, and 41% say they’ll add more in the next year.

7. AI fuels customized buying journeys

In general, AI is a big trend for all marketers. There are many ways ecommerce brands and marketers can use artificial intelligence to boost their businesses. One that’s emerging as particularly useful is having AI create complex, personalized customer journeys.

Here’s an example. Say you send marketing texts to your customers, reminding them of sales and new products. If each text of those campaigns were personalized to the individual based on their prior behavior, you’d close a lot more sales. But it’d be nearly impossible to do manually when you’re promoting hundreds of products to thousands of customers.

That’s where marketing experts are applying AI. Using its machine learning capabilities, AI can “remember” how customers reacted to previous messages, which products they bought, and how they interacted with your website. Then, it can create a custom campaign for each text subscriber.

Ecommerce trends - Example of a promotional SMS text flow.,Ecommerce trends - Example of a promotional SMS text flow.,

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Personalization is a well-documented marketing strategy that often lifts revenue by up to 25%. Brands that use advanced personalization strategies say they see a 200% return on the investment.

In the coming year, we’ll see many more retailers and brands use AI to construct personalized buying journeys through promotional emails, texts, and social media, individually and across multiple channels.

8. Dynamic, personalized websites go mainstream

Personalization has been the playground of ad campaigns for a while. But what if every person who visited your promotional landing page or home page saw a version that best suited their needs? That’s what dynamic landing pages and websites offer.

Here’s a simple example where someone considering your product sees a different home page than someone who bought it.

Ecommerce trends - two landing pages with different text for customers and prospects.Ecommerce trends - two landing pages with different text for customers and prospects.

Dynamic landing pages aren’t new. What’s changed is the scale and scope of personalization available with new AI-powered techniques, making them more attractive to ecommerce shops with many product and sales pages.

Let’s say you have a website with hundreds of sales and conversion pages. AI can analyze huge amounts of data about your products and customer behavior. Then, generative AI can quickly create conversational copy or calls to action for each of those pages that are more relevant to each segment of your target market.

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Most marketers that use personalized landing pages report a lift in engagement compared to static versions. Plus, 91% of customers said they felt more connected with websites featuring dynamic pages, especially those that provided personalized offers and product recommendations.

9. Ecommerce brands will launch more data-gathering campaigns

Many of the trends we’ve discussed require extensive data about your customers. Gathering this information has pros and cons. Some shoppers love the personalization it provides, while others are rightfully concerned about their privacy.

In light of these concerns, lawmakers and big platforms are making it harder to collect data without direct user consent. Google has finally ended the use of third-party cookies. Some US states and European governments require websites to give visitors a choice to opt in or opt out of being tracked by cookies.

With much less third-party data, ecommerce marketers will need to become really good at convincing shoppers to give up their information willingly, also known as zero-party data.

Ecommerce trends - Graphic showing types of data.Ecommerce trends - Graphic showing types of data.

In the coming months and years, we’ll see more creative campaigns designed to collect data from willing website visitors and customers ethically. These may be contests, newsletter subscriptions, surveys, or even discounts and free products.

Ecommerce trends - giveaway to collect email addresses.Ecommerce trends - giveaway to collect email addresses.

However it’s done, collecting zero-party data is a big ecommerce marketing trend that almost every retailer and brand needs to be aware of.

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What is the future of the ecommerce industry?

To say last year was one of change for ecommerce stores and marketers is a drastic understatement. With the rapid development of new AI marketing tools, customers’ shift to new sales channels, and potential regulations that can change how everyone does business online, it’s nearly impossible to guess the future of ecommerce with 100% clarity.

But if you look at the trends ramping up now, you’ll see a few themes that hint at the future. Customers want in-store experiences from online shopping. They’ll choose lower-friction purchase options over clicking through multiple apps and websites. And they’d prefer personalized interactions as long as their privacy remains protected.

While you mull over what’s to come for ecommerce stores, have a look at these other marketing trends for further insights:



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10 Most Effective Franchise Marketing Strategies

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10 Most Effective Franchise Marketing Strategies

Who doesn’t like a bit of a challenge? While it’s always rewarding to take on new marketing endeavors, certain businesses, like franchises, feel the heat more than others.

Whether you’re a food and beverage franchise, a multi-location dealership, a national real estate group, an enterprise bank, or anything in between, you know that managing marketing efforts across the board can sometimes feel like an uphill battle.

In this guide, we’ll help you address common marketing speedbumps multi-location businesses encounter and share 10 of the most effective franchise marketing strategies.

Contents

What is franchise marketing?

Franchise marketing means promoting your business across all your franchised locations. Essentially, any effort you’re putting into growing your franchise is considered franchise marketing. This can mean marketing efforts at a top branding level all the way down to marketing for specific locations.

Benefits of franchise marketing

Here are a few reasons franchise marketing is so important:

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  • A new franchise location opens every eight minutes during the course of any given business day. This doesn’t even account for the new businesses opened every day.
  • 42% of franchise marketing professionals and multi-location business owners feel traditional marketing channels, like TV placements and PR, are no longer worth the investment.
  • 55% of multi-location businesses believe that social media is the leading franchise marketing channel they rely on.

Clearly, there is plenty of competition and opportunity within the franchise and multi-location industries, meaning franchise marketing is crucial to stand out and grow.

However, keeping up with your franchise marketing is easier said than done. Let’s resolve some franchise marketing pain points next.

10 franchise marketing strategies

Managing your franchise marketing can be a juggling act. As the classic saying goes “No pain, no gain!” Let’s dive right into how you can turn 10 major franchise marketing pains into marketing gains:

1. Maintain brand consistency throughout your franchise marketing

It’s no secret that one of the biggest challenges franchise marketers face is location managers or franchisees that go rogue—especially when it comes to branding and brand consistency. But until a teleportation or cloning device gets invented, you’re unfortunately unable to be at all your locations to guide them through their marketing (despite how much you wish you could). This makes maintaining brand consistency across all locations a difficult task.

But brand consistency is extremely important for the success of your franchise marketing. We know that 71% of consumers say they’re more likely to buy a product or service from a brand they recognize. Plus, we can’t forget about the age-old marketing “rule of seven” which states that people need to see information about a business at least seven times before they become a customer.

So brand consistency isn’t just a “nice-to-have” element in your franchise marketing plan, it’s a need-to-have!

How to approach it: The first thing you should do is create a brand style guide. Once you have your style guide in place, you can use it across all locations. If you already have one in place, now is the time to revisit! The more thorough your brand guidelines the better.

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Here’s our list of what should go into your brand guidelines:

  • Company logo in various sizes and color options (black and white, thumbnail size, banner size etc.)
  • Your business’s colors in hex codes
  • Your selected fonts in regular, bold, and italics
  • Your chosen grammar, mechanics, and style preferences (including punctuation, capitalization, and abbreviation)
  • Blog post title preferences
  • Image styles and sizes for digital and print materials
  • Your business’s boilerplate and mission statement
  • Preferred tone and voice
  • Social media best practices by platform

brand guideline example from barre and soul

An example of brand guidelines.

Brand guidelines will keep your brand consistent and empower your location owners to create their own marketing collateral while knowing they have a cheat sheet to help them along the way.

📚 Free guide >> 12 Secrets to a Higher Click-Through Rate (& Lower Costs!)

2. Identify your customer base across locations

Let’s face it—your local customers’ interests at your Boston location will be different from those in your Houston location which differs from those in your San Diego location, and so on!

If you generalize your target audience without consideration for how their lifestyles differ by location, not only does that lack of inclusivity limit your reach, but it also gives your customers a less personalized marketing experience.

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However, 80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase when brands offer personalized experiences. So identifying your target audience across locations now to deliver a personalized experience at each location later is a marketing tactic you won’t want to miss out on.

How to approach it:  Taking time to identify your target audience across all locations when your plate is already full is easier said than done. A more efficient way to execute this is to look at your target audience from a bird’s eye view and zoom in from there.

questions to ask to find your target audiencequestions to ask to find your target audience

Once you identify what makes up your target audience at a high level you can take it down to the regional level. From there, you can use free online tools like Google Trends to understand the interest of topics by location to see how your messaging may slightly differ between regions.

Another workaround would be to create marketing collateral that’s diverse enough to speak to all customers regardless of lifestyle. A healthy mix of both, however, will give your customers that localized experience while saving you as much time and resources as possible.

3. Know your solution options (+ which ones your brand needs)

There’s an infinite amount of value your franchise has to offer its customers. Add that on top of your many convenient locations, a diverse range of employees, and audience segments, you’ll find it can be challenging to know how to deliver all this information to your potential customers in the best way.

With so many potential marketing channels to choose from, how do you know which strategies will be most effective? And how can you communicate your chosen strategies’ effectiveness to your franchise managers?

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How to approach it: We’ve broken down the top marketing channels for franchise businesses into a few core pillars. Introduce your franchisees to the following and encourage them to try it for their own benefit:

Search engine optimization

SEO is at the core of any strong marketing plan for good reason—it’s free! Not only do clicks from organic search results come at no cost to you, but with 90% of consumers searching online before making a purchase digitally or in-store, SEO can help each of your locations grow sales faster.

Search advertising

With search advertising, there are now more options than ever for dynamic location targeting at the ad copy and campaign setting level, so your chances of pulling in a click from a select location’s local customer is nearly guaranteed.

how to localize google ads - example of a location assethow to localize google ads - example of a location asset

An example of a search ad for a local Ford dealership.

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Search advertising ensures you’re showing to potential customers when it matters—as they’re searching on top search engines like Google and Bing. Plus, paid search ads can increase brand awareness by up to 80%. If you have a location that’s struggling to pull in new customers, paid search ads are the best route for making it known to potential customers that you’re in their area with lots to offer.

🛑 Worried you’re wasting spend in Google Ads? Find out with a free, instant audit >> Google Ads Performance Grader

Video/OTT

Video marketing on YouTube or via OTT (over-the-top) streaming allows your franchise or multi-location business to create engaging content for exclusively targeted audiences. Even though you may be juggling various locations and customer bases, you can segment your video marketing in hyper-specific ways to ensure each location gets a piece of the pie.

Plus, video marketing can grow revenue nearly 50% faster and pull in 66% more qualified leads per year than businesses that don’t use video.

Display

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Display ads give you a way to target your audience on sites across the web—when they’re not even actively searching for your business. This increases awareness for your brand. If your branch managers notice a dip in sales, display ads could be the solution since consumers who are retargeted via display ads are 70% more likely to convert.

Social

With 3.5 billion active social media users worldwide, it’s no secret that social media marketing is a must if you want to heighten your chances of reaching all the potential customers around each of your locations.

The beauty of social media marketing is that you can get results regardless of whether you decide to go the free or paid route. So if you’re struggling to get all your franchisees on board with one marketing strategy, social media marketing is an accommodating solution with endless options that can fit any locations’ budget (or lack thereof).

Of course, there are additional marketing channels you should consider as part of your strategy. Take a look at all the basics of local marketing to find out what would work for you.

4. Get all locations on board with the right strategy

Speaking of budgets, with multiple franchises, it can be tough to get them on the same page with the marketing spend and strategy that you encourage. Each location has its own needs and budget which you want to accommodate within your recommended marketing plan.

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It gets trickier when you want to save yourself time by creating an easily transferrable franchise marketing strategy that can apply store to store but also is flexible enough to not have one set budget applied.

How to approach it: The first thing you’ll want to look at is all the free and low-cost marketing options available. Small businesses have been doing this for years, but for a larger enterprise, this feels counterintuitive. However, the kicker of franchise marketing is it’s the same concept as local marketing—just multiplied.

When you present your location owners with low-cost or free options, they’ll have no reason to not want to implement them. Some examples could be setting them up with a social media account for regular posts or facilitating online workshops to foster their SEO expertise.

With that said, we know that a mix of marketing channels maximizes your chances of results. Ideally, you’ll want your location managers to get on board with allocating some of their revenue toward a marketing budget. The best way to encourage this is to research statistics to display the ROI if they were to go for it and to provide co-op funds from corporate if possible. For example, paid advertising returns $2 for every $1 spent–a 200% ROI.

It’s helpful to keep in mind that marketing budgets don’t have to be huge. It doesn’t always take a lot of money to make a big impact, but a little can go a long way!

5. Evaluate your options for franchise marketing execution

While some franchises are fine with individual locations running their marketing strategies themselves, others opt to streamline marketing from one central team or group for all locations.

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Both options present their own sets of challenges. If you’re managing the marketing strategies for all locations, you have a big job—you must not only execute a successful multi-channel marketing strategy that includes optimizing campaigns, writing ad copy, and deploying offers, but you have to do that for different areas and audiences.

If you allow franchisees to run their marketing themselves, you have to worry about brand consistency, optimized spend, and a lack of control around results.

How to approach it: It doesn’t have to feel like a lose-lose situation when you choose which route out of the two you want to take. As mentioned above, both managing marketing for your locations versus letting them manage it comes with pros and cons.

To identify what’s best for your brand, we recommend doing a self-evaluation with the following questions:

  • How much extra time do I have to oversee my locations’ marketing strategies?
  • How much time do my location owners have to put into marketing?
  • Would implementing marketing at the location level require any training?
  • What types of marketing channels do I need to have running at each franchise location? Can each location handle those themselves?
  • Has my company struggled with brand consistency in the past?
  • How would I measure the success if I ran the marketing for all franchise locations? How would those locations measure and report on their own success?
  • How frequently would I expect to change up the marketing strategy?
  • Is it easy for me to consistently communicate with all of my locations?

Depending on your answers, you’ll end up leaning towards one over the other. However, if you’re still unsure then that’s totally fine! Another option would be to involve a marketing partner to help oversee your franchise marketing strategies along with you. That way you won’t have all the locations’ marketing on your shoulders, and you can leverage a resource that has every marketing tool needed at its fingertips.

Whatever you decide, finding the right tool to track your marketing across locations and channels will be crucial for measuring success. (We’ll talk more about this in a minute!)

6. Create a strong local SEO strategy

You need to focus on SEO that is both national and local. National often comes naturally to many franchise businesses at this point, but without a strong local SEO approach, you won’t be able to show up for searches when and where it counts.

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How to approach it: The easiest way to complement your national SEO with a local SEO strategy is to include keywords related to your locations within your content—this can be easily done through location pages on your website. The next quick fix for multi-location SEO is to invest in listings management so local listings are accurate for each location to help drive leads. It may seem minor, but 64% of consumers have used Google Business Profiles to find contact details for a local business.

Additionally, try to position your brand as a partner to each of your locations by creating local-friendly blog content. Brainstorm a blog topic that’s specific to each one of your locations, and you’ll save time on your editorial calendar planning while also staying consistent with local content!

You can also quickly research other local businesses to link to for resources within your content to build trust with your local audiences. That said, maintain a friendly presence in your local communities by encouraging location managers to participate in local events to trigger brand awareness for searches later.

example of franchise google local business profilesexample of franchise google local business profiles

This multi-location business has Google Business Profile listings for each store location to fit local SEO needs. 

🔎 Need help finding the right keywords for your local SEO strategy? Try our Free Keyword Tool!

7. Be sure to stand out from the competition (including your own franchisees!)

Franchises have a unique competitor set in that while you compete with other local businesses and large brands, you might also compete with your own locations. For example, you might have two locations down the block from each other that own two completely different territories but could be competing for the same customers. One major hurdle every franchise must jump over is how to run marketing at each location without stepping on one another’s toes—all while stepping on the competition’s toes!

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How to approach it: We can’t stress enough how important geo-targeting is to your multi-location or franchise marketing. Geo-targeting is a way to ensure that one location’s marketing collateral doesn’t slip onto the screens of consumers in another location’s territory. When you run ad campaigns with geotargeting you’re maximizing the overall growth of your business by handing out a fair, even slice of the cake (or in this case, audience) to each store.

As for standing out from the competition, geotargeting can also help here if you want to identify and target their locations too. Otherwise, bidding on competitors’ branded keywords will help to ensure your brand shows when folks are looking for your competition. That way you can sweep the competition’s customers away and bring them to your locations.

google ads location report for location targetinggoogle ads location report for location targeting

8. Solidify reporting for all locations, solutions, AND channels

Let’s get this straight: your business has multiple locations, offering multiple products or services, overseen by multiple managers, marketing to multiple different audiences, through multiple different channels. What a handful!

You don’t have time to loop in hundreds of data points into one performance tracking sheet. You need some way to ensure that all your franchise marketing efforts maintain a growth track with proven KPIs.

How to approach it: For this instance, technology is your new best friend! Take advantage of digital tools that aggregate reporting across platforms, locations, and more to report on what matters. A few things you should ask yourself while scouting a reporting solution include:

  • Do you want your location managers to have access?
  • What performance metrics matter most to your multi-location business?
  • What does a positive performance look like for you at the national level? At the local level?
  • What channels need to be tracked? How will they be tracked consistently across locations?
  • What timeframes will you be looking to run reports on?
  • What types of downloadable or shareable files, if any, will you want for your reports?

9. Educate your franchisees on franchise marketing

You and your franchisees are busy running a national brand at the local level—you all don’t have time for in-person pieces of training on all your marketing technology and best practices! Never mind the fact that gathering the resources to help location owners understand your brand’s marketing plan is a feat in and of itself.

How to approach it: Have fun with it and get creative with your training! You can hold training online after hours to make it easy for all your branch managers to attend.

Another way to make marketing education more accessible across locations is to create various training materials. For example, you can shoot or share quick “how-to” YouTube videos for visual learners. For busy location owners short on time, you can write and email training articles that they can read in bits throughout the day.

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The more training material, the better. If your schedule is so jam-packed you can’t even begin to think about running training or creating training materials, leveraging a marketing partner to facilitate training for you is another great option.

10. Communicate with your marketing partners

You may have one agency helping with social that has a totally different approach than your in-house team managing paid search. Or each location might be working with their own team or consultant. How do you keep multiple teams and marketing partners aligned?

How to approach it: If you’re struggling to keep track of all your marketing solutions, then it may be worth it to find a marketing partner that can bundle all your needs into one. When you leverage a marketing partner that can house all your channels and reports under one roof it’s easier to maintain consistency and performance tracking.

In the meantime, though, communication is key! Be sure to hold regular meetings with your in-house team, your location managers, and your agencies to maintain consistent cohesion across channels.

This is also another opportunity to distribute your style guide to all marketing partners so that there’s no confusion across agencies, marketing associates, or consultants on what your brand’s voice is.

Solve these franchise marketing puzzles today to decode a brighter tomorrow

If there’s one thing we can take away from all 10 of these franchise marketing tips is that the more you can plan ahead and communicate with your locations, the easier your job will be later. Plus, no matter your goals, channels, or audiences, there’s a solution out there that can work for your franchise.

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With a bit of creativity and finesse, you can make your franchise marketing strategy do the heavy lifting for you. Putting in the time to square away your challenges now is worth the time it will save you later.

To recap, here are the top franchise marketing tips we talked about:

  1. Prioritize brand consistency throughout your franchise marketing
  2. Get to know your customers across locations
  3. Consider all your franchise marketing channel options
  4. Get all your locations on board with your overall franchise marketing strategy
  5. Evaluate your options for franchise marketing execution
  6. Ensure your local and national SEO strategies align
  7. Try to stand out from your franchise marketing competition
  8. Be sure to have clear reporting in place
  9. Train your locations on your franchise marketing efforts
  10. Consistently communicate with your marketing partners

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Biggest Trends, Challenges, & Strategies for Success

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Biggest Trends, Challenges, & Strategies for Success

Pay per click (PPC) advertising is a big deal in digital marketing, especially in the retail world. As 2024 heats up, we’re not just talking about simple ad placements and bids; it’s all about smart technology, understanding your customers, and getting creative with your strategies.

Whether you’re a pro in digital marketing or just starting to explore ecommerce ads, keeping up with PPC trends is crucial. This guide is here to help you out.

Contents

Biggest trends in PPC for retail

Let’s dive into the PPC scene for retail in 2024. Things are getting exciting with Google’s ad platform evolving rapidly, especially with its use of AI and machine learning.

Increased use of AI and machine learning

Often, we talk about AI as if it’s one big thing, but it’s more nuanced. AI is the broader concept of machines being able to carry out tasks in a way that we’d consider “smart.” Within this, machine learning is a specific subset of AI that trains a machine how to learn. In the PPC world, this distinction is key.

This year, AI will be transitioning away from merely a novelty. It is becoming smarter, a trend we can refer to as Smart AI. This new phase of AI is more targeted and informed, indicating a significant evolution in how AI systems are developed and applied.

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AI in ad targeting

AI’s role in PPC is about understanding and predicting. It sifts through tons of data to figure out what consumers are looking for, then predicts their buying patterns. This means your retail PPC ads are more likely to show up for people who are genuinely interested in what you’re selling.

Machine learning in real-time optimization

Machine learning steps in to continuously improve how your retail ads perform. It adjusts bids, manages budgets, and identifies trends that you might not notice. It’s like having an assistant who’s always optimizing your campaigns, ensuring they reach the right audience effectively.

Mastering these technologies is crucial for digital marketers in retail. It’s not just about using these tools; it’s about understanding them deeply and leveraging their strengths to boost your PPC campaigns.

Top PPC strategies for retail in 2024

Here are four essential PPC strategies for retail digital marketers:

1. Try Demand Gen campaigns

Recently, Discovery Ads campaigns were automatically upgraded to the Demand Gen campaign type in Google Ads.

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google ads demand gen campaigns

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Demand Gen is more than just an upgrade–it’s a game-changer in winning social budgets for Google. Early testers have shown that Demand Gen campaigns deliver better performance when compared to Discovery Ads. That means more qualified traffic, more conversions, and more growth for your business or clients.

2. Embrace automation and smart bidding with Performance Max

In the realm of PPC, automation is crucial. Performance Max, a feature of Google’s automated bidding system, helps optimize ad placements across various channels. At the same time, new Demand Gen formats on Google platforms are changing the game. By using these engaging and visually appealing ads, you can attract potential customers right at the onset of their search journey.

google ads performance max campaigns - screenshot of performance max ad editorgoogle ads performance max campaigns - screenshot of performance max ad editor

Combining Performance Max with innovative ad formats ensures your ads are not only seen but also resonate with your target audience.

3. Experiment with AI

AI, specifically through tools like FeedGen, is revolutionizing how product feeds are optimized. By employing Google Cloud’s Large Language Models, like Bard, FeedGen enhances product titles, descriptions, and attributes, offering a unique way to experiment with AI in your marketing strategy. For integration instructions, visit here.

4. Explore ecommerce on diverse platforms with cross-channel and omnichannel strategies

Expand your PPC horizons beyond Google Shopping. Embrace the dynamic advertising opportunities on platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram. Each of these platforms caters to different audience segments and offers unique ways to engage with potential customers.

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Integrating these platforms into your advertising mix, alongside traditional channels, creates a holistic and impactful PPC strategy for retail that aligns with the multifaceted nature of today’s consumer behavior.

Implementing these strategies in your PPC campaigns can lead to more effective and engaging marketing efforts, keeping you ahead in the competitive retail sector of 2024.

🛑 Worried you’re wasting spend in Google Ads? Find out with a free, instant audit >> Google Ads Performance Grader

Common challenges and solutions in PPC for retail

Let’s take a look at the common PPC challenges (and the solutions to these challenges) that retail advertisers run into.

Challenge 1: Ad saturation and viewer fatigue

The digital world is awash with ads, making it a challenge for retailers to stand out and capture attention, often leading to viewer fatigue.

Solutions

  • Create unique, engaging content: Develop content that answers potential customer queries, positioning your brand as a solution at the top of the funnel. Focus on being helpful and informative.
  • Try dynamic ad formats and personalization: Use diverse ad formats and tailor your messaging to connect more effectively with your audience. Personalization can help break through the clutter.
  • Experiment and test: Try different creative approaches to discover what resonates best with your audience. Keep your content fresh and engaging.
  • Apply the 80/20 rule: Dedicate most of your content to educate and engage (80%) rather than direct selling (20%). This approach can build trust and provide value to your audience.
  • Be consistent with content creation: Regular updates and new content can keep your audience engaged and interested.
  • Monitor and adapt based on metrics: Regularly check your campaign metrics to understand what’s working. Analyze data like click-through rates, conversion rates, and engagement levels. Double down on strategies and content types that show success. Being data-driven in your approach allows you to refine your tactics continuously and do more of what works best.

google ads benchmarksgoogle ads benchmarks

Take a look at our search advertising benchmarks to see how your metrics compare.

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By combining these strategies, retailers can better navigate the challenges of ad saturation and viewer fatigue, making their PPC campaigns more effective, engaging, and relevant to their target audience.

Challenge 2: Balancing automation and human insight

While automation in PPC is powerful, an over-reliance on it, such as solely depending on Google Ads’ auto-apply settings, can lead to missed opportunities for optimization. Automation can sometimes miss the subtleties that a professional digital marketer can catch.

Solutions

  • Think of AI and automation as assistants, not replacements. As a professional digital marketer, your experience and insights are invaluable. Use automation tools for efficiency but maintain control and oversight for strategic decisions.
  • Regularly review the performance of your campaigns with a critical eye. Remember, the auto-apply settings in Google Ads might not always align with your unique goals.

Your role is to guide these tools, making manual adjustments and infusing your campaigns with the strategic depth that only human experience can provide.

Challenge 3: Measuring and attributing ROI accurately

Accurately tracking the return on investment (ROI) from PPC campaigns can be complex, especially when dealing with multiple channels and customer touchpoints.

Solution

Invest in advanced analytics tools like Google Analytics 4 (GA4), which is designed with privacy in mind. GA4 offers features such as default IP anonymization, region-specific controls for features like Google Signals, and the ability to mark events as non-personalized ads. Additionally, you can set shorter data retention periods and have more accurate data deletion options, including deleting data for individual users upon request.

These features not only enhance privacy compliance but also provide a clearer understanding of attribution models. This approach allows for more effective tracking of the customer journey and helps in attributing conversions accurately to the right campaigns, all while maintaining user privacy.

predictive audience based on predictive metric churchpredictive audience based on predictive metric church

Challenge 4: Keeping up with rapid technological changes

The pace of change in PPC tools and algorithms can be overwhelming, especially for smaller retailers with limited resources.

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Solution

Stay informed about industry trends and updates. Consider joining online communities, attending webinars, or collaborating with digital marketing experts to keep your strategies current.

Challenge 5: Navigating privacy regulations and data restrictions

Retailers are increasingly challenged by the need to balance effective ad targeting with strict privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA.

Solution

Emphasize transparency and user consent in your advertising strategies. Utilize Google’s Consent Mode and adopt a consent management platform to ensure compliance with privacy laws.

diagram showing how google consent mode worksdiagram showing how google consent mode works

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By leveraging contextual targeting and first-party data, you can still deliver personalized experiences while respecting user privacy. Investing in privacy-compliant tools and practices not only builds trust with your audience but also ensures the sustainability of your ad campaigns in a privacy-focused world.

Make the most of your PPC for retail campaigns

Navigating the PPC landscape in 2024, especially in the retail sector, is both challenging and exciting. The key to success lies in striking the right balance between leveraging advanced technology and maintaining the human touch that defines your brand. By focusing on creating unique, engaging content that educates and resonates with your audience, personalizing your messaging, and using dynamic ad formats, you can stand out in a crowded digital space. Remember, it’s not just about catching the eye but also about building lasting relationships with your customers.

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Embrace tools like Google’s Performance Max and AI-enhanced solutions like FeedGen for efficiency and effectiveness, but don’t forget the value of your professional insight and experience. Always be ready to adapt, innovate, and refine your strategies based on real data and customer feedback.

In the fast-changing digital marketing world, thriving retailers recognize the need to adapt, embrace new tech, and stay true to customer values.

Here’s to making your PPC retail campaigns impactful, not just successful!

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