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Naturally at the beginning of each year we look back and reflect on the year before. In many ways, 2021 was just as disorienting as 2020. However, we walked into 2021 fully knowing what we were getting ourselves into. And it wasn’t all bad. In 2021 we were able to take all of the strange, unwanted lessons learned from 2020 and really learn to thrive in another “unprecedented” year.
So what did the RedShift team learn? Here are a few of our lessons learned in 2021.
Some core marketing principles never change
The pandemic has changed how the world does business. More shopping is done online than ever before. Most in-person trade shows and large meetings are a thing of the past. Combine these challenges with seemingly constant Google algorithm updates, changes to how we can target audiences and what can be advertised. The rules of marketing will never be stagnant.
However, the importance of authentic content will never change. Capturing a brand’s message authentically and showcasing where our clients are absolute leaders and authority figures in their space will always be valuable. No matter what form the content takes and how it is distributed, quality content is always essential.
Don’t put all of your eggs in the Facebook basket
Facebook is constantly changing the rules when it comes to paid advertising. In the past year or so the platform has made changes to who we can target, what we can advertise, and how we can measure return on investment. While Facebook is still an option when it comes to advertising channels, it is not the only player. Our clients have been seeing success advertising with LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, and more.
Local SEO is still important
The pandemic has made local SEO more important in many ways. Despite the entire world turning to their Amazon Prime memberships in 2020 and 2021, local searches continue to grow year after year. There is a growing number of consumers looking to support small businesses and businesses need to rank in those local searches.
Small business websites and Google My Business (GMB) profiles also need to be updated to reflect changes to business hours, pandemic policies, etc. Offering only take-out during the week but dine-in on Friday and Saturday? Make sure it’s on your website and GMB profile!
Measurement is more important than ever
The past year has brought a lot of changes and 2022 will continue to do so. So how do you ensure the marketing tactics that performed in 2021 are still delivering results in 2022? Measurement. Continuously measuring results allows you to change course quickly to stay on track to reach your goals.
The importance of maintaining a positive, remote work culture
The team continued to grow in 2021. Despite the challenges of working remotely, the Redshift team is still close and friendly. We may be working in our home offices but we do not feel isolated in our roles. We’ve been able to do a great job making our team members feel valued and connected despite being remote.
We have all-team meetings twice a week to discuss work and the fun stuff we are all doing outside of work hours. We share what shows we are binging, what we are cooking, recent home projects, and more.
Once a week everyone gives out “high fives” to team members who really went above and beyond.
We send a lot of GIFs.
Like most companies, we turned to virtual parties and happy hours to keep everyone interacting on a personal level. However, we of course take it up a notch and use reindeer games and icebreakers to keep everyone engaged.
The importance of maintaining positive, client relationships
Coworkers are not the only relationship that needs to be nurtured while remote. We need to bond with our clients too. Despite in-person meetings and working lunches having been replaced by video calls and emails, we still want to get to know our clients. At RedShift we always see our client teams as an extension of our own. So it makes sense to focus on communication with our clients, both on professional and personal levels.
And when all else fails… Embrace the change!
Technology has allowed us to continue to support our clients and deliver results all while working remotely. Sure, our business looked different in 2021 than it did in 2019. But by embracing technology and change, many businesses were able to adapt and stay ahead despite the pandemic.
