Three Resolutions That All Marketers Should Adopt in 2019

Written by: Tom Murray | Managing Director, Agency

It’s 2019, which means another year is in the books, and the typical posts about resolutions and things to change in 2019 are being posted everywhere. I don’t know about you, but historically holding onto resolutions has been extremely tough, so I wanted to share a few resolutions that I think are easy enough for marketers to adopt, while also being extremely impactful to their clients, careers, and job performance.

Resolution #1: Stop Relying ONLY on Facebook & Google to Drive Business Results

According to eMarketer, Google & Facebook in 2018 will have accounted for nearly 60% of all digital advertising spend. While these two placements are often the top two performers in a given media plan, that does not mean the other channels that exist out there are not strong performers themselves. I would call these other channels “misunderstood”. The channels I am referring to are channels like YouTube, the Google Display Network, and the native content partners of Yahoo Gemini, Taboola, and Outbrain.

These partners have driven great success for Jump! Clients in 2018 and we see nothing but a positive upward trend for these channels in 2019. If you’ve tested these channels before without success, give them another shot in 2019. The channels have made vast improvements and strides in their algorithms, machine learning capabilities, and optimization power. You might be surprised, so just take the leap and ensure you test other channels this year!

Resolution #2: Stop Relying on Archaic Measurement Systems And Start Critically Thinking

It’s 2019, so let’s start measuring campaign success like its 2019 and not 1999. Last click measurement has been on its way out for the past half a decade, and yet many clients are still hooked on it like a drug. Use 2019 as your year to break away from this form of measurement and start looking at the real conversion paths that users actually take. According to Nielsen, users visit at least six sites before making a purchase decision, and depending on the buying cycle, users may need to be exposed to 10s if not hundreds of ads in order to convert. Let’s not be fooled that every digital ad should cause a sale right away in the impulse of the moment. Take a step back and ask yourself if this is how you personally buy something online or in the store? The answer is almost always “No”, so why should we measure our success based on this unlikely conversion path of “1 ad, 1 click, 1 purchase”? Instead, let’s take all of the troves of data that we have access to, come together as smart people in a room, and critically think together to come to an answer.

Resolution #3: Unplug For At Least One Day Each Month

This is a personal goal of mine in 2019, as the number of days I’ve 100% unplugged over the past six years  I can count on just a single hand. Burnout is a real thing, and no one is immune to its effects. In order to increase your job performance as well as your happiness in life, taking a step back and relaxing can be the best thing to do. You will get less work done (zero) on the day you take off, but you’ll see productivity boosts on the other days to more than make up for it, while ensuring your brain gets and body a chance to recharge.