Top 10 Pitfalls in Performance Marketing
Jason Katz • January 10, 2023
Building a highly functional performance marketing program is complex. It takes expertise, commitment, focus, investment, time, and patience. After working on so many - building from scratch, accelerating, and/or re-building - we’ve encountered common pitfalls that can be observed to fortify or rebuild yours.
1) Ineffective alignment on goals
Stakeholder alignment on goals is critical to enable focus, streamlined operational dashboards, and constant improvement toward what matters.
2) Lack of reliable analytics & attribution
These are the pulse of your business; get full access and control to keep them timely, accurate, comprehensive, and actionable with limited visibility to third party channels.
3) Over reliance on Google, Facebook, and LinkedIn
By diversifying the marketing channel mix, reap the benefits of other channels in social, search, and beyond such as TV, programmatic, podcasts, radio, direct mail, affiliate, influencers, and direct buys.
4) Poor use of machine learning
On social and search platforms spanning audience setup, budget allocation, and timing of campaign changes, dive in and maximize machine learning benefits.
5) Creative that doesn’t inspire or build brands
Every well throughout and researched impression brings an opportunity to capture awareness, build brands, and sell through thumb stopping, eye catching, and memorable creative.
6) Conversion funnel isn’t optimized
Generating demand and converting it into profit is a journey. The faster and more effective that journey, the higher the return on ad spend.
7) Untapped community and partners
When customers genuinely appreciate products, they tend to enjoy spending time with others who feel the same. They’ll join social groups and/or communities. When there is overlap in communities, the best business development and co-promotion programs are possible.
8) Incomplete digital footprint
A company’s digital presence is comprised of a high-performance digital properties, vibrant social pages, differentiated authored content, meaningful PR announcements, and high quality referral links from diverse sites incl industry and news publications that depict a consistent brand position
9) Under-investing in brand building
Long term revenue growth requires brand building. While prospective buyers at the bottom of the funnel are low hanging fruit, they’ll dry up without it.
10) Insufficient engagement with and value for existing customers
Customers provide invaluable feedback and can be your biggest advocates when they’re taken care of. Address their issues, release features they want, help them win, and say thank you.
