April, 2022 - Mason Interactive

2021’s Spring iOS 14 update (that we discussed last year) disrupted the Facebook advertising ecosystem, and put the need for Platform Diversity into greater relief.

iOS 14 prompts users to opt-out of tracking; this affects the efficacy of certain (but not all) targeting options. Bottom line: the FB/IG advertising platform is degraded (we can disagree about how degraded) and brands need to diversify their portfolio by trying new platforms, even if there’s risk there. Because the alternative, continuing to reply on FB/IG, is even riskier.

Audiences vs Reporting

There’s an open debate about whether the audiences available to brands have changed more than the in-platform reporting on those audiences. Adrian Padron, V.P of Operations here at Mason, says “Facebook’s inconsistent data has caused dilution of trust. Our clients don’t trust FB’s data. There’s always been a gap between what Facebook reports and the client sees in their CRM, but this gap was usually A) explicable and B) consistent. Now, it’s neither.”

iOS 14 update “reduced the efficacy of Facebook advertising and forced people into different platforms.” With audience data now skewed in Facebook, brands move to different platforms to better reach their target audience. Though, a challenge that we see is customers don’t want to change because they like the ROI and if they try new things and don’t see the same ROI they want to pull the plug.

Most brands are hesitant when it comes to diversifying platforms when they are so used to Facebook, especially when it comes to the ROI they are used to. As Padron adds, “Budgets are a main contributor to clients not wanting to diversify. To get the results you want, you need big budgets per platform. Most clients have a small budget, that if they were split amongst different platforms, would yield no results.”

If clients do not have enough budget to spread, they should re-allocate to SEO. For example, if you have a large social media following try posting about your product or sale. Posts can go a long way for sales. Brands should also have different content per platform. What works on one platform will not yield the same results on another, be empathic to your audience, know what makes them tick, and be specific with your content. SEO will go a long way when it comes to targeting the right people.

When it comes to changing or trying new platforms brands should try it for at least 90 days before they start seeing results. Then try remarketing ads on the same platform. A new platform may be twice the cost but it could yield twice the return. Being patient with new platforms will be key in being successful with them and obtaining the results you want. Another thing to keep in mind is the importance of creative. In the past, AI took poor creative and optimized it to the best it could be. Now brands need creative that cuts through the clutter, resonates, and motivates the consumer to make a purchase with a CTA. Padron adds, “Consumers are used to going on instagram and seeing products they would buy. Which means finding creative outlets to reach people is important. Some outlets people don’t talk about is OTT and OOH.” Find the user in the midst of where they are. Some great examples of brands that have disruptive, creative ads are: Squatty potty, Lume deodorant and Poo-Pourri.

The platform Mason has seen the most success with amongst their clients has been with video advertising such as on YouTube and Tik Tok. As Padron notes, “We started pushing people to Google to diversify, as well as TV impressions and TikTok. We thought the most success we have seen thus far has been with video based advertising platforms. YouTube is the number two search engine with Google being the first. Video ads receive more views, more click-through-rates, and more engagement than other ads. Though not any video will obtain high ROI. Video ads must be tagged, well titled, have good SEO, and that are structured well.

Conclusion

Folks in the office often hear me say that we can’t choose which platforms our customers are on. To survive, you have to get creative and invest in exploring new places to find your customers.

You do not have to be alone when it comes to planning and strategizing for new platforms. Let us help diversify your marketing efforts to increase your sales, reach new audiences and expand your brand awareness. We are here for you!

We’re thrilled to announce that Kelly Stancil has joined a brand new team at Mason Interactive as our first Data Engineer.

With 7 years of experience in data visualization and report management, Kelly joins our agency with a goal to focus in on insights so that clients can better understand customer behavior in an ever-changing digital landscape.

Kelly is from Pinehurst, NC. He spends his free time being a night owl and enjoying the stellar cast & writing of Showtime’s Billions.

“As our agency grows, we know that specialization is becoming more important than ever. We’re thrilled to have Kelly in our Charlotte office as a full-time Data Engineer. This will greatly bolster the service we provide to our media clients.”
Brook Shepard, Founder & CEO of Mason Interactive

Get to Know Kelly

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

Mind compulsion like a vampire, I’d be the world’s best performance coach, fitness trainer, hostage negotiator, possibilities are endless.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what one item would you bring and why?

If it’s a luxury deserted island it’ll be a laptop to work remote because I’m never coming back to the states. However if it’s a non-amenity laced deserted island I’m bringing Jeff Bezos so we won’t be stranded for too long.

What’s your favorite throwback jam/go-to karaoke song?

Favorite Throwback: Usher and Alicia Keys “My Boo”.

Cheers Kelly, and welcome to the Mason family!

First party data refers to user information collected from direct interactions with your brand (email, site, app etc). Owning this data should now be an essential part of your marketing strategy–especially as platforms prepare to sunset 3rd party cookie tracking.

Today’s consumers are shopping online more than ever before, but they’re also more protective of their data than ever before. Despite the increase in user activity, it’s getting harder to tell who these users are and which are most likely to be interested in your products.

Apple’s new iOS privacy features allow users to refuse data tracking. Facebook & Google are moving away from 3rd party cookies. Changes like these mean that it’s up to your business to collect the data you need to understand who your customers are and which acquisition channels are the most effective.

In other words, you need to start collecting first party data.

Understanding First Party Data

Consider first party data the foundation of your marketing strategy from this point on. Since most sites won’t be able to collect the key identifier data, it’s on your business to collect it from your customers and prospects.

Asking users to share your data is challenging, but it’s much easier when the user has an established relationship with your brand. Therefore it’s incredibly important to build trust with your customers in order to collect first party data.

Want Proof? Nike Just Did It

Nike’s share price shot to an all-time high in 2020 thanks to its customer-centered DTC strategy.

The company couldn’t utilize its network of over 900 global stores in the midst of the pandemic, so it instead leaned into what it called a “Consumer Direct Offense”.

“[In] a future increasingly defined by e-commerce, fast-moving trends and, above all, the rising power of branding to drive consumer preference when competitors are just a click away, Nike realized that in order to thrive, it needed to take control of its distribution to better manage its brand and deepen its connection with consumers.”
Inside Nike’s Radical Direct-to-Consumer Strategy, Business of Fashion

Mapping the Customer Journey with First-Party Data

Connecting with your loyal customers is critical, and every single step of your customer journey should be optimized with that in mind. Here’s a helpful video on building trust with your customers and why that matters: