It’s that time of year again: the long-awaited annual John Lewis Christmas ad has hit the screens and Michael Bublé is defrosting as we speak.
Christmas is just around the corner and 2024 is approaching fast – which means there’s no better time to start thinking about how you can improve your digital media strategy in the new year.
In a world where technology and trends are in a constant state of flux, staying ahead of the curve and meeting the needs of your audience has never been more important. As we enter 2024, perfecting your digital media strategy is no longer just an option – it’s an absolute necessity for success.
So, with that in mind, read on to discover our seven essential steps to level up your digital media strategy in 2024 and beyond…
7 ways to perfect your digital media strategy for 2024
1. Plan, plan, and plan some more
First things first, you need to think about what you want to achieve with your digital media strategy. Sure, you might have an idea of who you want to reach, but why? Do you want more website traffic and brand awareness? Or do you want to increase conversion rates?
Determining your key focus is essential to the success of your digital media strategy, so work backwards from your overall goals and let that dictate where your digital media spend should go in 2024.
Once you know your goals, you can begin to tailor your strategy accordingly and set your measurement systems and budget. By establishing KPIs, agreeing on a plan, and setting your budget, you can make sure everyone on your team is aligned on the end goal.
2. Get to know your audience
Next up, you need to get to know your audience and understand who you are trying to reach with your digital media campaigns – that’s where your data comes in.
Who is your ideal customer? What are their needs and pain points? What media do they consume, and when do they consume it? In 2024, if your digital media is going to be effective, you need to go beyond basic demographic information and get to grips with what truly makes your target audience tick.
Understanding everything about your target audience, from their interests to their preferred media channels, allows you to target your digital media accordingly and make sure your campaigns reach the right people in the places you know they will see it. Which leads us onto our next point…
3. Choose the right platforms
Not all digital media channels are created equal, and some channels are better suited for certain businesses and target audiences than others, which is why it’s essential to choose the channels that are most likely to be effective for you.
From display and programmatic media to paid social, addressable TV, digital radio, and even native advertising, there are many different digital media formats to choose from, all of which provide powerful ways to connect with your audience, drive awareness, and achieve your media objective.
For an in-depth overview of the different types of channels available, the benefits of each channel, and how they can help you reach your audience, check out this blog about digital media buying.
4. Use a multichannel approach
It’s not just about digital media – despite the power of digital channels, the most successful media campaigns aren’t driven by digital media alone. Weird, because this blog is all about how to nail your digital media strategy, but hear us out: in 2024, reaching customers through multiple touch points will be more critical than ever before.
Using your data to understand the relationship between different media channels means you can create powerful omni-channel campaigns that deliver results. For example, you could use TV and online video together, or combine cross-media print and digital solutions to empower your campaigns.
By embracing an omni-channel approach and providing a seamless experience across websites, digital media, email, and offline channels, you can boost engagement and drive conversions.
The stats speak for themselves: 80% of people prefer brand experiences that are delivered by blending digital and physical channels, and campaigns combining digital and print deliver 25% higher responses than digital campaigns alone.
5. Create high-quality content
There’s no point in putting campaigns out there which aren’t going to engage with your audience, which is why you need to create high-quality content that is informative and relevant.
Content remains the cornerstone of success for businesses in 2024, which is why you need to make sure that you deliver valuable, helpful, and engaging content to your target audience that resonates with your customer’s interests and pain points.
Better still, in an era where customers expect personalised experiences, you can also use your data to personalise your campaigns and deliver tailored messages to your audience so you can build stronger connections, increase customer satisfaction, and increase conversion rates.
6. Optimise your campaigns
In the rapidly changing digital landscape of 2024, agility and data-driven decision-making are set to be crucial to success, which is why you should also continuously monitor and analyse your media strategy so you can optimise and adapt your campaigns accordingly.
Make sure you utilise your data to gain insights into campaign performance and market trends so you can optimise your campaigns in real-time, get the most out of your media spend, and drive the best possible results from your strategy.
7. Retarget your campaigns for the best results
The hard work doesn’t stop once your digital media campaigns are out the door (sorry)! Once your digital media campaigns are complete, it’s essential to track your results so you can see what’s working and what’s not.
Monitor interactions across different platforms and digital media channels so you can review past performances, assess engagement levels, and hone and refine your strategy over time, allowing you to retarget your campaigns at an effective frequency.
This means you can create the perfect digital media strategy to help you achieve your business goals in 2024 and beyond – and we don’t know about you, but we think that’s a new year’s resolution worth sticking to.
Ready to rock your digital media strategy in 2024?
What makes Join the Dots so different? Well, for starters, we are proud to be data-led and use digital channels to target with pinpoint precision and track outcomes at a super detailed level.
Not only that, but with over 25 years of media expertise, we know everything there is to know about creating powerful, customer-centric digital media strategies that get results. In fact, we’ve done it for some of the country’s best-known brands, such as The Salvation Army, RSPCA, Sky, and BT.
So, if you want to join the digital media dots and create a digital media strategy that works hard for you, get in touch with our team today to find out how we can help.
