As the global economy navigates through unprecedented times, businesses are challenged with the task of keeping up with the shifting consumer behavior. Today, consumers are more conscious with their spending habits, conducting thorough research before making a purchase decision, and exploring multiple commerce platforms. However, implementing change amidst uncertainty can be a daunting task for businesses. Finding the right balance between tried-and-tested strategies and emerging tech innovations can revitalize marketing approaches and drive long-term growth

Marketing at the Speed of Consumers

To keep up with changing consumer behavior, automation tools have become a critical way for brands to meet their customers across digital touchpoints. This enables businesses to capture and convert prospective customers at scale, while controlling customer acquisition costs and tailoring messaging to attract customer attention.

One example of a business that has leveraged automation to drive growth is Estée Lauder in Thailand. Despite being one of the world’s largest cosmetic brands, the company was challenged with keeping up with customer search demand, as new search queries and keyword combinations emerged daily. To address this, Estée Lauder used Google’s Broad Match to automate the identification of consumer’s keyword searches, making their ads more relevant to prospective customers. The company also adopted Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) to find exactly what consumers were searching for on Google, using that data to target its ads and fill gaps in its keyword-based campaigns. As a result, Estée Lauder experienced a 15% return on ad spend, a more than 16% conversion value, and an 11% lift in average purchase size, compared to traditional branded keyword campaigns.

Prioritizing Durable Measurement

Measuring what matters is crucial for marketers, especially during uncertain times. To track results and progress against business goals, businesses need to move beyond traditional proxy marketing metrics and towards measuring tangible business outcomes.

Arizona State University (ASU) had a business goal of enrolling more online students for the 2022-2023 school year than the year prior, no small aim given years of declining enrollment across U.S. post-secondary institutions. To drive this outcome, ASU partnered with Google data scientists to use advanced automation solutions in combination with first-party data to identify people who were most likely to enroll at the institution.

However, to track the results of its first-party targeting, ASU needed to adopt new measurements. The university leveraged Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and adopted Google Tag Manager’s (GTM) server-side tracking. This allowed ASU to measure the results of its first-party targeting, resulting in a 10% increase in observable conversions on their site and an 8% increase in the on-page conversion rate. Adopting GTM tagging also drove a 25%+ improvement in page load time and an 18%+ improvement in the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) position.

Preparing for What’s Next

Preparing for what’s next is crucial for marketers, especially during times of rapid change. Leveraging the tried-and-new approach can help businesses supplement traditional strategies, deliver reliable results, and drive long-term growth. As new tools become available to marketers, they can help businesses reach their target audience at a lower cost and track progress in real-time using privacy-safe solutions. By leveraging automation and prioritizing durable measurement, businesses can stay ahead of the curve and drive success.