Tag: influencers

Top Holiday Marketing Trends for December and Beyond: 2025/2026 Guide

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Written by Shannon Purcell

  • Content
  • Performance Marketing

The holiday season represents one of the most significant periods for brands to connect with customers, drive sales, and build brand loyalty. With the increasing importance of early shopping, mobile commerce, and data-driven strategies, staying ahead of emerging trends is crucial. Here’s your ultimate guide to holiday marketing trends for the 2025 and 2026 season, including actionable strategies to help your brand stand out during the festive season.

1. Leverage Early Holiday Shopping and Record E-Commerce Growth

The holiday shopping season is starting earlier each year, and consumers are beginning their shopping months in advance. In 2024, U.S. holiday sales grew by 4.3% to a record $1.343 trillion, with more than 20% of those sales coming from e-commerce. This trend is expected to continue into 2025 and beyond, making it essential for brands to act early and capture those early-bird shoppers.

Actionable Tips:

  • Launch Early Campaigns: Start your promotions as early as October or November to capture early-bird shoppers. Use teaser campaigns, exclusive pre-holiday deals, and early access offers to build anticipation well before the busy December rush.
  • Create Sneak Peek Content: Generate excitement by giving consumers a preview of your holiday collections with behind-the-scenes looks or early product reveals.
  • Expand Gift Guides: Curate gift guides based on specific demographics or interests, such as “Tech Lovers” or “Eco-Conscious Shoppers,” to target different consumer segments early in the season.

Why It Works:

With more consumers beginning their shopping earlier, you’ll capture a larger share of the market by acting proactively. Early promotions help build momentum, ensuring continued engagement through the entire holiday season.

2. Optimize for Mobile Shopping: The Rise of M-Commerce

Mobile commerce (M-Commerce) continues to dominate, with mobile sales expected to make up 56.5% of U.S. holiday e-commerce sales in 2025. As consumers increasingly turn to their smartphones to shop, optimizing your campaigns for mobile is non-negotiable.

Actionable Tips:

  • Mobile-Optimize Your Website: Ensure your site is responsive, fast, and easy to navigate on mobile devices, particularly for product pages and checkout.
  • Leverage SMS and Mobile-Optimized Emails: Reach customers on the go with SMS marketing and ensure your email campaigns are designed for mobile users.
  • Create Shoppable Content: Use platforms like Instagram and TikTok to make your content shoppable, enabling consumers to buy directly from your social media posts.

Why It Works:

Consumers are increasingly shopping on mobile, and making your content mobile-optimized will ensure a seamless experience, improving conversions and reducing friction in the purchasing process.

3. Full-Funnel Marketing: Engage Consumers from Discovery to Purchase

Holiday campaigns must go beyond simple sales pushes. A full-funnel marketing strategy engages consumers at every stage of their journey — from awareness to consideration, and ultimately, conversion.

Maintaining a balance of upper- and mid-funnel marketing drives better results, ensuring visibility throughout the entire customer journey.

Actionable Tips:

  • Top of Funnel: Focus on awareness by using social media ads, influencer collaborations, and video content to introduce your brand to new audiences.
  • Middle of Funnel: As shoppers move into the consideration phase, provide value with product reviews, demos, and comparison content to help them make informed decisions.
  • Bottom of Funnel: Post-purchase, foster loyalty with thank-you emails, loyalty rewards, and personalized offers to encourage repeat business.

Why It Works:

A well-rounded strategy keeps customers engaged, moving from initial interest to purchase and beyond, which is crucial for driving long-term brand loyalty.

4. Personalization: Meeting Consumer Expectations for Tailored Experiences

Personalization remains a key driver of customer engagement. By delivering individualized experiences, brands can build trust and foster stronger connections with their audience. With the rise of AI and data analytics, this trend will continue to grow in importance.

Actionable Tips:

  • Leverage AI Tools: Use AI-driven product recommendations, dynamic website content, and personalized email campaigns to offer tailored suggestions based on consumer behavior.
  • Target by Behavior: Use browsing history and previous purchases to send customized offers, making your messages feel more relevant to each customer.

Why It Works:

Personalized content boosts engagement, increases conversions, and enhances the customer experience. By giving your audience what they want, you build stronger, long-term relationships.

5. Embrace Sustainability and Ethical Marketing

Sustainability continues to shape consumer purchasing decisions, especially during the holiday season. Brands that demonstrate a commitment to eco-friendly practices and social responsibility can build strong connections with environmentally-conscious buyers.

Actionable Tips:

  • Promote Sustainable Products: Highlight eco-friendly items, sustainable packaging, or carbon-neutral shipping in your campaigns.
  • Support Green Initiatives: Partner with environmental organizations to donate a percentage of your sales to sustainability efforts, and communicate these actions clearly in your marketing materials.
  • Showcase Transparency: Be open about your sustainability practices and the impact of your initiatives.

Why It Works:

Consumers are more likely to support brands that align with their values, particularly those that prioritize the environment. Sustainability builds trust and can help set your brand apart during the competitive holiday season.

6. Maximize the Power of Short-Form Video and Live Shopping

Video content, especially short-form video, is thriving across platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. These platforms allow brands to connect with consumers in an authentic, engaging way during the holiday season.

Actionable Tips:

  • Leverage Short-Form Video: Create quick, impactful videos that showcase products, share behind-the-scenes moments, or offer tutorials and unboxings.
  • Host Live Shopping Events: Engage your audience through live-streamed events where customers can ask questions and purchase items in real time.

Why It Works:

Video and live shopping events are interactive and entertaining, making them highly engaging and effective at converting viewers into buyers, particularly during the busy holiday season.

7. Capitalize on New Year’s Resolutions and Wellness Trends

Once the holiday season winds down, many consumers focus on self-improvement and wellness. Brands can seamlessly transition their messaging to align with New Year’s resolutions, capitalizing on this shift in consumer mindset.

Actionable Tips:

  • Promote Wellness Products: Market fitness equipment, organizational tools, and self-care products as part of consumers’ New Year’s resolutions.
  • Incorporate Motivational Messaging: Update ad creatives to inspire action and goal-setting, reflecting a forward-thinking tone that aligns with the start of the year.

Why It Works:

As consumers set new goals and embrace wellness, aligning your products with their resolutions can increase sales and customer engagement as they look to start the year strong.

8. Utilize Data-Driven Insights for Predictive Campaigns

AI and data analytics are revolutionizing the way brands approach holiday marketing. By leveraging predictive analytics, brands can forecast consumer behavior, optimize inventory, and personalize campaigns to better align with demand.

Actionable Tips:

  • Use Predictive Analytics: Leverage AI to forecast trends, predict consumer preferences, and tailor campaigns to meet demand.
  • Optimize Campaigns in Real-Time: Use real-time data to adjust your advertising spend and messaging, ensuring your campaign is always aligned with consumer behavior.

Why It Works:

Data-driven marketing helps brands make smarter decisions, ensuring campaigns are optimized for maximum impact and higher conversion rates.

How GeistM Can Elevate Your Holiday Marketing

At GeistM, we specialize in creating high-impact holiday marketing campaigns tailored to your brand’s unique needs. From strategic planning to multi-channel campaign execution, our expertise ensures that your brand stands out during the holiday season.

  • Custom Solutions: Tailored strategies to meet your brand’s specific needs.
  • Expertise in Trends: A deep understanding of consumer behavior and emerging trends.
  • Proven Success: A track record of delivering successful campaigns across social media, email marketing, and affiliate marketing channels.

Get in touch with GeistM to make your holiday marketing season unforgettable and start the new year on a winning note.

Personalization doesn’t have to be expensive. Segment your email list based on past customer behavior and offer tailored product recommendations. Use dynamic email content and affordable social media tools to target specific audience segments.

Engage early with social media giveaways, “early access” sales, and interactive content like polls or quizzes. Encourage customers to share their holiday shopping plans to help you build organic buzz.

Integrate both approaches into a cohesive strategy. Use short-form videos to build awareness and excitement, backed up by more detailed content on your website or via email to guide consumers through the consideration phase.

Avoid focusing too heavily on discounts alone — offer value beyond price. Ensure your website is optimized for mobile devices and avoid generic, impersonal messaging. Tailor your campaigns to specific needs and preferences.

Ensure your website is mobile-responsive and create quick-loading, mobile-friendly ads. Use SMS marketing and mobile-optimized emails to reach customers directly on their phones.

Encourage customers to share their holiday experiences or product unboxing through a branded hashtag. Feature UGC on your social media, in email campaigns, or even in your ads, making it authentic and relatable.

Highlight eco-friendly products, sustainable packaging, or charitable donations. Create a “Gift with Purpose” campaign that promotes environmentally responsible gifting options.

Track key metrics like engagement rates, website traffic, and conversion rates in real time. Use A/B testing to optimize ads and emails based on performance data.

Try new formats like live shopping or gamified promotions. Focus on unique aspects of your brand, like customer stories or behind-the-scenes content, to keep your messaging engaging and innovative.

Yes! GeistM specializes in crafting tailored holiday marketing strategies that align with your brand’s needs. Our expert team ensures campaigns are optimized across all channels, delivering real-time results and maximizing ROI.

Beyond AI: The Human Element in Digital Marketing and Advertising

nitantialur

Written by nitantialur

  • Performance Marketing

As artificial intelligence continues to make strides in digital marketing, many believe it will eventually replace the human touch in advertising altogether. But while AI can analyze data, predict behavior, and even automate certain ad placements, it cannot replicate the one thing that remains central to effective marketing: human connection.

The Limitations of AI in Building Trust

Consumers value authenticity. There’s a growing awareness of how AI-driven ads can feel disingenuous. A recommendation from a bot simply lacks the nuance and emotional weight of advice from a trusted friend or fellow human. AI can suggest products based on algorithms, but it cannot tap into the deeper emotional triggers that influence purchasing decisions. Humans understand context, empathy, and the importance of trust in relationships – elements that AI, as sophisticated as it is, cannot replicate.

Take influencers, for example. Their authenticity and relatability are key reasons why they’ve become such powerful figures in digital marketing. When an influencer recommends a product, they’re often seen as a friend or peer offering honest advice. Their audience trusts them because of the genuine human-centered interactions they foster, not because a machine generated a recommendation based on data points.

AI is a Tool, Not a Replacement

Instead of replacing the human element, AI should be viewed as a tool that can support and empower marketers to connect with their audience on a deeper level. AI can streamline the process of identifying target demographics, analyzing consumer behavior, and providing insights that were previously time-consuming to gather. 

But at the end of the day, it’s the emotional resonance and authenticity of the human touch that fosters long-term relationships with customers.

Marketers should focus on using AI to enhance the personalization of their ads while retaining the core of human-driven marketing – the ability to build trust. For example, AI can be used to identify which products are most likely to appeal to a specific audience, but it’s up to the marketer to craft compelling narratives and messages that truly connect on a personal level.

The Future of Advertising: Collaboration Between Humans and AI

Moving forward, the most successful advertising strategies will be those that combine the best of both worlds: AI’s efficiency and data processing power, alongside human creativity and emotional intelligence. 

As AI continues to evolve, the role of the marketer will shift from being a purely analytical decision-maker to a creative leader who knows how to use AI’s insights to craft meaningful and engaging ads.

By blending human intuition with AI-driven insights, advertisers can create campaigns that feel more personalized, authentic, and ultimately, more effective. The future of digital marketing isn’t about replacing humans with machines – it’s about how they can work together to deliver more powerful, personalized, and trustworthy advertising experiences. 

Why GeistM is Built for This New Era

With years of experience driving performance and building brands, we understand that successful marketing is rooted in emotion, storytelling, and connection. Our in-house creative team specializes in crafting personalized, compelling content that resonates with audiences—something AI can’t fully replicate. Built on transparency, authenticity, and trust, we ensure your messaging feels real and connects on a deeply human level.

At GeistM, we’re not trying to replace the human touch with AI—we’re using AI to amplify our human expertise. That’s what sets us apart, and that’s why we’re the right partner for brands looking to thrive in this new marketing landscape.

GeistM: Your Ultimate Performance Marketing Partner

nitantialur

Written by nitantialur

  • Performance Marketing

In today’s fast-paced marketing landscape, utilizing a complex network of strategies and tools is necessary to foster the loyalty of a diverse array of audiences. 

Marketers must continuously innovate and adapt to stay relevant in this ever-changing scene, employing creativity and analytical precision. As a result, marketing strategies are becoming more personalized, aiming to meet each audience segment’s unique demands and preferences.

Digital marketing and performance marketing stand at the forefront of this revolution, each playing a crucial role in the narrative of modern advertising.

What Is Digital Marketing?

“Digital marketing encompasses all marketing efforts that use digital channels, such as social media marketing, content marketing, and search engine optimization (SEO). It’s a symphony of strategies, creativity, and technological prowess orchestrated to create a harmonious connection between brands and their target audience.” 

–Medium

What Is Performance Marketing?

“Performance marketing widely centers around lead generation and conversion. Banner (Display) ads, native advertising, content marketing, social media, and search engine marketing (SEM) are channels of Performance Marketing… To be more particular, it is ‘results-based’ marketing to achieve specific key performance indicators (KPIs) while maximizing return on investment (ROI) and propelling business growth.” 

–Medium 

Performance marketing works very closely with digital marketing. They are intertwined, and you need both to have a successful campaign. Performance marketing is excellent at driving conversions and sales, while digital marketing gets you more brand loyalty and customers that’ll stick with you. Ultimately, amalgamating both can help you succeed. 

It’s difficult for any company to achieve this balance independently, so we recommend partnering with an agency like GeistM to maximize your ROI. 

Who Are We?

GeistM is a leading performance marketing agency that specializes in in-house content and UGC creation for some of the world’s most notable brands.

Our full-service approach allows us to profitably acquire new customers for our clients by creating assets, managing campaigns, and leveraging content data to showcase your brand’s product offerings from a third-party perspective. 

What Makes Us Stand Out?

In-House Content And Creative Team

We couldn’t call ourselves a leading performance marketing team without having a dedicated, in-house content and creative team. Our content and creative team develops UGC-style content, from videos, static images, and articles, that can reach an audience your branded content generally wouldn’t. These teams work together to ensure that your customers know all the benefits of your product even before they reach the landing page. 

Read our UGC vs Influencers Blog to learn more about User Generated Content.

Third-Party Endorsements

At GeistM, we have a network of over 100 publishers  — including several owned and operated websites — that can host our content. This allows us to educate our users on our clients through a third-party perspective, adding an extra level of trust that your branded social handles and landing pages cannot achieve. 

Network Testing

Our team has vast experience testing a wide range of networks. We believe that adding more networks to your marketing mix will help you reach a wider audience. We have formed relationships with representatives from many different networks, so we always know what’s new and what can be tested. From social networks to native networks, we know how to exceed our clients’ goals, and the results from our campaigns speak for themselves.

Within the paid social realm, we test a variety of platforms, such as Meta, Pinterest, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, Nextdoor, and more. We conduct this approach strategically to set our clients up for success. 

We leverage our media spend and partner mix to unlock lower rates and offer testing opportunities you wouldn’t consider. At GeistM, we manage everything for our clients on these networks straight from kick-off, with daily reporting, constant communication, and detailed insights—you won’t have to worry about anything; leave everything to us. 

Read our Why More Networks Equal More Stability Blog to learn more about different networks.

Search Engine Marketing 

No marketing strategy is complete without search engine marketing. That’s why it’s one of GeistM’s core offerings. We take the time to understand your business, research your competitors, and analyze all the data necessary to ensure we help you achieve your goals. 

We use the SKAG strategy (Single Keyword Ad Group) to ensure that each of our keywords captures the highest relevance. Through constant testing, competitor research, and bid management, we are able to leverage high-quality scores to maintain an efficient CPA and acquire new customer growth. 

Read our Why You Should Be Leveraging Google Discovery Blog


A Few Of Our Success Stories

We can give you all the ideas, but we need to prove that our strategies work as well. So here are just a few of our successes. If you want to know more, visit our case studies page. 

Lowering CPA 

CPA, or Cost Per Acquisition, is one of the most common conversation rate matrices in marketing. And each company wants a lower CPA — as low as possible. 

One of our clients wanted to increase conversion volume quarter over quarter while maintaining CPA efficiency to ensure profitable growth. We successfully scaled conversion volume by 16x while maintaining multiple active networks, achieving a CPA 21% below the goal. 

Want to learn more? Read the full case study here 

Incrementality And Acquiring New Customers

Acquiring new customers is essential for any business, but it’s hard to know where to put your marketing spend. The best way to analyze your budgets and make sure you’re spending your money effectively is through incrementality.

We were asked to help a client determine where best to allocate spending. We tested the content funnel across different Facebook placements for three months and discovered Geist’s efforts alone drove an average incrementality rate of 93.6%. 

Learn more: Reading the full case study here

Cultivating Life Time Value (LTV) Customers 

Content is always the basis of brand authenticity, and that’s what we do best here at GeistM. 

So, after noticing customers canceling after the first shipment, a health & wellness client asked for content specifically designed to help with LTV. Our in-house content team created two content pieces that helped educate and alleviate a lot of skepticism about the project. After 8 months, the same month one customers reordered with a 25% retention rate.

Interested to know more? Read our full case study here

Elevating ROAS

ROAS, or Return On Ad Spend, is one of the fundamental KPIs of marketing, and it’s one of the best ways to judge the success of your campaign. 

A US-based vacation rental client approached us looking to achieve profitable ROAS growth. They struggled to maintain CPAs (Cost Per Acquisition) below $120 on Meta. Using GeistM’s performance marketing strategies, we spent $922,894 and drove 9632 new customers for an average CPA of $95 and ROAS of 2.85, which decreased 20.83% over an 18-month period. 

Learn More: Read our full case study here 

GeistM: The Ultimate Solution To All Your Marketing Needs 

Marketing is about trying and testing different approaches to find the right one that works for your brand. It can be hard to figure out what to test and how to test it. This is where GeistM can help. We can maximize your ROI by testing and helping you reach audiences you can’t reach yourself. 

Don’t try to figure it all out yourself. Performance marketing can be a challenge, so contact us today!

Written by: Nitanti Alur

UGC vs Influencers: What’s Right For Your Ads Strategy

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Written by nitantialur

  • Creative

Have you ever stumbled across a social media post that you didn’t initially realize was an ad? Chances are, you’ve been exposed to User-Generated Content (UGC) and Influencer Marketing without even realizing it.

In today’s digital age, authenticity reigns supreme. UGC and Influencer Marketing serve as two powerful tools for brands to connect with audiences in a genuine and impactful way. From unboxing to day-in-the-life videos, everyday consumers and social media influencers are reshaping the way brands are driving engagement and how they’re perceived.

Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know about UGC and Influencer Marketing:

What Is UGC?

UGC (User-Generated Content) is a style of photography and video typically shot using an iPhone, providing an unpolished, authentic vibe. The results offer a glimpse of what a product or service actually looks like in a real-life situation. Rather than deal with the expenses and hassle of a professional photoshoot, UGC is an affordable and successful method of creating compelling assets for social.

What Is Influencer Marketing?

Influencer Marketing involves partnering with content creators who have strong online presences and loyal audiences of potential customers. Think of influencer marketing as mini celebrity endorsements. This strategy can help you build brand awareness and generate more conversions by reaching a variety of audiences. Users can be more likely to convert if someone they follow and admire endorses the product. Because influencers specialize in crafting digital content, they can produce ads that seamlessly blend in with users’ feeds. 

*An important note: Influencers can create UGC-style ads, but not all UGC needs to originate with influencers. 

Read Our Other blog: Could Influencers be the key to great marketing?

UGC vs. Influencer Marketing:

UGC is a highly affordable and agile strategy for brands to create engaging content. Influencer marketing, on the other hand, can require more budget depending on the size of the creator. 

Although UGC is a relatively simple concept, there are nuances and advanced approaches you can take to optimize results. UGC Creators are individuals who specialize in crafting authentic content that can be used by brands in their paid social strategy. They charge significantly less than influencers; with influencers, you’re paying for exposure and the ability to reach a new audience. 

With UGC creators, content is created for your brand, and your brand only — it’s not posted on the creators’ channels. Generally, the brand has full control over what is created based on the brand’s strategy and content goals.  

Influencers are valuable to brands because of their online presence. The bigger the following, the higher the cost, but also the higher the chances a product or service is seen by a new audience. Promoting products in their own distinct style that their followers know and love makes influencers’ content easy to engage with.

Influencers generally post the ads they create to their own personal accounts in order to reach their particular audience. With UGC, brands post the content directly to their own feeds in order to build credibility and trust.

Also Read: The Importance Of Images – UGC Vs. Professional Photos

Which Strategy Is Right For You?

UGC

UGC works well for lifestyle products that consumers use daily. By portraying products in a natural setting, the end result feels more organic and native to users’ feeds. This strategy can also help third-party reviews appear more authentic and trustworthy. 

UGC — whether created in-house or with an agency like GeistM — gives your business more control over the final output. We work with creators to create engaging content based on clients’ needs and goals. From the script to the final edit, creators work closely with our expert team to ensure the final content piece will resonate with audiences.

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is an exceptional strategy for brands trying to break into niche markets. Many influencers focus on one specific topic, like fashion, fitness, food, or wellness. Because their followers share a similar interest, brands can reach audiences that precisely match their desired demographic. When influencers showcase products, consumers can develop a more positive association and intensify their connection with the brand.

Influencers are categorized based on follower count:

  1. Nano-Influencers:1K–10K followers
  2. Micro-Influencers: 10K–100K followers
  3. Macro-Influencers:100K–1M followers
  4. Mega or Celebrity Influencers:1M+ followers

Each of these groups have their own pros and cons. Nano and micro-influencers tend to have more engaged followings and charge much lower rates. Granted, their reach will be much smaller, but the higher engagement rates will make up for it. A recent study found that micro-influencers generate a 6% engagement rate on Instagram, compared to mega influencers’ 1.97% engagement rate.

Despite their high cost, partnering with macro and mega influencers also has a number of unique benefits. The first one obviously being their massive reach — getting millions of eyes on your product is invaluable for any brand. This can be great for quick sales and even garner earned media attention if the collaboration is large enough. 

GeistM Tip: Before partnering with an influencer, always check their engagement rates. Many large creators’ follower counts are not indicative of their actual reach (an account with 1 million followers that only averages a couple of hundred likes on each post is a red flag). So in order to ensure you’re getting your money’s worth, double-check whether their engagement adds up.

Overall, micro-influencers are definitely a more cost-effective option, so we only recommend partnering with macro and mega influencers if you’ve got large budgets or a specific goal in mind.

Key Takeaways:

Why Choose GeistM?

Are you interested in UGC or influencer marketing but don’t know where to start? GeistM is here to help. Our Growth Marketing experts will guide you based on your business and goals. We’ve developed hundreds of marketing strategies across dozens of industries and attained thousands of customers for our clients.

Our in-house creative team excels at creating beautiful UGC that will generate maximum engagement and conversion rates. We also regularly collaborate with UGC creators and influencers to help our clients’ reach specific demographics. With these tailored strategies, we pride ourselves on producing authentic content that drives serious results.

So, instead of struggling to figure this all out yourselves, contact us today!

Written by: Simon Kuflik

Marketing Trends — What’s In, What’s Out In 2024

nitantialur

Written by nitantialur

  • Content
  • Creative
  • Performance Marketing

In the dynamic realm of marketing, staying ahead of the curve is not only a strategy but a necessity. Everything changes quickly; what might be a marketing-must one day is a complete no-no the next — in the blink of an eye.

This new era’s marketing landscape is constantly shifting due to many factors. It’s driven by technological advancements, shifting consumer behaviors, and global dynamics. Adaptation is the name of the game, and you must be prepared to pivot. 

Join us as we reveal what marketing trends we should bid farewell to and which ones we should greet with open arms. 

Are you ready to look deeper into 5 significant marketing trends — in our opinion — that’ll dominate 2024? Let’s dive in.

1. Out With Long-Form Video Content And In With Short-Form Video Content 

Over the last couple of years, it’s evident that video content has taken over and outperforms static images. In fact, 88% of marketers say video is integral to their marketing strategy. And 52% of companies say they create videos to educate their target audience about their products. 

Now that we know videos are a marketing essential, it’s time to figure out the ideal length. 75% of people watch short-form video content on their mobile, and most watch videos with closed captions. Although long-form videos offer in-depth analysis of products or services — which is really educational — they don’t hold people’s attention, especially in the age of TikTok. 

Short-form videos are meant to be around the 17-second mark. They’re designed to be easily digestible content nuggets, ideal for quick scrolling and viewing multiple pieces simultaneously. 

According to Influencer Marketing Hub, 96% of consumers prefer to watch short-form videos when learning about a product or service. While close to a third (30%) of all short-form videos are watched 81% of the way through. So, if your marketing strategy has yet to start using short-form videos, now is definitely the time to start. 

2. Out With Traditional Advertising And In With Sponsored /Native Content 

With digital marketing strategies taking precedence over traditional marketing, techniques like direct mail and print ads are no longer beneficial. We’re not saying that these methods don’t work, they simply don’t resonate with younger generations — they are the future, after all. 

So, what are the alternative methods? Native or Sponsored marketing — both forms of paid advertising. Native ads seamlessly integrate a business ad into the user’s regular reading flow. In contrast, sponsored content is advertising tailored for a specific site or platform. It’s designed to reach a fresh audience, those who would have otherwise never heard about your brand. 

When it comes to traditional ads, you could talk with someone over the phone and gain information about a product or service. But there are better methods. We all hate getting a marketing call when we’re busy or mid-meeting. But sponsored ads provide the same information — or more. Plus, there’s the benefit of actually seeing how the product or service works. 

That’s why according to Hubspot, “more than a third (36%) of marketers plan to increase their investment in native advertising in 2024, and 56% plan to continue investing the same amount.” 

3. Out With Big Celebrities And In With Micro-Influencers 

We’ve all seen posts from our favorite celebrities featuring brands and products that they endorse, influencing us to purchase the product. So we know that the strategy of working with influencers is great for marketing — that’s why influencer marketing is extremely popular. 

Hubspot says, “When marketers collaborate with influencers and industry thought leaders in their industry, they can expand brand awareness and gain fans from the influencer’s own audience.” 

Micro-influencers generally have 10,000 to 100,000 followers, and according to Ad Week, Micro-influencers are “actually attracting much higher engagement and conversion rates than highly influential users.”

Although micro-influencers have fewer followers, they usually value their community and won’t peddle ineffective products to boost their revenue. They’re more open and honest about what they want to achieve from the partnership. And since their voice is more relatable and authentic —  a mom blogger will actually sign up for a diaper subscription in real life. 

This is why “of the marketers who worked with influencers and creators in 2023, 64% worked with micro-influencers, making them the most popular choice for influencer marketers.”

4. Out With Branded Photographs And In With UGC 

We all know how indispensable visual aspects are in marketing. Providing consumers with something to see helps them imagine the product and click the purchase button. This doesn’t have to be videos alone; it can also be still images. 

There are many different image styles, but overall, it comes down to Branded photographs, which are super staged and have impeccable lighting. Then, there’s UGC content, or user-generated content, which is much more genuine and natural. 

We go into detail about the differences between these two in a previous GeistM blog post. But ultimately, seeing real people using the product convinces buyers. According to Hootsuite, “60% of marketers agree that authenticity and quality are equally important elements of successful content. And no other content type is more authentic than UGC from your customers.”

UGC is important in the final stages of the marketing funnel because it makes users feel like their money is going to the right place. “Nearly 80% of people say that UGC impacts their decision to purchase, making user-generated content and social commerce a match made in heaven.” 

So, make sure that your marketing funnel has some UGC — you can even get a sample of the product you’re advertising and take the images or videos yourself. 

5. Out With DIY Marketing And In With GeistM 

Finding the optimal marketing strategy for your business can be tough. It requires a lot of testing and experimenting to figure out what can help your brand the most. It’s not just start-ups that are struggling to find the right strategy; even big brands can miss out on certain aspects that could have boosted their campaigns. 

Rather than trying to figure out a marketing strategy for yourself, put your trust in us, and we’ll do it for you. Here at GeistM, we can create a marketing strategy that’s completely customized to help you achieve your goals. 

We’re a marketing partner with owned and operated media sites. With our expert content team, we provide full-service direct-response content marketing. And our amazing in-house creative team work hand-in-hand to develop high-quality and engaging visuals to boost your brand. 

By choosin GeistM, we can identify the perfect marketing strategy for your brand, keep up with trends, and help your business grow. So contact us today!

Written by Nitanti Alur