The concept of agile has been embraced by marketers as both a marketing method and a strategy. Can you adapt your marketing using agile?
Agile has evolved as a marketing tool. What was once a key attribute of agencies’ marketing has become a central part of the agency’s business in recent years.
Agile is about testing, iterating and learning. These principles are core practices and the foundation of Agile.
Failing quickly
Fail fast. The idea behind this concept is that you should always test. When things don’t work, drop them quickly. Your products can be scaled up or distributed to a wider audience.
Although it may seem negative, this phrase is actually true. The beauty in failing lies with efficiency. When you fail quickly, you’re actually assessing quickly. By throwing out what does not work, you can save money and time. If the campaign or feature doesn’t fail, then you’re ahead of the game since the work is already in-market.
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Take a test drive and make a purchase in the market
No matter the destination of their work, many Agile campaigns launch on social media. Targeted purchases on Meta platforms like Instagram and Facebook can be sufficient to give you an instant reality check as well as help develop a visual strategy or messaging approach or creative direction.
The real-time data of engagement is provided by comments and reactions. They provide immediate information which will allow you to determine if there are any optimizations or scaling needs.
What Matters Most: The Metrics
In-market testing reveals what works — and what doesn’t — in a fast, effective way. Which metrics are most important? To measure barometers’ effectiveness, it is crucial to utilize metrics that are true to consumer behavior and real reactions.
They can be more valuable than surveys or customer focus tests. Real-life behavior often doesn’t match up with verbal responses. Actual actions — like clicks or purchases — are always more accurate and valuable.
One key indicator for testing messaging in the marketplace is engagement. This allows you to take action and reveals the core message’s true reaction.
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How can you adapt to the new platforms or networks?
Every month new platforms and ads networks are introduced. These platforms may not be the next big thing. However, many do find an audience. It is not possible to know if the audience you are targeting is really yours.
It is possible to test this in small budget markets. It’s easy to learn and let it go. Define a measure of success that’s meaningful to your objectives and unique to the platform. These metrics will be met or exceeded if you scale up. If not, get out fast and move budget back to the platforms you’ve already proven.
Digital Marketing Budgets Balanced in Different Channels
Not all brands work well on every platform. This could put future budgets at risk if it isn’t discovered in the campaign wrapping up report. Here agile principles can also be useful.
Start by testing the effectiveness of your messaging and creative using the most cost-effective channels. Once you’ve established campaign assets, your media plan can be easily modified for higher-end platforms. You can easily measure these assets across many platforms with very small budgets. You can scale where there is improvement. Don’t let your discouragement stop you from making progress.
What’s Next for Agile Marketing?
Agencies and brands are increasingly adopting agile marketing strategies. Because it allows consumers and marketers to move at the exact same speed, agile marketing will become the norm. The “speed of life” is fast, and marketers need to think in those terms.
Customers hold the power. Marketing professionals are no longer capable of spending long planning cycles and fully-cooked campaigns to ensure that their marketing efforts work. It’s too slow, too risky and too expensive. It isn’t a value for philosophy. Adaptability can bring brands tangible, real value.
