Online Marketing Resolutions for 2009

It’s 7 days into 2009 and I have yet to decide on even one solid New Year’s resolution. I should have been thinking about this toward the end of 2008, but I was too busy (idea-simplify). But I like to think of my late adherence to a resolution as my inability to settle on a goal that inevitably will be forgotten or ignored.

I want something really good this year. I want to live 2009 with a new lease on life.

Of course, I’ve thought about the obvious: lose ten pounds, exercise more/join a gym, eat less junk food, be more positive, etc., but I need something that isn’t so daunting; something with a specific milestone along the way that will help me feel like I’m making progress. Also, it needs to be something that is going to make a difference; to me and/or others – beyond getting that stack of jeans in my closet to fit again. I’m still thinking…

What about you? Have you decided what you’re going to do to be a better person/citizen/sister/brother/employee/spouse/fashionista/etc. in 2009?

What about from a marketing perspective? With 2008 behind us now is the time to put our best feet forward and take on this New Year. But it won’t be easy… the recession is forecasted through at least Q3, and that means that for a better part of this year, it’ll be an uphill battle.

So what are some good marketing resolutions? Here are a few to chew on:

1. Make Better Use of Dollars Spent – Make sure you know where your marketing budget is being spent and what ROI you are seeing from those channels. This means ensuring you have solid analytics and reporting in place.

2. Spend More to Make More – It sounds crazy given marketing budgets are being slashed, but it can pay to spend a little more to make a lot more. Consider fine-tuning the campaigns you already have going. Have custom landing pages built for paid search campaigns or invest in quality link building to capitalize on a well-optimized and search-friendly site.

3. Stand by Your Brand – Unless there are some serious pitfalls to your brand, stand by its side. These are hard times but the fact of the matter is erratic decisions will make it worse. Maintain your strong message and keep it consistent through your various marketing channels.

3a. Think about making those messages present in targeted channels like search marketing, social media marketing, and display advertising where your audience is actively seeking or engaging with your brand or related services.

4. Continue Seeing the ‘Big Picture’ – Tough as it can be when you’re staring at a financial statement that would be better off in the trash, try to look down the road at what new things 2009 will have in store for us.

And, as always, take advantage of the wealth of resources put out by the team at Oneupweb. Check out our vast array of digital marketing white papers. Happy 2009!