Marketing is no longer what it was even a year ago. As technology, platforms, and user behavior continue to shift, businesses that fail to keep up are losing both money and customers. Yet, many companies rely on the same tools, strategies, and platforms they’ve used for years. Just like we’ve seen with post-COVID workplace changes, marketing has entered a new era: one where data, adaptability, and intentional action matter more than ever. If your marketing hasn’t changed since 2020 or 2024, it’s time to reassess.
The audience you built may no longer be where you’re speaking.
You need to assess who your ideal clients are: those who are buying your products and those who you want to buy your products. Then take a hard look at where you do your social media marketing. Your followers might still be on Instagram, but are they the ones buying? Younger audiences live on TikTok. Professionals are spending more time on LinkedIn.
If you’re marketing where your audience used to be, you’re spending money and time on content that’s likely being ignored. You need to track the demographics of the platforms you’re on and respond to the changing landscape, not just stick to what feels familiar. It’s easy to get into the set-it-and-forget-it mindset, but if engagement is down, you’re losing the top of your sales funnel.
AI is a tool, not a strategy.
We’ve all seen AI-generated content in marketing. When it supports the marketing work, it can be a time-saver and idea-maker. However, easier marketing can quickly become low-effort marketing.
AI can help with brainstorming, drafting, and even visual creation, but it doesn’t know your brand voice, customer pain points, or strategy. Think of AI as an intern: helpful and fast, but in need of training and supervision. It’s a great support tool when combined with the knowledge and expertise of a marketing professional.
Marketing that’s never launched won’t help you.
We’ve seen it time and again: Businesses delay launching campaigns because it’s not perfect yet. They rewrite captions, redo videos, and overanalyze strategy. Meanwhile, competitors are gaining visibility simply by showing up consistently. The exact definition of “Don’t let perfection be the enemy of the good.”
Marketing is a long game. You don’t need to go viral to win; you just need to keep showing up. Don’t wait for flawless. Publish the post, share the story, send the email. You can’t improve what doesn’t exist. Momentum is vital to digital marketing. The sooner you can get out there, the sooner you can build the momentum.
It’s understandable to be conservative as a business owner and not adopt technology and platforms until they mature. But that time has come, and your marketing has to catch up. Your audience expects relevance, responsiveness, and authenticity. If you or your team don’t have the skills to perform market research, navigate AI tools, or adapt your platform strategy, you need to develop them. Or bring in someone who can. The cost of inaction will be much greater than the cost of change.
