Happy Women’s History Month!
It’s no longer listed on Google calendar, so celebrating it feels like an act of resistance in itself (among other reasons).
Speaking of resistance:
What’s the deal with customer-centric marketing these days?
Consumer trust is on the down slope
70
of Gen Z
66
of millennials
often fact check the information they read online.*
Only
12
of Americans fully trust search engine results*
Household brand names are abandoning their “values” seemingly without a second thought (not you, though, Ben & Jerry’s — stay strong).
Big Tech is forsaking truth and safety for AI slop and hate despite years of wooing marketing teams with promises of lead generation, customer engagement, and bottom-line boosts to the effect that entire strategies rely primarily on their platforms.
The Center for Intimacy Justice did an extensive investigation on the realities of digital suppression with regard to sexual and reproductive health information.
Of the groups CIJ studied that post on Meta:
63
had organic content removed**
84
of businesses had paid ads rejected**
76
of nonprofits had paid ads rejected**
At least one truth remains: consumers value transparency.
And at least most of us say we can see through the bullshit.
70
of Americans say they can tell when something is AI generated*
(even if said AI slop seems to tell a different story)
Delivering value outside the algorithm.
In my last newsletter (from the before times aka January), I talked about building a trustworthy brand voice and why it matters, but let’s zoom out.
Authentic connection — if that is, in fact, your goal — must be built on more than consistent messaging and tone, it has to be part of the company DNA.
It has to come from the inside —> out and be woven into every interaction, decision, and solution both internally and externally.
This doesn’t have to be difficult. But it does have to be intentional.
I’m an introvert. After years of pretending I wasn’t, I’ve had to reevaluate my approach to connection, personally and professionally. I’ve realized I value more intimate spaces and deeper 1:1 connection vs. appealing to the masses, so my goal is to build an ecosystem that aligns.
This email newsletter is part of it, so is my revived blog (new post linked below!), and so is seeking out in-person events in my community.
Naturally, brands can build more fitting ecosystems, too. Nurturing an audience that’s loyal and engaged is the best defense against the volatile whims of Big Tech, fickle trends, and other unknowns we can’t control.
Instead of:
What’s our IG/Facebook/TikTok strategy?
How do we increase sales, CTR, ROI?
Start with:
What’s true? What’s the goal?
What’s realistic? What’s the roadmap?
Owned channels where you control delivery of the message, the connection to your audience, and access to their data have increased in value.
It’s a great time to take another look at your customer journey and think in more bespoke and creative ways. It doesn’t have to mean abandoning the big platforms all together (unless you want to), but it may mean prioritizing different experiences.
Play to your truths. They are your strengths. Leave room to test and learn.
If you need support in this endeavor, I’d love to help
Reach out to schedule a content audit, customer journey review, or strategy session.
And don’t forget to subscribe to Fresh Ink for quarterly brand strategy insights and more delivered to your inbox.
Thanks for reading! I hope you find some joy today.