How to Refresh Your Marketing for the New Year
- SBC
- Apr 8
- 5 min read
New year, new you! It's that time of year when everything we see is trying to convince us we could be better. And while I don’t agree with that idea when it comes to weight loss or beauty standards (like it usually does) I can get behind it for marketing.
As the new year approaches, it's a perfect opportunity for businesses to reevaluate and refresh their marketing strategies. A fresh look allows you to align your messaging, update your tactics, and set clear goals for the year ahead.
Review the Past Year
Before looking ahead, take a moment to analyze what worked and what didn’t in the past year. Use metrics like website traffic, conversion rates, email open rates, and social media engagement to gauge your performance. Identify campaigns that resonated with your audience and pinpoint areas for improvement.
Which channels do your audiences like best?
Did your target audience evolve or change?
Did you see more or less business?
It’s not just about the cold hard numbers, though. How did last year feel for you? Look back and think about these questions:
Was I too busy or not busy enough?
Did I get burnt out or overwhelmed?
How much rest did I get?
Did I have enough fun last year?
What did I do to take care of myself?
Think about what you can do to make this year even better!
Is Your Brand Still You?
Do a check in with your brand and make sure it still aligns with who you are and what you want to accomplish. Look at your logo, colors, and tone of voice. If your audience has changed, the look and feel of your website might need to change, too.
Update Your Content Strategy
What kind of content are you putting out, and is it serving you? Maybe you’re tired of social media and want to concentrate on a newsletter instead. Maybe you hate writing blogs, but you love making Reels. What about a podcast?! Change it up and see what happens. The important thing is that you’re making content that is super helpful for your clients, and that you enjoy (or at least don’t hate) making.
Don’t forget that re-purposing old content is an easy way to make a lot of content without starting from scratch. You most likely have topics that you have new takes on, information or advice that has evolved, and subjects you haven’t talked about in a while. Use what you already have!
While it’s helpful to pay attention to trends and what kind of content is popular, it’s more important that you have clear, useful information in the places your audience hangs out. Algorithms change overnight and what worked last month might be old news next week. Not to mention that any platform could be gone in a snap! (Possibly RIP Tik Tok.) Don’t put all your eggs in one Instagram basket.
The Technical Stuff
Part of your yearly marketing check up is to make sure your website and social media accounts work the way they’re supposed to and say what you want them to. Make it as clear and easy as possible for someone to browse your site or learn about you on LinkedIn.
How fast does your website load? The internet is so much faster than even 15 years ago, but I still go into a rage if I have to wait more than five seconds for something to load. We’ve all gotten used to super fast internet speeds and a slow website will cause people to bounce.
Is your website mobile friendly? For better or worse, we’re always on our phones. Most people check email, look at social media, and pull up websites on their phone. If your site formats weirdly or cuts off on a phone, chances are that person won’t remember to look you up when they get back to a computer.
Is your information on your website still correct? Check that your contact information is up to date. Make sure your services and prices are still correct. It’s the little things that we mean to change and then forget to.
Do your links still work? Having a dead link, or a link that goes to the wrong place is frustrating for visitors to your website. And it doesn’t look professional. Go through each link and check to make sure it’s still good. Or better yet, enlist the help of a friend to go through your website and test it for accuracy and flow.
Update your social media profiles. Just like on your website, you want the information on your social media pages to be up to date and accurate. But it’s not just accuracy you want—you also want your social media profiles to reflect your practice and what you can offer clients. Make sure it’s clear, concise, and relevant!
Clean up that email list! Getting rid of emails that consistently bounce helps your emails get through to the people that actually want them. It’s even helpful to send out an email letting people know it’s ok to unsubscribe if they aren’t interested in your content anymore. Unsubscribes are part of the deal—don’t take it personally. And a more streamlined, engaged email list makes it more likely that your emails don’t get relegated to the dreaded spam folder.
Going through and cleaning up your website and social media once or twice a year keeps things feeling fresh. And you’re consistently improving the look and feel of your marketing, letting you serve your clients more fully. It’s also nice to reconnect with what you’re putting out in the world, and make sure it’s still authentic to you.
Let’s hear it for the new year!
About the Author:
Sara Ray is a copywriter crafting feminist and inclusive copy for sexual health and wellness businesses. Using her experience working in sex-positve spaces, she writes meaningful, informative, and relatable content that helps you reach more people.
Whether you need marketing materials, website content, or emails, Sara creates copy that resonates with your client base and clearly articulates your message. She believes strongly in the need for intersectionality in social justice and is committed to trans-inclusion and anti-racism in her business.
She is a book nerd, a DnD enthusiast, and a Leo.
To view Sara's Special & Exclusive offers to SBC members - visit:
Important Notes About Guest Blogs
Guest articles published on our platform are shared as submitted, without edits for punctuation, style, or content, and are not fact-checked. Their publication does not signify endorsement by the Sexperts Business Community. We encourage members to approach these articles with discretion, think critically, and evaluate the perspectives shared. If you have feedback or questions, we recommend reaching out directly to the writer. While we believe in freedom of speech and trust that our guest bloggers and partners contribute with the best intentions, we remind everyone to engage respectfully. Disrespectful or harmful behavior, including rash judgments or negativity, will not be tolerated in our community. Let’s foster a space of thoughtful dialogue and mutual respect.
Comments