As 2022 begins, it’s time for many retailers to reflect on the year behind them. For many, it’s hard not to think about all the changes in the advertising industry that have hit as a result of iOS14/15 privacy changes. Without a team of performance experts at hand, for many, it was challenging to navigate so many ad policy adjustments. For others, the affects of the pandemic have changed where advertisers have chosen to spend their money.
One of the biggest shifts we have seen this year is a great demand for performance marketers. While StitcherAds’ offers both managed and self-service options, all of our clients have utilized our in-house experts at some point in time. From creative, to data, to media services–the team has been hard at work to help advise and guide retailers on best practices, creative testing, and even trialing some of the newest ad innovations (some before they’re released for the masses).
I recently sat down with three StitcherAds team members to discuss how our service organization helps retailers to achieve their performance goals.
- What does the landscape look like for performance marketers in the eCommerce and Retail industries?
- eCommerce is still a new concept for many brands, with % of e-Commerce sales to total Retail being less than 20% in the US according to the US Department of Commerce and JPMorgan. As this number grows and e-commerce penetration gets closer to 50%, more brands are seeking to bring in-house performance marketers to execute or manage agency relationships. We will continue to see the demand for performance marketers grow and I predict this demand to continue well through 2030, but with a potential shift in focus towards digital goods.
- How do you help your managed service team strategize to get great performance?
- We help our clients with KPI-first planning, curiosity-driven ideation, and consistent attention to detail.
- What is the biggest ask you get from managed service clients?
- Translate raw data into the actual story that resonates with senior leadership. We need to be the expert in the room who can challenge the conventional wisdom that regularly plagues effective media buying.
- Why is it challenging for retailers to hire performance marketers?
- As someone who started in-house, the biggest issue retailers have is finding the right person at the top who fully understands the changing social market and can hire the appropriate people with a strong background. For years, social was preserved as something they needed to do to check a box but not a real revenue driver. This has led to people who are oftentimes, inexperienced or not passionate about social. This leads to companies hiring people without the right backgrounds and not having the internal capabilities to get them up to speed.
- How do you help your managed service team strategize to get great performance?
- I am hyper-focused on creative testing and design. Finding new layouts and styles can help improve CTR’s, CPS’s, CVR’s, and ROAS/PA.
- How does Creative Services help to elevate retailers’ brands?
- We help clients break through the clutter by allowing them to take a typically bland white background image and enhance it by injecting brand elements, color, motion, price, etc.
- How does Media Services help to elevate retailers’ brands?
- I am regularly analyzing data for trends and insights that can help innovate strategy. Additionally, I am tuned in to the hurdles and headwinds brands face to ideate solutions that not only drive performance but solve business challenges.
- What are the benefits of working with StitcherAds Managed Service Team?
- You’re supported by a Client Success team that is in the top percentile of media buyers and strategists who are also supported behind the scenes by industry-leading specialists in Strategy, Creative, and Data. Partnering with StitcherAds means you have an extension of your team to help provide insight into industry trends and counsel on navigating the ever-changing landscape of digital advertising. Lastly, we work with some of the biggest brands and advertisers in the world, allowing us to maintain an advantageous pulse on shifts in strategy, consumer behavior, and innovation.
- What is the biggest ask you get from managed service clients?
- The clarity of trends and performance that is not received working independently or working with partners who are not transparent with their insights.
- How does Creative Services help to elevate retailers’ brands?
- Our creative team produces assets that drive conversions by marrying Brand with Performance. Unlike other vendors, the StitcherAds Media team has perfect synergy with the Creative team to ensure data-driven insights are shared that drive ideation, execution, and iteration.
- Can you share a recent managed service success?
- Navigation of iOS14 disruption – our managed services team was nimble in innovating existing strategy to mitigate disruption, and in some cases drive better performance YoY/QoQ. While many brands were in the dark about best practices and solutions post iOS14, our managed services team leaned in to provide education and in some cases pivot to drive better performance.
Thanks to Jason, Bryan, and Jonny! We pride ourselves on our white-glove service. If you would like to learn more about StitcherAds Services, please reach out. And of course, if you’re a performance marketer looking for a change, we are always looking for talented people. Check out our career page.
