5 Ways to Refine Your Marketing and Website Strategies

As the year comes to a close, it’s a great time to reflect on what worked well, identify areas for improvement, and strategize for what comes next. To start, ask:

• How did my website perform?
• Which marketing strategies hit the mark, and which ones missed?
• Is the market aware of the value we provide and what differentiates us from our competitors?

Looking back on these points can help you improve your approach for the year ahead.

Whether you’re focusing on embracing AI, optimizing your website for better crawlability, prioritizing accessibility and privacy compliance, or figuring out how to incorporate video in your marketing strategy, there are actionable steps you can take now to finish 2024 strong and get ready for even greater success in 2025.

Here are five ways to kick off the new year with confidence and momentum:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is more than a passing trend — it’s reshaping how businesses approach marketing strategy. There are a growing number of AI tools out there, and embracing this technology can improve ad targeting, automate customer interactions, and quickly analyze performance data.

Heading into the new year, look for more ways to integrate AI to streamline your marketing efforts and deliver personalized content that connects with your audience.

You can take your AI efforts further by using it to tailor your communications and create offers that match individual customer needs. This level of personalized connection keeps you top-of-mind and can drive repeat business and foster customer loyalty.

For more ways to connect with customers, explore Stellaractive’s digital marketing services to see how we can help you build lasting customer relationships.

In addition to reshaping marketing strategies, AI is pushing us to rethink how we structure and navigate websites. Have you noticed how AI-generated overviews now appear at the top of search engine results? These summaries are created based on content crawled from websites across the internet.

If you want your site featured in AI overviews, your content should be well-organized and include the right signals so it’s easy for search engines to understand your content.

This was one of the reasons we decided to overhaul our website at Stellaractive this year. The goal was to make sure our messaging was clear and accessible so that when search bots crawl the site, they can quickly grasp how different pages connect.

Keep in mind, as prospective consumers increasingly receive answers to their questions in AI overviews, you may see a decrease in website traffic in the years ahead. Don’t let this worry you (too much!). We believe the traffic to your website will be prospects who are deeper in their buying journey and more qualified as a result.

If you want more advice on improving your SEO and site visibility, check out our article on SEO optimization.

Website accessibility compliance is no longer optional — it’s a necessity. Compliance includes having features like alt text for images, keyboard navigation, and screen reader compatibility (and more) to create a more inclusive experience for every visitor.

Making your site usable for all visitors is ethical, and it will increase the exposure of your content while helping you comply with evolving legal requirements.

At Stellaractive, we prioritize accessibility on our website with a third-party service called AccessiBe, an integrated third-party tool that helps automate many processes to keep a site accessible and compliant. It scans websites, makes real-time adjustments, and empowers users with disabilities to adjust the interface to adapt to their needs.

For a deeper dive into the benefits of accessibility and how it ties into broader digital strategies, check out our blog on why website accessibility matters.

As data privacy laws continue to evolve, particularly at the state level, it’s more important than ever that your website complies with the latest regulations.

Laws such as the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and others enacted across the U.S. demand transparency about how your website collects, stores, and uses customer data. Staying compliant requires keeping your privacy policy updated as laws evolve. The good news is that data privacy compliance can also build and maintain the trust of your customers.

One effective way to manage this is using third-party tools like Termaggedon, which Stellaractive relies on for our website. Termaggedon automatically updates your privacy policy as new laws are passed, taking the guesswork out of staying compliant.

This is especially important as more states adopt privacy regulations because keeping up with the changes can be overwhelming. With Termaggedon, your privacy policy remains current and accurate to stay current with legal requirements.

To gain more insights into crafting an effective privacy policy, check out our post “The Importance of a Privacy Policy: Safeguarding Your Digital World.”

Video continues to be one of the most impactful ways to engage with your audience. Does your company incorporate it into its multi-channel marketing strategy? Short-form video, in particular, is excellent for showcasing your brand’s personality, building trust with potential customers, and enhancing consumer knowledge.

Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube allow you to connect with people in a genuine and relatable way. It’s especially effective for breaking down complex information into easily digestible snippets, making it easier for audiences to learn and remember key points about your products or services.

Consider whether these ideas could resonate with your audience:

• Behind-the-scenes, day-in-the-life clips or founder stories to add a personal touch and humanize your team.
• “How To” videos demonstrate how your product solves common problems and can position your brand as a go-to resource in your industry.
• Comparison videos that explain the differences between products or services guide consumers through their decision-making, helping them feel more confident in choosing your brand over competitors.

Experimenting with different video formats now will give you insights into what lands best with your audience, allowing you to create more targeted video content in the future.

While 2024 is coming to a close, any time of year can be a great opportunity to reflect on your business and plan for a better future. Whether incorporating personalized marketing, improving your website’s structure and accessibility, or connecting with your audience through video, the goal is to build momentum and carry it into subsequent years.

If you’re ready to turn these strategies into action, let’s connect — or if you’re a Stellaractive client interested in adding AccessiBe or Termaggedon to your website, give us a call. Together, we can create a website and digital marketing plan to position your business for long-term success.