Learn how to navigate the unique challenges and opportunities presented by election years and align your marketing strategies to maintain and boost sales amid the political climate.
Election years bring a distinct set of challenges and opportunities for e-[commerce and digital business founders](glossary-what-is-sent-sms.html) and owners. The advertising landscape becomes increasingly competitive, and consumer behavior can undergo significant shifts due to the political climate. This article provides in-depth insights, practical strategies, and examples to help you effectively navigate marketing during election years.
Election years significantly disrupt the advertising landscape, with political campaigns funneling billions into ad spends. For instance, the 2024 presidential election is expected to inject about $17 billion into the U.S. ad market, increasing competition for ad space and raising costs (Kevin Smith, Mighty Roar). This surge is not confined to traditional media like TV and radio; digital platforms are also heavily targeted, increasing digital ad costs substantially.
In an election year, reallocating and optimizing your marketing budget is crucial. With traditional media channels becoming congested and costly, consider moving your budget towards digital and non-traditional media channels.
Chili's reallocating funds to [social media advertising](new-features-in-2022.html) during the 2020 presidential election proved cost-effective, avoiding the exorbitant costs on traditional media channels (Kevin Smith, Mighty Roar).
Election years see a dramatic increase in digital ad prices, necessitating further precision in targeting. Platforms like Facebook, Google, and TikTok can be used to create precise lookalike audiences, helping narrow down your spend to high-conversion prospects (Kendall Sebastian, Klaviyo).
Owned channels, such as email, SMS, and push notifications, become invaluable for direct customer reach during the high-cost ad season. Personalized and automated email marketing is particularly efficient. For instance, SMS marketing, if done with a considerate cadence, can effectively reach customers with minimal competition from political noise (Klaviyo).
During the election season, consumers face ad fatigue due to the constant barrage of political messaging. Limiting your sending cadence to only the most relevant and personalized messages can prevent your communications from overloading their inboxes (Klaviyo).
In a landscape dominated by often negative political advertisements, crafting upbeat and positive messages can help your brand stand out. This approach can particularly be beneficial on platforms known for political discourse, like Twitter and Facebook (Carnegie).
Automated campaigns can maintain a consistent presence without heavy manual management. Automations (flows) in email marketing can drive personalized interactions, making your messages a sanctuary from the election season's noise.
SMS and push notifications are gaining traction as less crowded channels during election years. With minimal political intrusion, these channels offer direct and timely customer engagement (Klaviyo).
Timing is crucial during election seasons, and adjusting your ad placements to avoid peak political ad periods can maintain your visibility and efficacy. For example, avoid scheduling major ad campaigns or product releases in the 30-day window leading up to the election when political ad spend peaks (SpotOn Digital Media).
Maintaining a neutral yet empathetic tone in your messaging can resonate well with consumers feeling election stress. Emphasizing your brand's community involvement, social responsibility, and customer-centric values without associating with political stances can build a strong, positive brand image (Mighty Roar).
Krispy Kreme's strategy of offering a free donut to customers with an “I Voted” sticker on Election Day successfully combined civic encouragement with brand engagement, promoting a positive and neutral stance (LiftEngine).
Election seasons demand agile marketing strategies. Be prepared to pivot your strategies based on real-time analytics and market shifts.
Brands can implement responsive marketing by tracking real-time campaign performance and adjusting as necessary. Regular testing of subject lines, send times, segments, calls to action, and imagery can help identify the winning formula for your campaigns (Klaviyo).
Navigating the advertising landscape during election years is challenging but manageable with a strategic, flexible approach. By reallocating budgets, leveraging owned channels, crafting positive and relatable messages, accurately timing ad placements, and embracing flexibility, e-commerce businesses can maintain and even boost their visibility and engagement. The key is to stay informed, agile, and consumer-focused, ensuring that your brand resonates amidst the political clamor.
Remember, election years can also provide unique opportunities to stand out if approached with [a well-thought-out strategy](bfcm-email-marketing-examples.html).