Marketing in 2023: 5 New Advertising Platforms

Contents:

• Contextual advertising in Yandex.Direct: what advertisers need to know
• Alternatives to video advertising on YouTube: new opportunities
• Problems with Instagram* and Facebook**: Alternative platforms for content promotion
• How to save marketing service data before a possible exit from Russia
• Brief overview of changes in digital marketing

Contextual advertising in Yandex.Direct: what advertisers need to know

As of March 4, 2022, Google suspended advertising services in Russia due to the challenging geopolitical situation. This decision covers both search advertising and affiliate networks. The duration of this suspension remains indefinite, creating uncertainty for both advertisers and users. Amid such changes, companies and marketers are forced to seek alternative promotion methods and adapt to new market realities.

In today's environment, advertisers who need contextual advertising can consider switching to the Yandex.Direct platform. This system offers the opportunity not only to transfer existing advertising campaigns from Google Ads but also to develop new, effective promotion strategies. Yandex.Direct provides broad access to your target audience, significantly increasing your business's online visibility. To successfully migrate campaigns from Google Ads, you need to follow several key steps. First, carefully analyze your current campaign settings and structure. Next, export your Google Ads data in a suitable format to preserve all key parameters, such as keywords, ads, and targeting settings. After this, you can proceed to importing the data into the new advertising platform, ensuring all elements are configured correctly. It's also important to test your new campaigns to ensure their effectiveness and functionality. Optimizing the transfer and monitoring the results will help you achieve the maximum effectiveness of your advertising efforts.

• Open Google Editor and upload the campaign in XLS/XLSX format;
• In Yandex.Direct, select "Manage with Excel" in the "Tools" section;
• Go to the "Upload" tab, select the file, and click "Create a new campaign."

After a successful upload, you can manage your advertising campaign as before. Repeat this process for all campaigns that need to be adapted for the Yandex.Direct platform. This will allow you to optimize your advertising efforts and increase the effectiveness of your advertising budget.

Creating a new advertising campaign is done through the Campaign Wizard, which is similar to Google's Smart Campaigns functionality. This tool allows you to enter information about your business, create multiple ads, and the platform's algorithms will help you identify and attract your target audience. This process is optimized to improve advertising effectiveness and achieve your business goals.

If you're planning to return to Yandex.Direct, it's important to familiarize yourself with the latest changes and recommendations. In our collection, you'll find up-to-date information on the effectiveness of the Campaign Wizard, the specifics of new strategies, and the impact of synonyms on your advertising budget. These tips will help you effectively set up your advertising campaigns and avoid common mistakes that can reduce their effectiveness. Updating your knowledge of Yandex.Direct will allow you to optimize your costs and improve your advertising results.

Is it possible to quickly master Yandex.Direct? According to Ilya Iserson, owner of the marketing agency MOAB, it's impossible to quickly learn this platform from scratch. While setting up a campaign may take a little time, predicting its effectiveness without sufficient experience is extremely difficult. Contextual advertising requires significant knowledge and practical skills. At MOAB, training lasts six months, and specialists prepare to work independently on simpler projects for 9-12 months. This emphasizes the importance of a deep understanding of the platform and accumulated practical experience to achieve successful results in contextual advertising. What does the future hold for auctions? Ilya Iserson believes that the cost per click will increase. This is due to a number of factors, including increased competition among advertisers, changes in search engine algorithms, and growing interest in online advertising. These changes could lead to higher auction prices, which in turn will impact companies' marketing strategies. Advertisers need to adapt to new conditions to effectively manage their budgets and improve their return on investment.

• An increase in the number of advertisers switching to Direct, which creates increased competition and heats up auctions.
• Financial measures, such as cash handouts to the population, which can increase consumer demand and, consequently, prices.
• The ongoing global inflation cycle, which will lead to higher prices for all resources, including advertising services.
• Problems with the supply of new equipment and servers, which will also affect advertising costs.

Ilya Iserson emphasizes that there are no universal recommendations for combating rising traffic prices. Traditional methods include expanding the target audience, implementing end-to-end analytics, and optimizing sales processes. However, in an economic crisis, implementing these strategies can be difficult for most small businesses. It's important to consider the unique characteristics of your business and adapt your approach to current market conditions to effectively manage traffic costs.

After discontinuing Google Ads, traffic changes can be significant. Accurate forecasts are difficult to make because they depend on the level of demand for products or services. If demand remains unchanged, businesses can continue to operate as usual. However, if demand declines, even Google Ads advertising will not significantly improve the situation. It's important to adapt your marketing strategy to maintain a stable flow of customers and minimize the negative impact of traffic changes.

The traffic lost by each advertiser depends significantly on its sources. For small and medium businesses, a good guideline is that the share of traffic from Google Ads is approximately 30-40%. This emphasizes the importance of optimizing advertising campaigns and effectively managing your budget to achieve maximum returns.

Google has not been blocked, but rather suspended, opening the door to a future return. Ilya Iserson emphasizes that the situation could change within three to four months. This highlights market uncertainty and the need to monitor developments. Google's return could have a significant impact on the digital landscape and business processes.

Alternatives to YouTube Video Advertising: New Opportunities

With the recent suspension of YouTube video advertising, advertisers are forced to seek alternative platforms to promote their products and services. This change has affected not only large companies but also bloggers working with Russian-speaking audiences, who have lost a significant source of monetization income. This has created new challenges for both sides, requiring adaptation to changing market conditions. Advertisers should consider other media formats and platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok, and specialized sites, to effectively reach their target audience. Bloggers, in turn, can consider new ways to monetize, including affiliate programs and creating unique content for their subscribers.

There are effective Promotion alternatives that can significantly improve results. Sergey Chinnov, an expert in internet marketing, notes that platforms such as VKontakte, Yandex.Zen, and Yandex.Direct offer excellent opportunities for video advertising. Running ads with bloggers, both directly and through advertising networks, requires some experience, which emphasizes the importance of a strategic approach to online promotion. Using these platforms can help reach your target audience and increase engagement. Let's explore four key alternatives to video advertising, highlighted by experts. These options can effectively replace traditional videos and help achieve marketing goals. Each of these alternatives offers unique advantages and can be adapted to various promotion strategies. Considering these alternatives will allow you to expand your audience reach and increase engagement. Rutube. A Russian video hosting service with 19 million registered users and approximately 4 million unique visitors per month. Ads are placed after the application is approved, which opens access to the advertising account.

To increase the effectiveness of video advertising, it is worth paying attention to several key aspects. Yulia Mikhalchuk, head of the SMM department of the marketing agency "Tochno", recommends using short videos up to 15 seconds long. It's important to present key product information at the beginning of the video, as this helps quickly capture viewers' attention. Subtitles should also be added to ensure content is accessible to audiences who prefer to watch videos without sound. This approach will help improve engagement and increase conversions, which is an important goal of any advertising campaign.

To increase video engagement in the news feed, Yulia recommends adding text introductions to ad posts and using the "Video with a button" format. This will significantly simplify user interaction with the content and improve its effectiveness. Using such strategies helps attract attention and improve ad response.

Sergey Chinnov notes that current restrictions may open up new opportunities for advertisers, allowing them to test alternative platforms. He is confident that YouTube will soon restore its previous functionality, at which time advertisers will be able to strengthen their marketing strategies by leveraging additional traffic sources. This approach will not only help you adapt to changes but also improve the effectiveness of your advertising campaigns.

If your budget allows for video production, continue posting videos to YouTube, as the platform is still accessible in Russia. According to Downdetector, reports of outages on the video hosting service have become rare, indicating that the problems are temporary. YouTube remains one of the most popular video marketing platforms, allowing you to effectively promote your business and reach your target audience.

Those who relied on short-form video creation on TikTok should now consider other platforms to engage their audience. As of March 6, 2022, TikTok suspended its operations in Russia, significantly limiting opportunities for new content creation. Users can only view previously uploaded videos, unable to publish new ones or conduct live broadcasts. This creates a need for content creators who want to stay connected with their audience and continue to develop their video content creation skills to find alternative platforms.

Short vertical videos remain relevant for publishing on YouTube and VKontakte. The algorithms of these platforms distribute content according to similar principles, which helps increase reach based on user engagement. Using a vertical format allows for the most effective engagement of an audience, making such videos ideal for promotion and user engagement.

Problems with Instagram* and Facebook**: Alternative Platforms for Content Promotion

Recent outages on Instagram and Facebook have caused advertising campaigns to be suspended for 99% of large advertisers in Russia. In response, Meta decided to disable all advertising in the Russian market. Roskomnadzor also blocked Facebook and restricted access to Instagram. This signals significant changes in the advertising landscape that could impact companies' marketing strategies and their engagement with audiences in the new reality.

Before the blocking, Instagram users reported widespread disruptions to the platform. According to Downdetector, the number of reports reached critical levels, indicating serious issues with the service. Such failures can negatively impact user experience and cause dissatisfaction among active users.

Maxim Romadanov, editor-in-chief of Chizhov Studio, recommends Businesses should consider the VKontakte platform. Regional mass-market products have always demonstrated a strong position here. Given the current problems with Meta, many brands and users may consider switching to this platform. VKontakte's functionality is similar to Instagram, allowing you to publish photos and videos, as well as use tools similar to Stories and Reels. This makes VKontakte a convenient tool for promoting and engaging with your audience.

It's important to remember the different platforms for business promotion. Telegram remains a relevant platform, and some Facebook and Instagram audiences may migrate there. Odnoklassniki also remains important, but its effectiveness for businesses is questionable, as the cost of orders and sales on this platform is generally higher than on VKontakte. Using multiple channels to communicate with customers will help maximize target audience reach and improve business results.

With the onset of coronavirus-related restrictions, promotion strategies have undergone significant changes. The importance of maximum audience reach has diminished, with the focus shifting to building a loyal customer base and increasing sales. Experts believe that messenger marketing will become a key tool in the new reality. This form of communication allows companies to effectively engage with customers, providing personalized content and improving the customer experience. Messengers provide quick access to information, which contributes to greater user engagement and sales growth. Maxim Romadanov notes the importance of launching sales emails for businesses and increasing audience loyalty. In today's environment, this is becoming a key survival strategy for companies that receive the majority of their leads from social media. Effective emails help not only attract new customers but also retain existing ones, which is critical for stable business growth. By focusing on content quality and personalization, companies can significantly improve audience engagement and increase conversions. A brief promotion strategy includes several key steps. First, it is necessary to analyze the target audience and determine their needs. Next, you should develop a unique selling proposition that will distinguish your product or service from the competition. A crucial step is creating high-quality content that will attract attention and retain user interest. It's also worth paying attention to website optimization for search engines to increase visibility in search results. Don't forget about social media as a powerful promotional tool that allows you to interact with customers and increase brand loyalty. Regularly monitoring results and adjusting your strategy will help you achieve your goals and improve promotional effectiveness. Create a sales funnel that includes a newsletter where users can learn about the company and its products, as well as receive special offers. Use lead magnets to promote the newsletter: inviting users to subscribe to the newsletter in exchange for discounts, promo codes, or free products. In some cases, for example, when promoting legal services, content marketing is more effective. Engage with an engaged audience: announce promotions, overcome objections, and demonstrate product benefits. Keeping the company informed about new products and changes also helps retain subscribers.

Romadanov believes that switching to alternative platforms is a necessary step. This initiative should have begun on February 26-27. Maintaining activity on Facebook and Instagram depends on the habits of your audience. If your target audience masters new platforms, they can be used as additional channels for communication and promotion.

Expecting success on these social networks is not recommended, as audience losses can reach 90%, which was observed among Ukrainian VKontakte users. In addition, the lack of effective advertising tools significantly limits opportunities for business development.

How to save marketing service data before a possible exit from Russia

The situation with foreign marketing services in Russia raises many questions. Some of them have suspended their services to Russian users, while others are facing difficulties with dollar payments due to the unstable ruble exchange rate. Sanctions imposed on Russian banks are creating additional difficulties for many companies using these services for promotion and advertising. Under such restrictions, it is important for businesses to seek alternative solutions and adapt to new market realities to maintain their competitiveness.

To minimize risks in this uncertain environment, it is necessary to prepare in advance for the possible departure of foreign services from the Russian market. In this article, we will discuss strategies for preserving data stored on hosting services, website builders, CRM systems, and email marketing services. Proper preparation will help avoid the loss of important information and ensure the smooth operation of your business in the new environment.

Recently, there have been rare cases of blocking by domain name registrars. Namecheap, one of the largest players in this market, has decided to discontinue servicing Russian users and domains in the .ru, .рф, .бел, and .su zones. This decision is due to changes in international policy and may impact the availability of domain names for Russian users. It is important to note that such measures may complicate domain registration and management, which in turn impacts business processes and companies' online presence. It is recommended to monitor new trends in domain name registration and consider alternative options for maintaining a reliable online presence.

To prevent the loss of domain names, it is advisable to use Russian registrars and hosting providers. Choosing a reliable partner will ensure the security of your domain assets and avoid the risks associated with their loss. It is recommended to carefully study the offers of local companies that can offer competitive rates and high-quality technical support.

• Reg.ru, Timeweb, Selectel - for domain registration;
• Beget, SpaceWeb, Sprinthost - for hosting;
• Tilda - for website creation.

If you are concerned about losing data on foreign services, start protecting your information now by preparing for the transfer. Taking data security measures will help minimize risks and preserve important information. Consider creating backups, using encryption, and choosing reliable storage platforms. Preparing for the data transfer will ensure its safety and protection from potential threats.

To transfer a domain to a Russian registrar, you need to obtain an Auth code (or EPP key). This key is available in the admin panel of your current registrar. Be sure to save it, as you will need it to successfully complete the domain transfer. Make sure your domain is ready for transfer and follow the instructions of the new registrar to simplify the process.

To successfully transfer your website to a new hosting, it is important to complete several key steps. Start by backing up all files, databases, and emails. This can be done through the admin panel of your current hosting in the "Backup" section. Download the resulting files to your computer, and then upload them to the new hosting. Make sure all data is transferred correctly to avoid data loss. Correctly following these steps will ensure the smooth operation of your website on the new hosting and minimize downtime.

It is impossible to completely save a website created with a website builder. It is necessary to save text materials, images, and take screenshots that will help restore the resource on another platform. These are important steps to ensure content integrity during website migration.

Some CRM systems have suspended their operations for Russian users. For example, Poster, a restaurant management system, and Atlassian, the developer of Jira and Confluence, announced the end of sales in the Russian market. However, many other CRM solutions continue to operate successfully and provide services to Russian clients.

If you are planning a migration, consider Russian alternatives to CRM systems. Consider solutions such as amoCRM, Bitrix24, RosBusinessSoft, and Megaplan. These platforms provide tools for migrating data from popular systems such as Asana, SugarCRM, and Pipedrive. Choosing the right CRM will help optimize business processes and improve customer relationship management.

To save data from foreign CRM systems, it is recommended to export it in XML or CSV format. It's important to note that exporting only preserves essential information, including contacts, leads, and invoices. Employee comments may be lost, which should be taken into account when planning your data migration. Proper data export will help ensure integration with other systems and preserve important business data.

As of today, only SendPulse has suspended its operations in the Russian market. Meanwhile, other email marketing services, such as Mailchimp, continue to provide their services. However, users may experience certain technical issues. When choosing an email marketing provider, it's important to consider stability and support to avoid any inconveniences.

To be prepared for potential blocking, consider Russian email marketing platforms. Among them, Mindbox, Sensday, DashaMail, and NotiSend stand out. These services offer reliable tools for creating and managing email campaigns, allowing you to effectively engage with your audience. Using local platforms will help avoid email deliverability issues and ensure compliance with current legal requirements.

To save your email database in foreign services, simply download them. It is also recommended to save newsletter templates for future use. This will help you effectively manage your contacts and improve the effectiveness of email marketing.

When using other marketing services, follow a similar approach: regularly save data locally on your computer or an external device. This will help prevent the loss of important information and ensure access to the necessary data at any time. Safe storage of information is a key aspect of effective marketing campaign management.

A Brief Overview of Changes in Digital Marketing

In today's environment, contextual advertising is mainly carried out through the Direct service. Transferring advertising campaigns from Google Ads remains relevant, which allows you to preserve previously achieved results. It is also possible to create new ads adapted to the characteristics of the Russian audience. This opens up new opportunities for businesses seeking to effectively promote their products and services. Properly setting up advertising campaigns based on local preferences will help maximize the return on investment.

For effective video advertising, it is recommended to use platforms such as VK Video, advertising networks, and Rutube. While publishing videos on YouTube remains relevant, posting on TikTok is currently unavailable. In this situation, two options exist: waiting for TikTok to resume or focusing on audience development on other available platforms. This will maximize the potential of video advertising and attract the target audience.

With Facebook and Instagram blocked, many users and advertisers are actively using the VKontakte platform. To achieve maximum results in promotion on this social network, it is important to consider messenger marketing strategies. Effective use of messengers not only allows for direct communication with the audience but also increases user engagement, which contributes to brand growth and increased sales. Developing a targeted content strategy and using analytics tools will help optimize advertising campaigns and attract new customers.

Some international marketing services may temporarily cease operations with Russian users. To avoid losing important data and information, we strongly recommend backing up all necessary materials to your local computer in advance. This will help protect your data and ensure its availability in the future.

For a more in-depth understanding of marketing, we recommend exploring additional materials on the Skillbox Media platform. These resources will help you expand your marketing knowledge and skills, which will be useful for both beginners and experienced professionals.

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