Let’s talk about what scares the holy bejeezus out of us marketers. Just like the regular kind in the middle of the night, digital marketing nightmares also make you want to scream into a pillow. We’ve been there. Still, there’s something to learn from every one of these moments.
Conversion Tracking Stops Working
Want to talk about a real fright? Try this. You hop into Google Analytics to check your overall conversion numbers for the week and see they have slowed down drastically or even stopped completely. Gasp, stomach sink. This can happen for a myriad of reasons. Maybe the client brand’s web partner updated the website and you’re the last to find out. Whatever the villain might be, with time and energy you can do the research and rework your tracking so conversions start appearing as soon as possible. If this terror knocks on your desktop, get into Google Tag Manager and review your trackers. Preview mode is a big help. Also, be sure to check with your web development team about any recent updates.
“This Ad Has Been Rejected”
We live in an era of artificial intelligence (AI). And though we benefit from AI handling certain automated functions, sometimes the beast gets the best of you. Everything has been trafficked, and your campaigns are seemingly running smoothly when you get a notification (depending on the platform) that your ad has been rejected. Maybe your ad was sifted into a political category. Or, speaking of Google Display Network’s responsive ads, your ad could be rejected because of a “blurred” spot in the picture. To get your ad up and running again, first try uploading the ad again. Or, go ahead and appeal the rejection. Reaching out to the platform via the support chat can also be helpful for resolution and, more importantly, for learning how to avoid it in the future.
“Your Internet Connection Is Unstable”
Most of us have felt this—especially during our boon in #WFH in 2020. Here’s the situation. With that EOD deadline staring you in the face, you’re hurrying to get assets loaded into DoubleClick Manager and campaign shells filled in across various social platforms and … boom. (Or is it more like poof?) Your internet connection stalls, then stalls again. Thirty minutes to upload a video? No time for that. Instead, take a deep breath and get excited about caffeine because you might have to leave your safe home and finish this job at a local coffee shop instead. No internet = no job. We are digital marketers, after all.
The Website Has Been Hacked
Oof. This is not pretty. When a hack happens, everything stops—no customers, no revenue. Nothing says digital marketing nightmare like a time-consuming and expensive process to make a website secure again. Instead, try to preempt this crisis by backing up the website regularly and implementing firewalls and protective software.
Social Media Engagement Turns Sour
No matter how beautiful the intent of a post, there remains a chance that engagement can turn scary. User comments can derail the conversation a brand intended and start a new, unanticipated and possibly negative one. It’s important to consider each post carefully and flag content or imagery that could be misunderstood or could become contentious. Also, remember that social media is a two-way street. If and when comments spike (good or bad or somewhere in the middle), speak up. It’s critical for brands to address comments quickly to address the individual user’s needs and provide context for others who come later. The last thing you want a new customer to see is a disgruntled user’s comment about how your product caused their hair to fall out, and no reaction from your brand.
These terrifying moments happen to the best of us, and they remind us how helpful it is to work with a team who can support you when things get scary. It also doesn’t hurt to put systems in place to create a safety net, like setting up automatic alerts so you’re the first to know when something is out of whack. We can’t avoid every mishap, but we can always, always learn from them.
Now in our 50th year of business, Vladimir Jones is Colorado’s original independent, integrated advertising agency, with offices in Denver and Colorado Springs. We believe in brilliant brands and love making the world love them as much as we do.