By its very definition, digital marketing is always changing as digital technology is always changing. Shiny, new platforms pop up, user behaviours shift, and suddenly, your tried-and-tested strategies stop working as well.
Staying relevant means constantly adapting, and for marketers, that means the impossible task of juggling changing priorities and shrinking budgets.
We get it. After working with hundreds of clients, we’ve seen the same challenges hold back marketing teams again and again. But here’s the good news: knowing your top challenge is the first step towards overcoming it. And trust us, every challenge can be overcome.
Below, we’ve outlined some of the most common digital marketing challenges we see. However, if none of these challenges or solutions resonate, don’t worry. Keep reading to see how we can help you tackle whatever challenge haunts your to-do list.
How to spot and fix the most common challenges
1. Generating quality leads that align with your ICP
Not all leads are created equal. Generating high-quality leads is one of the biggest hurdles to driving effective growth. Without precise targeting, you risk wasting time, energy, and resources on prospects who are unlikely to convert. This weakens your sales pipeline and can lower team morale when efforts fail to deliver results.
Spot the challenge:
If your leads aren’t converting into paying customers or their lifetime value is low, your targeting or ideal customer profile (ICP) might need adjustments.
Fix the challenge:
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Factor in time to reassess your ICP regularly. Your audience evolves, and staying aligned with their needs is essential. A simple way to do this is to ask for customer feedback to understand what resonates and what doesn’t.
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Focus on high-intent channels like PPC or retargeting ads to reach prospects ready to take action.
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Offer valuable resources like a free guide or checklist to attract the right people while providing immediate value.
2. Creating enough engaging content
Producing content that captivates and converts is challenging, especially when teams are stretched thin and resources are limited. Without a clear content strategy in place, the process can quickly become overwhelming, becoming a bottleneck that slows overall growth efforts.
Spot the challenge:
Inconsistent messaging, missed opportunities to connect with your audience, and lower engagement rates all indicate the need for a structured content plan.
Fix the challenge:
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Don't reinvent the wheel. Repurpose your existing, top-performing content into new formats. Turn blogs into infographics, webinars into social posts, and podcasts into blogs.
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That said, prioritise quality over quantity. It’s better to create fewer pieces that directly address your audience’s needs than to churn out content that misses the mark.
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Try tools like AI writing assistants to streamline content creation without compromising on quality. Take the time to train them using your brand guidelines and writing principles to ensure consistency and maintain your unique voice.
3. Prioritising the right growth levers
As marketers, we're never short of good ideas and growth strategies. However, with endless opportunities and limited time, focusing on the wrong growth levers can waste valuable resources and hinder progress. Choosing the right priorities is essential to driving impactful growth.
If you're looking for some follow-up reading and a good framework to follow, I'd recommend: Growth Levers and How to Find Them by Matt Lerner.
Spot the challenge:
If your team is spread too thin or key initiatives aren’t delivering results, it may be time to reassess your priorities and focus on what drives the most value.
Fix the challenge:
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Conduct a cost-benefit analysis to identify which strategies offer the highest ROI and avoid resource drain.
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Focus on quick wins, like optimising top-performing content or launching retargeting campaigns, to see immediate impact.
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Regularly align with leadership to ensure that your priorities support broader business objectives and long-term growth goals.
Staying ahead of trends
The digital world changes fast, making it tough to predict which trends are worth your time. Should your team invest in platforms like Threads, TikTok, or Bluesky? How much time and money should you be investing in generative AI? Misjudging trends could mean wasted time and resources while missing out on the right ones may leave you lagging behind the competition.
Spot the challenge:
If your team is chasing every new platform or struggling to keep up with emerging technologies, it’s time to adopt a more strategic approach to trend adoption.
Fix the challenge:
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Only invest in trends that align with your brand's goals and audience preferences. Avoid spreading your efforts too thin by chasing every new shiny idea.
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Regularly test and audit new strategies to determine what resonates most with your audience.
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Dedicate time for ongoing learning and experimentation. Encourage your team to attend webinars, follow trusted industry sources, and explore new tools or platforms.
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Embrace change with a clear strategy. Focus on trends that provide measurable value to your marketing efforts, steering clear of overhyped technologies that don’t deliver
5. Knowing when and how to use AI
Last year, Gartner reported that 64% of CMOs lack the budget to execute their marketing strategy, but many believe that AI may save the day. When applied strategically, AI can save time, streamline workflows and supercharge creativity, helping marketing teams achieve more with less. However, improper use can lead to generic or off-brand results.
Spot the challenge:
If your team is overwhelmed with repetitive tasks or unable to scale content or personalisation efforts, it’s time to explore generative AI.
Fix the challenge:
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Start small. Use AI tools for mundane tasks like writing social captions, generating email subject lines, or drafting content outlines.
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Implement AI to scale personalisation in email marketing or PPC campaigns by generating tailored copy for specific audience segments.
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Train the AI on your brand guidelines and tone of voice to ensure consistency. Regularly review and refine the AI-generated content to ensure it sounds more natural and human.
6. Measuring and reporting ROI
Nearly half of CMOs feel marketing is viewed more as an expense than a strategic investment, highlighting the need to better demonstrate marketing's value to the organisation. Proving return on investment is essential for earning internal buy-in and ensuring your efforts are recognised.
Spot the challenge:
If you can’t tie your marketing efforts to revenue or business goals, it’s time to revisit your data and reporting setup.
Fix the challenge:
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Tie every campaign to clear business goals and key performance indicators (KPIs).
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Use analytics tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, Supermetrics or Tableau for clear performance reporting.
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Invest in attribution models to accurately track how each channel contributes to your goals.
Unpick your challenge with CTI Digital
Wouldn’t it be great if finding a solution could be as simple as reading a blog? We wish it were that easy, but we know it never is. In fact, you might not even know what your biggest challenge is. That’s where we come in.
We’ve worked with hundreds of brands to unpick their challenges, deliver actionable strategies, and create plans for long-term, scalable growth.
Now, we’d like to offer you the chance to see this in action. We're hosting a limited number of Digital Strategy Workshops where we’ll work with you one-on-one to tackle the challenge that’s troubling you most. These sessions are completely free, with no strings attached.
Whether you’re looking to solve a specific issue or explore new growth opportunities, our workshop is the perfect place to spark fresh ideas and inspire bold solutions.
