CJ, one of our founding members, have recently released their 2024 Performance Marketing Toolkit, so we sat down with Linda O’Connell, Senior Vice President – UK & Ireland, to find out all about it.
You’ve just launched CJ’s 2024 Performance Marketing Toolkit, congratulations! Can you give us a quick intro into what the toolkit is and who it’s for?
This toolkit is designed specifically for European Performance Marketers. It provides valuable insights and recommendations to navigate the dynamic landscape of Performance Marketing. It is essential because by staying ahead of emerging trends and understanding their implications, marketers can adapt their approaches effectively to drive success. Our toolkit, developed by CJ’s EU experts, offers predictions on market trends, explains their significance, and offers practical suggestions for achieving success in this ever-evolving field.
We wanted to develop a cornerstone content piece that marketers can lean on annually, helping them in accomplishing their strategic objectives.
Why did you feel it was important for CJ to create this toolkit?
Marketers face a myriad challenges today, including dealing with a vast amounts of data available, adapting to changing consumer behaviour, and navigating a fragmented media landscape. They also have to keep pace with technological advancements, combating intense competition, and still proving ROI. By creating resources like toolkits, CJ empowers marketers with the knowledge and strategic ideas they need to excel in their roles and tackle some of these challenges. These educational materials not only keep Marketers informed about industry trends and best practices but also enables them to make informed decisions and adapt their strategies effectively.
What are the key takeaways from the toolkit that you think people should know?
3 words: embrace, optimise, diversify.
Embracing the dynamic nature of performance marketing is crucial as it allows businesses to stay ahead of evolving trends and remain competitive in a rapidly changing market environment. Optimising the customer journey ensures that every interaction with the brand is meaningful, enhancing customer satisfaction and driving long-term loyalty. Diversifying partnerships and metrics enables marketers to tap and test into new opportunities, broaden their reach, and measure success beyond traditional metrics, ultimately leading to more comprehensive insights and improved performance.
CJ is a global business, and this report focuses on Europe, but are there any specific UK trends you’re seeing?
AI
Marketers will embrace AI as a groundbreaking shift is underway in the marketing landscape as 92% of experts predict AI integration as the top trend for 2024. By incorporating AI into affiliate marketing strategies, affiliates can leverage advanced technology to optimise performance, enhance user experience, and drive greater revenue generation. Through AI implementation, affiliate marketing stands to benefit from tailored recommendations, predictive analytics, content optimisation, dynamic pricing strategies.
Influencer marketing
Influence partnerships are key in today’s marketing landscape, with 82% of consumers favouring influencer endorsements over brand self-promotion. Marketers increasingly view influencers as the new Agency of Record (AOR), recognising their effectiveness in shaping brand messaging. To foster brand trust, marketers should carefully select influencers whose values and audience resonate with the brand, prioritise authenticity in content strategies, and nurture deeper relationships with creators.
Revolutionising Lead Generation
With the decline of third-party cookies, first-party data takes centre stage, transforming lead generation. Marketers now prioritise understanding the full conversion journey, delivering immediate value to consumers upon sign-up. This modern approach to lead gen emphasises personalised messaging and diverse conversion paths, enabled by rich first-party data insights.
Brands can connect with Lead Generation experts to explore how they can help address their specific challenges. Teams such as CJ Leads and performance agencies offer invaluable insights and guidance tailored to your needs.
For any inquiries or requests related to influencer marketing, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our expert James Cox.
Where can people get their copy of the toolkit?
On our blog: https://junction.cj.com/en-gb/article/now-available-cjs-2024-european-affiliate-toolkit
A big thanks to Linda, don’t forget to download your copy of the toolkit and check out their APMA profile.