Remote work has changed how many people use their devices and connect with the office, including how they choose to connect with vendors.
Many of today’s B2B ABM marketing targets — the remote workers you’re trying to reach with your ABM marketing strategy — are using the same device for professional use during the workday that they use privately.
This can quickly mean frustration for audiences who see an overload of targeted ads and content during their off-hours when they would rather focus on their personal lives.
The Problem with Ads Appearing at the Wrong Time
Before the rise of remote work and the shift to remote environments, most people used different devices for home and work tasks. The pandemic flipped that script. These days, people may work at odd hours to help them accomplish their goals … and then use the same device to pursue their personal interests.
Having work-related ads appear during these traditional “off hours” can be a jarring and unwelcome shift back to “work mode.” It’s an irritating, invasive buzzkill for folks who are trying to focus on their personal time.
Worse still, these ill-timed ads can dilute the effectiveness of account-based marketing strategies, leaving your targets suffering from ad overload. As they experience a deluge of content at all hours of the day, they may no longer notice your ads or think about them during the workday.
Effective Strategies for Timing Your Ads Correctly
There are several ways to elegantly sidestep this risk and target those ads more effectively. Here’s a few tips for reaching your target audience during times when they are most likely to be focused on work.
Run Ads at Appropriate Times of the Day
This seems like an obvious tip, but you’d be surprised how often it’s neglected. Pay attention to the hours your target audience is most likely to be working, then time your ads accordingly.
Create Ads That Resonate With Your Target Audience Now
Speaking of how the pandemic has impacted the workplace, many remote workers are still juggling childcare and home-life balance challenges alongside their critical work responsibilities.
If you want to reach these time-strapped B2B buyers who may be working unconventional hours, make sure you’re addressing their continuing needs. Ask yourself:
Is most of my target audience still working remotely?
If so, produce ad creative that reflects this. Show your products/solutions being used in home offices or in other places that reflect current realities, such as continued social distancing.
When are my buyers typically working?
Do you have a large target audience still keeping odd hours? Make your ad creative reflect that.
What challenges are my target audience facing that my solution can solve now, as never before?
Do you offer B2B solutions that aid in work-life balance? What about platforms that help people connect, particularly when they can’t congregate in person, or may be working different hours? Highlight how you can help in today’s environment.
Even as many businesses try to get back to “normal” — whatever that means — most places have made permanent changes in their business strategies. This has changed how they connect with one another, their customers, and their professional contacts.
Make sure that your ad creative reflects these trends and concerns. Also, ensure that you aren’t targeting and creating ads the same way you did before this dramatic shift to remote work. The world has changed. Your creative must change with it.
Shift Your Creative Based on the Time of the Day It Runs
If you want your ads to resonate when folks see them at odd times of the day, consider ways that you can shift your creative based on the time of day the ad runs.
For example, your creative can intentionally focus on work-life balance for ads running late at night. Alternatively, highlight the numerous challenges remote workers are facing. This could be a resonant marketing tactic, depending on your solution.
For example, at night, you can run ads about how your solution helps automate many of the processes that can pull employees away from their families.
During the day, you can show how your solution benefits employees while they’re actively at work. For instance, you could highlight how your solution helps with time management while employees are trying to balance their focus between home and work.
Time the Type of Content Appropriately
Many people struggle to unplug when they’re working remotely. They may be:
- Trying to fit in work at odd hours due to childcare and home responsibilities
- Working odd hours as they try to fit in some work from home while ill
- Browsing on their personal devices but still aware of work needs or content
Consider how you can time your linked content appropriately.
For example, remote workers interested in furthering their overall knowledge about their profession could benefit from sponsored content that is highlighted during the evening hours. This is when they’re more likely to be browsing randomly on their personal devices.
Sidebar ads, on the other hand, might be more beneficial during the workday. That’s when many employees are more naturally focused on their jobs and job-related content.
Conclusion
Work has changed for many people over the past two years. For many businesses, this represents a permanent shift. Crafting the right ad creative, and timing it appropriately, is essential for your advertising to reach workers at the right time to make an effective impact.
Try shifting your approach with these strategies to reap the benefits of correctly timing your ads for remote workers.
