Strategy Shifts and Platform Maturity

As autumn approached, September 2023 was a month of strategic recalibration. The flurry of new platforms and features from earlier in the year started to settle, giving marketers a chance to refine their approach. We saw companies leaning into what was working and pruning what wasn’t, all while preparing for the critical Q4 season ahead. Industry updates provided clarity on where things were headed, especially in social advertising and search.

Firstly, social media ad strategies sharpened. By September, the results of those big experiments (like the Threads launch and heavy Reels promotion) were evident. Data showed that despite new platforms, Facebook Advertising was still the go-to for ROI, especially for SMBs. A striking stat widely discussed: 90% of marketers use Facebook, vs 26% on TikTok. Many of our clients mirrored this; they had dabbled in TikTok or Twitter alternatives, but when it came to consistent sales or leads, Facebook (and Instagram) delivered. So in September, we helped them optimize Facebook campaigns with fresh creative and updated targeting, rather than pulling budget away prematurely. For example, a client considered dropping Facebook spend due to rising costs, but we dug into their data and found specific audience segments with lower CPA. We refocused their targeting and ad creative on those segments (like lapsed customers with new products tailored to them), and voila – October saw their best ROAS of the year. Sometimes it’s not about shifting platforms, but optimizing within the platform.

Google Ads saw a notable change in September: the introduction of Demand Gen campaigns to replace Discovery campaigns. Demand Gen is designed to show immersive image/video ads across Discover, Gmail, and YouTube feeds, with better targeting and inventory (even YouTube Shorts). We jumped on this for visually-rich clients (like a travel brand and a fashion retailer). The new format allowed short videos and multiple images in a swipeable carousel – perfect for storytelling ads. Early tests in late September had promising engagement. It’s essentially Google’s answer to social feed ads, and we treated it as such: making content that felt native to a feed, not a typical banner. This shift indicated Google recognizing the “browsing” behavior beyond search, and smart marketers adjusted creative to fit that mindset.

SEO in September had a focal point: Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) started showing “AI overviews” to some users (in the US and Japan) in search results – an experimental feature from Google’s I/O earlier in the year. By now, early feedback was that these AI answers were hit-or-miss; importantly, Google adjusted to exclude sources like Reddit from them due to quality issues​. They also shortened these AI summaries by 40%​. This told us: Google was tweaking based on user trust signals. It reaffirmed that quality sources (e.g., government sites, top news outlets, expert blogs) are favored in AI answers. For our SEO strategy, we ensured our content cited reputable sources and demonstrated expertise so that if/when SGE rolls out fully, our clients’ info might be chosen as the basis of summaries. We also doubled down onFAQ contenton client sites, anticipating that directly answering common questions could land them in an AI snippet or at least a Featured Snippet.

Another significant update: YouTube tested longer (and possibly more frequent) ad breaks​, much to users’ chagrin. This came as YouTube pushed YouTube Premium more aggressively (showing popups to ad-blocker users, etc.). For advertisers, longer ad breaks could mean higher chance of your ad being seen (since skipping might only come after multiple ads). But also risked viewer frustration. We closely watched YouTube ad performance. In some niches, we moderated frequency to avoid oversaturation. For instance, a client’s target audience (gamers) was vocal about hating unskippable ads, so we opted for skippable in-stream ads and focused on making the first 5 seconds super compelling (so even if skipped, brand impression was made). The key wasuser sentiment– in marketing, pushing too hard can backfire, so we aimed to align with what the audience tolerates.

In the analytics world, GA4 launched new metrics and dimensions (like video engagement metrics and improved ecommerce tracking by September’s updates). We updated client dashboards to incorporate those. We also used GA4’s predictive audiences in Google Ads for the first time in September – e.g., targeting an audience of “likely 7-day purchasers” that GA4 auto-created for a retailer. That was cutting-edge targeting and performed decently in tests, showing how the analytics and ad ecosystems were merging via AI.

Social media content strategy matured in September. Threads usage stabilized at a lower level than its debut (with maybe ~25% of signups being active). We kept posting on Threads for clients who had seen traction but advised to repurpose high-performing Twitter/X content there rather than create Threads-exclusive campaigns. Conversely, LinkedIn was booming with content, as mentioned, and introduced new algorithm changes to highlight “knowledge and advice when users need it”​ We definitely noticed LinkedIn rewarding consistent content schedules. One B2B client who posted daily short insights saw their follower count and lead inquiries grow steadily through September – a testament that LinkedIn’s content machine can deliver if fed regularly.

One more trend: user privacy and trust. After various social platform controversies, brands in September were emphasizing authenticity and building owned communities. We had a couple of clients launch or revamp their email newsletters in September, aiming to not rely solely on social reach. We helped by designing more personal-feeling emails, almost like a letter from the founder, which resonated well (higher open rates than their old “monthly update” emails). This dovetails with the evolving nature of marketing: yes, new tech is great, but old-school channels like email or community forums often become havens of engagement when users tire of algorithm-driven feeds.

Now, how did we make sure businesses thrived amidst these shifts? Strategic consolidation. September was when we reviewed all the wild experiments of 2023 so far and identified the winners for each client. For instance, one client discovered through trial that TikTok wasn’t yielding conversions, but their Pinterest efforts were hitting a niche mother demographic perfectly. So, we proposed pausing TikTok for Q4 and doubling Pinterest pins and ads. Hard data informed this, and it paid off in saved budget and better results. Another client had started a podcast earlier in the year; by September they had a modest but dedicated following. We integrated that with their marketing by turning podcast transcripts into blog posts (great for SEO) and clipping highlights into LinkedIn videos.

We also took advantage of seasonality. Knowing September is back-to-school and summer wrap-up, we tailored content around those themes where applicable (even for non-education brands, we’d do things like “Top 5 [Client Service] Tips we learned this Summer” posts – adding a timely twist). It’s this blend of real-time awareness and strategic thinking that we bring.

One fun, playful success: a client in the fitness industry was launching a challenge in October. In late September, we ran a UGC campaign asking followers to post their “end of summer” workout snapshot using a specific hashtag. We got a surge of authentic content, which we reposted and celebrated (a nice community vibe). This user-driven buzz led right into their October challenge sign-ups, which exceeded targets by 30%. By engaging folks in a lighthearted way (“show us your sweaty selfie!”) at summer’s end, we primed them for a more serious commitment afterward.

September 2023, therefore, showcased evolution and optimization. The new had become familiar, and now it was about using it wisely. Our expertise shined by sifting through the noise and identifying what truly mattered for each business. We pruned tactics that didn’t serve goals and fertilized the ones that did – much like a gardener in early fall, cutting back the wild summer growth to strengthen the core. Clients ended the month with clear, data-backed plans for Q4, confident that they were investing in the right channels and messages.

In an industry that never stops changing, September was a moment of clarity and direction-setting. And with our seasoned guidance in social media, web design, and digital strategy, businesses of all sizes not only kept pace – they started to pull ahead of competitors still chasing every shiny object. We helped them focus on what moves the needle, which is ultimately how we drive growth no matter what season or trend comes along.