5 Challenges Facing Remote Digital Marketing Teams

COVID-19 has introduced rapid changes to the modern workplace, including the sudden rise of remote working across the world’s industries. But not all business models are equal in terms of being able to adapt to new remote working conditions.

So what are the main challenges facing remote digital marketing teams in the new normal, and what can you do to address them?

Not Having the Right Tools at Home

Before your team can meet even the most basic challenges, they need to be equipped with the right tools. This is why Business News Wales recommends ensuring access to whatever software and hardware your team needs to be productive. Obviously, not every company can provide their teams with the same equipment that they’re used to in the office. If you can’t afford new computers, consider offering to upgrade your teams’ laptops at home, especially for employees who typically rely on powerful in-house equipment. There needs to be flexibility from both leaders and team members in terms of using whatever is at hand in order to ensure continuity.

Minimal to Zero Workplace Social Interaction

Without the regular social interaction of the physical workplace, some team members may feel isolated, which can directly impair their productivity. This is why it’s crucial to dedicate certain times of the week to official, non-work bonding sessions over whatever platform your team uses to communicate. From weekly games to short casual chats, there are many ways to keep remote workers engaged even when you’re miles away from each other. At the same time, remember that there are creatives who might prefer one-on-one chats or calls instead of group interactions. Don’t be afraid to get creative when it comes to reaching out. You can even have each team members’ favorite food delivered to their respective home offices. With everything moving online, there are countless ways to keep a remote team wholly engaged.

Outsourcing to Specialists

Digital marketing and its many facets are quickly developing alongside the digital transformation of the world’s industries. Search engine optimization (SEO) for instance has evolved far beyond the early days of search engines, and now requires more technical expertise than ever before. Indeed, digital marketing agency Ayima writes that SEO nowadays involves not just optimized content, but also a link development strategy which is crucial to driving traffic towards websites. Yet, while this is a key area of digital marketing, it can also be a resource drain for companies that don’t have a dedicated department. By outsourcing certain digital marketing tasks like SEO, you can better maximize the productivity of your remote team without spreading any talents too thinly across the board. Not only will this streamline your company, but it will also present options for it to expand its remote working force in the future if need be.

Cyber Security Vulnerability

Hackers will exploit every viable weakness in order to steal data from both your business and your clients. This includes the inherent vulnerability of remote working conditions. While digital marketing agencies are not typically in the cross-hairs of hackers, the combination of vulnerability and having access to the data of a wide variety of clients makes them ideal targets in the new normal. The pretext of the pandemic and the new normal also provides a foundation for convincing remote workers to take unusual action online, including but not limited to making special payments or registrations. All of this combines to create what CPO Magazine calls the perfect storm for would-be data thieves targeting newly established remote teams. This is why it’s crucial to establish a strategy and culture of cyber security in your remote teams’ new normal. Make sure that your team members are wholly aware of these inherent vulnerabilities, ensure that any hardware and software they use are checked by a cyber security or IT expert, and continuously update your security practices across the board.

Keeping Up with the Latest Marketing and Networking Trends

Digital marketing is a very fluid industry, and it can be hard to predict the next big trends that will define its future. This uncertainty is further exacerbated by the rapid digital migration. Furthermore, without a physical workspace, it’s much harder to keep creative teams up-to-date and on the same page in terms of the latest marketing trends. These same conditions have created new barriers for networking, which is a crucial aspect of gaining new clients and business partners. Instead of tackling the issue in the usual video chat with the team, you can hit two birds with one stone through organizing a webinar. In a guide to webinars by Search Engine Journal, the online magazine notes how hosting an online seminar is a good way to build your brand as well as establish and develop your authority in the industry. If you pick the right hosts and topics and invite the right audiences, the results of your webinar can be turned into blog posts, videos, and other engaging content – alongside tons of networking opportunities for your team. This will allow your remote marketing team to not just keep up with the trends, but to define the trends on your own terms.

Navigating the new normal is not impossible. Keep up with the trends by establishing your authority as a digital marketing agency. Create a long-term cyber security strategy with an eye on the dangers of the new normal. Outsource highly technical tasks like SEO and link development if necessary. Keep your remote team engaged, and provide whatever they need to accomplish their jobs. In this new normal, these are some of the most effective ways to steer your remote team towards success.

Content intended only for the use of Scrumie.com

Prepared by Alice James