2023 promises more change, but it also offers rare opportunities for businesses to set themselves up for success. Outbrain’s Andrew Burke, Managing Director APAC and Growth Markets, offers his take on the key issues shaping next year.
A roller coaster has twists and turns, ups and downs, and often throws its riders for a loop - much like what it means to be a marketer, or just someone living in Australia, these days.
But, while riding a roller coaster may be intimidating for some, it can also be thrilling and memorable. And 2022 has certainly been a year to remember.
For marketers, the companies we work for, and across entire business sectors, it’s been a period of change. Concerns around privacy, ad ecosystem changes and macroeconomic conditions will continue, but with this change comes valuable opportunities. Businesses that play their cards right can simultaneously future-proof their operations whilst becoming leaders in their own right.
What we’re seeing in the advertising and media landscape is an enormous shifting of the tides, breaking most of us out of the post-COVID rhythm we settled into. Businesses need to be clever about how we campaign to ensure a strong ROAS, especially where other channels are not able to generate the same results.
In Australia, there are unique pressure points influencing this market that are not necessarily driven out of global events. This means businesses have to maintain a very local focus on what we are doing here, and not be swept up into global tensions.
On a personal and business level, Australians are acutely aware of rising interest rates. Natural disasters, most recently the floods in Victoria, continue to weigh in the minds of many of us. Marketers need to be sensitive to these events.
Hybrid work will also continue to be a significant part of all our working lives. Flexible working arrangements will continue to evolve, and what we do now may not necessarily work for everyone or forever. Testing, evaluating, and transparency, will be crucial in developing hybrid work models that deliver flexibility whilst ensuring productivity and results. At Outbrain, we’re confident in our workplace engagement - we know when things are working, and more importantly, when we need to adapt.
One reason for this confidence is the investment we place into our employees - a point of difference in an increasingly competitive landscape. The impact of this competition is that, at Outbrain, we sift through candidates faster and dig in deeper when we find someone interesting. We’re more confident when it comes to who we select - and improvements in retention, employee satisfaction, and clarity of roles are all benefits of digging deeper in this process.
The recruitment environment will continue to evolve as employment tourism makes a slow return to Australia. Welcoming people from all parts of the world and investing in their development in Australia only enriches the quality of talent and work in the industry. It introduces alternative voices, opinions and perspectives into the business. My hope is to see more of this in Australia in 2023.
I’m confident that in 2023, we will all continue riding the roller coaster that is working in marketing and advertising - but with any luck, we’ll be having some fun as well.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
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