At Growth Turbine, we’re certainly no strangers to how technological changes impact buyers’ decisions. We’ve seen digital marketing connect to buyers in new ways thanks to advances in tech. However, this year has been particularly interesting. So far, 2020 has changed the way businesses operate. This year has introduced an entirely new world of thinking when it comes to working remotely, attracting audiences and engaging with customers and the trend is supposed to continue in 2021.
Of course, things will eventually go back to normal — or, more likely, a new normal — but that doesn’t mean you should set your content strategy goals aside for the time being and wait for something great to happen.
Now is the time to tackle the rest of this year and get your 2021 strategy in place. My team and I have thought about approaches to strategy for the upcoming year and put together a few ways for you to create your own approach.
Whether you’re marketing a consumer product, an eCommerce store, or raising capital through equity crowdfunding, these six strategies will help you stay competitive and reach the right audiences.
1. Start Selling Your Products and Services Early
A magic button isn’t going to bring more people to your storefront on January 1, 2021. You need to be working toward your goals long before the new year arrives.
While you might have different strategies for 2021, the foundation of your marketing practices should build upon existing trials and errors. Start planning your sales, campaigns and social posts now so you can be ready to hit the ground running when the calendar pages flip over.
This principle applies regardless of what you’re marketing. If you’re planning a Kickstarter or Indiegogo campaign, the pre-launch phase — building your email list, social media following, and media relationships — should start 1–3 months before you go live. The same holds true for equity crowdfunding campaigns, where early community building drives day-one investment momentum.
Pro Tip: The most successful marketing campaigns are planned at least 90 days in advance. Use a detailed task calendar to map out every touchpoint — from social posts and email sequences to ad launches and PR outreach. This structured approach is exactly what separates campaigns that raise $50K from those that raise $500K, whether in performance marketing or crowdfunding.
2. Understand the Need for E-Commerce
It’s no secret that e-commerce businesses have seen an influx in traffic — even as many other types of organizations have taken huge hits to their bottom line. If one thing remains almost certain in our new normal, it’s that people are more likely to continue to purchase goods and services online even after public areas have opened.
For a marketer, it’s in your best interest to set up an e-commerce shop on your website so your customers can easily access your products and services when browsing online. When you put the power of search engine optimization (SEO) into your company’s campaigns, your audience will soon follow. Your job is to make the purchasing experience as simple as possible for them once they arrive.
If you’re building or optimizing an online store, our Ultimate eCommerce Checklist covers 52 actionable items across store optimization, SEO, marketing, shipping, and growth hacking to help you scale from launch to seven figures.
3. Embrace the Power of Nonlinear Journeys
Digital channels are becoming savvier, which means the days of linear click paths — or those situations in which a customer would see an ad and head to the store to buy that product — are long gone.
Today’s consumers are being offered ads that fit exactly what they’re looking for. This is because the algorithms of current technology understand when they’re searching for camping gear, apartments near a certain area code, or anything else they might need or want. The internet isn’t a mind reader; it simply harnesses the power of data to unlock the mysteries of your customers’ thoughts and behaviors.
In 2021, I see nonlinear journeys continuing to go well beyond social media, incorporating traditional TV and radio advertisements alongside ads on voice-driven devices. To stay on top of the game, you should embrace the power of nonlinear journeys and everything that comes with them.
This is especially relevant for companies raising capital. Potential investors rarely convert on the first touchpoint. They might discover your brand through a blog post, see a social media ad weeks later, read a case study, and then finally visit your equity crowdfunding campaign page. Understanding and optimizing for these multi-touch journeys is critical for maximizing conversions.
Pro Tip: Map out your customer’s entire journey from first awareness to final conversion. Use tools like Google Analytics and UTM tracking to understand which channels and touchpoints drive the most value. For capital-raising companies, this means tracking how investors move from your blog content to your campaign page — the data will tell you exactly where to invest your marketing budget. Need help with data-driven marketing? Talk to our team.
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Schedule a Free Consultation4. Include Marketing Automation
You might have already incorporated marketing automation into your company’s strategy. If you did, that’s good on you because the coming year will bring even more technologies to which organizations will need to adapt. New tools will enable better personalization and customization of advertising, allowing you to speak to a prospect’s interests or actions using cost-effective yet highly strategic and targeted messaging. A 2017 study conducted by Salesforce indicated that 67% of successful marketers were using a marketing automation platform, while another 21% planned to use one in the coming years.
Marketing automation is particularly powerful for companies managing investor relationships. Platforms like ActiveCampaign, HubSpot, and Mailchimp can automate email sequences, segment your audience based on behavior, and deliver personalized content at scale. For equity crowdfunding campaigns, automated email nurture sequences can guide potential investors from initial interest to completed investment — a strategy that’s proven to significantly increase conversion rates.
5. Employ Google Tag Manager
Google is renowned for offering free tools that help marketers make the most of their efforts, and Google Tag Manager is the next thing to hop on that bandwagon. With Google Tag Manager, you can leave your developers alone to do what they do best while still getting your hands on the data that will matter most to your team.
Tag Manager integrates with Google Analytics, Google Ads, Facebook Business Manager, LinkedIn Campaign Manager and a ton of other third-party advertising platforms where you can share the wealth of knowledge that your company has to offer.
For companies running performance marketing campaigns, Google Tag Manager is essential for tracking conversions across multiple ad platforms without relying on developers for every pixel installation. This is especially critical when running paid campaigns to drive traffic to your equity crowdfunding campaign — you need accurate attribution data to know which channels deliver the highest-quality investors.
Pro Tip: Set up conversion tracking and retargeting pixels through Google Tag Manager before launching any paid campaign. This includes your Facebook Pixel, Google Ads conversion tag, and LinkedIn Insight Tag. Without proper tracking, you’re essentially flying blind — you won’t know which ads are driving results and which are wasting budget. Growth Turbine’s performance marketing team can help you set up a comprehensive tracking infrastructure.
6. Create Content for Humans
Once upon a time, the search engines looked for exact keywords and phrases, which often meant that the content produced for websites was bland and hard to follow. Key phrases often missed prepositions or placed words that didn’t flow to human readers. Thankfully, those days are gone. Today’s search engines are smart enough to understand what searchers are looking for, and they can gather context clues from your writing even if you insert a preposition into a key phrase. In other words, write for humans, not bots.
This evolution in search has become even more relevant with the rise of AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity. These language models don’t just match keywords — they understand context, intent, and authority. Creating genuinely helpful, well-structured content that answers real questions is now the most effective SEO strategy. That means comprehensive blog posts, detailed FAQs, and expert-driven insights will outperform thin, keyword-stuffed pages every time.
For examples of human-first content that ranks well, see our in-depth guides on topics like 7 Ways Equity Crowdfunding Is Revolutionizing Fundraising and What Is SAFE on Wefunder — these are built for readers first, search engines second.
Pro Tip: Structure your content with clear headings (H2, H3), include an FAQ section with schema markup, and use internal links to connect related topics. This helps both search engines and AI models understand your content’s depth and authority. Companies that invest in quality content marketing see 3x more leads than those relying solely on paid advertising — and the compounding effect of organic traffic means your ROI improves over time.
Building Your 2021 Marketing Strategy
With 2021 just around the corner, now is a great time to build your marketing strategy. If you’re struggling to get your strategy on point, try the suggestions on this list. However you prepare for the upcoming year, remember the changes 2020 has brought and the new normal emerging as a result.
The six strategies above — early preparation, e-commerce optimization, nonlinear journey mapping, marketing automation, data tracking, and human-first content — aren’t just trends. They’re the building blocks of a sustainable marketing operation that will serve your business for years to come.
Strategy Recap
| Strategy | Key Takeaway |
|---|---|
| 1. Sell Early | Build foundations now; plan sales, campaigns, and social posts before launch day |
| 2. E-Commerce | Set up online purchasing; optimize for SEO; make buying as simple as possible |
| 3. Nonlinear Journeys | Embrace multi-touch, multi-channel customer journeys across social, TV, radio, and voice |
| 4. Marketing Automation | 67% of successful marketers use automation (Salesforce); personalize at scale |
| 5. Google Tag Manager | Integrate Google Analytics, Google Ads, Facebook, LinkedIn without developer dependency |
| 6. Content for Humans | Write for readers, not bots; search engines and AI models reward genuine, helpful content |
Need Help Building Your Marketing Strategy?
Growth Turbine combines performance marketing, SEO, content strategy, and investor acquisition expertise to help companies grow. Whether you’re launching a product, scaling an eCommerce store, or raising capital, we can build a marketing strategy tailored to your goals.
Get Started TodayFrequently Asked Questions
How early should I start planning my marketing strategy for the new year?
You should start planning your marketing strategy at least 90 days in advance. A magic button isn’t going to bring more people to your storefront on January 1. The foundation of your marketing practices should build upon existing trials and errors — start planning your sales, campaigns, and social posts now so you can hit the ground running when the new year arrives.
Why is e-commerce important for marketing in 2021?
E-commerce businesses have seen a significant influx in traffic, and people are more likely to continue purchasing goods and services online even after public areas have opened. Setting up an e-commerce shop with strong SEO ensures your customers can easily access your products when browsing online. For a comprehensive setup guide, see our Ultimate eCommerce Checklist.
What are nonlinear customer journeys?
Nonlinear journeys are multi-touch, multi-channel paths customers take before making a purchase. Instead of seeing an ad and going directly to buy, today’s consumers interact with your brand across social media, search engines, TV, radio, and voice-driven devices. The algorithms of current technology understand what consumers are searching for and deliver personalized ads that fit their needs.
What percentage of successful marketers use marketing automation?
According to a 2017 Salesforce study, 67% of successful marketers were using a marketing automation platform, while another 21% planned to use one in the coming years. Tools like ActiveCampaign, HubSpot, and Mailchimp enable better personalization and customization of advertising at scale.
How does Google Tag Manager help marketers?
Google Tag Manager lets marketers install and manage tracking tags without relying on developers. It integrates with Google Analytics, Google Ads, Facebook Business Manager, LinkedIn Campaign Manager, and many other third-party advertising platforms. This gives marketing teams direct access to the data that matters most while letting developers focus on product development.
Should I still optimize content for keywords in 2021?
Yes, but the approach has changed. Today’s search engines are smart enough to understand context clues from your writing — you no longer need exact-match keywords. Instead, write for humans, not bots. Create genuinely helpful, well-structured content that answers real questions. With AI-powered search tools becoming more prevalent, comprehensive and authoritative content will outperform thin, keyword-stuffed pages.
How has 2020 changed marketing strategies?
2020 introduced an entirely new world of thinking when it comes to working remotely, attracting audiences, and engaging with customers. The shift to digital has accelerated e-commerce adoption, made marketing automation essential, and reinforced the importance of multi-channel nonlinear customer journeys. These trends are not temporary — they represent the “new normal” that marketers must adapt to.
What is the most cost-effective marketing strategy for small businesses?
Content marketing combined with SEO and marketing automation offers the best long-term ROI for small businesses. Creating quality blog content drives organic traffic that compounds over time, while automation tools help you nurture leads without increasing headcount. For companies raising capital, combining content marketing with performance marketing creates a powerful one-two punch.
How do I track which marketing channels are working?
Use Google Tag Manager to install conversion tracking across all your advertising platforms, and Google Analytics to monitor traffic sources and user behavior. Set up UTM parameters on all campaign links so you can attribute conversions to specific channels, campaigns, and ads. Without proper tracking, you’re essentially flying blind with your marketing budget.
How can Growth Turbine help with my marketing strategy?
Growth Turbine combines performance marketing, SEO, content strategy, and branding expertise to help companies grow. We specialize in equity crowdfunding marketing, Reg A+ campaigns, and investor acquisition. Whether you’re launching a product, scaling an eCommerce store, or raising capital, contact us to build a strategy tailored to your goals.
