14 Marketing Problems in 2024 & How to Fix Them

Whether or not they admit it, most businesses face their own share of marketing problems. It's far from ideal, but the good news is most of these challenges have solutions, and the vast majority are not necessarily insurmountable, just insufficiently understood.

What are some of the most common problems marketers face in 2024?

We've asked around, dug deep, and come up with a list of 14 struggles that marketers are currently dealing with (as well as what solutions are necessary to address these issues.)

Sales and marketing alignment

Sales and marketing alignment refers to the process of creating cohesion and collaboration between sales and marketing teams to achieve common business goals.

Why this is a problem

Sales and marketing often operate in silos, leading to misaligned goals and strategies. This disconnect can result in conflicting messages, inefficient processes, and ultimately a loss of potential revenue. Without clear communication and collaboration, both teams may struggle to understand their target audiences and identify the most effective methods to convert leads into customers.

How to fix it

To bridge the gap between sales and marketing, establish regular meetings and shared goals. Implementing a feedback loop can ensure both teams are aligned on messaging and strategy. Using a unified CRM system enables seamless data sharing, helping to track and analyze performance collectively. Additionally, fostering a collaborative culture through team-building exercises can enhance mutual understanding and respect.

Remember, both marketing and sales are playing on the same side. It might seem like they're (frequently) in a tug-of-war, but the truth is, they are just stages of the revenue machine. If sales and marketing don't collaborate, the entire process can come to a standstill.



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No proper marketing strategy

(Harsh) truth: many businesses fail to differentiate between overall long-term strategic plans and short-term tactical actions, leading to inconsistent and ineffective marketing efforts. A marketing strategy needs to act as a liaison, umbrella, for your long-term goals and tactics. It outlines how to achieve your business objectives through marketing efforts by defining target audiences, messaging, channels, and metrics.

Why this is a problem

Without a defined strategy, marketers may struggle to determine the most effective channels to reach their target audience or measure the success of their efforts. This can result in wasted time and resources on ineffective campaigns. Additionally, without clear goals and key performance indicators (KPIs), it's challenging to track progress and make data-driven decisions.

How to fix it

Developing a comprehensive marketing strategy involves identifying your ideal customer persona, understanding their pain points and motivations, and determining the best channels to reach them. Set specific, measurable goals, document everything, and make sure you have the necessary tools in place to track and measure your progress. Conduct regular reviews and adjustments to ensure your strategy remains aligned with your overall business goals.

...And if you need help, here's a guide that includes marketing strategy examples.

... Or just download our marketing strategy template to help you get started.

Good marketing talent

Although there is more marketing talent available today than ever, finding the right marketers and retaining them can still be a significant challenge for businesses. With competition for top talent on the rise, it's crucial to have a solid plan in place for attracting and keeping skilled professionals.

Why this is a problem

Securing skilled marketing professionals is crucial, yet challenging. A lack of talent can result in subpar campaigns, poor brand positioning, and inefficient use of marketing resources. Without adept marketers, businesses may struggle to keep pace with industry innovations and audience expectations.

How to fix it

Invest in attracting and retaining top marketing talent through competitive salaries, professional development opportunities, and a positive work environment. Establish clear career paths and provide mentorship programs to nurture in-house talent.

Additionally, if you don't want to go through the time and energy-consuming process of finding top marketers, consider Mayple. We have vetted thousands of:

• Digital marketing freelancers
• Digital marketing agencies
• PPC agencies
• Social media marketing agencies
• Email marketing agencies
• ...And more

...And we will match you with the best one for your specific needs, as well as help you manage the entire collaboration to ensure deliverables and results meet your expectations. Bonus points? No contractual minimums and you can cancel whenever you want.



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Social issues

Addressing social issues in marketing involves navigating complex and often sensitive topics that can polarize audiences and potentially harm a brand's reputation if not handled thoughtfully and authentically.

Why this is a problem

Ignoring or mishandling social issues can damage a brand's reputation and alienate consumers. In today’s socially conscious market, companies are expected to take a stand on pertinent issues. Failure to address these topics can lead to consumer distrust and lost sales.

How to fix it

Ensure your brand’s values are clearly communicated and align with your audience's sentiments. Be proactive in addressing social issues in a genuine and thoughtful manner. Engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and transparently share your efforts and progress with the public.

To gain a better understanding of what, specifically, your audience cares most about, engage in social listening and actively seek feedback from your customers. This will help you shape your messaging and actions to align with their values and concerns. Remember, authenticity is key when addressing social issues in marketing.

Good, lead generation-focused content

Creating good content that generates leads requires a deep understanding of your audience and a strategic approach to addressing their needs and pain points in order to drive meaningful engagement and conversions.

Why this is a problem

Producing content that doesn't resonate with potential leads can result in low engagement and missed opportunities. Without a focus on valuable, audience-centric content, marketing efforts may fail to attract and nurture quality leads.

How to fix it

Create in-depth buyer personas to understand your audience’s needs and preferences. Tailor content to solve their problems and provide actionable insights. Utilize various formats—blogs, videos, webinars—to reach leads at different stages of their journey. Regularly analyze content performance and adjust strategies accordingly.

Also, remember your content marketing efforts are about more than just your blog or a bunch of videos tossed out on YouTube. It should be a unified effort that helps your customers move from the awareness to the consideration and, finally, conversion stages. To that avail, create content that:

• Educates and informs. Your content should provide valuable knowledge and insights that help your audience understand their challenges and potential solutions.
• Engages with storytelling. Use compelling narratives and real-life examples to illustrate points and keep your audience interested.
• Includes strong calls-to-action (CTAs). Guide your audience towards the next step, whether it's downloading a resource, signing up for a newsletter, or contacting your sales team.
• Leverages SEO best practices. Optimize content with relevant keywords, meta descriptions, and internal links to improve visibility and drive organic traffic.
• Incorporates multimedia elements. Use images, infographics, videos, and interactive tools to enrich the content and cater to different learning preferences.

Resonating with your audience

Failing to resonate with your audience can lead to disengagement and lost opportunities for building lasting customer relationships.

Why this is a problem

Failure to connect with your audience can render marketing efforts ineffective. Without resonant messaging, campaigns may not capture attention, leading to low conversion rates and weakened brand loyalty.

Marketing is about more than just a list of hacks you employ and wait for magic to happen. It's about understanding your audience on a deeper level and creating meaningful connections with them through relevant, impactful messaging.

How to fix it

Conduct thorough market research and regularly gather feedback from your audience to understand their needs, preferences, and pain points. Utilize storytelling and personalization techniques to create emotionally resonant content that captures attention and builds trust. Continuously analyze data to identify successful strategies and refine future campaigns accordingly.

Remember, marketing is a continual process of learning and adapting strategies to best meet the needs of your unique audience. Ultimately, by investing in genuine efforts to connect with your target market, you can build lasting relationships built on trust and understanding.

Social media growth

Social media growth can be hindered by inconsistent posting, lack of engagement, and failure to produce content that resonates with your audience. More even, the issue becomes even more complex when you want your social media following to consist of people who would be actually willing to buy from you, down the line, if not soon.

Why this is a problem

Slow growth on social media platforms can limit outreach and engagement with potential customers. Without an active and expanding social media presence, brands may miss out on significant opportunities to build community and drive traffic.

How to fix it

Develop a robust social media strategy that includes regular posting, interactive content, and collaboration with influencers. Engage with followers through comments and messages to build relationships. Utilize analytics tools to track growth and adjust tactics to optimize performance.

Consistent social media growth requires a strategic approach and a commitment to engaging with your audience regularly. Here are six tips to help you achieve sustained growth:

• Post consistently. Develop a content calendar and stick to a regular posting schedule to keep your audience engaged and aware of your presence.
• Engage with your audience. Respond to comments, messages, and mentions to build a sense of community and foster deeper connections with your followers.
• Create high-quality content. Produce visually appealing and valuable content that addresses your audience's interests and needs.
• Collaborate with influencers. Partner with influencers who align with your brand values and have a loyal following to amplify your reach and credibility.
• Analyze and adapt. Regularly review your social media analytics to understand what works and what doesn’t, then adjust your strategy based on these insights.
• Remember people go on social media for entertainment, more than anything. Yes, that includes LinekdIn as well, where your post need to be both educational and engaging, as opposed to just corporate. Incorporate humor, storytelling, and creativity into your posts to stand out and capture attention.



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Keeping up with the algorithms

Keeping up with constantly evolving algorithms is challenging, as changes can impact your visibility and engagement, making it difficult to maintain a steady growth and effectively reach your audience. From Google's search algorithm to LinkedIn's feed, a lot of changes have occurred in 2024, and chances are there is more coming your way too.

Why is this a problem

Constantly changing social media algorithms can disrupt a brand’s visibility and engagement. If not you don't keep them up-to-date, your social media posts and website content may not reach the intended audience, resulting in decreased effectiveness of social media campaigns.

How to fix it

Stay informed on algorithm changes and adapt your strategy accordingly. Prioritize high-quality, engaging content that encourages interaction, as this can improve algorithm favourability. Collaborate with social media experts or agencies to ensure best practices are in place.

At the same time, understand that algorithms are designed to prioritize user experience and relevant content, so it's important to always focus on creating valuable and engaging content for your audience.

You can't control the algorithms, but you can control the quality and relevance of your content. By staying up-to-date on algorithm changes, continuously analyzing data, and creating valuable content, you can adapt to algorithm updates and maintain an effective social media presence.

Lack of focus

A lack of focus in marketing can lead to diluted, disparate, and chaotic efforts, reducing the impact and effectiveness of campaigns.

Why is this a problem

A scattered approach to marketing can dilute efforts and lead to inconsistent brand messaging. Without focus, resources may be spread too thin, resulting in ineffective campaigns and reduced ROI.

How to fix it

Establish clear and specific marketing objectives aligned with business goals. Prioritize initiatives that offer the highest potential impact and allocate resources accordingly. Regularly review and refine focus areas to maintain strategic alignment and effectiveness.

An overarching marketing strategy will help you stay focused on the channels that matter to your business and target audience, avoiding the trap of trying to be present on every platform, all the time.

Marketing attribution

Marketing attribution is the process of identifying and assigning credit to various marketing activities and channels that contribute to a customer's purchase decision. And while marketers have more tools than ever to measure attribution, gaps in these systems make it difficult to accurately measure the true impact of each marketing touchpoint.

Why is this a problem

Inability to accurately attribute marketing efforts to sales can hinder understanding of campaign effectiveness. Lack of clarity on ROI makes it difficult to justify marketing spend and optimize strategies.

How to fix it

Implement robust attribution models that track and analyze the customer journey across multiple touchpoints. Use analytics tools to gather data and produce comprehensive reports. Ensure alignment between marketing and sales teams to validate attribution findings.

At the end of the day, it is also important to accept that not everything can be measured quantitatively. You cannot measure how many people talk about you in their DMs or on WhatsApp, nor can you measure how they feel when they see an engaging post from your CEO on LinkedIn (unless they "react" to the post, of course.). Accept that not everything can be measured, and focus on tracking the metrics that have the most impact on your campaign goals.



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Buy-in for long-term efforts

Gaining buy-in for long-term marketing efforts can be challenging because stakeholders often desire quick, measurable results, making it difficult to secure sustained support and investment.

Why is this a problem

Securing buy-in for long-term marketing initiatives can be challenging, as stakeholders often seek immediate results. Short-term focus can stifle long-term growth and innovation, and while it may work for a limited time span, it will eventually crumble. Marketing is a long-term game.

How to fix it

Educate stakeholders on the benefits of sustained marketing efforts through data and case studies. Set realistic expectations with clear milestones and KPIs to demonstrate progress. Foster a culture that values long-term vision and strategic investment.

If getting buy-in on large projects is proving difficult, start small and show the value of long-term efforts through smaller-scale campaigns. Once stakeholders see the positive results and understand the potential impact of sustained marketing efforts, it will be easier to gain their support for larger initiatives.

Tightening budgets

Tightening budgets can constrain marketing efforts, making it difficult to execute comprehensive strategies and achieve desired outcomes.

Why is this a problem

Reduced marketing budgets can limit campaign scope and effectiveness. Without adequate funding, it becomes challenging to execute comprehensive strategies and maintain competitiveness.

How to fix it

Maximize budget efficiency by prioritizing high-impact, low-cost tactics. Leverage cost-effective digital channels and focus on campaigns with the highest ROI potential. Regularly review spending and adjust allocations to ensure optimal resource use.

Also, consider low-hanging fruit with your marketing tactics. Some smaller-budget, but high-impact marketing efforts could include:

• Content marketing. Create a blog series that offers valuable insights to your audience. For example, a SaaS company could publish weekly articles about industry trends and best practices.
• Social media engagement. Host regular interactive sessions, such as Q&A sessions or live webinars on platforms like Facebook Live or Instagram Stories, to engage directly with followers.
• Email campaigns. Develop a segmented email newsletter to target specific audiences. For instance, a fashion retailer might send exclusive offers to loyal customers and new arrivals to new subscribers.
• User-generated content. Encourage customers to share their own content featuring your product on social media. For example, a fitness brand could run a hashtag campaign encouraging users to post workout photos or videos.
• Influencer partnerships. Collaborate with micro-influencers who align with your brand values and have a dedicated followership. An example would be a healthy snack brand partnering with fitness influencers to promote their products.

Growing advertising costs

Increasing advertising costs can strain marketing budgets, making it harder to achieve a strong return on investment. And, because most online advertising platforms function on some sort of bidding model, and competition is fierce, it makes sense that costs would continue to rise.

Why is this a problem

Rising advertising costs can strain marketing budgets, making it difficult to achieve desired reach and frequency. Increased competition for ad space further drives up expenses.

How to fix it

Reassess and refine targeting to reach the most relevant audiences efficiently. Diversify advertising channels to mitigate cost pressures. Optimize ad performance through continuous testing and adjustment to maximize returns.

Working with an expert PPC agency or PPC freelancer can help you stay on top of cost fluctuations and identify opportunities to optimize your campaigns. We can help with that at Mayple: we work with hundreds of experts ready to take on a good challenge, help you reach more people with your ads, and make more with less in terms of budget. Contact us and we'll match you with the right fit for your business' needs and industry.

Too many hacks, templates, and one-size-fits-all solutions

The overreliance on generic hacks, templates, and one-size-fits-all solutions can lead to ineffective marketing strategies that fail to address the unique needs and challenges of individual businesses.

Why is this a problem

Relying on generic marketing tactics can lead to ineffective campaigns and missed opportunities for differentiation. Hacks and templates may not align with specific brand needs or audience nuances.

How to fix it

Invest in developing customized strategies that reflect your unique brand identity and audience insights. Focus on innovative and creative approaches that stand out. Use templates as a starting point but tailor them to suit your specific requirements for genuine engagement.

Artificial Intelligence, templates, and other marketing tools can be helpful in streamlining processes, but they should not replace critical thinking and creativity. Invest in a diverse team with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to develop innovative solutions tailored to your brand's specific needs. Encourage continuous learning and experimentation for ongoing success.

Ready to turn the tide on your marketing efforts?

Nobody said marketing is easy. But each challenge comes with great opportunities: a chance to learn, innovate and grow.

Remember, marketing is not just about short-term gains, it's about building long-term relationships with customers and creating sustainable success for your business. So stay informed, stay adaptable, and keep pushing the boundaries of what's possible in marketing. With dedication, creativity, and a strategic mindset, you can overcome any challenge and achieve your goals. Good luck!