By Dave Burnett, Digital Marketing Expert at AOKMarketing.com • Last updated: July 26, 2025
3 Steps to Take Advantage of a Market Downturn
What caused the January–February 2025 slowdown?
Quick Recap:
- Leadership change in the U.S. led to policy hesitation and business delays.
- Tariff uncertainty affected global supply chains and buyer confidence.
- Extreme weather disrupted logistics and slowed consumer behavior.
The reality? A combination of external factors made this downturn nearly unavoidable:
- Political shifts: The new U.S. President’s proposed policies led to decision delays across enterprise buyers and cautious consumer spending.
- Tariff concerns: Ongoing discussions about import duties caused companies dependent on international supply chains to pause investments.
- Weather volatility: Severe snowstorms and flooding delayed shipments, canceled events, and made many audiences simply unavailable or distracted.
Why do strong brands still perform during downturns?
Key Takeaways:
- Brands with data agility and budget flexibility stayed ahead.
- Proven marketing tactics were adapted, not paused.
GS1 US Case Study
GS1 US faced seasonal softness and higher CPCs. Instead of pulling back, they fine-tuned their targeting and ad messaging. The outcome? A 33.49% increase in transactions despite market constraints.
PPAI Case Study
PPAI focused on defending their brand keywords while others let theirs go. They maintained a 97.54% top-of-page impression rate, ensuring competitors couldn’t steal their clicks during the downturn.
Merriam-Webster Case Study
While others cut budgets, Merriam-Webster doubled down on brand equity. Their long-standing SEO strength gave them high Quality Scores, leading to $0.01 CPCs—a clear win while others struggled to break even.
Step 1: Use data to make budget decisions
Quick Recap:
- Audit which channels, offers, and audiences still convert.
- Don’t pause campaigns—refocus them.
- Precision matters more than scale in a downturn.
Consider reallocating from cold outreach to retargeting, or from high-cost clicks to email nurturing.
This is the time to trim fat—not muscle.
Step 2: Stay visible while others pull back
Quick Recap:
- Competition is lower—ad costs often drop.
- Consistency during uncertainty builds trust.
- Your audience remembers who showed up.
As others shrink, this is your chance to own more SERP real estate, dominate impression share, and build top-of-mind awareness for Q2 and Q3.
Step 3: Shift your message from “why this” to “why now”
Quick Recap:
- Use urgency and relevance to overcome buying hesitation.
- Speak to safety, future-proofing, and limited windows.
- Update messaging weekly to match buyer psychology.
- Time-sensitive deals (“Limited spots”, “Q2 pricing ends soon”)
- Future-oriented value (“Protect your pipeline”, “Lock in supply today”)
- Risk reduction (“No-hassle guarantee”, “Cancel anytime”)
Regularly test and rotate messages to see what drives engagement. Flexibility is the new muscle.
Strategy table: Turn downturns into opportunities
| Strategy | Action | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Data-driven planning | Audit performance weekly | Retain ROI without overspending |
| Visibility preservation | Maintain brand search and retargeting | Capture attention while competition fades |
| Message agility | Test urgent, relevant copy | Drive conversions in hesitant buyers |
Frequently asked questions about marketing during downturns
Should I pause all advertising during a market slowdown?
No. Pausing across the board often causes long-term harm. Instead, shift budget to high-performing and bottom-funnel campaigns.
What kind of messaging works best in a downturn?
Urgent, timely, and future-proof messaging converts best. Position your offer as helping buyers weather the current storm.
How long should I keep spending if results are inconsistent?
Monitor key metrics weekly. If a campaign has historical performance and matches current buyer behavior, stick with it while iterating.
Glossary: Key terms
- Impression Share: Percentage of available ad impressions your brand wins in a given market or term.
- Reallocation: Moving budget from underperforming campaigns to high-efficiency channels.
- Urgency Messaging: Copywriting focused on driving immediate action through time- or risk-based persuasion.
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