As of late, it appears there are changes to platforms every single time you log in. Whether it be changes to data policies, changes to feed algorithms, or even functionality adjustments, there is always something new.

So, how does an advertiser plan against such an everchanging environment? The key is to remain nimble. The ability to pivot a plan remains key to not only campaign success, but client satisfaction.

One way to remain nimble in the digital space, especially if your job role pertains to planning, is to always ask the “what-if worst case scenario” question.

For example, maybe you have relied on Facebook’s third-party (Partner Categories) segments to capture highly engaged users. With the removal of these capabilities, what does your new audience look like and how does your overall strategy shift?

One way to easily stay ahead of these changes is to subscribe to industry news sources and be apart of groups and organization outside of your industry to see how changes within the digital environment affect a wide range of consumers.

Vendor management is another key action in remaining nimble in advertising. Vendor management is typically thought as researching, sourcing and negotiating – however, strategically leveraging vendors and their partners capabilities will allow you to easily form a back up plan of action for any strategic plan.

Knowing who to turn to when you need an ultra-fast campaign turnaround, or hyper-targeted geo-fencing technology can be key to campaign success. Sourcing vendors who are not only cost efficient but also offer a wide range of products, learnings and partnership coordination, all while managing quality of work is a time consuming and skillful task for any planner.

In today’s digital environment, knowledge is power. Planning a media mix that is appropriate for your target audience, all while knowing that at any point, a platform or resource can change their capabilities, compels advertisers to remain nimble with their strategic plan. Staying ahead of changes within the industry by subscribing to industry news, talking to the community, and understanding which partners and vendors to leverage at the any time will continue to be key in any plan.