Stay strategic, not reactive.‍

Here’s how to thrive when others pull back.

Why Now?

Whether we officially call it a recession or not, brands everywhere are feeling the squeeze. Budgets are tighter, customer behaviors are shifting, and marketers are being asked to do more with less.‍

That’s where smart strategy comes in.‍

At Algofy, we have thought long and hard about this topic. More specifically, we've thought about how we can help our clients, business partners, and friends put themselves in the best position to not only survive the inevitable, but also leverage their unique circumstances to actually come out ahead.

When recessions hit…

The knee-jerk reaction brands have is to pull back, cutting budgets and scaling down operations. Clever marketers understand that when this happens, there is a tendency for businesses to over-correct, which leaves a vacuum of market share that is cheaper and more accessible than ever before.

Picture this: while the competition pauses, you press forward—calm, intentional, and ready to capture new ground.

After a lot of careful thought, we’d like to introduce our:

5 Tips to 'Recession-Proof' Your Business in 2025

Each tip is rooted in conversion rate optimization and A/B testing, showing you where to direct your focus for the greatest impact, based on real results from our work.

1. Double Down on Website CRO

Small tweaks = Big wins (especially now).‍

Focusing on your site's conversion rate is a good tactic during a recession. Without increasing ad spend, you're able to conduct A/B testing to see which versions of a site are best for converting customers and optimizing these qualities.‍

So, what things can you test?

Start with the high-impact areas—think CTA (Call-To-Action) placements, headline clarity, and landing page design.

For example, consider carefully where you place CTAs, especially on higher volume pages.

Ask yourself: Are they clearly visible and defined towards the top of the page? Is it engaging enough to conjure interest and a click?

With respect to new landing pages:

A/B-test it against the one you were previously using. If you’re making a lot of changes, then consider multivariate testing. However, during a recession it’s more important than ever to get test results fast, so we recommend limiting your variables and testing faster.

Algofy Case Study 

With Pale Blue Earth, we focused on making the unique selling proposition immediately apparent to the customer. This included tests like adding product feature icons, valuable content that was easily visible, and enlarging text and CTAS on the website. The result? A 2.39% lift in conversion rate and 137% increase in transactions.‍

Pro Tip: Keep key content above the fold. No one wants to scroll to convert.

2. Creative testing is your secret weapon

Great ads don’t just look good—they perform.‍

When the market is crowded and attention is limited, a creative that performs is what matters. A well-designed ad is great—but an effective one is even better.‍

Pro Tip: A/B testing your creatives is a low-cost way to collect data and improve your search and social ads.

There are plenty of ways to test creatives, including the format and channel that you select. Once you've narrowed down a strategy or type of creative that works, you can test variations of features like:

• Format: GIF vs. video vs. static vs. carousel
• People, props, and backdrops
• The focus of the photo (product focus vs. lifestyle images)
• Color schemes
• Graphics
• Copy/Headlines/CTAs

Once you find a winning combo, lean in hard and scale.

Below, you'll find an example of a lifestyle-oriented image vs. a product-focused image that would provide useful results regarding A/B testing.

3. Rethink Your Email Funnel

It’s high-ROI, low-cost, and often underutilized.

Email marketing remains one of the most cost-efficient ways to connect with customers. But in 2025, it’s not enough to just send a monthly newsletter.

With a relatively low cost per impression, email gives you a powerful platform for brand awareness, personalization, and loyalty-building, all of which can be especially important during economic uncertainty. Additionally, these campaigns can be easily tracked and measured, giving you the data you need to adjust and improve.

So how do you create a winning email strategy?

The best way to maximize email-marketing is to create a leak-proof funnel, meaning you're engaging and retaining customers at every step of the way.

Build a funnel that meets your customers where they are. That means automations tailored to user behavior like post-browse, cart abandonment, or checkout triggers.

And remember: your subject line and preview text are your first impression. Make them engaging. Skip the generic fluff.

Want to go further? Get personal. Use names, preferences, or exclusive perks to build a connection and drive action.

Maximize your email efforts by:

• Setting up automations for cart abandonment and browse behavior
• A/B testing templates, subject lines, and send times
• Personalizing wherever possible (name, behavior, offers)‍

Quick Tip: Your preview text should build on the subject line—not just repeat it.

4. Give Value Upfront

Free doesn’t mean “cheap”—it’s strategic.‍

When wallets are tighter, people pay attention to brands that offer real value. That could be a discount, a resource, or a quick win that builds trust and goodwill.

Trust = Conversions‍

Testing different offers and using promos in general are helpful to improve conversion rates. Businesses aren’t the only players in the market that are tightening their belts during a recession. Consumers will be more attracted than ever to deals and free giveaways, so take full advantage of this.

Test-worthy offers include:

• Discount codes for email signups
• Free tools or downloads
• Helpful case studies or playbooks (like this one!)

When done right, a compelling offer gets people in the door—and into your funnel. From there, email and remarketing can help you guide them toward higher-value purchases.‍

Tip: Offering free value positions your brand as a helpful, trusted resource, making customers more likely to return when they’re ready to buy.

5. Diversify Your Ad Channels

Don’t get stuck relying on one platform.

If you’re only running ads on platforms like Google or Amazon, now is the time to branch out. Channels like Meta, TikTok, Pinterest, and Reddit offer fresh audiences, different cost structures, and the chance to test new creative approaches.

Recessions demand flexibility. That means exploring where your audience hangs out—and being ready to meet them there.‍

What to keep in mind:

• Social ad costs may drop as other advertisers pull back
• Your audience might be active in unexpected places
• Don’t ditch your top channels—just don’t rely on them alone

Recession doesn’t mean retreat.

It means: Rethink. Realign. Reinvent.‍

As economic changes creep closer…

Keep calm and remember, it doesn’t have to be a death sentence by any means. Recessions are tough, but they can also be a chance to get creative, move fast, and outperform competitors who are cutting corners.‍

Adaptability wins.‍

During downturns, it’s easy to cling to what’s familiar. But real growth happens when you stay nimble. The brands that adapt fastest are the ones that gain share while everyone else hesitates.

It's up to you to determine where you want your business positioned. We're here to help!

Our Mission

Algofy is made up of people who have one thing in common... a shared goal to show our clients that they are more than just clients.

We seek to build real and lasting business relationships, and our success depends on true partnership in the growth of your business, and we go above and beyond to prove that point.

Interested in a free 360 full funnel audit?

Let's get in touch!

We’ll give you tailored recommendations to stretch your budget further and improve ROI—no strings attached. Simply fill out the form and we'll get back to you shortly.

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