There’s no denying that today’s consumers are smarter, more distracted and more sceptical than ever when it comes to advertising. Tuning-out is the norm for today’s consumers, leaving brands, publishers and merchants in a frustrating hunt to muster up audience attention.
Challenges are plentiful for digital marketeers – they need to maximize reach, convert the enlightened and build consumer loyalty in a single swoop. And the stakes are high – we’re talking about a $1.3 trillion ecommerce pie. Advertisers who want their slice need to deliver engagement – and serve up an experience, an emotion and a memory with their content.
Today's biggest content media successes are based on emotional resonance and fun experiences rather than hard sell tactics. Storytelling with a non-transaction focus is what brands and retailers need in order to change the paradigm of deliberate tune-out and low impact advertising.
Social media is ideal to support change to rules of the game, discover content, and drive up high engagement. Thankfully, most online retailers already recognized the value of activity on social platforms. However, with mobile overtaking desktop devices for internet use, and social media overtaking search for content discovery, it is now critical for brands to crystallize and sharpen their digital marketing strategies. Brands need to optimize their social media presence and digital content experience to unlock the full potential of what today's digital platforms have to offer.
Adjust your digital strategy to encompass the following three elements, and you'll be in a great position to engage more deeply with your long-time loyal consumers while simultaneously forging real connections with entirely new audiences.
1. Leverage Influence and Foster Brand Evangelism
It is clear that we live in a time when marketing is no longer an exclusive industry that is reserved just for those in control at big firms. Trends are set by citizen journalists, niche influencers, and user-generated content posters. Because of this new reality, retailers need to adopt ever more innovative ways to connect with consumers, creating reciprocal relationships in which consumers are empowered as brand promoters.
Engagement on social media is all about validating the individual's self-image by developing one's online identity. Innovative marketers know how to tap into these principles to build relationships that empower consumers as brand evangelists. When people feel personally connected to a piece of content, they're far more likely to share it, whether it's a poll about #TheDress or a quiz that reveals what color their aura is.
2. Let Go and Practice Platform Agnosticism
Digital marketing strategies have traditionally been structured around driving traffic to destination websites. However, today's media consumers are not loyal to publications as gatekeepers of quality. Rather, we have come to expect that the content we love be delivered directly to us in our social media newsfeeds, regardless of where it is hosted.
Brands need to ensure that they are engaging their consumers on a number of social platforms, allowing people to find and delight in content experiences that are platform agnostic. While it can be tempting to cling to old models of owning content production, distribution and audiences, this way of thinking simply does not work anymore. Real engagement in digital spaces requires finding people where they are and giving them the content experiences they love with as little friction as possible.
3. Build Brand Equity with Value
If engagement is the key to positive growth, then the more a brand can engage with its consumers, the better. Thankfully, publishing has become the new norm for many brands. However, 71% of consumers will reject content that feels like a sales pitch, which highlights the need for consumer-centric content that's image-based, fun and helpful.
The first step to any marketing life cycle is building brand awareness, and retailers need to view social media channels as opportunities for engaging with consumers directly – not just as another platform for moving units. Marketing on social media with content is a long-term process of relationship building. Whether you're selling fishing equipment or high heels, engaging with people in positive ways increases the likelihood to purchase.
It's Time to Engage
Social, broadcast, print media – it makes no difference. The formats and means of distribution may be wildly different today, but one thing that has not changed is the need to please the customer.
People no longer search out content, it finds us. With powerful touchscreens in our pockets, life has all kinds of new conveniences. But with all of this access comes a barrage of messages and the volume can be overwhelming. For businesses to distinguish themselves from the noise, they need to develop rich brand identities that audiences want to rally around. With marketing efforts shifting from a product to an audience focus – and by engaging consumers in the right way – marketers can deliver memorable, meaningful experiences to power consumer awareness, conversion and loyalty.
By Brock Kaye, VP Business Development at Playbuzz.
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