Mia
Do you pay attention to marketing closely whenever it comes your way? Perhaps, perhaps not. Maybe you diligently watch the pre-film trailers you see in the cinema, and are clear about the advertisements then. Or, when a radio jingle plays in the car or the supermarket, maybe you tune it out.
Odds are, the last ten bits of advertising you were exposed to, from a billboard on a bus to a social media ad you scrolled past, wormed into your subconscious but left it just as quickly. This is the problem facing most marketers, simply that because there’s so much of it, we’re pretty good at tuning it out now. We might care about discounts or seasonal promotions or events we care about, but everything else might hit a brick wall.
As someone interested in promotional work, how do you overcome this? And with the advent of newer online culture and technologies, are there way around it? It’s not always clear. Marketing rarely goes as viral as it used to, for instance.
Let’s talk about how sharp businesses are finding their way forward:
Personalized Experiences
As is human nature, people are generally much more likely to pay attention to a message when it feels like it was created just for them, so marketing is moving away from big, generalized campaigns. Instead, much smaller, more focused campaigns are being designed that speak directly to the individual’s past behaviors or interests. The idea is that if something feels relevant, it’s not being tuned out so easily, because it looks more relevant.
Social media can help with that, being made possible by the enormous amounts of data that are being collected about online behavior. Specific offers or product suggestions can be delivered to users based on what they’ve clicked on, or what they’ve left sitting in an online shopping cart. It’s mostly about making the marketing feel less like an intrusion.
Content That Feels Less Like Selling
All customers are becoming very skilled at spotting an advertisement, and they’re just scrolling past it quickly, so the content that is working well now often doesn’t look like marketing at all. We usually see informative articles, funny videos, or helpful tutorials are a good place to start, but sometimes a company goes completely off the wall like Red Bull, going all in on extreme sports that people naturally want to watch. The product or service is just naturally woven into the content, that way, which makes the message much softer and easier to accept.
Such material is shared more often too, because people are happy to send an interesting reel or a guide to their friends, and the brand’s name is then spread not because of a direct ad buy, but because the content itself is entertaining or helpful. A relationship with the audience can then be built first with such an effort, mostly based on utility or entertainment before you try and sell them on anything.
Building Communities Around A Brand
It’s more common for companies to think about online forums, social media groups, or membership areas, so people can share tips, ask questions, or talk about their experiences. GiffGaff for example is a good example, a UK-based network that has a strong user advice forum for people getting start.
In some cases there’s a sense of belonging to be found there, and that keeps people coming back. Someone might forget about a brand after buying something, but if they’re part of a group where they’re learning or getting support, the brand stays in their mind, especially if they get rewards for helping others.
Using Highly Visual, Short Form Video
Attention spans are shrinking unfortunately, which means short videos are taking over. This means quick, visual content are where audiences spend their time, and brands are adjusting. You may find success in a reel with a product demo, a behind-the-scenes clip, or a quick story, which can be told in under a minute, and if done well will be watched.
This can save time too, because these are often shot casually, edited quickly, and posted often, which makes the brand feel approachable. People are more willing to engage with social media stories, and then you can separate out your more polished ads.
Partnering With Smaller, Niche Influencers
Big celebrity endorsements are still around, but there’s been a move toward working with influencers who have smaller, more focused followings. Some creators might only have a few thousand followers, but those followers are highly engaged and trust what’s recommended, as the influencer’s opinion carries weight because they’re seen as relatable.
From the business perspective, it’s also more affordable, so smaller businesses can use this approach without needing a huge budget. However, you need to find someone whose audience fully connects with what’s offered, such as a fishing content creator being given the chance to honestly review your new line of rods. Even light criticism can help you seem like a strong and helpful presence in the market .
Interactive Tools
If you can have a user interact, even through a poll or setting preferences, they may feel more connected to your firm immediately, especially compared to brands that didn’t even ask. So, someone might visit a website to use a tool that helps them figure out which product fits their needs, and while they’re doing that, they’re learning about what’s available. If you can sell this as saving them time that’s a good idea.
For example, a ChatGPT SEO tool might help someone analyze their website’s content, and while they’re getting value from using the tool itself, they’re also being introduced to a service that could help them out further down the line if they need it. The interaction should help develop a connection, because there’s value being exchanged right there in the moment, especially if you can offer a final report, summary or account creation suggestion to nudge them along the conversion process.
With this advice, we believe you’ll find it easier to develop better methods to get through that anti-marketing immune system. Most of all, you just have to be human.
