types of marketing videos

Types Of Marketing Videos You Should Use

/in , , , /by

Year after year, video marketing grows in importance. Video has never been easier to consume for Americans, especially when considering the increasing quality of smartphones and tablets. Video is also the easiest way for people to absorb information. Additionally, according to a prediction by Zenith Media, the average person will spend around 100 minutes a day watching videos in 2021. The pandemic certainly had an impact on these numbers as well. People have more time on their hands to watch video content, especially those who have switched to a work-at-home environment. Because of this increase in video consumption, a video marketing strategy is an absolute must. The following are some of the different types of marketing videos that you should consider producing this year.

1. Educational videos

Educational videos should be used to help inform your audience about a particular subject. No video marketing strategy will be successful without them. This is because the more informed your audience is, the more confident they will be in making a purchasing decision down the road. Educational videos provide them with the knowledge they need to understand your business and the solutions you offer. There are several types of educational videos, including:

  • Demo videos – Videos that demonstrate how your product or service is used.
  • Explainer videos – Videos that showcase why your product or service is needed.
  • How-to videos – Videos that provide step-by-step instructions on how to do a specific task.
  • Animated videos – Animated videos are a fantastic way to deliver information in an entertaining way, whether they’re explainer videos or how-to videos.

2. Interview videostype of marketing video

Interviews are an excellent way to provide detailed information about certain subjects to your audience while also providing a personality to engage with. You can film interviews with both employees and upper management as well as experts that are relevant to your industry. What’s great about interview videos is that they are incredibly easy to produce.

3. Event videos

Certain events, like industry tradeshows, conferences, fundraisers, and round table discussions, can reveal a wealth of information. Film these events and edit them into event videos for your audience to enjoy.

Leveraging Video Marketing During COVID-19

 

4. Case study and testimonial videos

These types of videos focus on customers and their experiences using your product or service. Not only can you use them as social proof that your products or services work, but they make it easier to build trust with your audience. Potential customers are much more likely to relate to and believe what previous customers have said, after all. Using case studies and testimonial videos, you give customers the chance to explain what their challenges were and how your product or service solved those challenges.

5. Behind-the-scenes videos

A big part of creating a successful brand identity is presenting your company as being relatable. You don’t want your audience to think of you as a big faceless corporation, after all. Creating videos that depict your company behind the scenes is a great way to do this. It shows that there’s a human element behind the business. There are tons of ways to go about creating behind-the-scenes videos. A video of the day-in-the-life of the typical employee or a video of the manufacturing process of a product are great examples.

These are five different types of marketing videos you should consider creating in 2021. As you develop your video marketing strategy, remember that the quality of your content matters — and so does the audience that you’re creating it for. Always keep viewers in mind to ensure that your video marketing efforts are relevant.

17 SEO Myths
New call-to-action
brand storytelling examples

Brand Storytelling Examples to Learn From

/in , , , /by

Your brand identity goes beyond your name, logo, and the products or services you provide. A brand identity is all-encompassing: it also includes your goals, your beliefs, and the feelings you elicit from your audience. To create a strong brand identity, you need to create a narrative that’s consistent across all channels. This is where brand storytelling comes in. Brand storytelling involves using storytelling techniques that bring together both facts and emotions to create your brand identity. The following are five brand storytelling examples that you should use as inspiration to help create and drive your own brand story:

1. Apple

Apple is arguably one of the greatest examples of successful marketing in the history of marketing. They were able to capture a small corner of a market dominated by Microsoft and, through the use of incredibly effective brand storytelling, turn themselves into a behemoth. Knowing that they were up against Microsoft, Apple decided that their message would be to go against the grain. They would position themselves as a revolutionary innovator. Their “think different” tagline showcases this, as does all of their other advertising. Their most famous ad is the most obvious example: the 1984 ad in which a woman defiantly smashes the screen with a sledgehammer.

brand storytelling example

2. Ikea

Ikea has built its brand on the functionality and simplicity of its products, which they showcase using lighthearted humor. Their most famous commercial “Lamp” highlights this. It’s a commercial showing an old lamp being replaced and being thrown away. It’s a sob story until a narrator shows up to exclaim that the viewer is crazy to feel bad about the old lamp since it doesn’t have feelings, and the new one is much better. It gets a great laugh and emphasizes the need to update old products with newer, higher-quality versions.

3. Old Spice

Old Spice used to be a brand associated with older men. The word “old” certainly didn’t help. They altered their brand storytelling to emphasize that the scent of old spice was how men should smell. They used humor and great writing to convey this, but what made the storytelling particularly effective was that they didn’t target men — they targeted women. Old Spice essentially focused on delivering a message to women about how their men should smell, so that they could influence men on Old Spice’s behalf.

How to build your own brand story

4. SoulCycle

What’s interesting about SoulCycle is that it basically consists of a class full of people riding exercise bikes. That’s it. There’s nothing more to it. But their brand storytelling has lifted this simple service into something much greater. They have positioned themselves as a high-end fitness service that’s not just a service, but a lifestyle. This lifestyle includes the use of teachers who are essentially fitness influencers and classes that are almost club-like in their atmosphere. Members feel like they belong to a community, not a gym. Without their incredibly effective brand storytelling, you could argue that they would be a glorified gym with limited equipment.

5. Warby Parker

Warby Parker is a glasses frame manufacturer that has positioned itself as a company that sells fashionable frames at reasonable prices. Their storytelling focuses on how they build their frames and on the customers that buy them. In fact, much of their content is user-generated, which helps emphasize that they are frames built for everyone. Their message gets across because they keep their brand storytelling simple and focused.

These are a few brand storytelling examples to keep in mind when crafting your brand story strategy. Successful brand storytelling will strengthen your company’s identity, thereby making it easier to evoke an emotional response from your audience and to build long-lasting connections with them. By implementing an effective brand storytelling strategy, you’ll be more likely to increase your company’s visibility, impact, and — eventually — profit.

Learn The StoryBranding Process
lead generation content marketing

The Importance Of Lead Generation Content Marketing

/in , , , /by

Your company is struggling to generate leads, and you’re looking for a quick and relatively simple solution. I have this solution, but you’ll probably groan because you’ve heard it before. “Content is king” might be an overused term, but that’s only because it’s proven to be true. A foolproof solution to your lack of leads as well as website foot traffic is lead generation content marketing.

Nowadays, the quality of your company’s content is more important than ever before. Granted, there is more space to generate content and share it on the Internet, but with increased space comes tougher competition. We as marketing agencies feel pressure to stand out from the pack with remarkable content that converts our website’s visitors into potential leads. Consistent, quality content will attract the attention of readers, as well as encourage them to trust your company.

So what exactly is “quality” content?

Quality content has a specific purpose, format, and topic. The purpose should help the users find an answer to their questions or interests. The format you choose should fit your content well. In order to attract more leads, the content in the conversion stage should consist mainly of content offers.

Choose an appropriate format

The format of the content offers can be a multitude of things, such as case studies, white papers, forms, calls-to-action, visuals, eBooks, emails, and landing pages. For example, if you want to demonstrate to users how a product works, you might use the template of a visual, such as a video or an image, rather than an eBook. On the other hand, if you wish to show your readers a how-to process that is also aesthetically pleasing, an eBook format would work better than a visual one.

In terms of topics, your content should be educational as well as specific. You should conduct market research and create content with your buyer personas in mind. Imagine you are your buyer persona: what problems do you need solutions for? How far are you in the buyer’s journey? What language would you use when typing keywords into the search engine? This can help you cater your content towards your target audience.

Read our article about using the buyer’s journey to create great content

Be consistent

Another factor that makes content “quality” is frequent and consistent publication. If your readers know they can count on you to publish a semi-weekly blog in a specific time window, they are much more likely to see you as reliable. Webdam’s statistics show that blogging consistently has led to B2B marketers generating about 67% more leads marketers who do not, which is a huge advantage. After you’ve earned their trust, a number of your visitors will subscribe to you and convert to leads.

Lead generation content marketing is a proven way to get the word out about your company and have potential customers become interested in your business. Without good, consistent content, people will have little reason to visit your website or truly believe that you’re a leader in your field. Don’t let this happen to you. For a consultation, please visit the link below.

Inbound marketing will help you grow your business by attracting website visitors, converting them into leads and closing leads into customers

lead generation content marketing

Different Types Of Content Marketing For Lead Generation

/in , , /by

“CONTENT IS KING.” It’s a phrase we have all heard before. But today, especially, it couldn’t be more true. Content, at its core, is what is essentially going to draw prospects to your brand. It is what makes you valuable. What others want to share and recommend. And it is the essence of what Inbound Attraction Marketing is all about. The trick is this: making the experience of your content one that will delight your readers and visitors and keep them coming back for more. Read more

user generated content

Sourcing User Generated Content

/in , , , , , , , , , , , /by

One source of content generation you may not have tapped into yet is user-generated content. Content marketing is a critical component of any successful marketing strategy. However, it can take a lot of resources to produce your own content on a regular basis. Even if you’ve managed to regularly generate high-quality content, you should look for other ways to create new content for variety’s sake, such as high quality user generated content.

What Is User-Generated Content?

User-generated content refers to content created by consumers and not brands. Such content includes videos, pictures, reviews, articles, and more. For instance, if a consumer takes a picture of themselves using your product and posts it on Instagram, that’s user-generated content. The following are just a few of the benefits of user-generated content:

  • Free publicity

Your audience is essentially promoting your brand on your behalf. As a result, user-generated content can help increase brand awareness.

  • Free content

Creating your own content requires a lot of resources. User-generated content requires none — your audience is creating the content for you. While you don’t own it, you can share it and reap the benefits of it.

  • Positive word of mouth

Customers trust other customers more than they trust brands. Positive user-generated content can, therefore, help to boost your brand reputation by creating trust.

How To Source Usable Generated-Content

Considering how beneficial this free content can be, you’ll want to do everything you can to encourage it. However, the biggest challenge lies in the lack of control you have over the content. You can’t control the message, format, or quality, after all. But there are a few ways that you can guide your audience to create the content that will benefit you most. The following are a few tips on how to source high-quality user-generated content:

  • Encourage 

Don’t just wait for your audience to create content relevant to your brand. You need to encourage it. For instance, hold a contest on social media in which users vote on the best submission. You can then give the winner a prize. There are many ways that you can encourage content generation.

Utilize Marketing Audiences on Pinterest Today

  • Provide clear guidelines

If you’re looking for a specific type of content, then you need to provide guidelines. For example, if you want user reviews, consider providing a basic review format. Such a format could list three broad questions that users can answer in order to generate a review.

  • Provide content creation tips

Your audience does not consist of professional content creators. As such, provide tips that they can use to create higher quality content. For instance, if you’re holding a video creation contest on YouTube or on Instagram, provide your users with a list of basic filming tips. Such tips can help cut down on the amount of poor quality content that you might receive.

  • Offer an example

If you’re looking for a specific type of content, then provide an example. When users see what you’re looking for, it will help them create the kind of content you want. For instance, if you’re hosting a picture taking contest, upload a few pictures of your own that would be considered exceptional examples. By providing an example, you also make sure that users understand your instructions more clearly.

  • Identify the channel

Make sure that your audience knows where to send it. The last thing you want is users posting their content on different platforms or sending it to you via different channels. If you’re promoting a contest, specify what platform they should post to or what hashtag they should use. Provide detailed instructions on how to submit content. By making it clear what channel you’re using, it will be easier for you to track and organize user-generated content.

  • Open a line of communication

Provide a channel through which your audience can contact you. This channel should be specifically for users who are creating content. You can do this by providing a specific support email address, a phone number, or a page they can DM on social media.

  • Monitor performance

Track how the content users create for your brand is performing. By doing so, you can identify what types are the most effective. You can then adjust your guidelines and instructions to encourage the creation of that type of content.

Enhance your Strategy Today

User-generated content can go a long way towards boosting brand trust. Not to mention that it’s a great way to expand your content marketing strategy. As such, make sure that you encourage the creation of high-quality user content. You can do this by providing your audience with general guidance and encouragement to drive effective user-generated content creation.

25 Website Must Haves

30 Ways to Boost Instagram Engagement & Following

/in , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

Looking for ways to boost your social media brand presence? Knowing how to increase brand engagement on Instagram, the latest and hippest social media platform app, is a great start. People are online all day due to working from home. Virtual shopping has risen due to restrictions and pandemic fears. As we have geared toward a more online world, your brand’s presence on the web is more important now than ever.

Why Instagram?

According to Forbes, 80% of Instagram users follow at least one business or brand, and 200 million users on Instagram visit business profiles daily. 70% of users turn to Instagram to look up a brand, and 60% learn about new products using Instagram. Now is the time to catch up with the competition that is already using these trends to their advantage.

Here is a compilation of our 30 best marketing tips for businesses to grow Instagram engagement and following in 2020:

Instagram Profile and Posting Habits

  1. Get to know the Instagram app and master how to use its basic features such as uploading posts and stories.
  2. Write a compelling Instagram bio and integrate it into your brand personality.
  3. Keep posts visually consistent to meet your brand’s style guide and tone.
  4. Incorporate categorized pinned stories on your Instagram page so it is easily navigable and can be used as a resource for sharing your brand identity to consumers.
  5. Optimize captions using brand hashtags and relevant hashtags with high popularity. (Determine if a hashtag is trending by typing the hashtag in the instagram search bar to see how many posts come up with the hashtag.)
  6. Use tools such as Hashtagsforlikes to optimize hashtags to use for your business sector.
  7. Create and promote a specific branded hashtag for a campaign. Encourage others to share the hashtag with it theming around a relevant, trending topic that consumers are passionate about.
  8. Use local hashtags and geotags on posts in order to attract local users on Instagram in a similar way SEO works for the web.
  9. Post consistently with both posts and stories, including videos, polls, and other interactive elements to keep followers engaged and entertained with your content. 
  10. Start conversations using Instagram stories stickers and polls.
  11. Schedule Instagram stories to generate more views.
  12. Keep in mind that 40% of Instagram videos do not have sound on, so ensure you caption relevant verbal content.
  13. Convert instagram followers into email subscribers by making your Instagram a business account and promoting your email subscriptions in your Instagram posts and stories.
  14. Monitor your tagged photos to ensure a good reputation, and un-tag your account on posts that are irrelevant or spam, so they do not appear on your profile.
  15. Add a link to instagram stories in order to generate website traffic.
  16. Use humor through gif’s and memes to execute your brand message through a creative angle.

Increasing your Instagram following

  1. Optimize SEO on instagram by paying vital attention to your Instagram handle and name. It is very important that your handle (@…) reflects your business industry. Try to make it short, sweet, and with relevant words. The account name should reflect the account handle and industry because it is what Instagram checks its searches against when users type a word or emoji in the search bar.
  2. Partner with micro influencers.
  3. Run a contest, giveaway, or raffle entry through your account page.
  4. Invest in Instagram ads, which targets customers with personalization and buyer persona techniques.
  5. Create “savable” content, or posts that are aesthetically pleasing, informationally useful or relevant. This will entice followers to save the content to their library and increases the chances of further brand awareness. Simultaneously, creating desirable content provides people a reason to continue following your page and share your content.
  6. Participate in popular conversations on accounts with high following and public relevance in order to get your instagram handle out there and quickly generate new followers.
  7. Encourage followers to re-share your Instagram stories through incentives of discount promotion codes and/or contests.
  8. Open up about your business with a weekly featured vlog of the day in the life of an employee, an interesting biographical picture and captioned story of the founders, or inspirational quote from the CEO.
  9. Follow relevant accounts and users following competition in your industry to gain followers back.
  10. Promote your Instagram on other social media accounts. Feature your Instagram account in your Twitter and Facebook bios, and make a post promoting your Instagram page with a link.
  11. If your Facebook has many likes or followers already, consider linking your Facebook and Instagram together to boost your Instagram following.

6 Social Media Trends to Follow in 2020

Keeping Track of your Instagram Performance

  1. Ensure your account is in business mode to automatically receive valuable insights and analytics on how your posts are doing.
  2. Regularly test and analyze new content to post to your Instagram.
  3. Use a free follower tracking app to regularly unfollow accounts that do not follow yours back in order to maintain a good follower/following ratio while continuously following new accounts.

We hope these 30 tips with various resources serve you well on your journey to becoming an Instagram lead-generation powerhouse. Happy “gram-ing”!

Free Marketing Consultation
social media trends 1

TikTok Advertising Strategies Are Becoming More Common

/in , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

Most businesses these days are using at least one or two social media channels to market their brand. However, new social channels emerge every year, many of which are worth your attention. Take TikTok for example. Although initially dismissed by most as another social media platform for teens, more businesses are taking notice. This is because they are beginning to realize that TikTok is attracting more adult users every day. As such, TikTok advertising is well worth considering.

What is TikTok?

TikTok started off as a platform on which users could upload videos of themselves lip-synching to music videos. These videos were no more than 15 seconds long. In a way, they were like a more niche-based version of the now-defunct Vine social platform. As such, it was no surprise that the platform attracted a younger audience. However, older users began taking advantage of TikTok’s audience to showcase themselves in different ways. For example, comedians would upload short videos of stand-up routines. Another example is of skateboarders, who would upload tricks that they landed. Soon, TikTok allowed its users to upload videos up to 60 seconds long.

Who Uses TikTok?

TikTok still has a userbase that leans on the younger side with more than 66 percent of its users under the age of 30. However, if you have a younger target audience, then TikTok is very much worth your time. This is especially true when you consider the fact that more parents are using TikTok on a daily basis (it’s estimated that 41 percent of dads have used TikTok). Not to mention that TikTok currently has over six million users in the U.S. alone.

Video Marketing Ideas: Using Storytelling in Social Media

How Can You Leverage TikTok To Market Your Brand?

If your buyer personas match the target audience of TikTok, then you may be curious as to how you can use the platform to your advantage. The following are just a few effective tactics when it comes to TikTok advertising:

  • User-generated content

TikTok is a great platform for encouraging user-generated content. Instagram is the other social channel where user-generated content is incredibly effective. One of the reasons user-generated content is so successful on both of these channels is because it encourages active audience engagement. Not only will they be engaged with your brand, but they will also generate content that helps promote your brand. In a sense, you’ll be getting free advertising. Users are more likely to participate using TikTok as well due to the platform’s focus on video creation.

  • TikTok challenges

One of the reasons why TikTok’s popularity has exploded over recent years is due to the challenges that users engage in. For example, one type of challenge involves doing a specific dance move or physical challenge (such as taking off your shirt while doing a wall stand). Many of these challenges go viral organically, but businesses have begun creating their own challenges in an effort to engage more users. When creating a challenge, make sure to use a hashtag along with an appropriate title. Doing so ensures that the challenge has a better chance of being found and shared.

  • Influencer marketing

Just like Instagram, TikTok is home to users with enormous followings. As such, you should consider influencer marketing. Influencer marketing involves building a relationship with someone on the platform with a large influence (number of followers). As long as your brand is relevant to them, they will be able to influence their followers’ awareness and feelings about your brand. For example, if you create a challenge, you can get it exposure by having an influencer take part in that challenge. They can also encourage their followers to do the same.

  • TikTok’s advertising platform

Like other social platforms, TikTok does have its own advertising platform that you can use. Some of the TikTok advertising options include in-feed videos, brand takeover ads, branded AR content, and more. TikTok can even help assist with your influencer marketing campaign via its customer influence package. Additionally, you will can customize your targeting options using website traffic, ad engagement, app activity, or customer contact data.

Begin Integrating TikTok Advertising As Part Of Your Social Marketing Strategy

Although TikTok has a younger user-base, it is continuing to grow, attracting more and more older users. As such, it’s worth considering TikTok advertising, especially if any of your buyer personas match with TikTok’s current audience.

 

social media marketing
blog vs vlog

Blog Vs. Vlog: Why Your Business Should Begin Vlogging

/in , , , , /by

The blog has long been one of the preferred tactics for content marketing strategies. Using a blog, you can easily publish a variety of different content, from written articles to infographics and more. However, blogging isn’t the only content marketing tactic that works. More and more businesses are beginning to vlog as well. The concept of a vlog is simple — it’s a blog in video form. The question is how do you decide which to choose between blog vs. vlog for which type of content?

The Benefits Of A Vlog

These days, vlogging can be done with nothing more than a smartphone, making it both affordable and easily accessible. It’s important to have content available for your prospects and clients that prefer video to text. The following are some of the major benefits of utilizing vlogs.

  • Vlog content is easy to produce

    With advancements in technology, the equipment you need to produce a vlog isn’t as expensive as you might think. Of course, you’ll want to spend some money to ensure that the quality of your video content stands out from the pack, but it’s more affordable to do so now than ever before. They also give you an easier way of explaining blog topics that you think would be better demonstrated visually. Words alone can not properly convey every idea.

  • Vlog are engaging

    Vlogs are incredibly engaging and there’s a simple reason for this. Not only do people more easily consume visual content, but vlogs also allow you to showcase your personality. They provide a person, whether it’s someone in your company, a customer, or an actor, to represent your brand. By having someone on screen, viewers will be able to engage on a personal level much more easily. This is difficult to do with written content since you can’t immediately convey a personality.

  • Vlogs are mobile-friendly

    It’s much easier for people to watch videos on their smartphones than it is to read blogs. Reading is more challenging on smaller screens, while videos can display in full HD and will run smoothly. It’s why half of all video content is viewed on mobile devices. Additionally, people who are watching videos on mobile are more likely to share. It’s estimated that 92 percent of people viewing videos on their mobile devices tend to share videos.

Choosing Blog Vs. Vlog

Many of the benefits of a vlog are advantages as well. Because of the fact that vlogs are video content, they are inherently more engaging, shareable, and mobile-friendly than blogs. However, you could argue that blogs are easier to produce — although some might not agree since blogging does require writing and editing skills. The thing is, there’s no necessity to choose between blog vs. vlog. Why not implement both? Both written content and video content have a place in your content marketing strategy. And when it comes to content, it’s good to have a variety. By providing your audience with content they can both read and watch, you cover all of your bases. Now the question becomes when do you blog and when do you vlog?

Explore more ways to use video in your marketing strategy: Video Marketing Ideas: Using Storytelling In Social Media

When to Blog or Vlog

Blogging is a great way to get a lot of information across to your audience. For example, if you have a lot of statistics that you want to share, then an infographic or a bullet list can be more effective than rattling them off on video. However, when it comes to things like tutorials or demonstrations, vlogging is going to be more effective since you can show your audience instead of having to tell them. It also depends on the message you want to convey. If you want to build a real connection with your audience, a vlog might be better suited as they can see and hear another human being. Even if you already have a strong connection with your blog audience, vlogging can only improve it.

Vlogs also work well for your social media posts. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are great places to share vlogs and get more people interested in your content due to easy sharing features. Since it’s a video sharing platform, YouTube is the best place to be uploading vlogs. Users receive video recommendations based on other content they have watched which makes the likelihood of the correct audience finding your videos greater. While links to blogs can be shared on social media, audiences are unable to view the entire content without going to another website. Vlogs can usually be viewed directly on the platform they’re shared on such as Facebook or YouTube, or a snippet of them can be shared on Instagram and Twitter, depending on the length.

There are advantages to both blogging and vlogging, but there’s no reason to limit yourself to one or the other. Both can be incredibly effective at informing and engaging audiences as well as attracting and converting more leads. In the end, it’s the quality of the content you create that matters most.

25 Website Must Haves

Content Audit1

Why Conducting A Content Audit Is Important For Your Company In Today’s Marketing Environment

/in , , /by

As the years go by, your business’s content audit is going to evolve in a variety of different ways. Your audience may change, your products or services may change, your message may change, and your branding may change. These elements may not change much, but if your company is around for more than a few years, odds are that something will change in some way. In some cases, as we’re seeing today amidst a world that’s staying at home during a pandemic, the business environment changes.

All of this means that the content you’ve been generating may change as well. As a result, it’s important that you perform a content audit to make sure that existing content remains effective and that new content helps to address your goals.

Performing a Content Audit

A content audit is essentially a thorough evaluation of the existing content living on your website. You will want to make sure that all of your content aligns with your current brand identity and messaging. Not to mention that if your target audience changed, it means that some of your older content may no longer be relevant. It’s one of the main reasons you’ll want to develop your buyer personas if you haven’t already. You should also look for content that has outdated information. The last thing you want to do is provide content that’s backed by data that’s inaccurate because it’s outdated. In many cases, you can just update this content to ensure that it’s accurate.

In addition to removing content that is no longer relevant and updating content to ensure it’s accuracy, you should also identify gaps in your content library. For example, you may find that you have a significant amount of content that targets three of your four buyer personas; however, you have very little content targeting that fourth persona. You will want to fill in this gap by focusing your content creation on that fourth buyer persona. You may also find gaps in regards to the type of content you’re creating that you’ll want to address as well.

Enjoy The Article: The Importance of Lead Generation and Content Marketing Agencies 

Adjusting Your Strategy During COVID-19Content Audit 2

The marketing environment has changed drastically. For example, you can no longer attend trade shows or in-person events in order to generate awareness about your brand. The production of new video content is limited as well. However, online marketing remains effective. In fact, if you adjust your content strategy accordingly, you may be able to reach even more potential leads. This is because more people are at home than ever before. As a result, many of these people have more time to explore your content. With that in mind, the following are a few types of content you should focus on creating for your audience during COVID-19:

  • Blog content

If you’re not regularly producing and promoting new blog content, then you should focus on doing so. Begin publishing content more often since your audience is going to have more time on their hands. Don’t shy away from tying your content in with current events (specifically, COVID-19) either. The more helpful your content is, the better.

  • Use chat more

Since your website will become a much more prominent part of your marketing strategy than ever before, invest in live chat and chatbot features. Online chat features are a great way to keep audiences engaged. They also help provide important information that can guide your leads through their website experience.

  • Webinars

Webinars are a great way to educate your audience about various topics. They also tend to be more engaging than other types of content. Webinars don’t require any production value — any of your company’s leadership can film a webinar out of the comfort of their own home. The success of a webinar is mostly dependent on the information provided. Additionally, viewers can ask questions during live webinars, making them all the more engaging.

  • Virtual events:

Virtual events can be similar to webinars; however, webinars don’t necessarily have to be live. By hosting a live virtual event that requires registration, you can generate more interest. People are more likely to tune in if there’s a chance of missing out, after all. There’s also a good chance that you’ll draw a larger audience in today’s environment since more people will be available to attend. There are a lot of different types of virtual events you can hold, such as Q and A sessions with industry influencers or CEOs.

There are still opportunities for effective marketing during COVID-19. First of all, make sure that you perform a thorough content audit. Doing so will ensure that all existing content supports your current marketing goals. You will also be able to identify any gaps in your content marketing efforts that need to be addressed. While some of your marketing efforts will be limited, you can use this opportunity to focus on creating content that will be effective at increasing engagement during COVID-19. For example, by producing more blog content, virtual events, and webinars.

MAXIMIZING YOUR MARKETING BUDGET
effective advertising 1

Effective Advertising Requires Authenticity and Humanizing Ads

/in , , , /by

Many businesses assume that effective advertising is achieved when your marketing efforts lead to more leads and more sales. Unfortunately, many companies become overly promotional as a result. Advertising isn’t just about promoting products and services. It’s also about providing value to your customers in other ways. Trying to convince a customer why they should buy your product is rarely an effective advertising technique. Instead, you should be less promotional. For example, creating humanizing ads can make your brand more relatable to your audience. Such ads also show your audience that the bottom line isn’t the only thing you care about. Doing so also helps build a more authentic brand identity.

Providing Value To Your Audience

One of the common mistakes businesses make is to focus too much on showcasing their products and services. Before you can try to demonstrate the value of your products and services, you need to demonstrate the value of your brand. Creating an authentic brand identity is crucial to being able to sell your products and services.

To demonstrate the value of your brand, you will need to add value in a non-promotional way Achieving this requires that you understand who your audience is and what their needs are. For example, many small businesses aren’t going to be investing in new products or services as a result of the COVID-19 situation. This is especially true for small businesses that aren’t considered essential. Trying to convince small business owners to purchase your products or services isn’t going to be effective right now. However, content that can help educate small business owners during COVID-19 is going to be very useful to them. For example, content about the recent small business stimulus program that explains how to go about obtaining funds.

Creating such content provides immediate value to your target audience. Additionally, it shows your audience that you understand what their needs are. The ability to demonstrate this understanding will help increase your brand authority, resulting in more trust. As a direct result, your audience will be more likely to believe that the products and services that you offer will help them address their needs once they are capable of making new purchases.

Enjoy the article: Visual Storytelling Techniques That Will Take You To The Next Level

Creating Soft-Selling Ads

In addition to creating content that offers value to your audience, you should also create soft-selling ads. Soft-selling ads help to advertise your brand without doing so explicitly. Traditional ads are known for being more aggressive. They will often end with a clear call-to-action to buy a product or invest in a service. For example, a traditional cereal commercial might show a person enjoying a bowl of cereal. It might also list all of the healthy benefits. A soft-selling ad does not focus on the product or service that you’re trying to sell.

Some companies are focusing on spreading awareness for important information about COVID-19 using soft-selling ads, such as emphasizing the importance of social distancing. Budweiser has focused many of its new ads on highlighting the heroic work being done on the frontlines by everyone from healthcare workers to grocery store workers. These ads are effective because they aren’t shoving their products in the faces of viewers. However, their efforts to deliver valuable information to everyone showcases their authenticity.

Another great example is Jack Daniels. They produced an ad showing people socializing over video chat from the comforts of their own home. This ad highlights the importance of staying at home during the pandemic. It is also accompanied by a great slogan: Dear humanity, cheers to making social distancing, social. With love, Jack.” This ad is humanizing without every attempting to sell a product. As a result, it helps to lend the brand authenticity. If they had ended the commercial trying to sell their whiskey, it wouldn’t have been nearly as impactful.

Authenticity Matters

One thing to keep in mind when creating content for your audience is that you need to be authentic. You can’t come across as pandering or as taking advantage of a situation. The audience will always know. The only way to avoid such a pitfall is to truly have your target audience in mind when you create your content. Focus on your buyer personas and think about what their needs, problems, wants, and fears are, both in general and in the world today. Doing so is the only way to ensure effective advertising.

Learn The StoryBranding Process