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The Next Generation of Advertising
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The Next Generation of Advertising
IntroductionAs competition rises, catching buyers’ attention requires more specific targeting and unique strategies. Consumers do not just appreciate relevant content—they expect it. This means the next generation of advertising requires personal connections and ongoing relationships with customers. One-time interactions won’t suffice.
From detailed targeting options to chatbots and social messaging, the future of advertising is diverse and creative. Traditional strategies must be augmented with forward-thinking tactics to reach clients, close sales, and gain ROI—turning first-time customers into long-term brand ambassadors.
Pay-Per-Click Marketing Gets SpecificEarly adopters of pay-per-click marketing targeted generalized populations, such as people who visited specific websites or searched particular keywords. While this strategy ensured a brand’s message showing up to hundreds, if not thousands, of people, the chances of gathering quality leads from those ads were slim. However, as pay-per-click marketing has evolved, targeting options have gone from website-based or keyword-based to much more specialized—presenting new opportunities for ushering customers along the buyer’s journey.
Automated data collection from products like Google Home and Amazon’s Alexa gives advertising companies the power to harness very specific targeting functions. With identity-based targeting, businesses can reach people at every stage of their relationship with the company—from first touch to final sale. Rather than doing the equivalent of cold calling by paying for ads that might show up on relevant sites, today’s pay-per-click strategies focus on serving content that consumers have already expressed interest in, matching the ad content with the intent level of the buyer.
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The Next Generation of Advertising
Providing content customers want to see is key to pay-per-click advertising. One study by Digital Connections found that almost half of people will ignore ads that bombard them or seem irrelevant—but 36% of consumers are likely to make a purchase from targeted, tailored messages.1 Ads no longer have to stop on websites, where they get skimmed and forgotten. Instead, companies can retarget people who have already clicked, offering new incentives and maintaining ongoing relationships with potential buyers.
Content and messaging can be more personal than ever—ensuring maximum ROI.
Micro-Influencer Marketing on the RiseHaving grown up during the recession in the early 2000s, the up-and-coming Generation Z is especially cautious about their financial investments. Businesses that want to win their support need to build credibility and trust—and social media influencers can put you on the fast track. The best influencers used to be people with maximum reach, which meant celebrities, actors, and other people with millions of followers. However, some influencers began to buy likes and subscribers, no longer prioritizing honesty and authenticity—and this reduced credibility for macro-influencers.
Today, the macro-influencers that garner millions of followers have become less relatable, seen as people who will promote anything in exchange for compensation. But influencer marketing is not dead; instead, this shift opens the door for micro-influencers—people who might have fewer followers, but an ultimately more engaged and invested audience. Micro-influencers typically exist within a specific niche, whether it’s health, lifestyle, or travel. They influence people with similar interests, which means companies can partner with them to target the right audiences.
Consumers aim to buy from people they know and trust, and because of micro-influencers’ niche market and personalized interactions, they have already established personal connections with their followers. If they promote a product, it means they believe in it and want their friends—or in this case followers—to experience its benefits, too. By investing in these micro-influencers, brands can build a foundation of credibility before they even interact with first-time customers.
Another benefit of using micro-influencers to promote a brand is cost: Micro-influencers are more affordable than celebrities. On average, they only charge about $500 for a branded post—which can save a company thousands of dollars.2 Other companies offer micro-influencers free product in exchange for promotion, which can also cut down on costs. While the reach might not be as extensive as a celebrity’s, the advantage is a highly targeted, relevant audience.
It is easier for influencers to promote products and brands on visual platforms—which is why micro-influencers are especially popular on Instagram.3 These people engage primarily with their followers consistently through Instagram, so promotions are a natural extension of regular communications.
Companies hoping to gain micro-influencers should start with people who already follow them on social media—or local influencers with whom they have already built good relationships. People who are already brand ambassadors and advocates for your business will probably be happy to spread the word about your
Influencer marketing is notdead; instead, it’s shiftingto micro-influencers withfewer followers, but a moreengaged and investedaudience.
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The Next Generation of Advertising
successful products and services.4 Another way to find micro-influencers is by searching hashtags relevant to your product or service to see who is generating traffic from them. You can engage these people, turn them into advocates for your brand, and have them tell stories about what makes your company different from the rest.
Although issues of credibility and authenticity have called influencer marketing into question, it remains a valuable strategy when used correctly, offering access to hundreds of untapped followers in niche markets. According to Ismael El-Qudsi, CEO of SocialPubli, a social marketing platform that connects advertisers to influencers on several platforms, influencer marketing should be viewed as a branding tool, rather than solely a sales tool. It can be effective in almost every campaign—but it should complement an overall strategy.5 Micro-influencers cannot be the cornerstone of your marketing plan, but they can provide a solid foundation for credibility and launch brand growth. They can introduce new leads to your product and empower you to take the customer relationship one step further, giving you new opportunities to display the differentiators your brand offers.
The Steady Rise of VideoThe growing popularity of video is something businesses must take advantage of to gain new customers. Social media platforms are optimizing video content because people prefer it. Users view more than one billion hours of video per day on YouTube alone.6 Regular content-based or image-based ads will get lost if you are not implementing creative strategies. As people continually expect to see videos from their favorite brands, companies that do not invest in this medium will be overlooked.
Of all the marketing tactics that give you access to your clients—from social media to emails to eBooks to infographics—video is the content that people are most likely to engage with thoroughly. Sixty-two percent of consumers will watch a video in its entirety, while only 27% will devote that kind of time to blog articles.7 Even if your content is highly valuable, it will not inspire buyers if they are not taking the time to read it. Studies show that video is consumers’ favorite type of social media content.8 Because videos are more visually appealing, they capture audiences’ interests and hold it, preventing people from getting bored and moving on.
When you implement video, you do not have to spend thousands of dollars to create a cinematic experience for customers. The best video content is simple and straightforward, providing audiences with visual incentives to buy a product. If you offer a specific service, you can engage potential clients by filming a video clip of a tutorial or a demo. When you run this as an ad, you can grab your audience’s attention and make them want to learn more by signing up for the full experience.
Over the past few years, the popularity of video has grown significantly—and businesses who use it have seen a notable influx of customers. In fact, video marketers get 66% more qualified leads annually than those who don’t use video.9 If you have not already started this tactic, you run the risk of fading into the background.
The best video content is simple and straightforward, providingaudiences with visual incentives to buy a product or service.
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The Next Generation of Advertising
Chatbots and Social Messaging Take OffChatbots are not new to the world of marketing; in recent years, they have been a launching pad for personalization. Advertising depends on brand credibility more than it depends on reaching the maximum number of clients, which is why chatbots and social messaging are key pieces of a good advertising strategy. Content marketing is as important as ever—but instead of just coming through emails and website ads, it can now be used for unique conversations with buyers.
Today, simple chatbots can help website visitors get answers to commonly asked questions, making them feel personally valued. According to one analyst, high-quality chatbot conversations with engaged audiences are getting 80-90% response rates, with even non-optimized chatbot conversations coming in at 35-40%.10 The one-to-one interaction—as opposed to the one-to-many interactions customers find on social media—is a key selling point for your audience. They want you to see them as people, not potential profits.
Instant messaging also lets businesses interact one-on-one with potential customers, helping potential buyers get to know your brand and establish a connection to it. The four largest mobile messaging apps had 4.1 billion combined users in 2018—seven million more users than the four largest social networks.11
Today’s consumers do not always click through ads and start shopping. They have questions about who you are, what you do, and why they should purchase from you—plus questions about products and policies. To answer these questions, you need to establish a model for conversation. According to AdWeek, 68% of consumers think messaging is the most convenient way to talk to businesses.12
Because social messaging follows a similar strategy to email marketing, it is relatively simple to institute a model that works for your business. If you have an email campaign, you can easily—and affordably—convert it to a messaging campaign. You already have the right content; it is just a matter of transferring it to a more personalized experience for consumers. Additionally, messaging conversations offer a sense of privacy for your buyers, which is something that social media networks cannot provide. In a consumer-centric industry, finding ways to connect with people on a personal level will make the difference between losing deals and closing them.
ConclusionThe next generation of advertising is a combination of tried-and-true tactics and cutting-edge technology. To remain competitive, businesses must stay on the forefront of up-and-coming trends, while also continually improving what already works. If you want to augment your customer engagement strategy to ensure your efficiency and success, contact us. We’re always testing new initiatives and adjusting our strategies to stay ahead of current trends—and we will partner with you to make sure you are using the right tools to engage your audience and maximize your ROI.
One-to-one interactionsare a key selling point foryour audience, makingchatbots and socialmessaging an importantpiece of your strategy.
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The Next Generation of Advertising
References:
1. https://www.forbes.com/sites/fionabriggs/2016/04/18/almost-half-of-consumers-will-reject-brands-sending-irrelevant-or-too-many-ads-study-shows/#658c6390769b
2. https://wersm.com/micro-influencer-marketing-cost/
3. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/micro-influencer-marketing
4. https://medium.com/swlh/why-micro-influencer-marketing-is-the-game-in-2018-fdeda0993c36
5. https://www.marketingtechnews.net/news/2019/sep/18/socialpubli-importance-micro-influencers-and-getting-influencer-marketing-wider-campaign/
6. https://biteable.com/blog/tips/video-marketing-statistics/
7. https://blog.hubspot.com/news-trends/content-trends-preferences
8. https://animoto.com/blog/business/2018-social-video-consumer-trends/
9. https://optinmonster.com/video-marketing-statistics-what-you-must-know/
10. https://www.forbes.com/sites/shamahyder/2018/11/06/tips-for-marketing-through-messaging-apps/#12799417386a
11. https://www.adweek.com/digital/heres-how-messaging-is-positioned-to-dominate-in-2019/
12. Ibid.
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