In a fast-moving industry like digital marketing, the game is constantly changing. What has worked for you in the past may not be a good digital advertising strategy in 2019. In any business, your customers or your clients are your bread and butter, and there are endless ways to appeal to them, and crucially, to keep them on your side.
Can’t keep up with the pace? Here are our insights on some of the latest pieces of digital marketing news, highlighting what you need to know about shifting consumer behaviour and encouraging brand loyalty. Take note if you want to know how to keep your customers engaged and interested in your brand; and what to address with your digital agency.
People Don’t Care About Brands (Except When They Do)
B&T Columnist Robert Strofeldt questions a 2019 “Meaningful Brands” report in this article.
Key Points
- According to the report, up to 81% of brands could disappear and “consumers wouldn’t care.”
- The author argues that this figure is not so black and white and says: “It is a difficult concept to grasp as marketers and advertisers, that most people would rather watch paint dry than ‘consume content’ from 99% of brands they come in contact with.”
- Brands have to be compelling and engaging and have an enticing offer. They need to be consistently innovating to keep them loyal.
Our View
While we don’t expect people to live and breathe brands, great content is supplementary to a great experience overall with a brand. People will care about a brand if it improves or enriches their lives in some way (or if they need what you’re selling), so it’s your job to persuade them that you are able to do exactly that.
People are not actively looking for brands to change their lives, so you have to actively appeal to them – they’re not sitting around waiting for you! These days, thanks to digital advertising, this is easier to manage because you can work with your digital agency to directly target those with a potential interest in your brand based on demographic and other data.
Respect is earned, not automatically given. Once you have it, brand loyalty often follows.
Consumers Will Be Loyal… When They Feel Safe & Rewarded
Loyalty schemes are seemingly a win-win for consumers and brands, but this is only when there’s a fair trade-off. Consumers don’t want to sacrifice their privacy for the sake of a weak offer, and according to Marketing Mag, this is a real concern.
Key Points
- 52% of consumers are anxious about their data privacy when it’s in the hands of brands.
- 68% of millennials take advantage of discounts, offers and other incentives offered as part of loyalty schemes.
Our View
Loyalty programs are an excellent incentive, which we have used with our clients to increase customer satisfaction and drive repeat purchases. While loyalty programs do indeed help you expand your database, the customer’s data is sacred to them. You can use it to benefit you, for example when looking at demographic data to use in your campaigns or to ensure your emails reach more people, but you have a responsibility to make sure it’s secure, and, most importantly, a responsibility to make sure it’s worth their while handing it over.
In order to reward customers for giving you their data, you need to ensure that you’re creating benefits that are worth their time. They’ll be asking themselves “why should I bother?”, so put yourself in their shoes. Consider a variety of offers, discounts and exclusive savings. Your digital agency can help you set best practices when it comes to brand loyalty schemes.
Diversity In Digital Advertising Matters
B&T addressed the issue of diversity in digital advertising after a survey revealed that the industry simply isn’t diverse enough, according to consumers. One of the biggest hurdles for brands is understanding their target market, which also involves understanding their values. Here’s what brands should discuss with their agencies or marketing teams regarding exposing their consumers to more diverse advertising messages.
Key Points
- Figures from Adobe say diversity matters to most (62%) of Australians. One fifth have boycotted brands for not being representational.
- Only 9% of respondents feel digital advertising is diverse enough.
- There is still a lot of work to be done in providing authentic, representational and personalised advertising experiences to a diverse market.
Our View
Representation matters – and if you and/or your agency aren’t taking this into account in your creative, then you could be alienating your target customers. Your customers will come from all kinds of different backgrounds and there is no one “standard Australian” consumer. When people see themselves reflected in the media, whether in movies or in advertising, they are more likely to connect. This is true whether you’re talking about race, gender, body shape, sexuality, ability or any other factors. In this day and age, it’s no longer a “nice to have” – it’s expected.
In the digital sphere, you can personalise content to be more authentic for the range of demographics that are in your target audience. It is important for your marketing team or agency to be aware of this and represent accordingly, tailoring creative and messaging to be specific to the range within your target.
Do any of the above points resonate with you? Are you questioning how you can incorporate profitable measures to drive brand loyalty? If you’re not sure where to begin implementing new ideas into your digital marketing strategy, get in touch with us.
