Content is the foundation of today’s most successful marketing efforts, and it’s clear by now that digital content marketing has taken over the role traditional advertising used to fill. Simply having content is not enough though; businesses need to have a content strategy, too. Consumers expect businesses to be authentic about their ideals, and a well-thought out content strategy should represent these beliefs transparently. Marketing is about telling a story, and understanding the growing trends in display content is crucial to constructing that narrative.
Omnichannel Marketing
Today, businesses are doing everything they can to occupy as many channels as possible. Marketing through email and social media has become immensely popular recently, and businesses should use their digital display content to inform users of the brand’s presence on these channels. Use your display content to encourage audiences to sign up for a company newsletter, or to follow the brand on social media. Displays should also urge consumers to find more information on the brand website, available both via desktop and mobile device. Omnichannel marketing aims to hit consumers with near constant reminders of your brand’s message. In-person? Here’s our digital display content. Online? Here’s our social media page, and our fully integrated website. Cultivating an omnichannel presence for your brand and ensuring a seamless experience across these channels is key to staying relevant as consumers’ attention spans shrink.
User-Generated Content
Consumers find value in the opinions and behaviors of others, and digital displays grant consumers access to this kind of information by featuring pointedly relevant social media activity as well as data on trending purchases. When consumers feel a personal connection with a brand, they become much more likely to recommend the brand to their peers. These peers are subsequently more likely to trust that recommendation, since it is coming from a fellow consumer, and not the brand itself. Studies have shown that people trust content made by peers more than they trust content created by brands, so if you are able to motivate consumers to generate content on their own, you are not only exponentially growing your reach, but you are doing so in a way that customers are more likely to lend credence to. Use your display content to motivate users to post with your brand’s hashtag, or to share the details of their experience, or to give product reviews. Ideally, this will help cultivate a community of interest around your brand, and sharing user-created content shows that the voices of your customers are being heard.
Customization of User Experience
As large parts of our lives transition online, consumers are increasingly aware that businesses have access to at least some of their personal information. More and more, they expect that information to be used to their benefit. Businesses should take advantage of this growing sentiment to offer personalized recommendations, along with choices that let consumers directly engage in their own customer experience. Personalization of the content marketing experience makes it more likely that your message will resonate with your audience; if consumers feel individually engaged by your content, it will stick with them. Many modern digital displays are able to use sophisticated beacons to identify customers, show them content specific to their interests, highlight a product based on the purchases of their peers, and then analyze that data so store managers can adapt their business as needed. By using your content to speak directly to individuals as individuals, you will set your business apart.
Diversification of Media
While omnichannel marketing stresses the importance of putting your content in as many places as possible, media diversification demands that you create as many different types of content as possible. The diversification of your display content is vital to keeping consumers engaged, as audiences will quickly tire of content presented in the same medium. They need constant stimulus, but remember that different people consume information in different ways. Some learn best visually, while others understand concepts better when they are written out and explained. Simple text-based display content is no longer sufficient; businesses need to package their content in a variety of ways in order for it to have the impact they are hoping for.
Interactivity
If marketing is about telling a story, what better way is there to tell a story than to allow a customer to become a part of it? One way to accomplish this is through the implementation of touchscreen displays, but even without that capability, displays should still encourage interaction through consumers’ smartphones. As you may know, there’s currently more traffic on the internet from mobile devices than from desktops, which means if you want your content to impress and influence, you need to have a seamlessly integrated mobile platform for users to interact with. Consumers desire a story they feel personally invested in, so allow them to invest themselves! Give them the means to participate, and you will foster a stronger connection with your brand.
Matt Nurre is Vice President of Global Retail for NanoLumens