Interactive Content: New Content Marketing 2017 

Content is the life of any marketing and advertising communication. Content can be written such as blogs or posts, visual such as videos & printed material or auditory such as podcasts. Now content has evolved to become interactive and one trend to watch for in 2017. Interactive content allows customers to consume content through interaction. Companies have the opportunity to boost brand awareness using interactive shopping experiences. Interactive content, when used well, offers customers an evolved marketing experience, which encourages them to get involved, choose how, when and where they do their shopping.

Why Interactive Content?

The digital landscape is ever changing and evolving to meet the customers’ needs and exceed expectation. Content has always been king because without quality content how will you connect with your customers?

Interactive content gives the customer the chance to learn more about the product or service they wish to purchase, all from the comfort of their mobile screen. This idea seems far-fetched today, but demand is increasing for interactive content.

Here are 5 trends in content marketing to watch for in 2017

1. Live Streaming – Facebook Live, YouTube Live, Snap Chat

2. Virtual Reality

3. Email Marketing

4. Native Content

5. Storytelling

Some of these trends are expensive and time-consuming with companies often outsourcing work to digital marketing experts. But small and medium-sized businesses can still compete with simpler yet effective interactive content such as email marketing and short video ads.

Live Streaming 

Live video streaming is increasingly popular giving customers up to the second interactive video. As I said in previous posts, a video is a hugely engaging and easily digestible form of content. A video makes sense as we are very influenced by what we see. Companies have the chance to interact with their customers in real time and vice versa. For example, some companies use webinars to discuss their work or discuss what makes them leaders in their field. Webinars allow a high level of interacts via questions and comments but also can include the use of social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

Virtual Reality

Most of us have seen some form of virtual reality and never dreamt it would become a marketing tool. But what better ways to sell products or services than have your customers experience it.

North Face the clothing company used virtual reality to boost conversions and brand awareness through various interactive platforms over a period, which proved very successful.

Emailing Marketing

Yes, email marketing is one to watch for in 2017. Any company big or small can benefit from email marketing. Newsletters are a great way to create interactive content. It isn’t hard to build a customer email database and create targeted email offers or updates. It keeps your company at the forefront of your client’s minds.

Native Content

I spoke about native advertising in my last post. It is a big one to watch for in 2017. Push publicity and marketing styles are well on the way out. Customers demand to be informed but through a seamless non-invasive way, i.e. native content.

Storytelling

Storytelling is proven to win the hearts of customers over and over again. Customers are digitally saturated and if content isn’t engaging they have the power to click away in a second. Companies have to push themselves to interact and engage with their customers. Remember a bad review can happen in a few keyboard strokes. Tell them or even better show your clients what you can do for them. Show them your dedication, the quality of work you believe in and that you do care about your job and your customers.

Advantages to Interactive Content

• Encourages engagement and sharing by its nature
• Boosts Conversions – A study conducted by Aberdeen shows that companies have increased their conversion rates by more than five times by focusing on content marketing.
• Interactive content educates and informs customers faster; thus they are more likely to be aware of your company, and what is does.
• Storytelling creates insight into who your business is, hence humanises your business and customers are more likely to trust what you have to say.
• Increase brand awareness through interactive content such as webinars, podcasts, video demonstrations, or tutorials, etc.

Conclusion

Interactive content is growing rapidly due to increased technological capabilities. Customers are more aware of choice and are willing to research online to find the best, compatible solution to what they need. Companies need to engage with new marketing trends or at least be aware of what is possible. Your interactive content does not have to cost you the earth but investing in creating some will pay off in the end.

Native Advertising, the seamless advertising experience

Native Advertising is a form of paid media which appears as part of the actual visual content design. Many advertising experts like David Ogilvy believe advertising should be seamless and integrated into platforms consumers frequently use. Native advertising aims to create a seamless experience for the user. Users don’t realise they are sold something.

Back to Basics

Let’s step back. Before Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Google Ads existed, advertising legend, David Ogilvy expressed how he envisioned successful advertising. He said, ‘It has been found that the less an advertisement looks like an advertisement, and the more it looks like an editorial, the more readers stop, look and read. Therefore, study the graphics used by editors and imitate them. Study the graphics used in advertisements, and avoid them.’

Some Native ads examples are:

• Suggested Posts
• Promoted Tweets
• Sponsored Stories
• Spotify’s branded playlist
• Snapchat stories

Native-Ads-v-Display-Ads-Stats

Native Advertising popularity is growing in marketing communities around the world is growing. It is one of the leading digital advertising trends for 2017.

A native advertising campaign run by GE reached 5.1 million people using native advertising, resulting in an impressive 8% Click Through Rate.

No More Banners Ads

According to a recent report by Sharethrough consumers look at native ads 52% more frequently than display banner ads. Native ads also show 18% higher purchase intent over banner ads.

We are exposed to endless online marketing trends since the explosion of the smartphone and the growth of online shopping. Companies use various tactics to interact with their customers. Banners ads popping up everywhere scream about sales, last chances to capture attention. Customers find the use of banner ads invasive and annoying. Advertisers consider them as less powerful. Larger companies are moving away from the hard sell to natural advertising methods.

People didn’t change, Technology Did

Customers no longer appreciate interruptive banner ads. And, I agree it isn’t the best way to get attention. Try looking at your marketing efforts, as offering customers an experience that focuses on them and you will achieve connection. Remember people are people. They didn’t change, technology did. Yes, it has created limitless opportunities to interact with customers and achieve that sale. The company that touches a customer’s sense of awe without pulling and dragging is the winner.

Simply put don’t be the clothing company with the irritating salesperson who insists everything looks good on you and follows you around the store, invading your personal space and doesn’t allow time to think.

Platforms Available to Native Content

Open Platforms

An open platform allows sponsored content to promote across different sites. These platforms are often advertising networks allowing the promotion of native advertising content like promoted listings, websites, images, music/playlists, posts/stories, and videos. Content discovery widgets like Outbrain or Stumble Upon belong here.

Closed Platforms

Closed platforms only allow advertisers to create and promote content within the platform. Facebook, Twitter and Google AdWords display sponsored ads offer targeted ads based on user information.

Native Ads with Media Boosts Conversion Rates by 60%

To increase conversion and customer engagement of your native ads include interactive media like video, images, voting poll or downloadable discounts.

To Recap on Native Advertising – A Digital Marketing Trend 2017

Native advertising is a type of disguised advertising, usually online, that matches the design and function of the platform upon which it appears.

Native ads create a seamless advertising experience. Customers can search and explore their platforms without feeling bombarded by ads.

Customers consume native ads like they would normal editorial content.

Reports have shown Native ads out preform banners ads

Boost conversion rates by including media rich content to your native ads

To stay marketing savvy in 2017 watch out for the next 4 Digital Marketing trends  in the coming weeks.

Email Marketing

10 Ways to Grow Your Email List

Email marketing is really valuable when it comes to marketing your business online. Email marketing allows you to contact directly with those you know are interested in what you have to say.

Email marketing helps:

• Keep customers keep coming back again and again
• Engagement on a personal, creative level that cannot be done on Facebook or with tweets.
• Reach customers on a global scale.
• Build customer relations – finding out what they like and don’t like
• Contact customers regarding offers and rewards

So, for the people you don’t have an email address, the question is how do you ask them to give you their email address.

Here are 10 ways to grow your email list

Create a Landing Page

A landing page is a webpage separate to your website. It is designed to offer something to your target audience and has one call to action e.g. signup, Find out more etc. Its purpose is to drive customers to your website and gather their email address.

Use Opt-in Content Offers

Offer visitors free podcasts, free eBooks or host webinars whereby they must give their email address before they receive their freebie.

Request Feedback or Send a Thank You Email

After a customer uses your service send them an email. Ask about their experience with your service. Or send an email thanking them for their custom. In this way, you display value to your customer’s opinion. Customers are more loyal to a service that pays attention to what they have got to say and feel.

Make Posts Available for Download

When you write your blog make it downloadable. So in order for them to download it, they must enter their email address or sign up to receive a notification when there is a new post.

Use Exit Intent Pop Up Forms

Exit intent pop-up forms are used to persuade customers to rethink leaving your website. Pop-ups forms can be time sensitive i.e. they pop up after a certain time or when the user scrolls to the very end of the page. They can also be designed to pop up when the visitor’s navigation indicates the possibility of them leaving.

Link Your Blog Or Newsletter To Social Media

Your blog post / newsletter is like the breadcrumb that leads to your website. Creating blog posts and newsletters is a way to showcase knowledge, gain word of mouth via sharing, and attract new email signups.

Offer A Discount For Email Information

Customer’s loyalty and repeated interaction come from how you treat them online. Offer a discount on your products or services when visitors give their email address. Why would someone use your products or services if you were not willing to give something?

Clear Call-To-Action For High Converting Pages

Always create clear landing pages, posts, and adverts. Don’t confuse customers with multiple offers. Use only one call-to-action per post or landing page. Remember digital marketing is about clarity with easy to follow call-to-actions.

Include An Anti-Spam Notice

Assure customers you will only send them relevant information and that you will never sell or share their personal information once they give it.

Conclusion

Email marketing is a valuable resource for any business. If there is one technique that the marketing experts agree on is that email marketing is invaluable in building customer relationships and getting repeat business.