How content can make or break a marketing campaign in the digital era

In simpler times, a marketer’s media mix was a straightforward combination of TV, print, radio and outdoor. The campaign remained more or less the same across media with little to no change in the message. Cut to today’s digital times, the media mix is a varied bouquet with the message tailored to each platform. India’s internet penetration has grown at lightning speed over the past five years, and the country is expected to have more rural internet users than urban by 2025. Brands can no longer afford to leave digital out of the media mix. In fact, digital ad spends are projected to overtake long-reigning TV by 2025.

Marketing on digital platforms is not as direct as it is for other media. Distracted internet users, short attention spans and the ease of scrolling and swiping, further complicate the marketer’s task. All of these factors elevate the importance of content. It’s up to the content of the campaign to not only grab the user’s attention but also retain it. Therefore, in the digital era, content can truly make or break marketing efforts. Here’s what goes into making content that makes the digital consumer stop in their tracks:

Tell a story

There was a time when advertisements were meant to create brand awareness and inform consumers about the product or service features. Those days are long gone. Now, marketing content must weave a story and follow a narrative to capture the consumer’s interest and curiosity. It must evoke emotions, engage and entertain. In a bid to be relatable, marketers are also opting for unconventional and ‘real’ people instead of A-listers to be the face of their brand.

Be available instead of intrusive

The digital consumer is most likely to ignore unsolicited information. With access to the internet, today’s consumer is well connected and informed. When they are in the consideration stage or want to know about a product, they will go looking for it themselves. Most purchases are preceded by a good amount of research on the consumer’s part. Be it looking up product features, comparing, reading reviews, or checking for opinions of influencers. The marketer’s role is to make that content available.

Own your content

Instead of product features appearing in advertisements, they are being made available to the consumer as informative content. Brands are owning content assets in the form of microsites and blogs to educate and inform their consumers. The content goes beyond the brand’s product and service to cover related questions and interests the consumer may have. This approach of adding value achieves several goals. The consumer doesn’t feel that the brand’s only objective is to make a sale. It retains their discretion because they went looking for the information. If the content succeeds in solving the consumer’s problem, it makes brand recall much easier.

Spark a conversation

Marketing communication in the pre-digital era was mostly one-way. The proliferation of digital use has turned it into a two-way street. If brands have something to say, so do consumers. Digital users have a voice and the platforms to express it. Marketers can use this to their advantage by creating content that stirs a conversation. The shelf life of several campaigns has extended simply because they prompted discussions on social media. Whether it’s text, image, or video, if it succeeds in engaging a consumer, it will be shared to their networks.

Showcase your values

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With the rise of consumer activism, never before have brands needed to be as accountable for their actions as they are today. Today’s aware consumer wants to be conscious of their consumption. They want to know whether their favourite brands or prospective purchase is sustainable, environment-friendly, inclusive, and aligned with their values. It’s become imperative for brands to stand for these values and communicate them through their content.

In the digital era, branded content is not about the brand, it’s about the consumer. The focus is on what the consumer wants, educating and entertaining them, adding value to their lives and aligning with what they stand for. All of this with content that doesn’t intrude instead is sought out by the consumer themselves.

About the author:

Zahara Kanchwalla, Co-Founder & CEO, Rite KnowledgeLabs