One would assume that having access to a whole range of different channels makes it easier for businesses to market themselves and engage with their target audiences properly. Alas, having more options is often more confusing and more challenging to navigate than having a select few choices at your disposal. Use too many different channels and you risk diffusing your brand in front of fewer people due to limited resources. Limiting yourself to a few channels can also mean a disaster for your marketing efforts, since people do consume various media outlets regularly.
Striking the right balance and placing your brand on the right channels can make all the difference when the time comes to impress your audience and communicate with them effectively. Depending on your budget, your resources, and of course, your audience, you will be able to limit your marketing efforts to a select few channels that will bring you the best results. Here are a few of today’s most popular and widely used marketing channels and methods to consider.
Make use of podcasts
With approximately 700,000 active podcasts today, it’s safe to say that the medium is growing rapidly in terms of popularity and use among various demographics, especially younger, well-educated people. Devices such as our smartphones, tablets, and hands-free phone holders help us fill our time with the kind of audio content we love, be it in politics, business, or simply to entertain ourselves. That is why more brands today need to consider joining the podcast world and producing content that will intrigue their audiences.
While the written format is still in play (very much so, in fact) and it will never wane in relevance, merely evolve, utilizing various podcast channels is a relevant way for brands to market themselves and position themselves as leaders in their industries. Brining industry-vital guests, covering relevant topics with unique angles, and providing actionable advice through podcasts gives the kind of value that allows you to market your business in a powerful, but not promotional manner.
Invest in authentic videos
Hand in hand with audio content, videos are perhaps the most easily consumed content format widely available today, loved by people of all ages. Thanks to a range of social media networks that now enable and empower video sharing and creation, brands can now engage their audience with the help of unique, relatable videos that tell a story.
From video ads, educational videos, rich employee-focused videos that show some “behind the scenes” footage, and the like all let your brand introduce itself properly to the world. Of course, how you utilize different visual platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook will give you access to the right audience and the right exposure to increase brand awareness, improve your brand’s image, and ultimately grow your sales. Currently, videos are considered among many brands as the most effective channel for brand dissemination and the most powerful way to humanize your digital presence.
Employees as your strongest ambassadors
A channel that too many businesses overlook in favor of various digital media is your own team. The people that work to produce your content, the people under your wing who have the most intimate knowledge of your brand’s inner workings, they are the kind of people to practice eager word-of-mouth marketing to all those around them. As an example, take a look at how PostcardMania utilized its Glassdoor presence to enhance its reputation for all potential employees. Such transparency alone is more than enough to skyrocket your brand’s reputation in the eyes of your demographic.
Add to that, employees that are happy to share their experience with you as their employer are also often happy to talk about you to their loved ones, to suggest your brand to those who will benefit from your services, and to be your most loyal ambassadors in any networking scenario out there. The voices of your employees are one of your strongest assets in this overly-competitive world, one that can help you market your brand and boost its reputation like no other tactic could.
Social media doesn’t wane
What about your social media game? Chances are that you’re doing your best to be everywhere, at all times. However, choosing relevance over omnipresence is a far better, more effective solution when it comes to social media. If your target customers spend most of their time on Instagram, then it makes little sense to invest the same amount of funds and effort into a Snapchat strategy.
Following the same simple logic, you can weed out your budget’s greatest social leaks and reallocate that money to the social channels that genuinely make sense for your brand and that will ultimately help you stand out in the crowd. In addition to using data analytics tools to see where and when your customers spend their time the most, you should continuously look for ways to upgrade your social media content to meet their changing needs. While not everyone can pull of creating compelling cat videos, you can certainly find your “edge” in the social realm when you do your homework and follow your customers’ lead.
Finding and refining the right marketing methods and channels that suit your brand can be an arduous task. Use these tips to simplify the journey and make sure that your brand’s marketing efforts remain relevant in this competitive world, so that you can retain and grow your brand presence for years to come.
Keith Coppersmith is a business and marketing expert who has experienced both the rise and fall of many businesses. As a regular contributor at BizzmarkBlog, he enjoys writing and providing insight into the marketing industry based on both practice