Digital advertising promotes steady growth; every day more small businesses are choosing to have a presence on social media. But it’s also true that, for efficient digital communication, you need some specific skills and a different perspective on advertising compared to traditional or ATL approaches.
In BRAIN-DING we share three essential principles, drawn from the work of Jeremy Ostermiller, founder of Altitude Digital, that have become key to the success of digital advertising for business entrepreneurs.
Do not let the data guide the strategy.
It is true that we need to constantly review the results and interactions of our social media to adjust actions, but the analysis of these reports should focus on what the data tell us, rather than just the number of shares. Metrics like CTR, conversions or statistics visit the cybernauts; they only provide instantaneous data.
It’s better to analyze the metrics from the point of view of online consumers. What makes us participate when something goes viral? What motivates an online purchase? Why do some users, but not others, click the link to “learn more”? This kind of thinking will help to improve the videos, messages and generally the content of your social media presence.
Stay competitive.
All companies and new businesses that employ digital advertising want to be updated with the latest technological trends for advertising; but the that sea of information can easily overwhelm you. Don’t forget to read up on the latest trends from the consumer’s end, too.
It’s better to think about the daily lives of consumers, to find the strongest message to communicate your product or service at the best time: this will make the consumer remember you for suggesting the right product in the right situation. For example, if your business offers credits for purchasing used cars, you don’t want to advertise to people in their cars, regardless of how high-tech the methods to do so may be. Instead, you want to hit the people that are riding the subway, and get them to consider investing in a car. Only then does your service becomes relevant.
Understanding the daily lives of your target market keeps you in the loop. Don’t limit yourself to only investigating the latest trends in your environment.
Work holistically.
We’ve talked about taking the time to analyze the data and metrics of your online presence, but when you have them, it’s best to step back for a broader view, get accurate knowledge of everything, and then implement the improvements that work for your product or service.
When doing this, support your decisions with a little research. Study the cases of successful companies similar to yours; what did they do to get positive results? For each case you find, ask these two questions:
What steps or actions generated a conversation with their consumers? And, if they happen to be many steps, what can I do to speed up that process?
These guiding principles must be constantly implemented in your digital strategy. None is more important than another, they are each an integral part of crafting a winning strategy to meet your business’s goals.
Let’s do BRAIN-DING!