media update’s Jenna Cook delves into four ways you can improve your marketing game in the new year.

Here are four ways how you, the marketer, can improve your skills in 2019:

1. Focus more on communicating with your consumers

Thanks to social media, the world is more connected than ever before. And when it comes to marketing, no matter the medium, a fundamental rule still implies: know your consumer. By knowing your consumer, you’ll be able to communicate your brand message in a way that they prefer or are more accustom to.

Digital advertising makes it easier for your brand to interact with consumers through social channels like Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, where you can directly and instantly share product promotions, services and marketing messages.

Messaging platforms are popular with consumers because they place your brand on equal ground (or at the consumer’s level) as well as satisfy their desire for instant gratification – i.e. instant responses to queries. This ‘instant’ interaction lets you build a relationship with your consumer in the same way that they would with any of their friends by having a constant stream of communication on social media.

2. Give your advertising arsenal an upgrade

As the digital landscape continues to change, not only do you need to keep up with this disruption but you’ll also need to look at how you can use these advances to further your brand message and advertising.

Here are three tools you can look to include in 2019:

1. Chatbots

Chatbots are digital assistants for your brand – one which fundamental role is to interact with your consumers instantly, answer questions, drive sales and collect data. They are an inexpensive way to ensure your brand is available any time, day or night.

Not only do chatbots allow your brand to reach your consumer directly, but they also give your brand the opportunity to increase productivity. Their engagement can mimic the tone and style of your brand while quickly and effectively giving your consumers information on products or services.

2. In-game marketing

The gaming industry has been making major headway in the advances of technology. From live video, virtual and augmented reality to innovative inventions inspired by games.

You can even use the technological capabilities of social media to gamify your online campaigns. Gamification is an exciting way to insert your brand into a channel that has no clutter from traditional advertising, providing brands with the opportunity to execute advertising campaigns within virtual worlds.

3. Influencer marketing

Brands are known to partner with celebrities or sports stars to endorse their brand, but now you can also give ‘regular’ people (with a substantial following on social media) the opportunity to become incredibly influential.

Consumers are more likely to trust the recommendation of a real person over that of a brand. Why? Because to a consumer, a real person is more relatable and trustworthy than a brand.

This insight has given way to a powerful digital strategy known as influencer marketing. Using influencers is a great way for your brand to reach your desired audience and turn them into loyal consumers.

3. Critically consider the content you create

“Exceptional content is hard to find – and even harder to write,” says Aisling McCarthy in a previous media update article. She outlined five golden rules that’ll help you create exceptional content. They are:

1. Make your readers feel something

You have to ask yourself: Why would someone care about this? If readers feel something – then they’ll remember it.

So before you start working on your next piece of content, consider how your story could make an emotional impact. Find it, and use it!

2. Make your content powerful and punchy

When putting your content together, make sure that your writing inspires action.

3. Make your reader care from the very first line

Every piece of content you write should tell your readers why they should spend their time hearing what you have to say.

4. Keep it simple

Keep in mind the type of audience you’re writing for, and then use the kind of terminology they would. By overusing meaningless buzzwords, you can show off your vocabulary, but it’s also an easy way to lose your reader’s interest.

5. Edit. Edit. And edit again

The most important rule of them all is to always edit your work. And to do it more than once.

By following these golden rules, you’ll not only level up your content, but you’ll also think more critically about your brand message.

Remember that these rules can also be a great way to measure the effectiveness of every piece of content in your marketing strategy. For example: Do your images make viewers feel something? Are your videos powerful and punchy? How do your infographics make someone care?

4. Integrate SEO into everything you do

When it comes to online content, SEO is king. Why? Because if your content isn’t specifically designed to be found by search engines like Google or Yahoo, it won’t be.

Consumers typically use these search engines to find more information about brands, products or news. And unless they know about your brand beforehand, they’ll be using keyword searches to find what they’re looking for. This means that the more SEO friendly your website copy is, the easier your brand will be found online.

Here are three simple steps you can take to integrate SEO into your online copy:

1. Good SEO needs a keyword to focus on

Think of a keyword, or keywords, that describe your product or service. These words need to be descriptive enough so that when someone sees them, even if it’s for the first time, they’ll know exactly what it is you offer.

2. Research your SEO keyword competitors

Consider who your competitors for this keyword are. You want your main keyword to be easily associated with you and your brand, not one of your major competitors.

3. Fill your content with your SEO keyword

Make sure that your keyword is in your title page, header and in the names of your images. You can also include it in any subheadings or captions.

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There’s no denying that for a brand’s marketing strategy to be successful, it needs to account for the rapid digitisation taking place throughout the world. To find out why, read our article, Seven ways digital marketing has changed the ad industry.
*Image courtesy of Vecteezy