As with most industries, the advertising landscape has had to adapt to our increasingly digitised society, and has faced its fair share of growing pains in the process. 

Challenges aside, social media has also birthed a ‘new age’ of advertising that has helped marketers to be more engaged and in sync with their audience. 

media update’s Taylor Goodman spoke to Desiree Gullan, executive creative director of G&G Digital, to unpack the modern advertising landscape.

How do you think the advertising landscape has changed since the rise of social media? 

Advertising has experienced a radical transformation as a result of the Internet, and the subsequent rise of social media, for the following reasons:

For consumers

Consumers are empowered with more information from online research and from their social media communities. They have easy and instant access to reviews and are empowered to assess products and services, based on referrals and recommendations by people that they trust.

They hold brands to a high standard as they have platforms and a voice where they can post good and bad reviews about the brands and businesses they engage with or buy from. Traditional above-the-line brand messages are interrogated and no longer blindly trusted and believed.

Additionally, consumers are doing a lot more online shopping based on referrals, digital and social advertising. E-commerce is part of our lives and purchasing decisions are made in a flash.

Consumers also now have access to brands that may have been limited by their location. The world has opened up. Social media and the Internet have eliminated borders; we can now see brands and even purchase them from anywhere in the world using our phones. 

For marketing professionals

Marketers have the ability to talk directly to their target audiences and tailor their messaging better, based on clear target personas. This means that brands can build relationships with their customers and potential customers.

They can also get a better ROI on marketing budgets on social media versus above-the-line advertising by using a combination of data insights, such as strategic targeting and messaging. This empowers them to turn traffic into customers in just a few clicks. Also, this means brands can optimise marketing budgets using data.

Brands are also able to engage directly with target markets by using smart digital and social media strategies that keep their brands top of mind and top of conversation. Essentially, this enables them to harness the power of word-of-mouth recommendations.

What are some of the biggest challenges facing the advertising industry today?

Fragmentation. While the Internet offers marketing professionals so many media choices, it also means customers are no longer trapped in front of the television or held captive by radio stations during rush hour traffic. 

Consumers actively seek out spaces and experiences that resonate with them, and they are doing so on demand, when and where it suits them. Marketing professionals have to understand their target market on a much deeper level and find ways to surprise and delight them in the myriad of digital spaces that they occupy.

With more online customers using ad-blockers, what can advertisers do to create ad content that consumers see as valuable? 

Content has to add value to consumer’s lives and you can do this in the following ways, all of which have to be relevant to your brand and your target market:
  • Share valuable news — Tell your audiences something new and do it first.
  • Educate and inform — Teach your audiences things they didn’t know before.
  • Entertain — Make them laugh, cry and have pleasing and memorable experiences.
  • Tap into trends — Be in the spaces and conversation that have captivated audiences and piqued their interests.
  • Breakthrough — Do all of the above to the highest standards so that it breaks through your competitors and the congested online spaces.

What tips would you give to an advertiser looking to stand out in the digital space? 

Start with a clear digital strategy that includes the following:
  • an understanding of your brand and what makes it unique and valuable
  • an understanding of your competitive landscape
  • a definition of your target market and created personas
  • a clear outline of your objectives and how you will measure them
  • a detailed messaging strategy
  • a smart digital media plan, and
  • a hard-working website at the centre that is optimised for the user and for search.
With a smart digital strategy and action plan that is measurable, you will stand out.

As you implement your strategy, be sure to create content that is authentic and resonant.

You can do this by:
  • using content marketing and public relations to build credibility for your brand
  • removing barriers, making the path to purchase simple and seamless
  • ensuring that information is easily accessible
  • using social media to engage with your target audiences
  • using data to formulate insights and optimise your campaigns, and
  • using data to understand your target market better and to build engaging relationships with them.

What do you think is next for the advertising industry? And what trends do you see coming up in the future? 

Education is an essential trend amongst students and adults. Covid-19 has made people a lot more introspective and focused on their inner journey as opposed to the outward fulfilment of desire. People are inwardly focused and want to align with brands (and organisations) that can enhance, uplift and empower them to be better versions of themselves.

People are also taking charge of their own inner quests, listening to podcasts, attending webinars and registering for courses they can do in their own time on their devices of choice. 

Brands that tap into this human need and give people the tools, information, experiences and spaces to learn, grow and make sense of the world will make an impact and get a competitive advantage.

What do you think is the best social media platform for advertising? Why is this?

There is no one best social media channel for every brand or business, as there are so many factors to consider when selecting the best platform. These include: 
  • the nature of the product or service
  • target market
  • budget, and 
  • location. 
My suggestion to clients is to select one or two channels and focus on creating excellent content that breaks through and resonates. Put quality over quantity. 

Make sure that you have analytics in place so that you can benchmark and measure your initiatives. That way, you can optimise what’s working and get the best ROI on your budget. 

Do you think social media has had a positive effect on advertising? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below.

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To learn more about advertising in the digital age, be sure to check out these Five trends transforming the future of digital marketing.