Online marketing is in a period of change as companies look to earn the best returns on their investments and adapt to behavioural changes. Traditionally display ads could provide big returns, getting people thinking about a brand because it was displayed prominently on pages. This strategy doesn’t work as well now. In fact it is being predicted that spending on this kind of advertising will see a big drop in the next few years.
There are a number of reasons why display ads are no longer effective. Most importantly is the fact that people simply don’t look at them as much anymore. Many users utilise ad blocking software so they don’t have to see them at all as they distract their attention or prove to be overly intrusive. On top of this many people are more conscious now of what they click on so they don’t inadvertently end up on untrustworthy websites.
The drop off in display ads does not spell the end for digital marketing though. In fact it signals a wonderful change and encourages advertisers to be more creative. One thing they can do is look to create the right content and promote it on the most suitable channels. This can provide fantastic benefits because there are so many channels to choose from and ways to engage with people effectively.
One thing to remember with this form of digital marketing is that you will need a separate strategy for each channel. There will be different rules to follow on each network and content will perform differently. For example you could have a long video on YouTube but would need it to be shorter and snappier on Snapchat. You need to take these differences into account and ensure you create the right things.
For content marketing to be feasible it needs to provide a good return. To achieve this you need to ensure the costs are right. Every piece of content you create will come at a cost. If you create something that is not suitable for a channel the return is unlikely to be healthy. It is good to have a clear view of what is required from the start and use it when creating to ensure you are focused.
The thing to keep in mind is that people want to see content that interests them and answers questions they may have. It is a good idea to get into the habit of telling stories and ensuring they are presented properly. Remember the story you can tell with text is different to what you can do with images or video.
If you have any questions about creating the right content marketing strategy we would be happy to provide some answers. At Web Consultancy we know the power of interacting with people in the correct way, using the most appropriate channels for them. We also understand just how crucial it is to have the right content.