Do you remember GeoCities? Second Life? MySpace? As a digital marketer, I’ve been trained to always be on the lookout for the next great platform and it is an essential part of your job too.
We must take time to be aware of the channels that buyers are using. Never forget that success comes from providing the audience the content they want, on the channels that they want, in a format they want, and at the time they want.
Today, you need to know about the #SavageDance, how to join a Telegram Channel and how to deploy a Facebook Chatbot. Knowledge is a primary currency of digital marketing; without knowledge, you’ll fall behind. Each of us, and each of our clients, understands that success starts with the recognition that we are all in “the media business.”
Do You Really Need to Start Dancing on Tik Tok?
Like yesterday’s madmen, this means understanding what options are available, and which of those options will best serve our audiences. Only through that understanding can we create content that shares our message (informs), connects emotionally (inspires) and motivates (promotes).
BUT, and it is a big but, you DO NOT need to invest the time / effort / money in becoming an expert on every media channel.
If I get one more LinkedIn lead gen expert or TikTok influencer solicitation, I may have to go back to using my old Nokia phone! Of course, there are a few B2B prospects watching Ninja on Twitch but ROI and reproducible success come from focusing on developing content for the BEST media fit for the brand and audience.
This is why we still see beer commercials during football games on TV and cell phone ads in pre-roll videos on YouTube. Remember, the right message to the right audience at the right time.
Does your audience expect to see you dancing and lip syncing on Tik Tok? Probably not, but if they actually do, you might need to start practicing.
Stick to The Basics
Even as technology changes, the fundamentals of digital marketing never do:
1. Success requires a strategy that defines the message and the audience. Tricks and gimmicks may work once in a while but reproducible success comes from one thing; hard work.
2. Great content trumps trickery. If you have to choose between investing in great content or a great gimmick, always bet on the content. Between curation and relevance, a great piece of content has a longer lifespan and allows for audience “surprise and delight.”
3. Don’t bet on someone else’s property. Social media is a great tool for extending your message but never forget that your website and your content are your primary assets. Just one change to a search algorithm or a terms of service agreement could destroy years of work.
4. Regardless of your media mix, your campaign must convert prospects to leads and lead the user journey. No third-party media channel can replace the building of a responsive email (or SMS) list and interacting with those lists in an authentic and authoritative manner.
5. If your analysis shows that the best primary channel for a client’s content is not something you do, either partner with an expert to maintain the client relationship OR just say no. Attempting to Google your way to expertise in everything is both tiresome and ineffective.
To a Person With a Hammer, Everything Looks Like a Nail
If you have the opportunity to invest more time in your toolbox, start with data. There is a lot of research out there that will give you insights on how best to spend your time. Find your next tool by analyzing which channels are used by which demographic groups and how that may vary by geography.
Identify a channel that fits your experiences, interests, business, and your audience. Start using it as a marketer. You’ll be surprised how much better you’ll understand LinkedIn networking, Instagram stories or Messenger bots once you use them to achieve a specific business goal.
Try it out for a project in your kid’s school, a local non-profit or best of all … your own brand. You’ll learn a lot faster when you have something to lose or gain.
One last thing; don’t be afraid to fail as you explore. There is great value in knowing that you’re not interested in doing Airdrops via Telegram, community marketing on Steam, Twitch, or Reddit … or even managing promotions on Instagram.
Knowing what you don’t know (or don’t want to know) is almost as useful as having a working knowledge of a media platform.
If you’re having trouble navigating this maze of opportunity we’re living in, know that you don’t need to go it alone. We’re in this with you. If you need a little help, just drop us a line, anytime.
Best Regards,
Ed Bardwell
President
Rainmaker Digital Services