Video: Why you should be incorporating it into your next content marketing strategy.

Today we’re talking about video content marketing, and why I don’t think it’s currently being used enough.

In today’s world where content marketing seems to be the norm, it would appear that we’ve seen it all.

By this point, I’m sure we’re all too familiar with brands curating aesthetic Instagram feeds, dipping their toes into the world of blogging or even Instagram stories, or even jumping on the podcasting bandwagon.

However, I’d argue there is medium that isn’t being harnessed enough by digital marketers – and that is video.

“54% of consumers say they want to see videos from brands they interact with.”

Video is a great way to bring an extra layer of entertainment and personality to your online content. Not only this, but it’s also one of the best mediums for driving engagement and it can work wonders for your SEO.

As a customer, I simply love when brands produce video content. For one, it makes me feel like the brand is so much more alive, compared to just being a collection of pretty pictures on Instagram.

Secondly, when a brand makes video content that is genuinely entertaining or even binge worthy, it makes me want to learn more about the brand and their products.

“90% of consumers claim a video will help them make a purchasing decision”.

Not only this, but videos can also boost your conversions, improve ROI and enable you to build real relationships with your target audience.

At the end of the day, it’s all about delivering your marketing messages to your target audience in the most dynamic and engaging way possible.

I say, what better way to do this than with a video and it can’t hurt to impart a little bit of creativity and personality into your brand’s communications.

Happy creating!

Somehow I’ll, make a meme, out of you.

This week, let’s talk memes. Yes, you did just read that correctly. 

I wanted to shed some light on what is arguably one of the most important pieces of internet culture and why you should be incorporating it into your next digital campaign. 

Ah yes, the ubiquitous meme. A way for us to have a laugh and connect with our friends online. However, there’s a lot more going on here than first meets the eye – and I don’t think I’m alone in this. 

Some of the biggest brands today are even jumping on the bandwagon – especially when it comes to building their presence on social media. 

Let’s take a look at some examples. 

Okay, that’s cool and all…but how does posting memes benefit your business? 

Well, I think it comes down to this: memes help you develop your brand personality and bring you closer to your target audience. 

Here’s why.

Memes are something that we share within our intimate circles. When brands share memes, however, it’s kind of like they’re letting their guard down and inviting us into ‘their’ world. This shifts how a brand is positioned in our minds, from simply being a company trying to sell us stuff, to being a living, breathing entity who also doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Ultimately, this means an opportunity for more genuine relationships to form between a brand and its customers. Also, the share-ability and mass appeal of memes, make them great for organically driving traffic to your socials and growing brand awareness.

I will say though, tread lightly with your meme creation.

Nothing is worse than seeing a brand posting content that is ‘past its expiry’. Internet culture moves fast, so you have to be confident in creating witty and relevant content – otherwise your campaign will surely backfire.

Happy posting!

Influencer marketing: the missing link in your next online marketing strategy.

This week let’s take a deep dive into a term that is chucked around a lot in the digital marketing sphere: influencer marketing. 

Now as I’m sure many of you may know, this type of marketing has become very common among some of the biggest brands and companies operating today.

If used correctly, influencer marketing can be an extremely effective tool for growing awareness of your brand and generating organic customer engagement.

source: https://www.instagram.com/p/B74E6O0FHo8/

“71% of marketers say the quality of customers and traffic from influencer marketing is better than other sources”

So how does influencer marketing work? Basically, brands collaborate with online influencers – often of the social media variety – leveraging off their existing audience to market the brand’s products or services. Influencers have a strong rapport with their followers; who trust them and care about their opinion. This is why influencer marketing is so appealing to digital marketers.

Influencers are ideal candidates for brands to want align with; in a way, they have removed the arduous task for marketers of having to find a suitable spokesperson for their brand who successfully appeals to the target market, all while representing the brands image and vision.

source: https://www.instagram.com/p/B4fw6Aehwal/

Ultimately, influencers have the social clout to guide their followers’ purchasing behaviour.

“49% of consumers today depend on influencer recommendations for their purchase decisions”

As a result, marketers can organise partnerships with influencers, such as providing sponsorships, brand deals or even encouraging the influencer to advocate for their brand on social media. Ultimately, these things will all likely become key social touch-points for customers, hence influencing their journey to purchase.

source: https://www.instagram.com/p/BwPyhCHHsFn/?utm_source=ig_embed

To ignore influencer marketing is to ignore a massive opportunity for your brand to organically grow its awareness and foster meaningful relationships with your customer base.

Get on it guys!   

Patreon: The platform that is putting digital creatives back in the driver’s seat

Patreon was founded by Jack Conte in 2013. Back then, Conte was a YouTube musician who ran the popular channel, ‘Pomplamoose’. I was a massive fan of the channel back in the day, and like many others, fell in love with Conte’s zany musical renditions of classic songs. 

The problem was, Conte became increasingly frustrated by the fact that he was reeling in millions of views each month, however, the income he was actually receiving from AdSense was often dismal. Alas, Patreon was born.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIr8-f2OWhs

Patreon allows independent creators (i.e. YouTubers, podcasters or visual artists) the creative freedom to make the content they are passionate about, while getting the salary they deserve. 

Source: https://www.patreon.com/c/video

It allows creators to stand up as their own entity instead of having to rely on much bigger platforms for exposure and ‘clicks’. Previously, creators would have to perpetually chase the next viral sensation or decode platform algorithms if they ever wished to land on the ‘trending page’. 

Patreon works by a subscription model, where fans pay a monthly fee in exchange for exclusive content, shout-outs, merchandise or even a more intimate look into the creative process of their favourite online personality. 

Source: https://www.patreon.com/tofupupper

Ultimately, Patreon allows independent creators to generate reliable revenue streams and more avenues through which to provide unique customer value to their followers. The platform also enables more personal connections to foster between fans and creators, meaning a better understanding of their target audience and what type of content they want to see. 

It’s a win-win! 

I’ll end on this: Patreon is putting creators back in the driver’s seat. Its success as a platform proves the importance of putting your target customer’s needs and wants first. 

Spotify: How the music mogul goes beyond just data

In 2008, Spotify first launched in Stockholm, Sweden. Since then, the music streaming platform has taken the world by storm, now being the most popular audio streaming service globally, with over 248 million monthly active users worldwide.

I absolutely adore Spotify and cannot imagine a day without it being the soundtrack to my life. Why? Well it comes down to one key feature: the ‘Discover Weekly’ playlist. Each week Spotify provides users with a curated playlist of songs that it knows you will love – and let me tell you, they hit the nail on the head every time. 

These playlists feel tailor made and are an efficient way for users to discover new artists and songs. As a Spotify fan, this is something I look forward to every week. 

source: https://www.spotify.com/au/

The ‘Discover Weekly’ playlist is just one example of how Spotify uses consumer data, which they call ‘streaming intelligence’ to provide value to their listeners. 

“With more listeners and better data, we [are] able to give fans a tailored experience, showing that Spotify really gets them”. 

source: https://www.spotifyforbrands.com/en-US/insights/2017-wrapped-how-data-powers-spotifys-holiday-campaign/

In reality, Spotify has a detailed consumer profiles on all of their listeners, just as any successful global organisation is expected to have these days. However, the key here is how Spotify uses this data to provide innovative and creative market offerings to their consumers.  

For example, ‘Spotify Wrapped’ is an end-of-year campaign that allows users to see their listening data for the year, but told through a personalised ‘story’ format that users can click through at their leisure. The campaign employs fun and vibrant creative and also encourages share-ability on social media.

source: https://newsroom.spotify.com/2019-12-05/spotify-wrapped-2019-reveals-your-streaming-trends-from-2010-to-now/

Marketers should look to Spotify as an exemplar for how to harness consumer data while providing mutual value to customers that keeps them engaged and remain loyal to their platform. 

About Me

Hey there! I’m Sami, a here is a little bit about me…

Currently, I’m doing a double degree of Business/Arts. I’m in my fourth year of study and plan to major in Media and Communications and Marketing.

Ever since I can remember I have always loved being creative, whether that was making YouTube videos in my room as a child, writing short stories or even making a podcast! As I’ve grown older, I think I’ve channeled these interests into a growing passion for both the marketing and media industry.

Upon graduating next year (fingers crossed), I would love to work in a creative agency or a media/marketing firm. Anywhere within the field of media or marketing really, as long as I can be constantly challenged, kept on my toes and while being creatively fulfilled in the process!

As for the more personal parts of life, I love spending time with my family and my dog (Ginger the Labradoodle). I also have a keen interest in food and bar culture in Melbourne – I love trying new things! I also love to watch movies and geek out about cinema. I love following new releases and watching as much press content as I can about my favourite directors and movies. 

So, yeah, that’s me!

Hopefully we can both learn something about each other throughout this whole blogging process. Stay tuned!