As professional media buyers, we’re constantly evaluating media channels for reach, impressions, frequency and engagement. This kind of constant analysis is crucial when making decisions about where your ad dollars should be spent. But this is certainly not the only thing you need to consider when developing an advertising campaign.
CMOs can easily forget that consumers are more than just data points; they are real people who desire to be seen and treated as important individuals. While leveraging data is a key part of a campaign’s success, at the end of the day, your ads are really touch points between your brand and other human beings. These ad shouldn’t be used just to sell; they should be treated as the starting point of a conversation that ultimately leads to a relationship with your market.
And the better your ad, the better chance you have of starting that relationship off on a good foot. Here are some ways you can create a positive ad experience for your target audience.
Don’t Mess with Their user Experience
Most consumers in this day and age have accepted the fact that they will be exposed to a certain amount of advertising while receiving content they enjoy. Most are okay as long as an ad doesn’t interfere with their positive user experience. This is exactly why pop-up ads have gone the way of the dinosaur.
Make sure any ad you develop and deploy integrates into your audience’s experience rather than interrupts it. This is one advantage print ads have. Print ads are polite and only speak when spoken to. And, because they are inside of publications that are loved and trusted by readers, they also have instant clout.
Provide Real Value
How many ads have you seen in your Facebook timeline that you completely ignored? Now how many have you seen that you liked and shared with others? What was it about those ads that made you engage? Chances are they offered you something for your attention. They either educated or entertained you.
Remember, the real commodity you are going after is consumer attention. If you want it, you’ve got to give consumers something in return. Add value through education or storytelling, it will go a long way.
Think of the Overall Customer Journey
It’s easy to look at each ad as a separate, stand-alone piece. But the reality is, each ad acts in tandem, connecting all your touch points and giving consumers one overall customer journey.
So, while you may have a magazine campaign running along with some Facebook ads an email campaign and a direct response mailer, always ask yourself, “how do all of these pieces fit together to give consumers one, seamless experience of our brand?” Does each touchpoint guide the prospect through your sales funnel?
It’s time to think of advertising differently – you’re not creating ads, and you’re not even creating campaigns. You’re creating a brand and a customer experience. Each marketing piece you create is one more tile that adds to the overall mosaic. Each ad is a chance to continue the conversation with your market and see how far the relationship can go.
Do you need help with your campaigns? Do you want to create the kinds of ads that engage consumers and drive action? If so, please get in touch with us. As media buyers, we don’t just eat, sleep and breathe data, we also put a tremendous amount of effort into researching your market and customers. This way, we can help you develop creatives that encourage that conversation along.
