Words that you use to convey a message about your brand are seen as fundamental in marketing. Nonetheless, imagery and video have become the very core of story-telling and marketing in today’s world where social media and mobile browsing are thriving. Images and videos have more power than words to capture viewers in a story by bringing much more emotion and energy to a piece of content. A written text will not be able to generate the same impact on its own.
Rich media leads to customer loyalty
When asked about a brand, many people will systematically think of a logo. However, a deeper thought will reveal that brands are actually made up of a reel of passionate and emotive images. Images and videos created by a brand are what construct the brand’s story as they inspire emotions. Impactful rich media should weave a positive emotional connection between a brand and consumers, leading to trust and loyalty.
Rich media can indeed be used to go one step further in your brand marketing strategy, making your message more interesting than the plain text. Its use has become rampant with the rise of smart devices and innovative apps. Social media platforms are pushing this trend forward be it on Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. The use of rich media can also make your content more shareable, thus boosting the effectiveness of content marketing campaigns.
How retailers deal with rich media
Retailers basically have two different approaches with regards to rich media. Weak ones, not willing or not ready to consider the impact that rich media can have, often choose to recycle imagery provided by third-party brands that they resell. Smart retailers, on the other hand, know that the right strategy is to create their own rich media.
It has been proven that retailers who choose to invest in their own media production such as photos, videos, and audio, benefit from an immediate advantage. For instance, by creating his own rich media, a retailer can propose third-party products sellers to tell an engaging story associating them with the retail brand. The outcome is a positive growth to both as customers are inclined to engage with the rich media confidently.
Tips to successfully use rich media in your content marketing strategy
Following are some tips that can help you drive your strategy successfully.
Consistent high quality
If it is true that rich media can generate a strong positive impact on your brand, it is also true that poor quality can mar your brand. Having consistently good and consistently themed imagery is fundamental to creating a clear and positive lasting brand image. To achieve this end, think of creating them through trusted and well-established related firms or freelancers. The images and videos produced by the latter will be on-brand and on-trend. In the long run, however, in-house media creation can reduce cost as well as inconsistencies compared to outsourcing. As a result, consider shifting the creation in-house by recruiting relevant professionals.
Using videos
A video is a classic example of rich media. The reason is that streamed videos tick most of the boxes of interactive marketing list, that is, visual and audio, thus matching a voice and face to a brand. A featured video is indeed one of the best means to get your brand across to your target audience. It can be used to introduce a new product or service, serve as a resource for a how-to video, and add a personal touch by making a montage of real customers giving their feedback.
You have to be consistent with your logo and color scheme is featured. As music generate feelings, be cautious when pairing it with your brand image. The voiceover is very important as well as the style of dialogue can either encourage consumers or put them off.
Using podcasts
Podcasts are also a great means to harness rich media without any visual aids. An Edison Research established that American podcast listeners spend over 25% of their listening time with a podcast. Providing free advice to your customers through downloadable podcasts is a convenient way to allow them to listen to it wherever they are and whenever they want to, while still getting on with their daily lives.
Using E-books
E-books have the power to enhance your brand’s reputation even if they are not the flashiest technique. Putting relevant content in an e-book shows that a business is clearly serious. Being interactive, an e-book should allow the customer to access your tips, tricks, and guidelines on any device. One example to successfully use an e-book is a food brand producing an e-book with favorite recipes. A travel brand, on its side, can create short stories or a guide to various destinations it sells.
Using other interactive content
Apart from the above-mentioned methods, you may use other interactive content such as content sliders that allow breaking down a massive amount of information into smaller parts. Doing so allows the customer to easily flick through them at his own pace and convenience. You may also add pictures to make them more captivating and user-friendly.
Digital quizzes are another manner to reach out to customers in a playful manner. Sites like Buzzfeed and social media platforms have made them extremely popular. They allow you to collect information about your customers’ preferences.
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