It’s an age-old question. “How does a brand connect with its audience?”
Sometimes it’s through ads. Sometimes it’s through events. Sometimes it’s through social media posts. But above all, a company must have a place in the consumers’ hearts.
Coca-Cola has done this with ads so heartfelt and meaningful, you can’t help but relate to the brand. Chick-fil-A has done this with the in-store experience and community relations that help create fans for life.
How can this be done with digital marketing? Digital media can be very impersonal and at times it can seem cold. How can a brand position themselves in a way that will not only get return visitors, but brand advocates?
Stay in the Know. It wouldn’t do you much good to be starting a #HurricaneHarveyRelief campaign now—6 months after the natural disaster. Stay current with the trends, know what is pulling your market’s heartstrings and involve yourself in the dialogue.
Give your audience a chance to join the dialogue. Our least favorite friends are the ones who monologue for an entire meal and never let anyone get a word in edgewise. If you are talking at your audience instead of with your audience, they might stop listening. Also come up with campaigns that they can not only have a say in, but take an active part in. People connect to others better when they achieve together.
Leverage the speed of digital. If your audience is talking, you need to engage them when and where they are having a discussion. Once a campaign and dialogue starts, its involvement can snowball from there. Promote your campaign, and when the community gets involved, make sure your name is repeated and reinforced in conjunction with this campaign.
While digital media can seem cold and disconnected at times, modern technology has given us an opportunity brands of past generations never had: a dialogue. If we take care in this communication, we can foster relationships with grassroot influencers in any market. The rushing stream of digital marketing can be quite intimidating to tackle, but if you stay on top of it, the possibilities are endless.
If you need more guidance or want let us know of something you think we should write about, please reach out at BigIdeas@kearleya21.sg-host.com or on Facebook and Twitter @KearleyAndCo.
