Our use of technology has become commonplace as we strive to connect. We strive to execute our business and lives as before, but make creative and necessary adaptations to current restrictions. At times, planning feels a little futile, yet economics drive us to move forward. There is a beautiful commonality amongst businesses as we face similar challenges and look for unique opportunities presented to us.
A recent study by Statista states, “As a result of society’s virtual shutdown, online traffic surged double-digits across multiple categories in March.” They are seeing increases as high as 47% of those who are connecting with friends and family online.
This volume of people striving to stand out and be heard in the digital space is really only one of the key issues businesses are facing. We are facing the super powers, Big Tech, also known as the Tech Giants. They are the largest and most dominant companies in the information technology industry, namely Amazon, Apple, Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Tesla. “With size comes power. A simple change in an algorithm can wipe out smaller companies reliant on tech companies’ platforms” (Is Big Tech Just Too Big to Stomach?)
How do we know how to stand out? Foot traffic to our businesses has changed, we moved to the digital space, only to find a powerful game in place that few of us have the time to understand.
Doing business “as usual” is now a complex endeavour which, for the most part, is a guessing game. We clearly are not the only ones striving to stand out. There is tremendous noise in our digital engagement. We tire easily of those who are too bold, who use their platform primarily to sell, or take a stance on politics. In this sophisticated environment, there are things you can do to be noticed.
1. A clear and compelling message. Know exactly what you want your audience to hear and do. Tell it to them in clear and concise words - as well as with imagery that speaks clearly. They may spend all of a few moments glancing at your message.
2. Have a clear call to action. Do you want them to call, to learn more, to talk? Choose a low-barrier of entry that enables them to commit in the moment to your message.
3. Use powerful and visually engaging imagery. Use photos and video that truly will make your viewers stop in their tracks. Assume they may never read a word you wrote. Will the image and call to action be enough to connect them with you.
4. Marketing should cost. A well crafted message that you like may never be seen. Did you know that there is a threshold of spend on Facebook boosting which, if spent, can be the difference between 3 or 100 people seeing that ad. It takes work and commitment to understand the rapid changes. The hard work of marketing without knowing your audience and spending the money to ensure your business is seen matters.
Your business matters. You matter. Many of us find ourselves in uncharted waters, yet, we want to make a difference in our customers lives. They need to know that you have solutions for them. You’ve heard the saying, “a picture is worth a thousand words”. It really is. When you take your message, put it into a clear, concise and powerfully engaging imagery with a clear call to action, and apply the science of ensuring the right people see it, you will be noticed.
Iconium Media is committed to learning in this ever changing environment. We want you to be seen and we want to help accelerate your business. If you are interested in learning more about getting your message out, please contact us. We would love to talk.
