THE NEW BATTLE GROUND: CONSUMER ATTENTION
WHY IT’S HARDER THAN EVER TO BREAK THROUGH THE NOISE JANUARY 23, 2017
The good ol’ days The year is 1920, and a shocking new form of communication is starting to emerge. On 31 August 1920, the first known radio news program was broadcast.[1] By 1934 almost 600 radio stations[2] ran coast-to-coast in America. However, the years that followed saw the creation of the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) and the rise of a new medium – television. The proliferation of communication segmentation seemed to be stifled. Of course, we know that isn’t true. Today, we have over one-billion websites[3], over one-billion people using Facebook, and over 2,000 YouTube channels with a million+ subscribers. [4] All this means that the most important commodity for a brand is: Attention.
THE AWARENESS ECONOMY
One step along any customer journey that remains consistent is the need for a customer to know you exist. If we don’t know about your brand, we can’t move through any process that eventually leads to a purchase. We’re drawn to things we either a) know, or b) are right in front of us – it goes back to our basic biology. Therefore, getting and holding onto attention is critical for business survival, but it has never been more difficult.
In just one minute...
347,222
Tweets are sent
3,567,850 Text messages are sent
86,805
Hours of video is streamed on netflix
Unlike the heyday of television where the hardest part was affording the advertising space during the 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. time slot, we now face thousands of options, with no “silver bullet” in sight. Should you invest in social media? What about running an experiential campaign? Traditional media is still important, right? Of course, word of mouth is an important part – but how do you get that? We’ve explored these exact questions and follow three fundamental rules. Source: https://contently.com/strategist/2016/07/26/infographic-content-consumed-every-minute-absolutely-ridiculous/
the rules
of engagement:
Respect the Owned, Earned, Paid model Basically, this model illustrates the importance of having multiple touch-points with your consumer that are all complementary. Often thought of as a holistic approach, it guides us to ensure we don’t put all our client’s eggs into one basket.
Leverage consumer insights - wisely With the rise of digital communications, we’ve seen a rise in consumer insights. However, more isn’t always better. By narrowing our focus around key communication triggers, such as a spike in conversations around a topic or hashtag, we can cut through the noise by creating contextually relevant messaging and not just a bunch of “meh” content.
Always in beta An advantage in this modern communications age is the opportunity to test different messages, graphics, deployment time and platform selection, even testing things at the same time (known as A/B testing). We constantly review and refine our messaging to increase the likelihood that our content will be noticed.
The truth is that there’s no easy-to-follow formula
that guarantees attention. However, through testing, listening and following a comprehensive communications model, brands are connecting with consumers on a much more personal level, building trust and loyalty along the way.
Drop us a line If you want to build trust and infuse this thinking with your communications plan, why not drop us an email at: melanie@elevatorinc.com
elevatorinc.com
416-363-6444
@elevatorinc
Many thanks to Viktor Vorobyev, Bradley Avison, i cons, aguycalledgary, Patrice Curci, Stefan de Haan, and Arthur Shlain at thenounproject.com for the icons.