The Twists and Turns of Digital Engagement

In the world of social/digital, changes continue to happen at lightning speed. Here is a look at digital engagement predictions for 2015:

PRIVATE SOCIAL CONTINUES TO GROW. It is a fact of life that social media activity is now part of everyday life. Study after study keeps demonstrating how much time we like to spend engaging in exchanges on various networks and communities. And despite Zuckerberg’s attempts to force us be more public with our engagement, private social activity is on the rise. People are choosing to circle the wagons and share in smaller groups or even anonymously rather than just posting everything for the world at large to see. The most popular of these communities – Snapchat, which is built to self-destruct after just a few seconds of enjoyment. Private messaging is on the rise as individuals fight to remain free from tracking or targeting.

So what does this mean for us? The natural inclination is to look for ways to advertise or otherwise insert messaging into private communities. Snapchat is experimenting already. While this is figured out, marketers must continue to engage with key influencers and empower them to carry messages forward. These individuals can bring brand stories into private communities while still preserving 3rd party authenticity, which is a win for the brand.

CONTENT NEEDS TO LOOK GOOD ON ALL SCREENS. Consumers continue to engage with content at record pace. And they are not settling for just one kind of screen. Today’s consumer expects a cohesive, complete content experience no matter which screen they are looking on – mobile, tablet or PC.

So what does this mean for us? The new normal is responsive or adaptive when it comes to site design. To ensure the content experience is fulfilling and that consumers come back regularly, brands must commit to mobile-friendly responsive websites. Desktop only is dead. Website publishing must evolve to stay relevant. And the story needs to be adaptive to the screen. It is no longer okay to simply crop content to fit a new size. We also must “crop” the storyline to make sense why the device. Same thematics, different expressions.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION… HAS CHANGED! It’s hard to believe, but the growing ranks of Internet celebrities below the age of 25 are changing the viewing habits of the American public. Seemingly meaningless content is flooding the Internet at an exponential rate, appearing in more diverse places, and as a result, changing the landscape of where a brand message might appear… or more importantly, HOW it appears.  It’s hard to ignoring the traffic young internet-stars are generating. And the fact that there way of telling a story might be different than what we are used to doing.

So what does this mean for us? Want to stand out and be seen by the masses? It’s time to consider advertising in proximity (or in collaboration) with these growing channels. No more being apprehensive or reluctant. Time to fish where the fish are and be okay that your brand message is going to run next to a Tinder hook-up profile, or aligned to a silly online game or with a snarky music video. And it’s really time to flesh out relationships with these influencers so that we can inspire and curate our stories, but let them determine how to tell it. After all, it’s better to be seen and engaged with than not be seen at all.

PAY FOR PLAY IS HERE TO STAY. It’s been creeping its way into a full-blow reality, and in 2015 the sugarcoating has been washed away. Brands wanting to reach a meaningful audience via social/digital channels have to pay for that privilege. Period. Brand visibility is now a pay for access proposition, particularly on social behemoth Facebook who has made no secrets about this change. To be clear, the idea of earned reach has not completely gone away on communities like Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest, but the funnel of organic access is getting smaller and smaller. The only way to ensure creative content is truly seen is with paid media. (That takes care of the eyeballs… not the engagement. See the other trends above.)

So what does this mean for us? Good content should always be about engendering brand advocacy. But if you don’t see it, what does it matter? Every social/digital plan today should included a robust paid strategy, whether you created it or someone else did. In the end, if it’s building your brand, you want to help it be seen. Because of this, the importance of well-versed digital strategists, community managers, and creatives matters more than ever.  You need them to outline the strongest approaches to getting your content seen and engaged with. Most of these roles have now added paid media expertise to their skillset, or are partnering with a full-time professional dedicated to this function. That’s good. But let’s set them up for success by understanding that great content has to be married to great awareness strategy. Paid and content are married. Here’s to a happy relationship!