What attracts prospects more, copy or visuals? That may be a loaded question: people need both to feel comfortable hiring a digital marketing firm. However, it also pushes you to think more about the creative side of the digital marketing process.
Studies and surveys show that what people want is changing:
- Branded video content is the preferred medium with today’s consumers
- Users are now searching to find specific feelings rather than exclusively searching by topic
- People are more likely to scan for words and not read through the copy
Are you seeing the bigger picture here? Once upon a time, copy was king. That’s morphing into content is king—the creative side of digital marketing is more important than ever.
The Role of Creativity in Digital Marketing
Digital marketing has one goal: to connect with your audience and provide value through what you offer on each online platform you utilize for your brand. However, with so many people using online platforms, it’s not enough to just show up. That’s where creativity comes into play.
Creativity is what drives engagement. It’s what creates the most memorable campaigns people remember. It’s what makes your brand stick in the minds of your audience when they’re out searching and gives people a reason to come back.
When we think of creativity, most of us picture photos, videos, and artwork. We focus on the output, when it’s really about thinking outside the box. It’s about staying agile in an ever-changing marketplace. It’s about testing different approaches to see which wins.
Digital marketing allows you to go the extra mile and incorporate data into your creative process. With an abundance of data, you can gain invaluable insights into your viewers’ behavior and preferences. Test different strategies. Personalize based on what you find.
The results are what establish your brand. Do it right, and you can become an industry leader, a trusted resource of information that gives people what they want. You can consistently show up and provide value in new and exciting ways.
How Creative Shows Up in a Digital Marketing Strategy
Every digital marketing strategy starts by asking two questions:
- What pain point do you solve?
- What is your competitor doing, and how can you do it better?
Yet knowing the questions doesn’t mean it shortens the curve to get to the answers. And just when you think you have it figured out, the rules can change. This is an ever-changing process that alters over time. But it is the place to start.
Your creative strategy begins by understanding your audience. What are their pain points? Hearing them directly gives you a chance to build empathy into your campaigns. Using their exact words makes them feel heard. Combining text with graphics helps capture their attention faster.
You can look at what your competition is doing, and this can alert you to how your audience is feeling. Then, make it personal, telling your audience why you do it differently, better.
Start with Your Audience
For creative advertising to work, it has to evoke the right feelings with your audience. This starts by getting to know who your audience is. What are their demographics? What motivates them to buy?
Your research starts with what you know about your audience based on your experience. Then, collect data to go deeper. Primary research involves interviewing or surveying your target audience. It can lead you to specific insights, but it does take time and money to do it correctly.
You can also utilize what’s available to you through other studies. The internet is filled with data. Your searches can reveal a lot about your competition. Just don’t forget that what you find in searches is there primarily because of promotion. Data analysis can help you dig deeper into who you’re targeting and what they really want.
The Creative Side of a Strategy
A creative digital marketing strategy is more than throwing words and images on a page. Your message must be tailored to your audience and tie back to your objectives. There is a lot to keep in mind as you’re developing your creative elements:
- Message: What will your content have to say?
- Offers: What do you want your viewers, prospects, and customers to do?
- Visuals: What is the overall feeling you wish to convey?
- Narrative: What is your story?
- Channels: Where will you build your platforms? How do you want to show up, keeping your branding in mind?
- Positioning: How do you want your brand positioned in the marketplace? How can you be the best solution?
Crafting Your Message
Your message must speak directly to your audience. The best campaigns combine copy and visuals to get to the heart of the issue. That makes every piece of content you create hinge on your use of tone and voice as you tell your story.
Think theme. Think personality. Do you want to add humor? Do you wish to get straight to the point? How will you be relatable and trustworthy?
This shouldn’t be difficult because it comes from your core mission. It’s all about the personality you wish to show the world. Once you’ve defined it, use it every time you create.
Select the Right Channels
There isn’t a right or wrong approach. It’s all about being where your audience is and creating platforms you enjoy using. This means choosing places to show up that provide you with creative outlets you can keep using.
Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok might seem appealing but may not be the right fit. Maybe LinkedIn works better for you.
Have you ensured you show up in the search engines? Well-placed creative content optimized for search can do wonders for your business.
This is about getting to know your goals and finding ways to build something you can manage and be proud of at the same time. It’s doable. With focus and work. If you need a little help to put it all together, reach out.
