The answer is dependent on the audience and medium you are using. A billboard can still be quite effective in the US because we rely on car travel. Yet, brand loyalty is less reliable because the market is flooded with options. With internet access, everyone can find the exact product or service for their budget and needs more accurately.
If brand loyalty is gone and accessibility is out, how can a business effectively market itself, especially in the Internet age?
Authenticity
Most products and services are reliable today, mainly if they have been open for an extended period. People now want to relate and identify with a business more than anything. If your business was a person, who would they be, what are their interests, and how do they communicate?
Personality and consistency are king! If you can show off your business and values without being salesy, you will succeed in the social media world, where most people spend a significant amount of their time.
Informational
If a TikTok video or Instagram Reel is not entertaining, it is informational. And by informational, we mean sharing options, expertise, news, gossip, and how-tos. The key here is riding the line between lecturing and entertainment-only content. Informational content is not a math lesson.
This type of content talks about news, shares customer stories, and shows how your products are made and your services are done. Voice your experiences to connect more with users.
Problem-Solving
While we do not recommend blatantly selling your products and services, you should not ignore what your business does. Instead, explain a problem and then showcase the solution and outcome.
For example, you are a skincare company. A common skin issue is skin around the face sagging and wrinkling. Explain how your products measurably help your customers’ skin and then showcase a happy person with beautiful skin who could be the end result. You have shared a relatable problem, shown the solution, and highlighted the results. Your product is beneficial to users now.
People used to come into a local store and build relationships with employees and business owners. Everything was nearby. It’s not like that anymore. The world is big and online, but people still want that connection and community. In modern marketing, it is your responsibility to build what people experienced in the store online, where they spend a greater part of their day.