The Next Big Thing in Online Marketing - Being More Human?
In January, Mark Schaefer coined the phrase “Content Shock” to refer to the marketing challenge stemming from the fact that we are creating more and more content online, yet consumers have a finite number of hours to absorb it. At some point, and we may have already hit that point, it will become more and more expensive (in terms of time and money) to make content marketing work for your business.
When this post was published, you could almost hear the collective gasp of content marketers worldwide. In fact, that one blog post generated nearly 400 comments. Many argued that “good content always rises to the top,” while others, faced with cold, hard facts, agreed that the golden age of content as marketing savior might indeed be coming to an end.
Of course, there are exceptions. While marketing companies will be forced to create more and better content, spending more and more time and money to keep the same amount of traffic coming in, some businesses in industries that have not fully adopted content marketing may be able to coast along a while longer with blogging, downloadable ebooks, gated videos, etc., the rest of us are going to have to do the “Next Big Thing.”
What is the Next Big Thing in Online Marketing?
If I knew that for sure, that would be something. However, we all have to be on the lookout for what is working today, and that might be different for each of us. If you are in an industry that is over-saturated with blog posts, start creating videos. If no one is podcasting about your industry, be the first! Realize though, that eventually, everyone is going to wake up and start doing what you’re doing, so it’s a never-ending process.
And is this really a big departure in the marketing landscape? Of course not! The radio, tv, direct mail, and newspaper ads that used to work so well even for those on a tight budget inevitably became harder and harder to use effectively at a price the average business owner could afford. Which is why businesses turned to alternatives. The early adopters of each next big thing reaped the benefits as those who would rather not think about it shelled out more and more for worse and worse return on investment.
One of the differentiators Mark (and others) have suggested might be part of the next big thing is being more human. This is nothing new, of course, and just like social media actually returned marketing values to those of bygone days, where customers were more in control and personal relationships formed the basis of business dealings, being human is as old as our existence on this planet! What is new is that people and businesses need to learn to be human online. A quick look at most websites or social media accounts reveals that this is easier said than done!
If you Can’t Be Amazing – Just Be More Human
We would all like to think we are amazing. Our product or service is amazing. Our people are amazing. And maybe it’s true. But, not every business has the budget to be amazing with their marketing. What we can all do however is be more human.
Sure, we’re all human, and jokes about Google Glass or plastic surgery aside, we’re all equally human. But, in online marketing, what counts is, not how human you are when I have coffee with you, but how human you and your people appear to be online. That is something we can ALL afford to improve.
Being More Human on Your Website
If I visit your website and all the text is techno-speak or dry and boring and all your images are the same stock images I’ve seen on every other website in your industry, I’m moving on. Admit it – you are, too! We have become so accustomed to forming relationships that exist solely online, that we no longer feel comfortable doing business with someone with whom we cannot connect. Since so much of our decision-making process is done on a businesses’ website before we ever pick up the phone or visit the location, we are forced to make an emotional connection here.
A great place to start being more human is on your website’s “About Us” page. Tell us about the people in your company. Not just their titles and job descriptions. We want to know what they care about. And don’t pretend that John in accounting is only interested in numbers all the time (if he is, you should get him some help!). Tell us about the youth softball league he coaches and why he loves that, too.
At the very least, get rid of all the stock images standing in for employees and customers on your website. Replace them with actual photos of actual people. This will go a long way toward making your amazingly human.
Being More Human on Social Media
Sure, we need to keep a degree of professionalism in our online updates. Some things are simply not appropriate in a business setting. But are you sucking the humanity out of your social media presence in an attempt to be “proper”?
Think about some of the companies you truly enjoy in social media. What makes you keep following and engaging with them? Is it their interesting content, amusing images? To some extent, sure. But who doesn’t love a company that you can tell is run by humans? It’s the ones who have a personality that stay top of mind for me. I feel like I “know” the company because I do kind of know their people. Even if I’m not in the business for a new video host now, if I ever am, I don’t even have think about who to use – Wistia has “humanness” in the bag online!
It’s not just in how you post, either. It’s how you respond to your customers. You could respond Joe’s customer concern with, “Please call our customer support number.” or you could say, “Joe, I’m so sorry your sneakers let you down! We want to fix that right away. Please call us at xxx and we’ll take care of it. Or, message us with your email address and we’ll follow up immediately.” Is someone being slightly antagonistic? Having a sense of humor about yourself can go a long way in winning over detractors and in shoring up support from existing fans.
I’m already a huge Canva fan because of their great images, but the openness of their people online keeps me feeling connected to them. In the Instagram screen shot above, I was proudly showing off some Canva swag. Canva kindly joined in to tell me I looked fabulous (why, thank you!). My loyalty gets stronger with every interaction. Is that your social policy, too? Be human, because even if that is not the next big thing, it is never going to increase in price, and it is never going to to out of fashion.
How do you showcase the humanity of your business or brand online? Is there any personality or company whose style you admire? Please share! Oh, and if you have the inside scoop on the next big thing, won’t you tell us?
Continue reading here: Are You Marketing with Empathy or with Contempt?
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