HR Marketing: Purposeful companies attract, retain, and mobilize employees
SEO and SEM specialists were mostly unanimous when they predicted that in 2020, more than 50% of web research would happen through voice search. 2020 is here, and our SEM specialist, Bruno, explains how to rank better in search engines while considering speech to text.
" What you may consider is we don't talk the same way we speak. Concretely, what that means, is brands win when they use a language closer to the spoken language because it will set them in a better position in search engines. Beyond spoken language, they must consider the intention behind the search, which will hold a more important place in this particular scenario."
The spoken language takes a more prominent place than the written one. To give an idea, Blacklinko revealed not too long ago that an English voice search would contain around 29 words. Brands now need to put more emphasis on extended expressions with more keywords than short sentences with a few keywords (as seen in the graphic below).
Source: Agence 90
Conclusion: by adopting a strategy based around longer keywords and a language closer to the one we speak, a brand makes sure that its content is prioritized in search engines to get more quality web traffic and generate more conversions on its website.
Traditional publicity, while still being pervasive, is less effective without any content initiative to complete it. Many purist brand and marketing experts had to adapt to this new way of communicating by putting more emphasis on the brand's history on platforms that do not allow online purchases. Even if the consumer's path is easier than ever to track, thanks to digital fingerprints, the link between a video published on a social platform and an online purchase is still hard to decipher.
Today, it is now possible to engage in discussion with a consumer and conclude a sale on the same social platform. The result: the consumer's path is more straightforward and accessible, which can occur in only a few simple steps. The era when you had to visit a brand's website after seeing a particular product posted by an influencer or an acquaintance is mostly over. It is now possible to buy the product we like on the publication itself, without having to switch platforms.
Social commerce not only has the potential to change the way we buy, but also the way we communicate. Imagine this particular scenario: if it were possible to tag products while permitting web users to buy them via a video they are watching. The banner placement we used to put much emphasis on would clearly not survive. Or it would be utilized for a completely different thing.
"Many say it is an advantage for brands while some others might say they'll get lost in an online catalog, where people's feed has only become a demonstration of commodities. Either way, we can definitely anticipate lots of innovative strategies" mentions Justine.
There are numerous platforms on which brands can interact with their actual and potential consumers. In the course of the last few years, the rise of TikTok was hugely publicized. With its 800 million monthly active users, brands are becoming more and more interested in the app.
The platforms we are familiar with are also adding new functionalities regularly. It is now possible to buy a product directly on Instagram via Instagram Checkout, and to create an AR ad format on Facebook.
Beyond democratizing access to certain functionalities, self-service platforms, like Campsite, are now facilitating the planning of a new campaign with easy media buying like media placement (physical display). The result: Traditional media placement is now as simple as planning a Facebook media campaign.
Source: Campsite
"Any advertiser, in a few hours and with a small budget, can now launch a campaign of digital displays within many advertising locations across Canada" explains Justine.
The link between content creators, brands, and consumers is now stronger and less linear. There was a time when every activation was the brand's idea. They would then approach the creators, later the consumers. Today, the relation between the three of them is not perfect, and even when it is, it can originate from the consumer and work its way to the brand.
It is also true when it comes to the remuneration of content creators: brands are not the only ones financing their work, and in many cases, it is the consumer that does. Youtubers and owners of Podcast commonly use Patreon, a service that allows creators to earn money through their community.
Other social platforms also offer similar services: Facebook launched in the last year many initiatives to help creators earn money with their content. Let it be via their publicity distribution within their videos (just like Youtube does), via some select subscriptions for fans or even thanks to more traditional collaborations with brands.
Facebook even created a monetization tool entirely dedicated to online gaming, which acts as a direct competition to Twitch, a popular gaming platform. According to Justine, the multiplication of models of remuneration for content creators is excellent news for the industry.
"All these new tools are setting boundaries within the brand/content creator relationship and are allowing us to gather more statistics on the different audiences of these creators. A better understanding of audiences means a more natural relation between brands and creators."
In some instances, consumers are even involved in the process of designing a brand. Genius
A brand's DNA must imperatively be honored in all their collaborations; otherwise, its image could be tarnished. Strategies of influence were at first thought out as media strategies: brands would pick a few influencers to share their products. But like any other thing, if too many people spread the same message, its meaning lowers. It is even more valid when specific messages are contradictory, sponsored by a brand... or not.
It is with good reason that micro-influencers are now a lot more influential: they work within a specific niche and have a voice within their industry. In contrast, so many brands are reaching out to influencers with millions of followers, that most of these creators are not only sticking to their primary niche.
The type of influencer we've known for the last few years is, without surprise, called for an ambassador role. Instead of planning their influencer strategies campaign by campaign, brands must consider planning it annually, so it benefits all. After all, risking their reputation with any association, like an online celebrity, involves the same amount of risk for a one time deal than with a lasting association. Better to ask the right questions to fewer people than the wrong questions to too many people.
The question still is: does this person represent the brand values, and would this person talk about the brand without getting paid?
Remember that if the answer is no, that may not be the right influencer for you.
If you have any questions about the article, give us a shout so we can discuss it!