The Top 5 Things Audiences Want from Their Content
Today’s consumer has more access to content than ever before. They have the ability to open almost any content at any time and place. With this access being a simple swipe or click away, brand marketers need to be on top of their game when it comes to pleasing their consumers.
Your audience not only wants the ability, but expects to be able to pick and choose what kind of content they are receiving from brands and when they receive it. Instant gratification is key to engaging for a brand and the content surrounding it.
Instant gratification refers to the desire to experience pleasure or fulfillment without delay or deferment. Basically, consumers want content to be on their terms, when they want it. And most want it now. Think of the Burger King slogan “Have it your way” and have it now.
Here are five great tips to ensure that we, as marketers, do the best job possible to give our consumers instant gratification when it comes to content.
- Consent
This may seem like a no brainer. While it isn’t a “legal” obligation in the United States (yet), marketers understand that is it necessary to have consent before sending out any kind of content to their audience. According to GlobalWebIndex, more than 70% of US consumers say they are both more aware of, and more concerned about how companies use their information than they were 12 months ago. Giving users the ability to consent and then triggering an instant message via email or some sort of notification gives them the power and instant gratification they are looking for. It also helps you as marketers for later as you collect more first party data. - Personalization
This might be the theme of 2019. If you haven’t looked at personalizing content for your consumers, then you are behind your competitors. Having content tailored to the consumer is not only a strong marketing tactic, but it helps in converting a consumer into a buyer/client/subscriber/etc. If the consumer can’t relate to the content, you are putting in front of them, they will no longer be your consumer. And they will let the social media world know about it. In making sure that you not only know your audience but show them that you know them, you will be able to escalate your conversation and engagement. - Frequency
According to a November 2018 study from Alliance Data, most of the consumers surveyed said they want more control over email frequency and the content they receive from brands. But marketers are not meeting the needs of the consumers. Only a small number of marketers are giving that option to their consumers. This is not an easy fix for publishing companies but a necessary one. Bombarding the consumer with emails on a frequency they do not wish to have can result in an opt-out situation. - Speed
The speed in which you deliver content is critical to today’s audiences. Slow loading times for websites and landing pages can hinder consumption of content as audiences aren’t accustomed to waiting more than a few seconds for pages to load. According to Google, the 2019 mobile best practice is 3 seconds or under. Don’t let slow loading times hinder your marketing messaging. There are several steps you can take to be certain that your audience is getting to your content fast enough. Read more about the Google benchmarks for mobile page speed here. - Context & Accuracy
We decided to combine both context and accuracy because they truly go hand in hand. If something isn’t accurate for the audience, it most likely something taken out of context (and vice versa).Let’s say your audience is made up of medical professionals. When sending out targeted eblasts or any kind of messaging, you will need to make sure that the content fits the readers’ expectations by segmenting your lists. Yes, you have heard about segmenting your lists (it is 2019 after all) but seriously, you need to be doing it. For example, if you have a great story about equipment for radiologists that you want to send to your audience, it is best to send to those in radiology only. If you have pediatric doctors that see patients daily and have nothing to do with radiology equipment, make sure the pediatric doctors are left off that promotion. Being accurate and having the correct content goes a long way in the eye of the consumer. Plus, you won’t have to worry about being accused of spamming your audience when the context is accurate. A study by Adobe backs up these claims that consumers want good content that is accurate and has the correct context.These five tips are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what consumers want. Consumers in one market will want something different than those in another market. Content creators and marketers need to stay actively involved in understanding the needs of their consumers. As always, in knowing your audience and giving them what they want, you are building a more engaged and active audience.