Researchers estimate that in 1984 a person saw an average of 2,000 ads per day.
Researchers estimate that in 1984 a person saw an average of 2,000 ads per day.
By 2014, they saw about 5,000. With the explosion in spam and social media ads, that number increases daily. But consumers are fed up with in-your-face advertising that seems disruptive or manipulative. Instead, they’re attracted to authenticity and friendliness in a brand.
How can you build that kind of culture in your business?
Narratives and content marketing can bring fresh life to your marketing mix!
Content marketing is a strategic approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience. It shifts your team away from a “message” focus to a more optimal “people focus,” building trust and driving more profitable consumer action.
Content marketing generates stronger leads, increases sales, and enhances customer loyalty. Consider these facts:
When people consider content marketing, they typically think of digital media.
However, true diversification means thinking bigger. The Content Marketing Institute suggests two out of three marketers don’t include print in their content marketing, but there is strategic value to including printed content elements.
Why?
Nielson found about 56% of consumers rely on printed matter for sales information, and:
Print is seen as a concrete, reliable source, especially by prospects nearing a decision. If you neglect printed content marketing you may minimize your chance of landing a valuable client.
With today’s “fake news” paranoia, trust in digital media has decreased.
A 2017 study showed that printed news magazines are the most trusted news source (72% rated them positively) while only 33% believed social media provided honest information.
Even print versions of national newspapers were regarded as more trustworthy than the websites of that exact same publication!
Because of the physical nature of the medium, print is naturally viewed as more informative and trustworthy than digital media.
So how can you add print to your content marketing strategies?
Printed content marketing should be used as “bait” to generate nibbles from your potential customers.
If you don’t have a place to reel them in (like a “get started today” link) or a way to keep them in the net (a defined sales funnel or a customer retention program), all your time and energy will be useless. So be strategic, be customer-focused, and get out there and fish!