Category: b2b

The top 5 most effective advertising techniques

Posted on by shopkick

The top 5 most effective advertising techniques

Get In Touch

The most effective advertising techniques for CPG brands create top-of-mind awareness when the consumer is in the store. By establishing personal and engaging connections, brands can stay at the top of consumers minds when they discover a need for a product. These techniques are often technology-focused, yet they provide a human-centric experience that gives a brand personality.

Technology provides brands with several opportunities to create messages that resonate with consumers. Mobile video, in-store apps, programmatic marketing, and emerging platforms offer ways to target the right individuals as they’re in a purchase mindset and drive them to specific products in the store. These five effective marketing techniques help brands connect with consumers in ways that increase interest and drive sales.

#1: Branded Storytelling on Social Media

Creating a compelling narrative for a campaign can help humanize a brand, and keep it top-of-mind for consumers when it comes time to shop. Like in any story, these campaigns need characters, a plotline, and a satisfying ending to keep consumers intrigued with the premise. Most importantly, these stories need an emotional component that drives affinity.

Purina provides an excellent example of the effectiveness of branded storytelling with their  Service Dog Salute, in which they set a goal to raise $500,000 to support Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation. To engage consumers, Purina provided a price matching option to donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of various products. 

To drive awareness, Purina partnered with BuzzFeed on a content campaign that told the stories of real armed forces veterans, and the service dogs that supported them. The touching stories shared how each pair found each other, and included details of their lives together. By telling the stories of these veterans and their pets in a real and engaging way, Purina was easily able to drive campaign interest and reach its goals.
The cleverest tactic in Purina’s strategy was involving real people. This is a critical component of any charitable campaign, as the consumer wants to see who they’re helping when they spend their money or donate. By telling the true stories of these veterans and featuring them in their advertising, Purina created a human connection which is crucial in brand storytelling.

#2: Programmatic Marketing Through the Internet

Programmatic marketing is an absolute must for any marketer that wants to keep pace with the rapidly moving digital landscape. Most marketers recognize this trend, as it’s estimated that programmatic ad spend will reach $69 billion by 2020, and these purchases will account for over 90% of the digital ad spend category. Marketers choose programmatic because it offers a wide range of benefits, including:

[siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Features_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget]

Mass marketing access:

Google gets an estimated 40,000 searches per second, which presents a lot of potential for ad buys. Whether brands are paying to be in the sponsored section of the search results or gaining real estate in the sidebar of a popular website, these numbers are promising. Through programmatic marketing, brands can reach millions of consumers with a single search.

[siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Features_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget]

Targeting potential:

Programmatic marketing offers the opportunity to pick and choose who sees certain ads, meaning that brands can control the delivery of the message to ensure that it’s viewed by the most engaged audiences. Marketers can break the delivery down by categories such as gender, interest, and socioeconomic status to ensure they only reach those most likely to purchase their products.

[siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Features_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget]

Streamlined ad buying and tracking:

Prior to programmatic marketing, marketers had to request proposals, negotiate prices, and manually insert advertisements. All of this took time and money. Additionally, they had to follow up to ensure there was a reasonable ROI on their purchases, and that they didn’t waste money on the wrong platforms. With today’s tools, marketers can manage their payments and automatically purchase ads based on digital bidding options. They can also access at-a-glance reviews of ROI and monitor for issues like ad fraud in reporting.

Programmatic ad buys give marketers the best of both worlds. They can reach mass audiences but only pay for views where users are engaged in their ads. As such, it’s incredibly important that brands look for ways to leverage programmatic marketing across the internet to improve brand recognition and conversion.

#3: In-Store Marketing via Mobile Apps

One of the most effective advertising techniques is in-store marketing that encourages consumers to engage with products. With a mobile shopping app, like Shopkick, consumers are incentivized to scan product UPCs in exchange for rewards points (or kicks). This drives shoppers to seek out products at-shelf, which significantly increases purchase potential.

This was something Kellogg’s learned when they chose to contact Shopkick to assist in a new product launch. The brand was rolling out its Nutri-Grain Bakery Delights Crumb Cakes and wanted a way to boost awareness of this new product, and stay top of mind by engaging with consumers along the entire path to purchase. Shopkick first built pre-shop consideration and educated consumers about the new product with engaging in-app content. In-store, Shopkick incentivized shoppers to interact with, and ultimately purchase, the featured product by rewarding them throughout their shopping trip. This integration of digital and physical experiences provided strong results for the brand. Overall, they saw a 35% purchase conversion rate and a 5 to 1 ROI through this strategy.
In-store engagement is a particularly strong tactic for a new product launch as it gets consumers to seek out the product in the store. Handling the product creates a sense of ownership which drives them to buy. Rewards then offer greater brand affinity that can make them a loyal purchaser down the road.

#4: Partnering With Emerging Voice Platforms

The voice ordering market is expected to reach $40 billion in sales value by 2022, meaning now is a wise time to optimize product listings for audio content. Smart speakers are the primary drivers of this use, but other wearables like smartwatches or even smart appliances will likely play key roles in the growth of this market. 

Brands should look to the providers of voice platforms to enhance their marketing potential before these platforms become saturated. Increasing brand awareness and reputation on voice search platforms is crucial, as product reviews will drive the search results in these mediums. Some brands have even chosen to roll out voice-centric apps to increase recognition in this space. 

For example, Campbell’s added in an Alexa skill to their Campbell’s Kitchen app to optimize on the growing voice trend. Consumers attempting to follow an online recipe are often challenged by using screens, as their hands are full and scrolling on a screen is not conducive to preparing a meal. By making recipe instructions hands-free with voice interaction, Campbell’s improved the customer experience and heightened the impression of their brand. That positive affinity carries over to their reviews, which increases their visibility in the search results.
Now is the time for brands to use voice to stand out through digital marketing. As these platforms are still emerging, they’re not yet saturated, meaning brands have several opportunities to gain market share as the voice market grows.

#5: Co-branding to Reach Larger Audiences

Some products naturally complement each other. Whether it’s chips and salsa, shampoo and conditioner, or sports games and beer, there’s a natural segue that brands should take advantage of. Cross promotions may involve teaming two of a brand’s existing products together, or even crossing paradigms and working with an entirely new partner. An example of this strategy can be seen in Budweiser’s partnership with the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team.

The partnership involved an AR experience tied to live games. During these games, attendees could use their smartphones to play virtual basketball games only available by scanning the scoreboard. Consumers at home could also enjoy the exclusive event by scanning Budweiser specific merchandise, providing them with a similar in-game experience. The branded opportunity helped engage consumers in the Budweiser brand and provided added value for game attendees.
Cross-branding doesn’t need to occur on a major AR level, either. Brands can simply place products next to each other on store shelves, or offer common partnering options via e-commerce platforms. The key is discovering these trends when they’re still emerging and then capitalizing on them in time to reach consumers.

In-House Creation or Partnerships for the Most Effective Advertising Techniques

When leveraging the most effective advertising techniques for CPG brands, a mix of in-house development and digital partnerships will be critical. Brands should consider what they’re willing to develop on their own, and then use strategic mobile app partnerships to fill the gap.

Target serves as a prime example of this kind of mix. The retailer develops its in-house apps to improve the customer experience, such as augmented reality apps to help consumers pick furniture and cosmetics. They also provide e-commerce platforms for consumers who prefer to shop online, and blur the line by allowing those consumers to use those e-commerce apps to schedule curb or in-store pickup of orders. The retailer uses digital options to improve its supply chain, enhance customer service, and supplement in-store shopping.

At the same time, Target also participates in third-party rewards programs to reach consumers who might not use the brands other services. This relationship is reciprocal, as the rewards program encourages consumers to visit Target, both through rewards they get for walking through the door, and gift cards they can earn by gathering kicks. The partnership also creates a virtual greeting that encourages users of the app to visit the store.

For brands that find it too expensive to manage their own rewards, third-party shopping apps provide a solution. As CPG brands often can’t connect their rewards to a store’s POS system, they may suffer from limited participation, as consumers don’t want to carry additional cards or enter details on websites later. Third-party apps cut out the barriers that hinder participation by allowing consumers to use their smartphones in the store to gain rewards.

The most effective advertising techniques leverage both available and emerging options in technology to improve the customer experience. Brands can provide consumers with rewards, reach larger audiences, and improve their branded experience overall by leveraging mobile marketing. There are many effective advertising techniques brands can use to gain market share, but these five represent the best to implement with the highest potential ROI.   

Shopkick offers our partners the most effective advertising techniques by providing a mobile app that engages consumers in the shopping aisle. Our success stories provide several examples of how brands best use our mobile app to connect with consumers. 

Within reach: The ultimate guide to mobile proximity marketing for retailers

Posted on by shopkick

Within reach: The ultimate guide to mobile proximity marketing for retailers

Get In Touch

Mobile proximity marketing is a powerful way to share messages with consumers as they’re in the actual “path” and mindset to make a purchase. These strategies leverage the consumer’s location to provide messages based on deals in their area, which can drive interest and encourage product interaction. The technology needed for this varies, but often, it’s much more affordable and easier to implement than most retailers realize.

Most major retailers already use some form of proximity marketing, whether they’re offering notifications leading to rewards through beacon-based technology or the ability to interact with RFID embedded-chip displays. Regardless of the bespoke tools and desired outcome, using a combination of mobile proximity marketing strategies sets retailers up for the best results through flexibility in when they can reach at the right place and right time. It helps regardless of whether retailers want to guide consumers to specific products, better understand buying behaviors, or maximize their sales and so forth.

Types of Mobile Proximity Marketing Systems

Mobile proximity marketing is a very general term that can refer to many different strategies. The type of technology involved, messages sent, and other features can also vary. Here is a breakdown of the four types of mobile proximity marketing systems that brands may choose to leverage.  

Type Pros Cons
Bluetooth

The system requires a Bluetooth broadcaster, as well as a cell phone with Bluetooth enabled to transmit content, data, and images.
  • Works with a wide range of cell phone types and screen sizes
  • Is independent of the location’s existing IT infrastructure
  • Is mostly affordable, as broadcasting depends on small, low-cost beacons
  • Many consumers default to turning off Bluetooth due to concerns over battery life or security.
  • ROI calculations are challenging, as it’s difficult to tell what messages drive the most sales until after the campaign.
Near Field Communication

NFC uses RFID chip embedded tags to enable communications between the tag and the devices that come in very close proximity with it. NFC’s most common use is in simplifying payments for the consumer, but can work with marketing as well.  
  • Leverages “pull” marketing, in that the consumer chooses to interact with the tag using their phone to discover more information
  • Works with tags and consumer cell phones alone, meaning retailers do not have to incorporate anything into their existing IOT infrastructure
  • NFC can be expensive to implement, and it can be difficult to determine the overall ROI.
  • Not all smartphones are NFC-enabled, meaning that retailers could miss many opportunities to reach the consumer.
  • It’s typically a “single-use” strategy designed to perform one action or deliver a single message.  
WiFi

WiFi-based systems are very similar to Bluetooth systems, in how messages are transmitted and received. But that information travels over general WiFi, rather than relying on low-energy Bluetooth.

  • The main benefit of WiFi is data. It can gather information based on the electronic devices it connects with and follows through the store so that retailers can get a better idea of foot traffic flow and consumer shopping behaviors.
  • It can reach a wide range of devices as it detects signals emitted from both Bluetooth- and WiFi-enabled devices.
  • It typically works throughout an entire location with WiFi and for a short-range outside.  
  • This type of system needs far more equipment than simple Bluetooth beacons and requires incorporation into the location’s existing IT infrastructure.
  • Push notifications can be disruptive to consumers, and cause them to turn off phone WiFi to avoid them.
  • If store WiFi goes down, the system goes down with it and can result in a loss of valuable data.  
Geofencing

This system allows messages to reach users in a specific, geographical area.

  • Geofencing can work when a consumer is near a store, rather than simply inside it, which encourages them to enter in the first place.
  • Geofencing can provide real-time analytics of consumer traffic flow through the store.
  • It is not a standalone process and must be used with another method of mobile proximity marketing to work effectively.
  • Geofencing parameters may be too broad for a business’ needs.

Retailers rarely choose one single form of mobile proximity marketing. In most cases, they leverage several, and many of these systems complement each other well.

Best Practices in Mobile Proximity Marketing

Mobile proximity marketing is powerful because it allows brands to reach consumers during crucial shopping moments. It can also reinforce brand affinity and prime consumers for sale throughout their purchase journey. When embarking on a mobile marketing campaign, retailers and brands should:

[siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Features_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget]

Be specific

Mobile proximity marketing is designed to drive interest in products based on their availability nearby. As such, messages should center on deals available by location or on certain items, rather than just standard marketing messages. Generic marketing messages are less impactful as they don’t encourage a consumer to take a specific action, which is a crucial part of mobile marketing. It’s also important to know how often to send messages. You don’t want to bombard consumers with too many messages—one or two, here and there, is just enough.

[siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Features_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget]

Gamify the program

Gamification—or the process of turning a mundane event into a fun activity—is a great method for driving engagement with products. Allowing consumers to use their phones to discover the hidden features of an advertisement or seek out products in the store can increase the likelihood that they will continue to use the app. This means brands can gain more attention for their advertising as well as a longer retention rate for the app.

[siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Features_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget]

Incentivize interaction

A major part of gamification is the reward for participation. There must be something that marks the consumer’s accomplishment as they participate. This is where mobile reward programs can provide an opportunity. Consumers in these programs can collect points that they can save and redeem for branded merchandise, gift cards, and more. These incentives provide the added benefit of creating a sense of product value without the need to offer a discount.

[siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Features_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget]

Leverage mobile video

Mobile video is the most engaging medium for shoppers. Users of mobile are three times more likely to view a video when shopping than desktop or laptop users. Brands should look to incorporate video which can be viewed seamlessly within an app, or in other words, vertical video. Video in this format allows consumers to view video content without changing their phone’s position, making it ideal while consumers are shopping or on-the-go.

[siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Features_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget]

Use multiple programs

As many mobile proximity marketing campaigns require user permission, it’s critical that retailers and brands take advantage of as many as possible. A mobile phone user may have their Bluetooth disabled, but are still likely to have their WiFi enabled. By using multiple proximity-based strategies, brands can gain the attention of a larger audience.

Mobile proximity marketing is a particularly strong opportunity for brands in highly competitive categories. This is especially true for those in the cosmetics industry, like Rimmel London. When Rimmel wanted to gain greater attention in the shopping aisle, the beauty brand chose to partner with Shopkick to reach its active audience. They set up a campaign which included proximity messaging that offered pre-shopping advertising to familiarize consumers with products before and during the shopping journey. Then, they rolled out options in-store where consumers could seek out specific products, scan UPCs, and receive kicks for participating. By contacting Shopkick, Rimmel London managed to pull 14% of the market share from competitors and saw a 5:1 ROI.

Of course, brands can only enjoy these benefits if they choose to partner with the right mobile app providers. That means reviewing a few key metrics and options of all available programs to garner the best results.

Selecting a Mobile Proximity Marketing Partner

Retailers and brands have the option to create proprietary apps. However, there are limitations to these features, one being the audience. If a consumer is already following a retailer or brand, it’s likely because they’re already loyal. While rewarding pre-existing loyalty is wise, it doesn’t serve to grow the brand or retailer’s audience. Companies must supplement their proprietary programs with third-party app providers to reach new users.

Third-party app providers help companies reach new audiences who may not have considered their products before. They also take the expense out of a mobile app program as these providers handle the development, app retention, marketing, and innovations that drive consumer use. Before partnering with a third-party app, brands should take into account the app provider’s:  

[siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Features_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget]

Reputation:

Companies will share the reputation of any app provider with whom they partner. As a result, they must ensure the reputation of these apps is above reproach, in that they use consumer information fairly and correctly and provide strong security.

[siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Features_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget]

Active users:

Companies may focus on apps with a high number of downloads as well as retention rates, but often, consumers will download an app never to use it again. Active user metrics allow companies to better understand how much activity that app gains from its user base.

[siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Features_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget]

Features:

Companies should partner with apps that offer features consumers want the most. The ability to gain rewards and enjoy exclusive content are major drivers of an app’s success. Also, features like rewarded video—where consumers receive an incentive for viewing content to the end—appeals to consumers as it allows them to gain something in exchange for a minimal time investment.

[siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Features_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget]

Prior campaign success:

App providers should be able to show a history of success for brands within a niche. They should offer clear figures relating to return on investment, sales lift, and market share growth as just a few examples. Metrics of prior campaigns allow brands to see the kind of results they can expect from a mobile app campaign with that provider.

[siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Features_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget]

User demographics:

Brands and retailers want to be able to reach household decision-makers, but they also want those decision-makers to be the prime audience for their products. Partnering with an app with a diverse mix of users allows brands to target the best possible sales prospects to create a successful campaign.

It’s important to target a wide range of mediums such as apps that provide rewards, voice interaction, and augmented reality. Multiple partnerships make it easier to cost-effectively take advantage of innovations in mobile technology.

Retailers and brands should consider offering their own mobile proximity marketing programs, but also supplement those programs with third-party apps that provide additional features. This strategy allows brands to provide the widest range of services while engaging a broad audience of consumers in the shopping aisle.

Shopkick assists our partners in their mobile proximity marketing campaigns by providing an intuitive app with an active user base where they can advertise their products and reach out to traveling consumers. To see some of our past results, review our success stories.

5 best practices for brand storytelling on social media

Posted on by shopkick

5 best practices for brand storytelling on social media

Get In Touch

There are many benefits CPG companies can enjoy through brand storytelling on social media. This method of marketing uses commercials and messages to create a narrative arc which keeps individuals invested. It can help to give a company personality, which establishes brand affinity and improves customer loyalty.

Brand storytelling does not have to be limited to social media. Brands can leverage this strategy  through both proprietary and third-party apps by creating shorter, easily digestible content. This content can speak to consumers as they’re in the shopping aisle and improve the likelihood of future sales. Whether your brand is telling its story on social media or through a mobile app the benefits are numerous, and brands can enjoy them by adhering to some standard best practices.

How Brand Storytelling on Social Media Creates Meaningful Connections

Brand storytelling isn’t just about making sales. It’s about aligning a brand with its target market. The kind of top-of-mind awareness that CPG brands need to succeed isn’t possible without establishing an emotional connection that drives consumer loyalty.   

Brand storytelling is the process of turning standard marketing into an engaging narrative. CoverGirl’s tagline shift from “Easy, Breezy, Beautiful” to “I Am What I Make Up” is an example of moving away from product-focused advertising to brand storytelling.

The old tagline, which the brand used for more than six decades, was tied to the products, rather than the individuals that actually used them. It highlighted how easy the products were to apply and how good they looked, but it wasn’t an inclusive or particularly powerful message. As a result, the brand had a hard time connecting with younger consumers who are focused on independence and self-expression.

“I Am What I Make Up,” on the other hand, is a very literal approach to brand storytelling. Rather than treating the model wearing the makeup as a prop, the brand allowed the personalities of their models to shine through. During the brand’s spots, their models—who range in age, ethnicity, and gender—discuss their personal stories, as well as why they wear makeup. The overall focus is on self-expression, rather than fitting in with a traditional definition of beauty which helps the brand’s message resonate with consumers.

While it’s too early to determine if CoverGirl’s new attitude will offer long-term sales results, it does appear to be resonating with consumers. The brand boasts half a million YouTube subscribers as well as 2.5 million followers on Instagram, which are crucial channels for their target markets.

The clear benefit of brand storytelling is the emotional connection it creates with consumers. These consumers are more willing to become brand ambassadors on social media, which can increase future sales and improve customer loyalty for the long term. Of course, that’s not to say that brand storytelling on social media is effortless. Brands must consider ways they can gain consumer buy-in for their message while maintaining a genuine and transparent persona. All best practices for this type of advertising should center on that.

#1: Let Consumers Drive the Message

One of the essential parts of establishing a brand storytelling campaign on social media is to listen to what is important to consumers. Brands may often find they already have brand equity behind their products which they can leverage online by doing a deep dive of available information. This was a strategy Kellogg’s used when they rolled out a new, and highly successful, campaign for Pringles.

One of the first steps Kellogg’s took in designing the campaign was performing a “digital audit” with the assistance of Google. The brand searched out mentions of their product across digital platforms and found a unique trend of consumers combining multiple flavors to create new ones. They built their campaign off this “Stackable” concept, even using it in their Super Bowl commercial.

One of the brand’s biggest focuses in this campaign was where the trend was born—YouTube. By focusing on YouTube as a platform for continuing the campaign, the brand saw exceptional results. They reported an overall two-to-one return on ad spend, seeing 120 million impressions and a 3% sales lift.
Digital audits can help brands discover what their consumers are saying about their products, as well as ways they can use those ideas to create a compelling story. Brands can consider working with data analysis firms to better understand their online buzz as well as the ways to best leverage the information when creating an engaging story.  

#2: Focus on the Emotional Response

Storytelling doesn’t work without emotional investment. These narratives must include a component that intrigues consumers and encourages them to watch through to the end of an ad. Some brands advertise using humor, while others focus on nostalgia and sentimentality. As long as there is a human connection to the story, brands can keep consumers engaged.

If there is any brand that knows how to manage emotions in advertising, it’s Purina. The brand is excellent at using their target market’s connection to pets to get them invested in their brand storytelling on social media. The company leveraged this in a recent charitable contribution drive, Service Dog Salute, to help raise money for Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF).

The brand partnered with BuzzFeed to provide engaging stories centered on veterans and rescue dogs coming together. From July 4th to November 11th, the stories of many of these individuals were shared on Facebook, with an invitation to watch even more at the company’s Dog Chow homepage. The company had an overall goal of raising $500,000 for charity which they quickly reached as $1 was donated by Dog Chow to ARF’s veterans program for each unique share.
Emotional storytelling is particularly vital in charitable campaigns as consumers want to know who they’re helping by participating. Purina is a major proponent of such campaigns, so they’re well-versed in creating a compelling story that drives individuals to give. Of course, that emotional response doesn’t have to be sentimental. A brand can leverage humor or nostalgia to create a connection that resonates with the consumer. As long as it matches the brand and its values, these tactics can be very beneficial.

#3: Stay True to the Product

When trying to create a branded story, brands may focus a bit too much on the narrative and forget to highlight the product. Such marketing may not connect with consumers in a way that makes sense for the brand. Even the best brands can make missteps when storytelling doesn’t fit the product.

This was an issue MillerCoors faced when they rolled out their “Climb On” campaign in 2016. While the campaign was beautifully done, with compelling and exciting stories, the problem was that the central idea of overcoming personal challenges was too serious for the product. When sales started to slump, the brand reversed its trajectory by switching back to its more humorous and “refreshing” roots. They tweaked the “Climb On” idea to be more focused on the product, which helped them recover.
Brands should be careful that the message they convey is part of their traditional branded values. Branded stories must find a way to engage consumers with the story and the products. Luckily, in the case of MillerCoors, the brand recovered quickly because they watched their results carefully and pivoted the campaign when it was needed.

#4: Monitor Key Metrics and Update As Needed

Brands must monitor metrics during their campaigns to ensure they’re able to change direction if it’s not performing. Sales lift isn’t the only metric worth focusing on. Here are a few metrics brands need to consider when using brand storytelling on social media.

[siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Features_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget]

Click-through rate (CTR):

The CTR offers base engagement rates, as these are the individuals who choose to view the ad on a given platform. It can also show how traffic filters into a website, which provides the marketer with an understanding of their most important channels.

[siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Features_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget]

View-through rate (VTR):

The VTR takes the CTR a bit deeper, by showing the individuals who viewed content all the way through. VTRs for advertisements are typically higher when the video is shorter as consumers often have the option to skip longer ads.

[siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Features_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget]

Engagement rates:

Likes, comments, and hashtag mentions are a valuable resource for seeing exactly how an ad is coming across to viewers. More than a few brands have been able to pivot their campaigns thanks to early information obtained through social media engagement.

[siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Features_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget]

User activity:

User activity is less about content and more about strict numbers. It can help brands discover when they can get the most engagement from ads. It can also help them track down issues with ad fraud. For example, a brand noticing a high number of clickthroughs during times when their audience wouldn’t likely be active, like after midnight on a weeknight, can be a clear indication of useless bot traffic used to inflate CTRs.

[siteorigin_widget class=”SiteOrigin_Widget_Features_Widget”][/siteorigin_widget]

Incremental sales lift:

Sales explicitly related to the marketing message compared to standard base sales are much easier to gauge now than they used to be. Before the internet, brands had to compare prior period sales to current sales to determine which were attributed to marketing. However, mobile apps and websites offer brands the ability to watch how marketing converts to sales in real time, as the user is trackable from the moment they view the promotion until they make the purchase.

The digital space gives brands many opportunities to discover issues with their branded storytelling and fix them early on to ensure the best results. It can also provide them with the chance to find the best possible platforms to gain widespread attention for their campaigns outside of social media.

#5: Leverage Multiple Platforms and Mediums to Spread the Message

Brand storytelling shouldn’t just be limited to social platforms. Brands can take the message even further, gain valuable data, and better understand audience responses by working with third-party app providers to share small snippets of campaigns.

This is a reason many of our clients choose to contact us, as we offer a valuable platform for sharing video and other branded content that tells a story. Brands can leverage rewarded video opportunities available through Shopkick to tell consumers a memorable story in the moments that matter. Rewarded video provides consumers with the ability to gain points, valuable game loot, or in our case, kicks for watching short advertisements. Through this, brands can gain recognition for their commercials and build positive brand affinity. Also, as the app allows traveling consumers to view content, they’re more likely to see branded information when they’re close to stores and expected to make a purchase.

Shopkick uniquely allows brands to deliver video content in the aisle, at the shelf, when the product is actually in a consumer’s hands through its post-scan video feature. This allows brands to tell a story in the exact moment of the purchase decision.   

There are many opportunities to be leveraged in brand storytelling on social media, provided brands create content that establishes an emotional bond with consumers. These campaigns build brand affinity rather than only offering immediate sales. By adhering to some best practices for providing genuine and engaging content, brands can increase loyalty, and over time, their market share.

Shopkick helps our partners supplement their brand storytelling on social media by spreading awareness with our intuitive mobile app. To see the results of some of our campaigns, review our success stories.