From Print To Push: What Is The Next Big Thing You Can’t Ignore?
Marketing is a game of attention. Marketers are constantly on the lookout for ways to stand out amongst the noise. As technology has evolved, so has the ability to weave marketing and messaging into people’s daily lives. So what’s the next big trend in the attention game? Text and push notifications. Read on to find out why and how marketing has evolved over time.
The Good Ole Days Of Print
Once upon a time, businesses relied on newspapers, magazines, and direct mail to reach their customers. These physical printed pieces arrived in the hands of consumers on a scheduled basis. Glossy ads and persuasive copy were the tools of the trade. Tangible pieces were what people used to get in front of potential customers. These methods, however, suffered from high costs, inflexibility in changing content once published, and inability to accurately assess engagement levels.
Emails For Everyone
With the rise of the internet came the rise of the personal email. Now, everyone was reachable in a new forum—a digital forum. Email campaigns were cheaper and faster than traditional print, and they allowed for detailed tracking and analytics. But over time, inboxes have become crowded, and it has become harder to stand out among the flood of promotional emails. Spam filters and privacy concerns have also posed challenges.
The Social Media Boom
In a maturing internet age, the web became not about just searching out information, but also about connecting with others in more meaningful ways. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other platforms became major players in grabbing people’s attention for extended periods of time. Social Media companies have struggled to monetize their followings, with some businesses hitting it big and others having a difficult time gaining reach. Creating business profiles, posting ads, and giving consumers updates have created a much more personalized and engaging form of marketing. As platforms have grown, however, so has the noise. Algorithms have become unpredictable, and reaching an audience organically (and paid) has become much tougher.
Hello, Text And Push Marketing!
Enter text marketing and push notifications. While not new, marketers have recently begun to use them extensively for instantaneous communication. Text is personal, direct, and it works. Push notifications, while not for everyone, stem from customized apps or browsers that allow marketers to push messaging when people are the most primed to purchase.
TEXT MARKETING
Text marketing, also known as SMS marketing, involves sending promotional or informational messages directly to a consumer’s mobile phone. It is a subset of push marketing, but more personal and direct. Texts may be sent with promotional offers, event reminders, customer service, and sales chats. Texts have exceptionally high open rates—often around 98%. This is due to consumers opting-in to these conversations. Texts require concise communication and allow for a two-way conversation with the consumer. They also are ideal for time-sensitive offers, getting the word out quickly and efficiently. Most text marketing platforms allow for a combination of scripted texts with also conversational texts. This saves sales people and customer representatives time in the flexibility of having both. Text marketing also allows marketers to have detailed analytics and metrics. Companies are able to track delivery rates, open rates, and responses. Over time, they are also able to optimize their campaigns and responses for better results. Text marketing can also be easily integrated into other marketing channels, allowing for a multi-channel approach for businesses.
PUSH NOTIFICATION MARKETING
These messages are ideal for sending out a broad blast of information to everyone who has said they want to engage with your app on their phone. While less personal in nature, they are able to accommodate longer messaging, detailed information, and multimedia content. Notifications are one of the primary sets of information a phone will show—thereby giving the marketer a front-row seat of visibility. Push notifications also enjoy a higher rate of engagement compared to other forms of digital marketing as users are more likely to interact with them. Personalization can happen in the form of user behavior, preferences, location, and past interactions. They also function as a reminder to continue to engage with the company, allowing larger retention rates and continuous engagement. Just like text messaging, push notifications are easy to quantify with detailed analytics and reports. They also allow for automation and scheduling—a dream for marketers looking to create timed campaigns.
So, how can businesses take advantage of these platforms? Hire a consultant or conduct your own research into which solution works best for you and your consumers. A vital part of this exploration is reconfiguring your sales and/or customer experience funnels to incorporate these technologies. Make sure you are simplifying your interactions with consumers, not adding more complexity.