Proliferation

Dec 01
1

Pros and Cons of Pop Culture References

By | Brand marketing, content marketing, marketing, Millennials, public relations, Social Media | No Comments

Brands today have started to focus on ways that they can make their content more efficient. From blog posts to videos and social media posts, it’s important for companies to produce written work, videos, and graphics that will resonate with their audience; if you fail to make your content engaging, you’re not going to see results. When it comes to the type of content that reaches an audience more than any other piece, it really depends on the person, but all kinds of people today are watching more videos than ever.

Video production companies are going to be looking to capitalize on the opportunity they have to connect with audiences and start leading the world in digital marketing. However, how do video production companies do this? They have to find ways to incorporate current events and trends into their videos.

In recent years, video production companies, as well as marketing agencies, have begun to include pop culture references into their content to make it more appealing to audiences, but does this really work? When it comes to pop culture in the world of digital advertising, there are a few upsides and some downsides.

The Pros of Pop Culture References

Pop culture references in social media content are ideal because it produces some of the most eye-catching and tempting clickbait out there. Pop culture references make it hard for people to ignore pieces that include topics that are relevant to them. When a post is able to captivate the audience just on its title alone, the higher the chances of that company obtaining more traffic to their pages. From YouTube videos to blog posts, a crafty title with a pop culture reference and a keyword is sure to draw in an audience.

Another reason video production companies and marketing agencies choose to use pop culture references are because they provide easy explanations for complex issues. This is especially effective if you’re trying to reach and engage with a younger audience. If you use a current pop culture reference as a metaphor to a widely known tread, it will make that piece of content all the more easy to understand.

The Cons of Pop Culture References

Of course, using these references also has its downside. While pop culture references can, in fact, make a current world issue or trend simpler to understand, they can also distort reality and cause misinterpretation from certain groups. While a video production may have used the reference with no ill intent in mind, their audience can misinterpret the information, which can lead to dangerous outsiders stereotyping the company.

Another disadvantage that comes with using pop culture references in media is that they have a short shelf life. These references usually die out within a set amount of time, and you’ll soon have to look for the next reference to replace your current choice. This can get confusing for audiences and can even discredit your content as well. Pop culture is always changing, and it is near impossible to keep up with it 100 percent of the time. 

While using pop culture references may have its benefits, makes sure that you understand the consequences that may come with it so that you can avoid any media disaster.

Oct 29
0

Identifying Your Target Audience

By | advertising, Brand marketing, content marketing, digital marketing, marketing, Millenials, Millennials | No Comments

One of the key principles of marketing is identifying your target audience. In any marketing or advertising 101 classes, students will begin to learn about target audiences because they play a critical role in the success of a business. Every content marketing company understands that in order to generate sales and an eventual profit, you must know the right audience for your product.

It is sometimes fascinating to see business owners start out thinking one thing about their product, and then learning that the biggest selling point or benefit of the product ties to an entirely different demographic than they originally thought. Typically, business owners won’t misdiagnose their own product, but they do frequently miss nailing how to create the bridge between their target audience and their product.

Considering that the entire purpose of what content marketing companies do revolves around connecting the product with the target audience, they understand how to identify that audience. These companies put in the necessary time to learn more about the audience by conducting extensive research BEFORE they start coming up with plans and ideas. There are a few common ways marketing companies come up with a detailed analysis of the target audience; some of the frequently used tactics include producing primary research with polls and surveys, scanning secondary research in related scholarly/professional research articles, and learning more about a specific demographic.

Producing primary research – One of the most well-known and effective ways to learn more about your target audience is to produce surveys and polls that your current consumers will fill out. This will give you insight into what kind of groups and peoples you are working with.

Scanning secondary research –  The results to this are similar to the primary research you conduct; you will be able to better recognize the individuals that fall under the demographic category of your target audience. To get these results though, you will have to go through trusted scholarly/professional research and articles that related to your product and consumer. These articles will likely give you statistics or findings that direct you more to the individuals you should target.

Learning more about a specific demographic – Embrace the recognized demographic—check online forums, go to events they might have interest in, listen to the music or podcasts they do, and watch the TV shows or movies they do. Going to this length of research will help you speak their same language which will give you the ability to relate with them on a whole new level. This is ultimately what starts building the bridge between companies and their potential consumers or clients.

When a company properly identifies their target audience, they will be able to market their ads and promotions directly to that specific demographic. If the marketing efforts miss the mark, then that company can expect a minimal increase in sales and profit, and face the possibility of losing money as a result. However, if the target audience is spot on and the marketing tactics are executed well, then the company will achieve what they desired to from the beginning; content marketing companies understand that everything hinges on making your product appeal to the target audience.

Focusing on the target audience for a content marketing company is second nature. If you have any concerns with misidentifying your target audience or have any other marketing concern, contact us at Fusion 360.

Mar 26
0

Millennials & Content Marketing Go Hand-in-Hand

By | content marketing, Millennials | No Comments

As the baby boomer generation ages, getting on into their social security years, Millennials are quickly taking over as the largest single adult age group in the United States. And yet, as the millennial generation grows in purchasing power, marketing companies from the East Coast to Utah are wringing their hands in worry.

Why, you ask? Well, millennials simply aren’t going for the old marketing tactics — such as billboards along the I-15 in Utah — that worked for previous generations. Instead, millennials are looking for something more authentic. Content marketing was made for millennials. Content marketing is about storytelling and bringing consumers to your brand of their own accord — concepts the millennial generation holds near and dear.

In 2016, the results are clear: To successfully reach the lucrative millennial generation, content marketing is the way to go.

What makes content marketing so enticing for millennials? For one thing, content marketing doesn’t interrupt people. By skipping the invasive pop-up ads and flashing neon widgets, content marketing doesn’t keep people from doing what they’re doing. Instead, good content marketing listens to the demands of the target audience, providing content that is both relevant and useful. In this way, content marketing brings the target audience to you — not the other way around.

Millennials love a good visual as much as the next generation, but they also love technology. Content marketing is extremely flexible in its application, with content in mediums such as video, text, graphics, mobile, social media and many more. And it doesn’t take a huge firm in the Big Apple to do it; even small businesses in Utah can take advantage of content marketing’s multi-media approach — all you really need a smartphone.

Finally, content marketing breeds engagement. Good content marketing gives millennials the opportunity and the incentive to contribute their own user-generated content — which is then repurposed in order to add authenticity to the brand and bring in more user-generated content in a glorious, self-fulfilling cycle.

With a plethora of original, relatable content, even the newest start-up business in Utah can take advantage of content marketing to reach out to the millennial market. So what are you waiting for? Stop interrupting millennials, and start listening to them instead.