From the rise of short-form video content to the growing importance of VR promotions, businesses are constantly bombarded with the “next big thing” that promises to revolutionize their strategy. But are these strategies right for YOUR audience?
Knowing when to embrace or reject the latest marketing trends is a skill that can make or break your marketing efforts. Here are some things to consider.
Understanding Your Audience is the Foundation of Trend Adoption
The first step in determining whether to adopt a marketing trend is understanding your audience deeply. This goes beyond basic demographics like age, gender, or income. It involves digging into their behaviors, preferences, pain points, and interactions with your brand.
- Are they early adopters of new technology, or do they prefer traditional methods?
- Do they spend more time on social media, or do they engage with long-form content like blogs, magazine articles, and white papers?
- Where are they located? Does this affect their pain points or how you deliver services to them?
- Where are they most likely to see your ads when they are least distracted? For example, do they travel by air enough that airport advertisements would gather more attention than an Instagram account? Are they more likely to look for and pay attention to written content that makes their job easier or to short informational videos they can watch on the go?
- What are their core values and beliefs? Does the latest platform or its owners go against those values?
Understanding these nuances will help you decide whether a new trend will resonate with them or if it is destined to fall flat.
When to Embrace Trends
Adopting a trend can give your marketing strategy a fresh edge, but only if it aligns with your audience’s needs and expectations. Here are some situations where embracing a trend could be beneficial:
- Go Where They Go. If your audience is already engaging with a trend like podcasts, short-form videos on TikTok, or posting about their interactions with VR promotions, it makes sense to incorporate that into your strategy. Check for business accounts of your current and dream clients on the platforms. If they are there, study how they engage with the platform to determine if the B2B strategy you have in mind is viable.
- Gauge the Competitive Advantage. If your audience values innovation and you’re among the first in your industry to adopt a trend, it can position your brand as a leader. The best way to gauge this is to go to sites like LinkedIn and your dream customer’s social media to see what innovations they are talking about and their opinions of them.
- Determine if They Enhance User Experience. Some trends directly enhance the customer experience, which is always a win. For instance, interactive content like VR to tour buildings that are not built yet or to let the customer tour a facility can help close a sale- but only if the VR experience enhances their interaction with your brand.
When to Say No to a Marketing Trend
Not every trend will suit your audience or brand. Knowing when to pass on a trend is just as important as knowing when to adopt one. Here are some scenarios where rejecting a trend might be the smarter move:
- Does not Match Audience Preferences. If the content does not match your audience’s preferences and values, it might be best to pass it up.
For example, a B2B audience that values detailed case studies or white papers might not respond well to a video about your humanitarian efforts. On the other hand, if your audience values how well they know the people behind the brand, then lengthy white papers might not resonate with them at all while the humanitarian video will thrive. - When Resource Constraints Affect Its Impact. Some trends require a significant investment in time, money, or expertise. If your team lacks the resources to execute a trend effectively, it might be better to focus on proven strategies that yield results. For instance, producing high-quality video content can be resource-intensive. A low-quality or poorly executed video can harm your brand’s image.
This is also true for the customer! It does not matter how great the retention and ROI stats are. If your customers can not or will not invest in certain kinds of headsets, then Virtual Reality (VR) or Augmented Reality (AR) campaigns will not reach them. - A Fad Instead of an Innovation. Most new trends are like fad diets- they are short-lived and do not live up to the hype of their early days. Jumping on every new trend can spread your resources too thin and may not lead to long-term benefits.
To determine if a marketing strategy will be a fad, consider if it is trending because it is “novel” or because it is “useful.” For example, content that helps the customer with a problem has more long-term endurance than something that relies on current political talking points or a meme to get attention.
Marketing is About Balancing Innovation and Stability
While it’s tempting to chase every new trend, doing so without careful consideration can lead to a disjointed brand message and wasted resources. On the other hand, sticking too rigidly to old strategies can make your brand seem out of touch.
To strike a balance, take an “audience first” approach. Regularly review your audience data and stay informed about their industry developments. Test new trends on a small scale before fully committing, and always be prepared to pivot if something isn’t working.
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In my view, successful marketing isn’t just about providing services; it’s about forging a trusted partnership that propels our clients toward their marketing objectives. Contact us today to see what marketing strategies are best for YOUR audience.
