5 tools to consider while marketing to a tech savvy audience

The digital savvy audience today has about 8 seconds of attention span compared to 9 seconds of that of an average goldfish! Look around and you will notice that everyone who is or could be your consumer owns about 3 digital devices and is constantly switching between screens for information and entertainment. As the digital touch points increase and the attention span continues to spiral downwards, the challenge for every marketer today is to find new tools that will help optimize the potential of the 8 seconds. As a marketer in the digital age, here is my list of 5 essentials tools of marketing to the tech savvy audience:

#1. Mobile as a key device

Of the various screens and gadgets, the mobile is the most crucial one today.  It can complete the loop by not only creating preferences and driving demand but also helping shoppers to complete a purchase. With increasing penetration of smartphones and an increase in app usage – there are now multiple ways to reach your consumer one-on-one.

In India, where the official literacy figures are dodgy, mobiles are a god-sent solution to reach the unlettered masses. HUL’s Kan Khajua Tesan has amply demonstrated the power of mobile phones in reaching the media-dark corners of the country.      

#2. Engaging Content

Fresh, pithy, in-the-moment content in the form of informative articles, how-to-videos, reviews, infographics, memes, e-books, podcasts to name just a few - available via multiple, easy to access channels is the bare essential of engaging with consumers today.  And don’t forget there are about a 1000 brands trying to get a share of eyeballs in the same 8 seconds, so planet-conquering ideas presented through superlative graphics and well crafted copy really does help matters.    

#3. Video   

A research by YouTube claims that soon 90% of all web traffic will be video. The ideal way to reach the attention-starved audience is using succinctly created videos which communicates messages in an engaging manner. Consider ‘showing’ your message to wow your audience even if that means using 6-second vine or a 15-second Instagram videos.  I personally feel that visual content also gives brands a face – the much needed human connect while engaging the digital audience. Here are 5 examples of brands using Instagram video effectively for business.  

#4. Social Media

People spend more time chatting, sharing, updating, uploading and interacting on multiple social media sites than consuming any traditional channel   It is essential to engage people via as many platforms as possible as each channel plays a different role. Wondering why you need to be present in every channel? Here is an example which captures it pretty well: 

#5. Social Media Listening

Social media listening is like a giant focus group that is on 24x7. Except that participants are not being prompted with questions – they are expressing their own opinions in their own environment to their friends.  This decision relevant tool of modern marketing can be an invaluable source of insights and has the power to help brands steer conversations to their advantage. 

With an in-depth understanding and creative use of these 5 basic marketing arsenals, marketers today should be able to optimize the potential of the 8 seconds.