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Non-Traditional Marketing Mediums: What’s Hot and Where to Go

Last updated: February 24, 2023

Good marketers are always looking for new ways to get their brand and messaging out in front of their target audience.  In the amazing digital age we are living in, there seems to be a new tool or service that you can capitalize on almost monthly, but that causes some issues, especially when making decisions. Which tactics are trending in the right direction and what vendors are doing a good job of executing those tactics?

Below we have listed out three current trending tactics in digital marketing today that publishers need to consider implementing immediately.  Along with each tactic, we have associated one vendor that is doing a great job in executing those types of services. Not only will you have the solution, but also an example to get inspiration from and get you started.

1. Short-Form Video – TikTok

Digiday explains that TikTok, the short-form video app from Bytedance, has charmed video creators, ad agencies and tech employees in the U.S. since it rebranded from Musical.ly last August. Publishers aren’t far behind, with most using it as a way to extend where their content lives.

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TikTok allows publishers and marketers to create snackable content that can be used on social media, newsletters and can be easily shared to generate buzz quickly and efficiently.  It truly gives the marketing team the power to put their brand in front of their audience in a unique and fun way.

Another example highlighted by Digiday: ESPN joined TikTok with a video set to TikTok-sensation-turned-billboard-hit “Old Town Road” featuring ESPN sports analyst Stephen A. Smith in a suit and cowboy hat. ESPN’s next video is a montage of basketball players getting hit by imaginary Pokeballs. The network’s fifth and most recent video is a back-and-forth staring contest between Bran of “Game of Thrones” and basketball player Draymond Green. The sports media company is finding entertaining, original ways to engage with their audience and build brand rapport.

2. Voice Marketing – Futuri

“Hey Alexa.” “Hey Siri.” How often have you said one of these two expressions, or possibly both? Consumers are actively conversing with automated voice technology, but most companies have not yet capitalized on this opportunity.  Perhaps this is because it is still relatively new. However, make no mistake – voice is the next big thing. While currently it is making this list of non-traditional mediums, one day, voice marketing will be an everyday occurrence for consumers.

Joe Puliizzi – founder of Content Marketing Institute – explains in his monthly newsletter how significant voice is becoming.

“For one thing, there are over 100 million Alexa devices out there, but only 60,000 Skills (a Skill is like an app for Alexa…think of it like a content-based website for voice). You may think 60k is a lot, but remember when there were only 60,000 websites at the start of the Internet. Wouldn’t you like to go back to that time and dominate with your content and information?

The point is, there is an untapped opportunity here. In the US, about one in four households have a voice assistant, and if a household has one, it generally has at least three.”

As Joe points out – 25 percent of households have a voice assistant. Younger consumers are using these devices more regularly, and the demand will only continue to increase as they become more popular. There is a huge opportunity for publishers and marketers here.  Check out companies like Futuri that can create skills for companies to implement a voice option for your brand.

3. Short Message Service (SMS) Marketing – Optizmo

Text messages.  Yes, this is a thing and it is growing.  Think about those darn millennials and how they never want to pick up the phone to call someone or receive a phone call.  That’s not to say they aren’t communicating with one another. As a generation, they are communicating with their cell phones more than any other, but it is via SMS or text messaging.

Forbes has SMS Marketing in their Top 15 Non-Traditional Marketing Methods To Help Build Your Business.  This absolutely should be applied to publishing as well.

According to Tom Wozniak of OPTIZMO, Technologies, LLC he states the following:

“Short message service (SMS) marketing is gaining momentum in 2019. It requires careful planning and execution, but when done correctly can deliver outstanding results. What other channel can deliver a near 100% open rate within the first 90 seconds after a user receives a marketing message? Using the channel also requires compliance with various regulations, so marketers need to know and follow the rules.”

In Summary

As mentioned at the start, good marketers are always looking for new ways to get their brand and messaging out in front of their target audience.  Great marketers are willing to take a chance on something new.  There are new technologies and software popping up in manners that seem almost instant, so always make sure that what you are buying into is something that has potential to make a difference not just for you, but for your audience.  That will help lead to new successes.

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