What does your digital campaign give to your audience?

To be really successful, your digital campaign will likely need your target audience to do something. Sounds simple doesn’t it? Well yes, it sounds simple, but at the same time, try getting anyone to do something for nothing nowadays, especially online and for a brand, when we’re all so ad savvy…

The fact is, your audience needs something from you before they’ll do the thing that you want from them. It’s an exchange of sorts, one that we ask all our clients to consider when we work with them in developing their campaigns.

What you can give your audience falls roughly into 5 categories:

1. Convenience
2. Social standing
3. Entertainment
4. Value
5. Education

Every successful campaign delivers at least one, or a combination of the above to its audience and in turn, receives an action that drives users towards the objectives of the campaign.

Let’s look at the categories in more detail:

1. Convenience

   You provide them with something that makes their life easier. Through your app, or a tool on your website, you help them book, find or transact in a way that saves them time and your campaign delivers that.

   If you can communicate that benefit clearly in your creative, even better. It’s best to focus on one clear benefit, even if there’s a few that you’re offering, as you’ve got so little time to catch their attention.

2. Social standing

   You give them something that makes them look better in front of their social group. If you give them a piece of content, or an offer that they can share, that benefits their friends, or connects emotionally, then they’ll click on your campaign.

   Video is obviously the strongest tool for encouraging social standing, or pictures of cats, but most businesses won’t be focused on felines.

3. Entertainment

   Entertain your audience and they’ll forgive you almost anything. If you can deliver a video, or gaming experience, or even a fun animation that entertains your audience, then there’s a good chance they’ll engage with your creative.

4. Value

   Reward your audience for interacting with your creative. Give them money off, free delivery, 3 for the price of two, or another relevant offer that gives them something specific as a thank you for engaging with your ad.

5. Education

   Tell your audience something they don’t know, that’s relevant to them, or give them the promise of educating them by interacting with your campaign. This is one of the toughest approaches to implement successfully, as it’s hard to convey key information quickly. That’s why it’s important to find a key fact that you can highlight that’s going to grab viewers’ attention.

   Education can come in many forms. It can be anything from showbiz gossip to how to save money on your bills, or even something truly worthwhile, like updates on a social or environmental cause.

So next time you’re planning your digital campaign, think to yourself, “what am I going to give to my audience?” and you’ll be well on the road to delivering a successful digital campaign.