Dale Hefer – The year marketers become user-wranglers to get more from less
Marketers must come up with fresh and clever strategies to get more from less.
Into the omnichannel mix, users will become important message creators and disseminators.
Increasingly, marketers will become user-wranglers, requiring insight into how to guide an unrestrained and broad base of fellow content creators.
New technologies still being tried and tested in the market, will somehow demand that we embrace them, even in the void of the unknown.
It’s a risky business and not the easiest of times for marketers.
More than ever, we will have to dig deep, challenge ourselves and demonstrate resilience and agility.
The world is changing around us, and marketers – who stand at the nexus of culture, technology, and creativity – must adapt. This is not an easy feat.
Megatrends that will shape 2024
Some of the megatrends that will shape 2024 include participation, influencers, and technology.
- Everything, everywhere, all at once – participation
Brands will continue leaning into and experimenting with, user-generated content (UGC). UGC includes all forms of content from text and videos to images or reviews, created and shared by customers and brand advocates – rather than the brand itself.
Marketers, if you aren’t on board with this, you’d better cling hard to your floaty.
According to Marketingdive, a marketing and trends website, 61% of consumers claim that UGC will likely influence their decision to buy, compared to just 39% who believe a brand’s content is more influential.
The magic of UGC campaigns is that they provide a personalised, authentic, and emotional link for consumers. Xperiencify, a gamification learning software company, says that social media marketing campaigns including UGC receive 50% more engagement than those that don’t.
And a whopping 86% of consumers are more ready to place their trust in brands using UGC instead of social media influencers. To give an idea of successful UGC marketing, consider Netflix’s marketing of its hit show Stranger Things season 2.
Fans were encouraged to share their themed content, art and experiences related to the series. With this strategy, Netflix grew its followers by 125,000 in just two weeks.
UGC is invaluable for brands wishing to establish a stronger connection with their audiences. Importantly, UGC demands trust: trust in our loyal user base, and trust in our brand reputation.
UGC can be a powerful testament to a brand, but to do so we have to ensure that our brands consistently live up to user expectations.