Breaking through the clutter and creating valuable content

As we discussed last week in our post News: it's what's trending, the way consumers get their news and information has drastically changed over the years. According to CNBC, it is estimated that around 2 billion people currently access the internet via only their smartphone, which equates to 51 percent of the global base of 3.9 mobile users. There are so many advancements in technology that organizations have no choice but to get on board. We as consumers are just starting to see 5G capabilities, but 6G is already in the works. Oppo estimates that we could see 6G as early as 2030. So what does this mean for the future of communication? Well, in short, it means that communicators need to be strategic about how and where they are disseminating messages. 

Allen Mutter talks about some of these strategies on his blog, Reflections of a Newsosaur. He discussed how, in order to survive, newspapers must lean into digital promotion. He notes that newspapers and journalists need to promote their own work before "digital pickpockets" steal it and use it with better headlines and social reach. This concept is not far-fetched. Journalists spend many hours researching for and producing a story just to have it go under the radar due to a lack of promotion. They feel as if just publishing the story is enough. Unfortunately, this is not the case. 

This does not just apply to newspapers though. So many companies and organizations are not getting their messages out in a successful manner. They are sharing their news and updates, but it is not reaching the audience it needs to. So how do they remedy that? How do organizations reach their target audiences? 

Well, for one, organizations need to identify the demographics of their target audience and deliver messages in a tone that they can understand. For example, news organizations will have a large variety of stakeholders ranging from the least to the most educated. They will need to take a very informative and formal tone but also use clear and concise language when delivering their messages. On the other hand, an event company that plans children's birthday parties could take a more friendly and playful tone due to the nature of their business and their key stakeholders. Using the correct tone when delivering a message can foster engagement.

To that same tune, the content itself is important. Consumers are looking for engaging content, not something that is stale and falls flat. Determining what your key stakeholders are already engaging with can help to produce content that will resonate. Using that same event company as an example, their stakeholders are more likely to interact with engaging posts featuring the services they provide and children rather than just words on a screen saying what they offer. According to Wyzowl, 82% of people have been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a video. That is a huge statistic. Consumers are interested in visual content. They are engaging with this content. They are sharing this content with others. Tailoring a video to intrigue your key stakeholders just increases your chance at success. In the event company example, the key stakeholders are parents and when parents see a video of children enjoying the product, they are more likely to interact with that company. The more people who interact with the post, the more likely the company is to be noticed or recommended. All this is just simply due to creating engaging visual content that resonates with your stakeholders.

So now that you have identified the key stakeholders, established your tone, and created content that resonates you have to involve your stakeholders in the communication. There is no better way to do this than this new digital landscape. Peter Hirshberg talks to this point in his TED talk. He states that the internet is about people. It is a customer, it is an audience, it is a person who is participating. So, to foster that two way communication, organizations need to utilize all the tools the Internet has to offer. 

One of the best tools that the internet has to offer is social media. By creating a social media presence, companies and organizations can go to where their stakeholders are already active. Each platform offers its own niche. Instagram has pictures and reels, TikTok has videos, X has short posts, and Facebook has reels and more opportunities for two-way communication. Knowing which platform is going to suit the needs of the organization and stakeholders helps communicators deliver their messages with confidence. Let's continue with our same example, most parents are on Facebook. So, more often than not, you are going to see these companies, whose target audience is moms and dads, having a Facebook page. On this page, they will post their curated content, but they will also receive messages, see comments, and have the opportunity to interact with consumers. Interacting with consumers is how a company builds its brand and builds trust. These two elements are essential to the long term success of a company. These same parents are also on Instagram, so this company can utilize the tools that Instagram has to offer to provide even more engaging content and reach its stakeholders. Different people will resonate with different content, being able to provide a wide variety of content on various platforms will ultimately make your presence stronger and foster trust from your stakeholders. 

Another benefit of social media is the rise of social influencers. These are users with high follower counts who will promote companies in exchange for products or services. Influencers offer a unique benefit to organizations because they offer word of mouth advertising both on and off of social media. Influencers have risen in popularity recently, and companies are using them strategically for certain campaigns. While not all organizations can benefit from influencers, they are a part of the digital landscape that is worth considering for some. 

Source: Spiceworks

The way we communicate as organizations is everchanging. The digital landscape is steadily evolving and it is important for organizations to create valuable content that cuts through the clutter. In order to be successful and maintain reliability, organizations must lean into social media and truly focus on who they are targeting with their messages. Establishing these habits now will make transitions to new technologies go a lot smoother in the future.