Value the context, not the device
Smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktop PCs, gaming consoles and Web TVs: These devices keep us connected with our circles, act as tools for obtaining information, and provide us with entertainment. But as technology evolves, so does function. Consumers use each device differently, and often simultaneously. So how can advertisers reach their audience in an effective and impactful way?
With every new emergence of a personal device, brands need to focus on the context in which users engage with the device rather than on the product itself. In his post on the HBR Blog, Nikesh Arora uses the Super Bowl as an example of multiscreen advertising. In case a viewer wasn’t glued to his seat during commercial breaks, many advertisers made video content available on YouTube, expanding their audience by the millions. Some brands even benefited from real-time marketing on social media, a tactic that earned heavy engagement and response from fans.
“The multiscreen world creates opportunities for marketers by helping them reach people in the right context with the right message on any device,” Arora says. One way to do this is by applying quick and simple context-aware ads that enable potential customers to easily find you. This means when someone uses her device to search for products or services relevant to yours, your ad will show up with your click-to-call phone number, your website where the user can make online purchases, or a map showing your location so she’s able to find your business.
Context is the key to effective native ads. “They don’t feel like an intrusion because they provide a great experience that’s based on the user’s context,” Arora stresses. If your organization is looking for new avenues to reach your audience, context-aware ads may be worth looking into.
Has your organization tried context-aware marketing?
