Our lives lie in the grasp of a contagion with twin totems: one Time Poverty and the other Distraction. An inundation of channels, platforms, devices and information is crushing consumers as they go about their daily lives. By having unhindered access to mobile and social media platforms, brands are experimenting with paid, owned, and earned media to reach, attract, connect and converse with target consumers across their channels of relevance. Thus emerged the importance of content and its constantly emerging value as a key brand strategy marketers adopt to establish though leadership, relevance, buzz and most importantly for behavioral targeting. However as content takes on more forms in more channels, marketers are constantly seeking innovative ways to keep brand messages and conversations from spinning out of control.
Context is therefore important today, but only because of the proliferation of content. Personally, I don't believe one is more important than the other. But since the emergence of user-friendly platforms and digital technologies, there seems an over-abundance of content everywhere. And so the brand’s constant problem is how do we deal with such an overwhelming amount of information that everyone is participating in creating and consuming?
With the recent boom of 'Digital Consumerism', the advanced customer targeting capabilities that exist today habitually offer very rich analytic data about the consumers. This detailed data available to brand marketers is now comprehensive of the consumer's profile, location, demographics, psychographics, online behaviors, buying patterns and conversion propensity. Marketers now can scientifically declare how valuable specific consumers are to them; directly target; and willingly pay additional for those who would perceive the brand’s content or message and influence it further. However it is really the context in which the content is both served and consumed which drives value, power and offers the differentiation from self-serving junk mail and the much-loathed ‘interruption marketing’.
And the answer is in - 'the context'. Why? Because context makes the content more relevant to everyone. Simply put, if I offer valuable information, you will appreciate it, but it is highly possible that you honestly may never use it. However, if I help you appreciate the value of that information by showing you how it works for me or someone like you, then the context makes it invaluable.
We all identify with what we know and what we are exposed to. Local context, culture and experience shapes our lives personality and behavior. For marketers who constantly enjoy doodling innovative editions for their content strategies, it is time they accept the importance to be relevant to their audience. Time to show customers 'you understand them' – that 'you understand their context'.
If you have any additional thoughts or comments, please do share…
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