21st Century Paid Media: Connecting to Your Audience

In this always-connected world, it’s easy to become distracted by the volume of content and media we see, especially regarding advertising. We are constantly exposed to advertisements, often just waiting for the second they go away. As an advertiser, reaching your audience and getting their attention can be tricky. So the 21st Century paid media question is: How do you create loyalty, recognition and connection with your audience?

An effective paid strategy in this day and age meets the right people, with the right message, in the right place, at the right time. So, how do we do that? We believe the answer is meaningful storytelling through the consistent utilization of omnichannel strategies, collaborative creative, AI partnerships and fearless experimentation.

Research, Research, Research

Storytelling through omnichannel strategy involves lots of research. However, you should view this step as an opportunity to really get to know your audience–their consumption habits, online behaviors and more. Then, with the knowledge and data gained through research, you can develop strategies and stories that matter to your audience, allowing them to feel that you know and understand them (because you should).

Creative is Key

So now you know your audience and have the story you want to tell. How do you tell it? The answer: carefully and creatively.

Think about it, how much time do you spend looking at an ad if it doesn’t immediately draw your attention? While connecting the creative to the specific campaign and overall story your audience relates to is essential, it’s even more important to cater the creative to the platform it’s being placed on. For example, an ad on Meta shouldn’t be the same as an ad you’d see on TikTok, which should also not be the same ad you’d find on Pinterest. Each media vehicle has a different story to tell and requires a thoughtful approach to messaging to get it right.

Pro-tip: Don’t forget to keep things fresh! Ensure you’re updating and testing your campaigns often to keep performance up.

Partnering with AI

Now that you have your story and know how you’re telling it, where will you share it? That’s where machine learning/AI can come in. Partnering with AI allows you to surgically target beyond what was previously available to advertisers, helping personalize your message, delivery and placement even more.

Household targeting, OTT ads or streaming ads can be served based on the profile viewer, giving each household member a different and more relevant experience. For example, the ads a parent sees through their profile on a streaming service are not the same ads shown on a child’s profile thanks to this technology.

You’ve done it! You have your strategy. But how do you keep it fresh?

Be bold. Be willing to pressure test your strategy. Don’t be afraid to test new tactics, new messaging and new targets that maybe you didn’t consider previously. Don’t be afraid to rely on your research – with it, you know your audience! And if you decide it’s time to take the next step with your paid media efforts, we’ll be happy to help.