Content is king: four tips to stand out from the flood of content

Online marketing agency Löwenstark is convinced that only retailers who consider their customers in the context of their interactions can offer them personalized shopping experiences. Successful marketers no longer just ask themselves the question: Who are my potential customers, what information do they need - and at what time? The why is also becoming increasingly important - i.e. the context in which customers operate. If a customer is sitting on the sofa at home with a laptop, they have different needs than if they are strolling through the shopping mall with a smartphone in their hand. If it has been gray and wet outside for days, they will probably be more interested in a new rain jacket than on a hot August day.

Retailers who take the relevant customer context into account with individual formats are more likely to give users the feeling that advertising is not disruptive, but creates added value. Acceptance of advertising measures increases when consumers actually want the advertised product. Content and advertising are thus merging more and more. The German online marketing agency Löwenstark explains how contextual marketing is becoming one of the most powerful tools in the internet battle for customer attention with four points:

1st tip for success: Include users' life events

There are a number of contextual factors that are relevant for customer profiling in addition to demographic (age, gender), socio-economic (education, profession, salary) and psychographic (motivation, opinion, wishes) characteristics. These include Geolocation (Where is the customer currently located?), atmospheric conditions (What is the weather like?) and the device being used (cell phone, tablet or desktop PC). However, one of the strongest parameters in contextual marketing that has an influence on purchasing behavior is life events: From moving house to a new addition to the family to a wedding or retirement - such events shape everyday life over a longer period of time, determine the life of the target group and are triggers for a change in shopping behavior.

Marian Wurm, Managing Director of Löwenstark, says: "Certain daily or even life routines are central parts of the customer profile and help marketers not only to get to know their target groups better, but also to understand their purchasing behavior. Only when customers feel that their wishes are satisfied will their acceptance of advertising and willingness to buy increase. A marketing measure that appeals to a smaller, truly emotionally involved customer group is much more efficient than relying on a reach in the millions that misses the right target group."

2nd tip for success: It's all about the mix

Marketers can use implicit and explicit data to create a complete customer view. Implicit data are traces that users leave behind on the Internet and that are stored by beacons: for example, the IP address, the version of the operating system of the user's smartphone and the browser version used. They also provide information on how often a page has been accessed. The IP address can also be used to identify what time a website was visited or an email opened, whether a homepage was viewed on a desktop or smartphone and whether a link was clicked on. The customer's location can also be tracked via GPS. So if you keep an eye on your customers, you can get closer to their needs: for example, if a user only ever opens their emails after 6 p.m., it makes sense to automatically set email dispatch to this time of day.

Explicit data, on the other hand, is information that customers deliberately provide - for example in order forms, discount campaigns or competitions. "The combination of both types of data can significantly improve the customer experience, because the feeling of individualization favors the purchase decision," says Wurm. "It is an effective way of creating a win-win situation - satisfying the customer and generating more sales."

3rd tip for success: Pick up customers where they are

Retailers should not wait for a customer to stumble across their content by chance. Instead, consumers need to be picked up - right where they are. What is important here is that real time is the only time that counts in contextual marketing. Because customers want the right information - now - no matter where they are. Customers can be found via various channels: whether online, on a tablet, by email, on a smartphone, via social media, smart TV or video.

Automation tools are a resource- and time-saving method for distributing content and ads across various channels. "Email marketing is suitable as a channel for all customer groups because emails can be personalized using automation tools," explains Wurm. With the name, email address and information from the store about products already ordered, remarketing is also possible by suggesting similar or subsequent products. Reminder emails to customers who have added a product to their shopping cart a few days previously are also a tried and tested strategy - and often lead to a purchase in the end (haven't you forgotten something?).

Content should not come at users one-dimensionally like a tidal wave.

4th tip for success: Interaction is the be-all and end-all

Content should not come at users one-dimensionally like a tidal wave. Rather, marketers need to enter into a dialog with their customers. Especially in the social media sector, communication is everything: retailers who motivate customers to share content, comment on it or present products via video and photos will benefit. This creates free content that is also authentic because it comes from convinced users. Especially in times of content shock, it is important to get to the gatekeepers, who often determine the customer's access to content by acting as a kind of filter for users. Micro- and nano-influencers in particular should not be underestimated. "An account that is not too large appears more credible so that the product can be better communicated to followers." This also increases the engagement rate because followers are more willing to leave comments.

Working with influencers is a good example of how customers can perceive advertising as exciting and informative - especially because it is no longer the company itself that advertises, but an intermediary. An obvious prerequisite for this is that the company manages to convince the influencer of its products or services.