There’s no doubting that the competition is fierce in the realm of online marketing. There are millions of websites and advertisers fighting for the attention of consumers, and at times, it can feel impossible. How do you make yourself heard when you’re just a single voice in a crowd that covers the whole planet?
Fortunately, there are some methods you can implement to differentiate yourself from the competition and make sure that your voice is the one that stands out.
One of the reasons that content can disappear into the background is that it sounds the same as everything else. If your content mimics other influencers in your industry, then it might be difficult for your followers to distinguish you from your competitors.
Instead of being average, try being unique. What type of tone can you use that will engage your followers and set you apart from the other competitors in your niche? If your customers are mostly Millennials, think about adopting a casual tone that uses slang and conversational language.
Even if you’re in a more conservative industry, you can find a way to stand out. Think about your customer’s personas and what tone they are most likely to engage with, and then use it consistently in all of your communication and advertising.
It can be risky to take a chance and say something that people might disagree with – but it can also be an opportunity to draw ample attention to yourself.
Is there a huge fad in your industry that you disagree with? Do you like going up against conventional wisdom? Research some things that are relevant to your audience and then try to alter their perceptions by offering an opposing or surprising view on the topic. You might even consider playing devil’s advocate to garner attention.
If all you ever do is follow along with the crowd, the chances are high that you’ll fade into it. On the other hand, the person who dares to step out be different is likely to be the one who gets recognized.
Are you following your competitor’s pages on social media and analyzing their websites and blogs on a consistent basis? If you aren’t, you should definitely be.
It doesn’t matter how many competitors you have. The chances are excellent that they are all missing a thing or two – something that you can give to your customers as a way of distinguishing yourself. The only way to know what they’re missing is to examine what they’re doing and how they’re doing it. Then determine the holes in what they’re offering and step in to fill them.
This doesn’t exactly mean that you have to offer a product that nobody else offers. What it does mean, though, is that you have to know your customers well and what they need. If most of your competitors offer content with a formal tone, you might be able to supply your followers a with friendlier alternative.
When it comes to reaching Millennials, having a social mission can really help differentiate you from your competitors. Young people want the brands they follow to care about the world and make an impact.
There are a couple of ways you can instill this suggestion into your marketing. For example, you might:
- Collaborate with a local charity to host an event, then create an event page on Facebook and share information about it with your followers.
- Create a product that relates to a particular charity or cause, such as the breast cancer awareness pink ribbons that decorate the marketplace every October.
- Donate a percentage of your profits to a cause that resonates with your customers. For example, if you sell clothing you might decide to donate money (or clothing for that matter) to a homeless shelter in the area.
This kind of outreach can cement customers’ view of you as a company that cares about something beyond making money or increasing profits – and that can help you turn people into brand ambassadors.
As social media algorithms systematically damage organic reach, businesses are searching for ways to make sure that their content gets viewed by their target market. One effective way to do that is to connect with micro-influencers and get them to share your content.
A micro-influencer is anybody who has authority or reach with your customers. They don’t have to be in your industry to be an effective influencer. For example, if you know that most of your customers are interested in a certain athlete, you might be able to get that person to share your material for a price.
Drawing in prominent celebrity influencers can be pricey, so instead, concentrate on people who have a following but aren’t likely to charge an arm and a leg to share your content. If the things you share also happen to be pertinent to their fans, then they’re most likely to be a good match for you and you can leverage their popularity into increased reach for your content.
We all enjoy having a good laugh, and your customers are equally as likely to be influenced by humor as anybody else. The blunder that a lot of marketers make is treating their content with kid gloves, assuming that it has to be serious to have an effect.
If you let loose a bit, you can stun your followers and get them to think about you in a new way. You can even be a little irreverent if it matches your brand. One fine example of the use of humor in marketing comes from the company Hello Flo. They sell female hygiene products, and they made a huge splash a few years ago with two humorous videos highlighting their products: Camp Gyno and First Moon Party. The latter got over 38 million views on YouTube because it made people laugh.
In some industries, marketers can be slow to make use of new technology as it is launched. Companies who were quick to embrace mobile marketing, for example, have a competitive edge on companies who are just catching up now.
It can be difficult to catch trends before they become popular, but don’t hesitate to experiment. If you’re not utilizing things like live video or geofencing, now is the time to attempt something new – especially if your competitors aren’t doing so.
You don’t have to hop on every new marketing tool that releases, but it’s a smart idea to add new things to your marketing mix and create ways to stir things up. If something doesn’t function properly, you can ditch it and move on to the next thing – but at least you’ll have tried. And if what you try winds up catching on, you’ll be one step ahead of your competitors.
The secret with all of these methods is to remember that you have things to offer that your competitors don’t. Use these techniques to ensure that your target audience sees how special you are—and the results (and profits) will follow.