For Indian brands, making communication stand out in a flood of brand content has never been easy. In a programmatic advertising world, it is even more challenging, as it enables all brands to improve targeting, increase transparency, and enhance audience reach. However, while the ability to publish impactful ads in a matter of a few seconds is valuable, delivering content that is unique or different, maybe even more critical.
Ads that carry exclusive or unique content drive easy identification and brand recall, as well as the ability to stand out from the competition.
The importance of differentiated communication
The digital marketing landscape is continuously evolving, always shifting the goalposts for brands trying to strike a chord with customers. Despite the adoption of modern technologies, many struggles to derive the value or ROI they expect from their advertising investments.
One of the main reasons is because the content they deliver doesn’t stand out. Yes, continually providing fresh content that keeps customers engaged is not easy, but that is the best way to connect with the audience in an era where everyone is fighting the same battle, trying to be unique in the same space.
How to stand apart and be noticed
Brands suffering from a crisis of differentiation need to quickly plan how they can curate their advertising campaigns to drive maximum attention and engagement. Here are some tips for making your brand stand out from the crowd and make a mark:
- Look at what makes your brand different: In the digital marketplace, where companies big and small are all trying to make themselves visible, a good starting point is to look at what makes your brand different: Does your product offer unique features? Is it targeted towards a unique audience? Or does it help solve a unique problem? For online marketplace OLX, what works is the problem they look to solve – getting rid of domestic clutter. The brand builds on this unique problem that probably plagues every Indian household.
- Differentiate your target strategy: Another great way to stand out in a flood of brand content is to resist using a common communication strategy across your entire target audience. Instead, tightly segment your audience based on their needs and craft your communications to fit the segment best. Ridesharing company Ola geographically divides the market it serves and devises promotional strategies based on the demands in each of these sub-segments. It also segments customers based on their incomes and lifestyle parameters, and advertises accordingly to its Luxury, Prime, Share, and Auto customers. Using powerful technologies like AI can help drive the segmentation even deeper and allow the creation of personalized brand messaging that resonates even better.
- Boost efforts with content: One of the essential elements of differentiated communication is meaningful content that helps you deliver your message and strengthen your brand identity. The trick to create content that distinguishes your brand from others and keeps your audience more engaged than competitors do – so you can win their attention and, eventually, their loyalty.
- Address social or topical issues: Building digital marketing campaigns that address social concerns is also an excellent way to connect with the audience on aspects that matter. Dairy cooperative Amul is seen as the flag-bearer of social concerns in India. Its topical & socially relevant advertising campaigns not only help in the brand building but also reinforce brand awareness through the top of the mind recall. The sudden shift to remote working or “work from home” has dramatically altered the online consumer’s behavior. Many brands have tapped into the change to refocus their communications to ring true in this situation.
- Keep pace with trends: Using innovative tactics to connect with customers and striking conversations with them through social media questions can exceptionally work in your favor. Each of Zomato’s digital marketing campaigns is carefully curated by a team of expert professionals who know and understand its audience way too well. From offering a 100% discount in Ranchi post-Dhoni’s retirement announcement to asking its audience how they convinced their parents to let them order food – Zomato is undoubtedly ahead in the race when it comes to digital communications.
- Utilize multiple channels for content marketing: Given the amount of time people spend on social networking sites, it is a good idea for brands to utilize all these channels for communications and marketing. Netflix India focuses on connecting with its audience by delivering fresh and exciting content across multiple channels to build brand advocacy. It uses a differentiated strategy for each channel, centered around authenticity, and sprinkled with a dash of uniquely Netflix wit.
The benefits of embracing a modern digital marketing platform
With differentiated communication becoming a critical business need to stand out in crowded digital marketing space, embracing a modern platform can help brands connect with the audience. An advanced platform can help capture demographic, behavioral, and location data, enable better segmentation and targeting and create an audience that is uniquely right for the brand. A deeper understanding of customers and their needs can create better engagement while giving the brand unparalleled flexibility to unearth insights on the audience, campaign management, and outcomes.
If you’re looking to get noticed by your audience while achieving maximum returns from your advertising spend, it is the right time to adopt such an intelligent digital marketing platform to reach your campaign goals faster, smarter, and more effectively.
