Why use Contextual Messaging?
The best marketing strategies come from a place of personalization and timeliness. Let’s think about it; when was the last time you received a flyer for something you didn’t want and immediately threw it out? Do people even look at flyers anymore? The who, when, where, and how are critical questions that need to be asked when considering a contextual messaging framework.Â
Depending on your business and what you have to offer, it is likely that you are using some sort of digital advertising to entice consumers. If you’re not, it is time to implement and deliver digital advertising in a powerful way. Creating marketing messages that are relevant and timely comes down to considering the location of your customers and when they are seeing your ads. In the world of digital advertising, how often are you bombarded with ads that don’t seem relevant to your current situation such as when you’re sitting at home on your computer in your PJs?
If you are looking to reach a specific audience, then the most effective way to engage your customers is to deliver highly personalized and contextualized messages at exactly the right moment.Â
For example, imagine you are out shopping for a pair of running shoes and as you enter the shoe store your phone dings displaying an offer for 15% off if you show the ad at the time of purchase?Â
Now circle back to how this same offer would be received while sitting at home in your PJs. The viewer may be intrigued, but probably won’t jump up and take action to head to the shoe store. Again, the timing and location of contextual messaging are key to creating an action response from the consumer. Getting these two things right means the difference of turning a person who was potentially just browsing, into a customer who is now going to purchase.Â
Delivering high-quality contextual messaging is integral to the success of a business’s marketing strategy. If you want your customers to become engaged with your brand, it is important to send out relevant notifications during the critical part of their shopping journey.Â
Geo-Fenced Marketing
Geo-fenced marketing goes hand in hand with contextual messaging. This type of marketing strategy sends notifications based on the location of the targeted audience. Businesses can choose to set up a geofence surrounding their store or a competitor’s store which triggers an ad, offer, or message to a visitor’s phone when they enter that geofenced area. There is a multitude of ways this sort of advertising can be of benefit to your business. Some examples include:
- Increased loyaltyÂ
If your audience is targeted with relevant ads that do not feel out of place or spammy, they will be more likely to look into what you are offering. Receiving 10% off is a great way to incentivize people to shop with your business, or a simple greeting message to delight visitors as they enter your establishment.
- Increased brand awareness
Placing your ads in the hands of smartphone users at the right time and place increases the chances of people knowing and talking about your brand. If you offer something amazing to them while they are shopping followed up by an impressive customer experience, it is likely that you will have piqued the interest of a new consumer while subconsciously creating a brand image in their mind.Â
- Gather insights on customers
Using geofencing allows you to see what call to action customers act on through behavior analytics. For example, if you notice that an ad is not acted upon when it states an upcoming offer, this is a good time to try sending an ad that requires the customer to act immediately to claim the offer.Â
- Convert customers
Creating geofences around your competitors is a great way to gain conversions. If your competitor is offering a deal that you want to match, you can offer a relevant ad as soon as the customer enters the competitor’s store, making them think twice about where they want to spend their money.Â
How to Implement Contextual Messaging in Your Business
When looking at marketing with contextual messaging it is important to know who your target audience is and what advertisements they like to receive. If you are unsure, you can get to know your audience by gathering data on what websites they tend to frequent and their behaviors when shopping online.Â
How you market to your target audience depends on age, aspirations, and how your brand resonates with them. If you are looking to target a specific demographic it is important to research what digital channels they are likely to use. This data can help with where you choose to advertise your business online.Â
Once you have the answer to these questions, you can start formulating your marketing strategy based on these insights. If you are looking to target an audience that uses social media for a lot of their information and purchases, then it would be a great idea to start utilizing those platforms to get your message out. Where you choose to put your advertisements contributes greatly to the success of your ad.Â
If you’re unsure of how to get started with contextual messaging, it is wise to use a company that has a platform dedicated to creating effective contextual messaging. Mapsted is a company that offers some of the best contextual messaging services. Using an external contextual messaging service allows you to not only plan ahead with a campaign management tool but also allows you to see analytics on how your advertisements are performing. This is key to making informed decisions about your marketing strategy going forward.Â
In short, some of the benefits you can expect from contextual messaging are:
✓ Timely, highly personalized messages in the right place, at the right time
✓ Increased awareness of your target customerÂ
✓ Delighted customersÂ
✓ Increased conversions and brand awarenessÂ
✓ Increase in revenueÂ
As we’ve learned, location is important when it comes to advertising. Utilizing contextual and geofenced messaging can create offers that are strategic and meaningful. If you can create a marketing experience that speaks to customers in a way that they can’t resist, then you have mastered the art of contextual messaging.Â