New Tools For Advertising Part 4
The foundation for the new world of advertising we are now entering contains five key areas: personalization, community, intelligent multimedia search, content, and interactivity.
Personalization
Would you be more interested in an ad that addresses you specific needs and interests? The Internet allows for ever increasing ways to target and create personalized experiences and ads. For example, Yahoo! Allows visitors to create a customized home page – My Yahoo – enabling them to quickly see the information and news feeds they are the most interested in. This gives Yahoo! The ability to know the specific interests and needs of each individual and provide ads they would want to see.
Ask yourself: Could we use targeting and personalization to introduce a new product and grow brand loyalty?
Communities
Communities of interest reside on a Web site and have members who share a common interest. Examples include customers who are interested in or have all purchased the same product. Purina has an on-line community for both dog owners and cat owners. It provides expert advice and creates a place where dog or cat owners can enter a community of other dog or cat owners to share information. They can then target their ads to the specific needs of the group. Every day, eight million pet lovers visit the community of their choice.
Ask yourself: Could we enhance customer interest in our products or services if we hosted electronic communities of interest?
Intelligent Multimedia Search
Intelligent Multimedia Search gives you the ability to search the Internet, or your computer, for text, graphics, video, animation, and sound, using simple commands. When we search the Web today, we often get way too much information. Intelligent search uses software to help the user narrow the search down to find exactly what they are looking for. It also allows them to use natural language or simple questions to find what they are looking for. Users could search their computer, their network, or the entire Internet for a segment of a video or audio recording, and retrieve it quickly.
Ask yourself: Could we use Intelligent Multimedia Search to help consumers solve problems and find product information, including photographs, audio, and video, faster?
Content
Content can exist in any format including text, audio and video. Television shows, sports events, concerts, blogs, and PODcasts are all examples of content. In the past, professionals created all of the content. Today, individuals of all ages have the technology to create their own content.
Ask yourself: Could we use different forms of content, produced by both professionals and individuals, to create interest in our products?
Interactivity
In the past, advertising was static, users would sit back passively and read or watch an ad. Today, people are interacting with digital content, clicking on icons, moving things around, playing games, adding content and in some cases creating their own content. Interactivity is the best way to get consumers engaged in the ad and engagement is a key to creating a positive outcome – action.
Ask yourself: Could we add interactivity to our ads?
A new world of advertising is dawning and the new tools are available to all. If you don’t use them, someone else will!
Daniel Burrus, one of the world's leading technology forecasters, business strategists, and author of six books
Copyright 2005 Author retains copyright. All Rights Reserved.
