Voice search is the way to browse, Facebook's Instant Articles gets a facelift, and Panasonic goes after the hearts of Gen Z.
January 10, 2020
Team Alexa or Team Siri?
Or team Google Home Mini (if you’re into that)? No matter who’s your go-to, you’ve probably asked a machine at least one question before. And in 2020, voice search is predicted to become an increasingly popular method of getting answers and completing tasks (like booking appointments) on the web. As Google boosts its capabilities to understand natural speech, brands must tailor content to be optimized for voice search if they want to stay relevant in the new landscape of internet browsing. Straightforward content that clearly answers a question — and does so upfront — is key to catch the attention of our favorite robot friends.
Steal the (Trend) Spotlight
If you’re looking for new ways to promote your brand on Twitter, now’s your time to step into the limelight. Introducing Promoted Trend Spotlight, a new ad unit that enables brands to place themselves at the top of the Twitter Explore tab with the likes of the Kardashians, trending memes, and whatever else is happening in the world that day. Acting as an extension of Promoted Trend Ads, the spotlight lets brands grab Twitter-verse’s attention with six-second videos and GIFs to promote their latest campaigns … all for the small fee of $250,000 per day! We know — that’s a lot, and it’s likely only larger advertisers will be able to reap the benefits of this feature. But as it becomes more mainstream, we hope every brand will get their chance to shine.
I Want Articles and I Want Them Now
We get it — Facebook probably isn’t your platform of choice for publishing new content or thought leadership pieces. But after recent updates, you might consider adding its Instant Articles feature to your content sharing strategy. Similar to LinkedIn Publisher, Instant Articles lets you publish content that’s hosted directly on FB, meaning super quick load times (especially on mobile). Recent additions to IA now make it even easier for readers to share articles and see more content by the same publishers — plus, you can link posts to your Facebook and Instagram Stories. All in all, it’s a pretty simple way to increase your brand’s presence on the ‘Book … dare we say … instantly.
WHAT LIT US UP THIS WEEK
Get on Gen Z’s Good Side
It might be the dead of winter, but we’ve got the 2020 Summer Olympics on the brain — all thanks to Panasonic. The electronics company unveiled its latest digital campaign at CES (that's the Consumer Electronics Show for those who might not know) this week, featuring Olympian swimmers Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky, and Paralympic trackster and silver medalist Elexis “Lex” Gillette. Why would a predominantly B2B electronics manufacturer do such a thing? Gen Z. That’s why.
With digital ads and social media posts using #WhatMovesUs, Panasonic aims to direct viewers to a video on its website that shows the athletes giving back, through things like swim lessons or encouraging interest in STEM. Through the star-studded campaign, the company is showcasing its commitment to building a better and more sustainable future with its technologies. Panasonic understands Gen Z (as well as Millennials) cares deeply about social issues and the brands that are willing to publicly support them. The young generation may not be the company’s current consumer base. But building a foundation for brand loyalty now will certainly reward them in the future.
