UGC is much needed, Facebook could be in trouble (again), and one brand made a shocking quarantine pivot.
Your weekly digital marketing matchbox to kindle creative content.
May 7, 2020
Mind Your Metrics
Many brands have paused campaigns or slowed their ad spend recently, but for the Media Rating Council (a watchdog over the media industry) it has been business as usual. And this week, the Council issued a warning to Facebook, noting that our favorite social media bad boy may be denied accreditation due to ongoing concerns over its measurement and metrics for video ads. Marketers should pay close attention in the coming weeks, as accreditation (or lack thereof) from the MRC is a big deal. This stamp of approval shows brands they can trust the platform — and if Facebook loses it, you may want to rethink where you allocate ad dollars once it’s time to plan for next year.
Influence Me
Let’s be real; the power of influence is unmatched on TikTok. (If you’ve learned a trending dance — or 20 — from a teenager during our time in quarantine, you get it.) But those dance moves could soon accompany legitimate calls to action. As brands pay more attention to TikTok, the platform continues to release new tools and features that allow marketers to create content and work with influencers more efficiently. Most recently, it's testing “Shop Now” CTAs for creators’ posts (in addition to the CTAs brands themselves can use). And by using the Creator Marketplace, marketers can select influencers to work with utilizing audience demographics, follower count, and the content topic filters. TikTok isn’t just a place where teens (quite literally) whip up dalgona coffee or impersonate Joe Exotic. With more than 800 million users, it's proving to be a contemporary yet effective media platform that should excite marketers. Now, pancake cereal, anyone?
UGC From You and Me
The marketing landscape is in flux right now: Budgets are leaner than usual, WFH makes collaborating on content production no easy feat, and audiences are increasingly skeptical of brands. But one tried-and-true type of content — that 92% of customers trust more than any other — can help marketers combat all these challenges: User-generated content (UGC). What may have once been on the back burner in your content plan is now a marketer’s saving grace. UGC is low-cost, requires little output from your in-house content team, and provides much-needed social proof that consumers are using (and liking) your brand’s products or services. So these days, don’t be afraid to lean on it and make your customers the stars of your content (and marketing team).
WHAT LIT US UP THIS WEEK
If You Could Go Anywhere in the World
While hopping on a plane and hitting up a new destination is still highly discouraged, one brand still really wants customers to book a trip. Yes, in a surprising turn of events, The Wild Detectives bookstore recently took to Facebook to announce it was rebranding as a travel agency. As its loyal customers were shocked, saddened, and confused, they wished the Dallas-based bookstore good luck ... only to find out it was all a clever prank.
Accompanying its “rebranding,” The Wild Detectives launched a new website: GoBookATrip.com. The faux travel site lets customers choose a destination, and instead of buying a ticket, they can order a book based in that location. The smart campaign allows audiences to be taken away — without leaving the house. And it has brought the bookstore a more than 200% increase in online sales and 30,000-plus unique visitors. During a difficult time for local businesses, the bookstore’s pivot allowed it to reach new audiences, surprise and delight its long-term visitors, and show off its personality and creativity. It goes to show that when everything is so downbeat, a little humor (and much ingenuity) can go a long way.
