The Content Surplus-- you can run, but you can’t hide.
We’re all feeling it. Endless email newsletters, seminars, articles, blogs, photos, quizzes, and YouTube videos that make us wonder, “Crap. Where did my day go?” Adult “no-tech” retreats and phone applications now exist for the sole purpose of digitally unplugging.
The information age is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because with the power of a square in our pockets, we can take action on dreams and resolve obstacles. A curse, because that action may be delayed by battles with the distraction dragon.
Just for perspective, let’s look at numbers. In 1977, the average consumer experienced about 500 marketing messages per day. In 1997, that number rose to 3,000 with the dawn of Google. Fast forward to 2013 with smartphones when we unknowingly experience 13,000 marketing messages per day! In the words of our friend Ron Swanson, “People have the right to be left alone! I’m going off grid.” While his measures to go off-grid were extreme, can we blame him?!
Noise. Everywhere. Must. Find. Quiet.
At the same time, Google’s Zero Moment of Truth research shows that the average consumer engages with 10 pieces of content before making a buying decision. And according to a 2012 Edelman study, millennials, now between the ages 22-37, actually expect brands to develop content for them, with 80% wanting to be directly entertained through content marketing.
So eyes and ears ARE still searching for answers despite the feeling of being overloaded. Who is responding? Because whoever is, is is the one getting the phone calls.
In 2016, small businesses and start ups will produce even more content. The tragedy is that most of them will be ignored and written off as noise. Consumers have become jaded by pushy sales-speak and a disrespect for the right to self-publish (blogging, tweeting,etc). They are forced to pay attention only to the content messages that have earned their trust. This is why small biz and start ups will build a content strategy that once again spurs their customers’ demand.
Sources:
Patel, Sujan. "What Your 2016 Content Marketing Strategy Should Look Like." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 3 Jan. 2016. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.
Pulizzi, Joe. Epic Content Marketing: How to Tell a Different Story, Break through the Clutter, and Win More Customers by Marketing Less. N.p.: McGraw-Hill Education, 2013. 23. Print.