There can be very little doubt that animated content makes for a great way to engage with your target audience whilst also getting your message across and attracting new business opportunities along the way.
Here we take a look at five simple ways within which you can use animated content on your blog.
1. Be Inspired By The Latest News
Table of Contents
Why not quite literally let your audience “read all about it”. By simply keeping your ears to the ground you can quite easily share relevant news, improve your online visibility and ultimately reinforce your authority within your given industry.
To make sure you’re always one step ahead of the game, why not set up a Google alert for anything that might be of interest to your audience and then share it via your social network channels such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and your website? It really is such a simple process and yet has a huge impact when it comes to keeping people informed.
An iconic example of keeping customers up-to-date are Google Doodles.
2. Never Take Yourself Too Seriously
As daft as it might sound, many clients welcome a bit of humour injected into their day so don’t ever be tempted to take yourself too seriously!
Research shows that communications containing a hint of humour (ideally industry related) not only engage the reader more but also tend to open up new topics of conversation – something which can never be a bad thing in terms of social engagement.
For example, if something funny happens in the office, don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself and share it with others. It shows that you’re human and above all else, that you’re approachable and receptive to new ideas. A video hosting platform for business Wistia put together a hilarious video presenting their services in a 80-themed clip.
3. Engage With Your Target Audience
Another great way to add a genuine human element to your blog content is to truly engage with your clients or customers in a way that will not only apply to them but also make them feel like a valued part of your business. Starbucks has made, for example an entire online cartoon series to keep their customers entertained over a cup of coffee encouraging them at the same time to use their mobile app.
Another option is, instead of simply communicating information, to ask for feedback, thoughts or ideas? Remember, only your client can see your business from their perspective so don’t be afraid to ask what it looks like. What could you do to improve the customer experience? Are there any additional services they’d like to see introduced into your business? What could you do better? How can you go that extra mile?
By simply engaging with your target audience using fun animation and blog content you might be surprised to find there are a whole host of ideas simply bursting to be embraced. And, of course, with brand new ideas come brand new business opportunities. Don’t waste them!
4. Stick To What You Know Best
Never, ever, be tempted to fall into the trap of thinking that a more broad approach to your blog content will automatically attract a more diverse range of clients. Marketing is proven to be much more effective if you simply stick with what you know best. In fact, this is a key part of thought leadership since a well-tried marketing method will help establish you as a leading expert in your field.
Whilst it might well be tempting to become a jack of all trades remember how the saying ends. You’ll end up as a master of none. Sharing your expertise with your potential customers can be a great way to make them interested in your service or product. This animated explainer of Crazy Egg has helped the company to increase their conversion rates significantly.
What you’re ultimately looking to achieve through your blog content is to gain both trust and respect from your target audience. Once you’ve put yourself out there as an expert in your particular field then you’ll soon go on to attract attention from the right audience for your business, whilst also helping to solidify your brand.
5. Think Beyond Text
Finally, when it comes to animated content, always remember that effective content can be much more than simply words. In truth the well known phrase: “A picture is worth a thousand words” probably says it all in terms of thinking outside the box. By simply adding visual elements into your blog, your marketing strategy can have a truly powerful impact and leaving a last impression on your audience.
You need something to not only attract their attention; but also keep it out there as a talking point going forward. Google is good at interacting with and entertaining their audience with engaging games or motion graphics. The Spotlight Stories of Google ATAP (Advanced Technology and Projects group) was a successful way of involving their audience using exclusively a visual 360-degree storytelling.
Animate Your Blog
Put simply, then, animated content can certainly pack a powerful punch when it comes to marketing your brand. By simply engaging with your target audience you’ll start to learn exactly what works, as well as what doesn’t fit so well.
However you choose to put your blogs across, always be sure to include a strong call-to-action return at either the bottom, or at the sides of your content. And whatever you do, make sure to monitor your results. In fact, that’s the beauty of the internet and today’s technology – you can quite easily measure results and then make improvements based on the feedback. Don’t hesitate to start experimenting with animated content on your blog!
Guest Author : Frankie Caplan is an animator and video marketing specialist interested in visual storytelling and applying animation to business projects. You can find her writing at Pigeon Studio.