In the search for a better ROAS, we’ve become obsessed with data and quick results. We’ve become impatient as marketers often playing the short-game instead of the long-game. We’ve become flat and uninspired in our advertising often pushing people to the end of the funnel at all cost.
Why it matters: If we aren’t careful, we’re going to lose the true magic of what digital allows us to do. As marketers, we can’t be focused on brand marketing alone and we can’t only be focused on performance marketing alone. We have to do both and ensure they work together.
The rise of performance media has led to marketing that is often too transactional. There is a misconception that telling people to “buy now” and paid media will drive results. The result is marketing that is generic, annoying to consumers and either dilutes the brand foundation that’s been built, or sets a weak foundation for new brands.
It’s not enough just to sell. We have to sell well. This means getting consumers to buy through campaigns that feel authentic, relevant and engaging for consumers and celebrates the brand. It’s about building up brand equity, while also getting people to convert. Doing this requires a strong understanding of the brand, our consumer and what makes good creative.
The big picture: Instead of treating performance marketing and brand marketing as separate entities, it’s time to treat them as partners. These two things must work together if we want to drive the strongest results possible and play the long-term game.
Nik Sharma, one of my favorite thought leaders in the space, coined the perfect term: It’s time to focus on performance branding. Take the time to read his thread on it:
Performance branding is about driving a connection while also driving business results. It’s about building a nimble plan that puts the brand first, builds long-term affinity, leverages the right data with creative and sells . It blends the magic of why people love you (emotion) with what we’re all hired to do (sell).
Emotion over Transaction
Performance branding is about showing people what the experience is all about. It’s about tapping into the emotion of why people love your product or service. The community, the camaraderie, the action, the excitement. Don’t tell people they can buy your product. Show them what they miss out on by not buying.
Emotion is the most powerful tools we have as marketers. Performance branding leverages the emotional connection vs. transactional tone. When we tap into emotion instead of transaction, we pull consumers in instead of turning them off. And when we have their attention and capture their hearts, it’s more likely that they’ll convert. Sell the emotion, not the product.
“Creative is the variable for success.” – Gary Vaynerchuck
Know what makes good creative.
For whatever reason, there tends to be a “check the box” mentality with creative in digital advertising. Too often marketing teams have an extremely engaging presence on social, but a completely dry and boring approach to how their brand comes through digital advertising.
Brand creative and performance marketing creative should not be a separate thing. In fact, the overall brand creative should help drive and influence how creative comes to life across performance marketing. If creative feels completely disconnected from the brand values, the brand messaging and what makes the brand unique, then something is amiss. The stronger the creative, the stronger the results.
At the end of the day, what works on organic is most likely going to work in your digital advertising efforts. It’s not about the sell with the content, but capturing attention, hearts and minds.
Not all consumers are created equal.
Too often there’s an approach with digital advertising to “spray and pray”. We have so much data today, yet so often we bombard our data lists with the same message, same creative, same frequency. If we don’t have a true understanding of our target consumers, then we’ll never have a true understanding of what they need from us.
It’s important to keep in mind that not all consumers are created equal. Do the hard work to understand your current and prospective customers. Know why they care and why they buy, then mold the message to them. More relevant messaging and products can go a long way in getting fans to convert.
Conversions can take time — that’s okay.
As mentioned, performance marketing has made us impatient as marketers. We look for the quick conversion instead of playing the long game. Not all conversions happen quickly though — but that does not take away from the important of building brand affinity, prospecting and warming up a lead. When brands invest in an approach that blends brand and performance, it allows them to still build equity with someone that is not quite ready to buy.
Think about it. A consumer that is being retargeted from your site or cart abandoner is a completely different consumer than one that hasn’t even considered buying. Hitting up a less warm lead with a “buy now” message does not build any equity. But, hitting them up with an emotional ad that pulls them in and piques their interest helps build brand affinity. They might not convert today, but at least you got their attention and have them thinking about your brand.
Bottom-line: Not all conversions are created equal. It’s important to remember that your investment in digital advertising does not have to be a “this or that” approach. You can build up fan affinity and brand equity, while also driving sales. It’s the brands and businesses that invest in the long game and not just the short game that will win over time.
