Full Disclosure: I am a media salesperson. My paycheck is 100% based on whether or not you spend money with me on my TV station. With that being said, I still think media strategy & content should be your focus when you’re looking to advertise.
This article will help you understand a modern media strategy and how your content can make or break your campaigns.
WITHOUT STRATEGY YOU’RE INEFFICIENT
This seems like a relatively simple statement. It’s not a million dollar idea, but it should highlight the fact that most money spent on advertising is inefficient. When you spend inefficiently, your money isn’t working for you.
The biggest point here is that without strategy you will end up spending more money than you’d like on advertising. The far majority of businesses see advertising as ROI positive, but they also can’t determine what specific ads should be given the credit for bringing in a new customer.
This is why strategy is imperative. Media strategy helps you determine the ROI of advertising not just the ROI of TV, Radio, Billboards, Facebook, etc… When you have an advertising strategy your ad campaigns work together meaning you see a higher ROI while spending less money. Win-Win.
CONTENT CREATES DATA
We live in a data driven world and advertising is no different. Most businesses buy advertising based on rating points, CPM, CPP, impressions, etc… Some sort of data point helps them determine if it’s a good deal or not.
I’d like to argue that the content the businesses advertise deserves just as much love. Some suggestions that apply to all businesses:
1. Create “Pillar Content” - Something that is :60 to :90 in length that perfectly describes your business. This should be educational and “always-on”, meaning you always advertise this message.
2. Create “One-Offs” - These are :15 or :30 clips taken from the original pillar. They are “highlights” and take-aways that you really want the audience to remember.
3. Create “Direct Response” - These ads push audiences toward a specific goal. For example, directing people to your website’s clearance section via a specific link. This means you can track the data and determine if the ad actually worked.
PLACEMENT DESERVES CAREFUL CONSIDERATION
When I say that media strategy & content is > placement it doesn’t mean that placement should be obsolete. The truth is, there are more mediums to advertise on than ever before. Each of them have positives/negatives and each of them work for you. The variable is your content and messaging.
When you create an advertising strategy consider the benefits of each medium and create your pillar, one-offs, and direct response ads. When you pair all of this together you’re going to save yourself money and be ultra-efficient with your advertising.