We live and work in a world in which digital marketing opportunities are constantly emerging, and new trends will no doubt continue to dominate the marketing communications agenda moving forward.

So how can these opportunities be maximised when connecting with your audiences? Perhaps we should start by looking at what a typical day in the life looks like for marketers trying to get their messages heard and make an impact…

Marketing on the move

As consumers, throughout the day we’re presented with e-commerce on the go; multi-channel entertainment and media; geolocation technology; digital out-of-home advertising and in-store promotions; not to mention social media and influencer marketing to name just a few. We’ll start our days reviewing, liking and sharing various newsfeeds, before checking on our Whatsapp groups, and that’s before we’ve left the house. Meetings are arranged and take place remotely, lunch is consumed on the run whilst absorbing more social content using it to research everything from new shoes to next year’s holiday. A podcast will provide entertainment during the homeward-bound commute.

Engaging with audiences

So, creating consistent, engaging digital content that connects with your audience on different levels is essential to help your organisation cut through the noise of others’. What’s more, this content needs to be authentic and transparent, people are savvy and recognise when social media post is paid-for content, for example.

Of course, there isn’t a one size fits all, and it’s important to remember different audiences react differently. For example, younger audiences have a reputation for having shorter attention spans; they may quickly identify a piece of content that’s of interest to them – scrolling past a video if it doesn’t catch their attention instantly, yet spend an hour listening to a podcast if it’s engaged them.

Making a visual impact

Visually, the design of your content is as important as the content itself. For example, animations can be created in a style that complements your messaging and resonates with your audience. In a project we worked on for Medical Aid Films and Girls’ Education South Sudan, we created a series of animated films using images drawn by the girls involved in the project. As part of a programme in conflict-ridden South Sudan where girls’ lives are being transformed by giving them access to education, workshops took place to encourage teenage girls to share their stories with a wider audience. The result was a series of animations that adopted a style that told the girls’ stories through their eyes.

In another project, we created films for Liverpool Child Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) designed to initiate conversations during training for mental health training with professionals – social workers, teachers etc. Scripted by mental health professionals after in-depth consultation with young people who have faced the problems depicted, the young people voiced the animations to add to the authentic feel. The animations are now a hugely effective tool used to open discussions and describe the mental health problems young people experience.

So, getting your message across isn’t necessarily about the technology available – it’s about identifying who your audience is and creating the right content to be shared via these multiple channels.