THE COMMUNICATIONS TOOLBOX
EIGHT FOUNDATIONAL TOOLS FOR AN AGILE INDUSTRY IN 2023
The communications industry has always demanded agility from its practitioners, as have the businesses that rely on them to disseminate their messages to relevant audiences. Today, this need for agility is more important than ever as brands grapple to adapt to the latest social media trends and new ways of communicating.
Given the complexities and lessons learned over the past three years, brands are embracing the fine art of the pivot to get their clients a place in the spotlight. Here are eight critical tools every brand needs in its communications toolbox in 2023 to engage with stakeholders in a meaningful way.
THE COMMUNICATIONS TOOLBOX
EIGHT FOUNDATIONAL TOOLS
FOR AN AGILE INDUSTRY IN 2023
The communications industry has
always demanded agility from its practitioners,
as have the businesses that rely on them to disseminate
their messages to relevant audiences. Today, this need
for agility is more important than ever as brands grapple
to adapt to the latest social media trends
and new ways of communicating.
Given the complexities and lessons learned
over the past three years, brands are embracing the fine art
of the pivot to get their clients a place in the spotlight.
Here are eight critical tools every brand needs
in its communications toolbox in 2023 to engage
with stakeholders in a meaningful way.
WALK IT LIKE YOU TALK IT
All success starts from within and a strong internal communications strategy is essential to the prosperity of any business. So much so that insights by Expert Market suggest that simply bolstering internal communications practices can increase organisational productivity by as much as 25%.
Adding to this, research conducted by Salesforce claims that ineffective communication is a leading cause of workplace failures – as indicated by 86% of employees and executives – while studies by Towers Watson point out that businesses with highly effective communication practices enjoy 47% higher total returns compared to those with poor communication.
HARNESS THE POTENTIAL OF SOCIAL
Given that 55% of consumers learn about brands via social media, 43% have increased social media usage in the last year to discover new products, and 78% purchase from a brand after having a positive experience with them on social platforms, it’s imperative that businesses harness the power of social media to increase awareness of their brands or be left behind. These statistics from Sprout Social highlight the importance of keeping abreast of the ever-changing social media landscape to benefit from new trends.
TikTok’s extraordinary surge in popularity is a prime example of a social media platform that brands can use to increase brand awareness. Having launched in 2018, the platform hit the 1 billion monthly active users mark in September 2021 and is expected to soon surpass 1.5 billion users.
REEL AUDIENCES IN WITH VIDEO
Video marketing has become the go-to online content form to boost overall brand marketing strategies, evidenced by invideo reporting that 84% of consumers purchase a product or service after watching an associated video online.
Given the rise in popularity of short-form video, particularly on TikTok and other similar platforms, video marketing should be a staple of any brand’s online marketing strategy for the foreseeable future.
THOUGHT LEADERS TAKE THE LEAD
Thought leadership articles are quickly becoming the go-to means to convey specific ideas and messages from prominent individuals who are experts in their fields. So much so that nytLicensing – a publication of The New York Times – says that 66% of marketers consider thought leadership as a top priority for their marketing endeavours, while 52% of decision-makers utilise thought leadership articles to better understand industry best practices.
Owing to their experience and expertise, the guidance and insights offered by thought leaders can create a sense of trust amongst their readers and greatly bolster brand credibility.
GET IMMERSIVE WITH THE METAVERSE
Digital technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are gaining popularity in amplifying the user experience. Combined with 360-degree video, VR and AR can help create an immersive, interactive and exciting experience that will increase overall brand engagement.
According to insights by cielo24, viewers watch entire 360-degree videos 85% of the time compared to regular videos that are only watched in their entirety 58.2% of the time. As such, brands should consider implementing these technologies to provide consumers with a virtual glimpse of their products in the physical world and ultimately bolster the customer experience.
GUARD YOUR REPUTATION
All brands should have crisis plans in place to protect them in the event of negative public sentiment. According to Deloitte’s Global Crisis Management Report, less than 30% of C-Suite executives who have experienced a crisis say that their reputations recovered in less than a year, with 16% noting it took four years or more.
Financial and operational crises experience similarly long recovery times. Getting back on one’s feet after negative fallout can be a long journey, with 70% of executives stating that it took more than a year for their corporate reputation to recover.
GET TO GRIPS WITH THE INFLUENCER LANDSCAPE
Consumers often view influencers as more relatable and community-driven than other forms of marketing. Influencer Marketing Hub notes that influencer marketing was worth about $9.7 billion in 2020 and $13.8 billion in 2021. Studies suggest that the industry could see it reach as high as $84.89 billion by 2028.
Partnering with micro- and nano-influencers also allows brands to optimise their budgets and take advantage of the influencer’s often lower cost per engagement (CPE) rate.
INTEGRITY REQUIRED AT EVERY TURN
Transparency, authenticity and ethics are the watchwords of the 21st century. Brands are increasingly being held accountable by their employees, customers and society. Social media has made it easier for consumers to point out inconsistencies in brand messaging and demand greater integrity.
Is your brand looking to raise the bar in 2023? Then partner with the communications agency that can help you achieve your goals. Send an email to info@eclipsecomms.com and one of our experts will be in touch.
