Brand success isn’t just about how many products or services you sell. It involves building trust and authority within your outdoor niche. Customers are searching for an unforgettable brand experience drenched in authenticity, transparency and value. Brands must tell compelling stories, foster engagement and create meaningful connections. Sometimes, however, this is easier said than done.
Here are some strategies to boost your outdoor brand’s online presence and authentically connect with your audience and customers in 2024:
1. Create Short, Engaging Videos
It’s estimated that most people will spend as much as 60% of their time engaging with short video formats via apps by 2025 (Statista). This proves the continuing need to create engaging, short-form videos on social platforms like Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and recently, Reddit. No longer is this format strictly for viral content. Instead, it’s become an important marketing tool to promote relevant, organic content.
Using nothing more than a smartphone, you can create short, 60-second (or less) videos that give your audience another way to interact with your brand. This quick, easy and effective marketing tool instantly grabs attention, keeping viewers engaged while encouraging new viewers to find out what your brand is all about. Become aware of which social channels your audience uses because content format preferences will vary depending on their age range.
2. Partner With Reputable Influencers To Expand Your Brand’s Reach
Today’s marketing means working with micro- (between 10,000 and 100,000 followers) and nano-influencers (less than 10,000 followers) to expand your brand’s reach and personally connect your existing audience, tap into a new audience, gain more followers, and ultimately, even more customers. This unique partnership can help bring additional authenticity, credibility and trustworthiness to your brand, especially for brands just starting in the niche outdoor market when a real person recommends your products or services.
Influencers should connect with your brand authentically to help spread the word about your brand’s story with the community. Reach out to your professional network to get recommendations for reputable content creators and influencers. Plus, you can search hashtags, keywords and topics relevant to your industry on social media platforms. Or, check out which influencers your target audience is already following or sharing content from.
3. Produce Interactive Shopping Content
Social media is an essential resource for introducing your brand to new customers and can inspire them to purchase. It turns a regular digital experience into a shoppable opportunity. Because your outdoor brand sells products or services, you should offer your audience an alternative way to shop. With interactive shopping videos shared on social media, you entice them to shop directly within the platform. It’s a win-win because your audience will hopefully re-share your content with their followers when they like what they see.
There are several ways to produce shoppable content. One is to create shoppable social media directly from existing articles or UGC, and then share it through your social channels. You can also plan a livestream to demo your products or services or announce upcoming sales. As new formats continue to evolve, the choices will continue to grow.
4. Promote User-Generated Content To Build Brand Authenticity
What is user-generated content (UGC)? In short, UGC is original material — photos, videos, reviews, testimonials — created entirely by real-life people who have used your product or service. Whether for better or worse, UGC gives existing and prospective customers an authentic point of view of your brand. What does it say about you? It shows you’re not afraid to be real.
UGC will always be a winning strategy since it brings more transparency and helps make your brand more relatable. It’s a cost-effective tool because most content is already produced for you. All you need to do is make it accessible to your audience. Sometimes, it’s helpful to create short mashup videos using UGC content. A mashup combines a separate video clip from another source and your content into a new promotional video. This can be a beneficial tool to address both positive and negative aspects of the UGC content for your audience.
5. Use AI To Create Personalized Experiences for Customers
Embracing augmented reality (AI) in your marketing efforts can make the difference between a successful campaign and a mediocre one. Around 62% of customers are open to brands that use AI when it helps to streamline the buying process and improve the trustworthiness of a company (Deloitte). Brands can analyze customer data using AI, which helps predict customer preferences.
For example, adding a chatbot to your website can help collect important customer information by using your customer’s chatbot conversations and questions to pinpoint what products or services they’re most interested in. With this information, you can identify your target audience, and build and foster better relationships and interactions with them in the future.
6. Get to Know the Google’s New Search Generative Engine
Google is revamping its search engine and the information it provides by expanding its generative AI capabilities. Google’s Search Generative Engine (SGE) is meant to transform the shopping landscape. According to Google, SGE is “taking more of the work out of searching, so you’ll be able to understand a topic faster, uncover new viewpoints and insights, and get things done more easily.”
When a user is looking for a product or service from Google’s over 35 billion product listings, SGE will offer a snapshot with some factors you should consider, along with other products that meet your needs. It includes product descriptions, up-to-date reviews, current prices and product videos and images, plus the ability to ask follow-up questions. SGE will make it easy for people to dive deeper into the topic they’re learning about, according to Google.
Although still in the testing phase, you can check out SGE right now in Google Search Labs on Chrome desktop and via the Google App to learn more about how it works and what it can do for your outdoor brand. More to come …