Beyond Demographics and Customer Intent

Can you predict the future? Do you know what your customers need? Do you know when they need it and most importantly, can you position yourself to be available at the recognised moment of need?

With Google (and SponsoredLinX) you can.

Demographics, sub sections of audiences based on gender age, location, etc. are fast becoming just one arrow in the digital marketing quiver.  If you’re relying on just this one data stream to inform your advertising goals you’re going to miss out on the ever growing data that tells us about your consumer’s intent.

Lisa Gevelber recently wrote for Google’s ‘Think with Google’ newsletter that, “Knowing your consumer’s intent means you can meet them in the moments that matter and deliver helpful content”. For instance did you know that 40% of all baby product purchasers live in households without children? By learning how to target people by intent instead of just by demographic will widen your audience and put you at the coalface of consumer desire, right when it matters most.

So how do you anticipate trends in intent? How do you effectively market to ever evolving echelons of impatient, immediate intentions? Use the following tips to put intent at the centre of your strategy stratosphere.

Be Seen, Be There, Be Felt, And Be Shared.

 If you’re not advertising online the only guarantee you have is that people who want to look for you will not find you. When your potential consumers turn to search and to YouTube you simply have to be there.  Chances are you’re on Google AdWords and maybe ranking organically. You might even have a YouTube channel but are all your messages consistent? Are they getting enough impression density to matter to your audience? Are you highlighting why you’re the best choice for your client no matter where they turn? Talk to your digital strategist about placing your business at the intersection of recognised need and intent to act for every potential audience member.

Google Trends is also an amazing tool that collates what’s popular in search traffic and can help inform your advertising strategy as to what directions will beneficial to highlighting why your community of consumers need you. 

Be Useful, Be Nice, And Be There With Advice.

 In the same Think with Google article, Lisa Gevelber writes that 51% of smartphone users reported purchasing from a brand other than the one they had intended to use because the information they found was more useful to them in the moment. So not only is it imperative to be seen but you also need to provide a solution. Think about the ways in which you can help your consumer fulfil their intent. Some recent trends include developing how to videos, providing local stock levels so availability of products are instantly visible and simplifying checkout processes to seamless integration and ease of use.

 Be Relevant, Be On, Be Singing Your Song.

 Everything your brand says about you builds a cumulative perception of how consumers choose to use you.  Your digital strategy is more than just ads on Google, more than just videos; it’s a goldmine of veritable ideas, reputation and flair that needs to be holistically viable. If your Google ads say free shipping but your Banner Ads say gift with purchase while YouTube is flouting your cute kitten clips – what are you saying about you? More importantly; what are your audience saying about you? Your brand voice must embody your business personality so remain consistent, plan your messages in advance and choose a voice that your potential clients will hear in their heads at just the right time.

 Be On Point, Be On Track, Be Looking Ahead, Be Leading The Pack.

 A savvy marketer knows that fads and trends can be used to their advantage but its super important to know the difference and avoid casting your brand in a flippant shadow. Don’t make investments in fads that fade away as quickly as they arrive. Imagine if you had built your fashion brand around hyper-colour t-shirts instead of skinny jeans?  Or on Zeppelins instead of 747s?! There’s a fine art to choosing the gap in the market and the permanent solution for your audience that you can make a profitable business out of.  When strategising your quarterly, seasonal or annual marketing goals make sure that your key messages reflect a good balance of your core business values and the outside world; taking in to consideration that people will respond to businesses that respond and adapt but in a manner that matches their solution focused intentions.

In all the way we market, the way we do business in the current and ever evolving landscape has to change and continue to change. Focusing on anticipated intentions, being there for your consumers when they need you the most and creating a relevant, future-focused message is the key to building a loyal and profitable client base of interconnected, switched on people.  By placing yourself and your brand into the micro-moments of consumer life; you’re in effect creating a seamless message that feels less like selling and lot more like a solution.

Talk to the digital strategists at SponsoredLinX today on 1300 859 600 about how to operate your marketing strategy from the basis of intention and anticipation and see what it does for your advertising investment.

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