The digital landscape has reached a turning point. Publishers are trying to pick up the pieces and figure out how to create quality content and monetize it now that readers have loosened up their dependency on the major platforms. In the meantime, massive audience hubs like Facebook are trying to recover legitimacy and relevancy with better prioritization of privacy and user experience.
Despite the ongoing turbulence within the industry, brands have two major truths that remain the same: They need to launch a quality, content-focused marketing strategy and keep their audiences happy and loyal.
In a world where consumers are ready to pay subscription fees in lieu of exposure to any advertising at all, brands must appeal to audiences on a personal level more than ever before. It's estimated that 45% of consumers will unfollow a brand on social media if their platform is dominated by self-promotion, too. So how can brands deliver a message that builds loyalty, generates revenue, and doesn't come across as self-serving? One of the best ways to help your readers feel connected to your brand is by giving them the opportunity to tell their story. Leveraging the influencer ecosystem that's modernizing publishing is an effective way to make sure readers are engaged, validated, and on board with what your brand wants to represent.
Contests are a great way to motivate your readers to engage in your brand's digital community. The best part is that not only do your readers get to participate in telling your brand's story, but their content can be yours to keep, repurpose, and promote as evergreen content.
United Airlines' latest contest illustrates just how effective human-based campaigns can be. Their #HerArtHere contest calls on female artists to submit their artwork to be used as designs on two of United's planes, among other perks for winners. It's a fantastic campaign because it doesn't just drive a brand marketing strategy for United, it also celebrates a cause that resonates for many: supporting women, and giving artists new opportunities to showcase their talents on a grander stage. Sharing values between a brand and an audience is powerful enough to transcend any revenue-focused strategy, and will quickly build sticky audiences where it matters most.
Here's how the campaign experience looks:
The site design is not only beautiful, but it's also compelling and piques the interests of users outside of artists just looking to enter the contest. While going through the backstory and impetus for the campaign, users seamlessly transition from why to how, with a well-placed call to action to enter the contest:
Transform Your Brand's Story
Being a brand in the current digital and social landscape isn't easy. RebelMouse is a full-stack content marketing solution that's replacing the often-fragmented agency world. We can help your brand leverage personalized, user-generated content like United's #HerArtHere campaign to drive rabid engagement and generate new followers. Request a proposal today and let's start working together.
