Context is King (Commiseration to Content)

In a socially enabled, internet powered world, consumers demand respect

The sheer volume of information available on the internet is overwhelming. Everywhere I look, there it is. Even when I'm not looking, it's there, waiting to be found.

Analyse the data thrown at you every single hour, every waking day:

• Hundreds of emails, not to mention the junk mails
• Information available through web sites, blogs, forums
• Requests to join your social network from friends and strangers
• Hundreds of Tweets
• Searches on Google

By the end of the day, I don't want to know what I don't need to know.

This is where contextual marketing comes in.

According to a recent survey by Deloitte, 82% of people who use the web to research products, say reviews posted by others have influenced them to buy a different product than the one they had originally been thinking about purchasing. In my case, a friend’s recommendation has more value than a paid for advertisement extolling product virtues.

Here’s the bottom line. Your information isn't only on your website, it's across the web. Some of it you own, some of it you pay for and some of it is offered through your customers' satisfaction with your services.

Organisations need to provide contextually-relevant content to their customers and prospects alike, when and where they need it - on the device of their choosing, at the time of their convenience, personalized and well delivered. In a nutshell, customers will dictate the terms of engagement. Contextual ads that provide consumers with utility, entertainment and value are more likely to succeed.

In a socially enabled, search-powered world, consumers demand respect. Do not expect customers to navigate through your counter-intuitive ‘knowledge portal’ built by people who cannot identify a positive customer experience. Do not expect people in a hurry to contact support, via chat, or email and certainly not via telephone.

Be smart enough to anticipate customer’s information needs and provide relevant, useful information when and where needed. You need to give people the information they need to learn about you and your products and as a result, a reason to come back to your website and buy from you.

You got to do it right – the first time, every time. Those of us paying the closest attention to consumers - using tech and data to anticipate their wants and needs - are going to figure it out first.

Send your feedback to sharad@cyber-gear.com