As print becomes ever more valuable as a channel, smart marketers are leveraging it to knock their digital engagement out of the park. Here’s how.
“Despite what you may have heard, print content is not going the way of the dodo. In fact, it is becoming ever more valuable as a tool to boost your digital engagement. All it takes is investing time to build a connection between the two,” writes Hannah Stuart.
Stuart recommends some specific tactics that are working in the marketplace, including using print media to foster social connections.
She notes that, surprisingly enough, “some brands still don’t list their social channels in an obvious location in their print publication. With today’s consumer being more connected than ever, that’s a huge missed opportunity. Don’t hide it in tiny icons on the back page, either—find somewhere to clearly list your Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts where readers can easily find and follow them.”
Hashtags are another good tactic and are “especially useful for any upcoming events you may be advertising in your print content.
“Readers will create their own content, and your brand will spread to other people viewing the hashtag,” Stuart continues.
Expanding the print landscape into your digital realm is another useful idea: “In print articles, you are limited by page size, and sometimes you have more content than will fit in your allotted space. Don’t toss that content out—save it for digital. A call to action at the end of your print article can lure the reader to a digital location where the rest of the information is waiting for them,” she recommends, adding that this is an excellent way to incorporate videos, audio clips and images.
Print itself is expanding in how it interacts with your audience, and some brands are starting to own it with augmented reality to take reader engagement to a whole new level. It’s a brilliant marriage of print and digital that makes the most of each channel.
In a world of marketing choices, stop limiting your vision. Your audience moves seamlessly from channel to channel; your marketing messages can too.