It seems like you can’t go anywhere without being bombarded by advertising. “Buy this! Try that! We’re the best, we promise!”
Being bombarded with hard-sells can get a bit overwhelming, to say the least. And it’s not the best marketing strategy, either.
If you’re looking to improve your branding without leaning in to overaggressive advertising, you need to try working on some non-promotional content. At first, it might seem a bit counter-intuitive. You want people to know about your services, so how will they know unless you promote it?
Well, according to Forbes, non-promotional content speaks more towards the value of your brand and the information you provide. There’s no explicit element of persuasion. No major incentives to buy something. It gives power to the consumer, allowing them to weigh up the pros and cons when presented with fair, unbiased reviews.
Here are 5 non-promotional content examples that you can use to build trust with your audience:
- Booklets, blogs, PDFs
- Networking and collaborating
- Influencer and online reviews
- Audience engagement
- Rewards for customers
Booklets, blogs, PDFs
It’s important to build an image for yourself and your business outside of the products you sell. A useful way to do so is by showing that you are a knowledgeable and authoritative voice in your field.
Written information can display the key points you wish to make people aware of. There are many ways to format these non-promotional content examples:
- Physical resources like booklets or pamphlets
- Online resources such as blog posts
- Downloads like PDF files and infographics
- Verbal resources like webinars or talks
If your company is involved in content-heavy services such as real estate, insurance, or health care, then you can tailor your content strategy to include these resources. It’s important to build trust between yourself and your audience so they feel confident in your abilities.
Without promoting any particular product, you can still build brand awareness. A regularly maintained blog works similarly by providing frequent and up-to-date information. Blogs also allow your audience to interact with your work through comments or shared links to your social media platforms.
They’re also a lot more adaptable than other resources. Blogs can change topics, or span across a wide market. You’re not as limited as you are with a physical booklet. This could help show your well-rounded nature as a business. You can talk about things that are relevant not only to you, but to others as well.
Networking and collaborating
Not everything has to be a competition.
Sure, you’re vying against the next best option to sell your products over theirs, but it doesn’t always have to be that way. There are many important opportunities for collaboration and joint marketing campaigns.
Speak out on topics that matter to you. Share important events in your local community, or show support for brands in your network who are doing something that aligns with the principles of your company. By networking and actively engaging with other brands in your sector, you open yourself up to more potential customers.
A very active brand who frequently engages in sponsorships and campaigns is Red Bull. One of their major partners is GoPro. Together, they document various extreme sports or challenges, the most famous of which was their “Stratos” event which saw skydiver Felix Baumgartner fall from the edge of space.
This received an enormous amount of attention online. The stunt also ended up breaking several world records.
Even unlikely partnerships can be good for your marketing efforts. Think of collaborations between food brands and clothing or makeup lines:
Although these collaborations advertise certain products (and are therefore promotional), they still catch peoples’ attention for different reasons. They’re unusual. Funny. People stop to talk about it, tweet about it, read about it, even if they have no interest in the product.
A final point is to work with your competitors, not against them. Unless you build your brand around humorous conflict (for example, Wendy’s), it’s best to keep your public relations positive. This will give customers a more favorable view of you.
Bringing others into the picture makes you look balanced and provides many more opportunities for non-promotional content examples like these.
Influencers and online reviews
There are very few people on the internet with as much reach as influencers. Whether it’s using TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, or even LinkedIn, their voices carry a long way when it comes to swaying peoples’ opinions.
Brands frequently collab with influencers to promote a product or service. This can be in the form of giveaways, where a brand sends a content creator several products to give out to their audience. Or you could pay an influencer to give a positive review of a product and include a discount code for their followers to use at your checkout.
A lot of the time, you may have to send them free products and ask for their honest review. But there’s a lot to be said for natural promotion that comes from influencers finding your wares organically. It’s easy digital marketing!
The more varied online reviews you can get, the more people can be exposed to your brand. And since each influencer has their own audience they appeal to, their promos introduce a new demographic to your brand each time it’s reviewed.
But, if you are directly choosing which influencers you work with, it’s important to pick those who align with the values your company stands for. You need to make sure your brand identities are compatible.
Don’t be afraid of both positive and negative reviews. Your products might not be for everyone, and that’s okay. Consumers will be looking for people who can provide full, unbiased content, so roll with the punches and learn from it.
Audience Engagement
Listening to your audience is one of the most vital things a company can do. No matter how well you think you may be doing, always take the time to listen to feedback. This is particularly important for small businesses who are still trying to attract the attention of their target audience and find their footing.
Some methods include:
- Social media posts for Q&A sessions
- Comments sections on blogs
- Review and rating sections under products
- Text/SMS or email services
Email marketing is a fantastic way to keep your audience engaged and up-to-date. Just make sure not to flood them with messages, as that’s a surefire way to lose what you’ve worked so hard to build. Instead, look for templates that can help guide you in the right direction.
Make sure to set aside time to create a strong customer relations and support team to combat any queries. If people are not happy with your product, you need to be able to resolve the situation quickly.
And, as a side note, always try to keep your language as audience-friendly as possible. By that I mean make your content as understandable and accessible as possible. You don’t want to put people off by presenting them with a wall of business jargon they won’t understand.
Or, if this is necessary to your business, such as in legal matters, PDFs are your friend. It might be worthwhile to take initiative and include a dictionary on your website. These are simple things you can easily incorporate into your content creation to be more appealing.
Rewards for customers
In a world of content marketing where each potential service has dozens, if not hundreds, of products and businesses attached to it, choosing who to go with can be tough. You need a way to keep your customers hooked.
There are many routes that you can take if you wish to reward your customers for their loyalty, or by welcoming them to your brand, like:
- Discount coupons
- Opportunities to be the first to buy a new product
- Free shipping for orders over a certain amount
- Store credit and redeemable points
These marketing tips and tactics make your customers feel more connected to your business. In an annual survey of customer spending habits, 35% of those asked stated that they like when they are given an incentive to shop somewhere.
Keeping hold of your customers over a long period of time means they are more likely to take more risks for you, make larger purchases, and recommend you to others. If you spend more time chasing new customers and ignore your existing ones, you won’t get anywhere. People will feel pushed away and unappreciated. Definitely not something you want to happen.
Conclusion
Sure, your products are important. They are, after all, primarily what people come to you for. But they’re not everything.
These non-promotional content examples take the pressure off customers for a while. It allows them to get more in touch with your brand without feeling put upon to buy anything. In a roundabout way, this is more likely to make them stick with you, as they will know that you value them for more than just their money.
Are there any non-promotional content examples you know and use? Let us know in the comments down below!
