Shifting Landscape

It’s been interesting to watch over the last decade what the term ‘media’ really means. In the past, many would have simply said “Television, Press & Radio”. But it’s always been more complex than that.

Mediums such as Direct Mail, Yellow Pages and Outdoor have been around for a long time. It’s certainly interesting to see how these have evolved (or devolved) over time as the digital landscape began to make a significant impact on the way we advertise.

Today the choices become much more broad but in many cases much more targeted. Digital Advertising options and Social Media Advertising have become a critical part of the mix. We can also see the emergence of how new mediums in the form of Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Realty (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) will begin to reshape the landscape again over the next decade.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is also an underlying contributor to the media landscape as it powers the Programmatic trading desks that operate across the myriad of digital advertising platforms that are in the marketplace.

It’s easy to see why many businesses feel slightly (or at times ‘completely’) overwhelmed when it comes to choosing the right medium to promote their business. Even after making a choice about which medium, the options within each are equally as overwhelming.

Getting it right is critical and as I’ve discussed in many of my previous blogs, a ‘campaign’ approach using a combination of these mediums will always produce a better result. This is dependent upon having an adequate budget as a implementing this technique with a small budget can often lead to dilution.

In short…media is not an easy landscape to transverse.

Key is understanding your marketplace and how they consume media. So many times I’ve seen people make media choices based upon their own habits, interests and likes. Just because I don’t watch Home & Away, doesn’t mean that a massive market doesn’t. And if they’re who you’re selling to, then being in that space is where you need to be. Digital is no different. Whether you use or like a particular site is really completely unimportant. Following your target market’s journey is how to effectively ensure your message is reaching your buyers.

While the landscape continues to shift, one key element remains. Quality data, research and analysis will be the driver to ongoing successful media buying. Understanding what has worked in the past, what trends are happening with your market and how your message is being received, allows you to make the best possible decisions going forward.

Who knows what the future platforms will bring. For me, it’s an exciting and dynamic landscape and with it’s changes come opportunity to tell stories in new ways. For others, the thought of change is scary. I encourage all to embrace it. Your customers certainly will…