Native advertising is predicted to make up over 50% the display media bought across Europe by 2020.
As we navigate an exit from Covid restrictions, how altruistic we are as a nation has been brought into sharp focus. Should you have the vaccine to protect yourself, others, or a combination of both? While vaccine hesitancy is very low in the UK compared with other countries, when trying to persuade the population to get vaccinated, it’s a good idea to understand what motivations will work, what buttons to push. In many ways, it’s no different to advertising any other product – what are the features and benefits?!
Different countries have taken different approaches. From over a hundred million dollars of vaccine lottery prize money in California, to promoting the tantalising prospect of the things that we love reopening in France:
À chaque vaccination c’est la vie qui reprend. Faisons nous tous vacciner maintenant. pic.twitter.com/pd5n1dWPGE
— Olivier Véran (@olivierveran) June 9, 2021
In the UK of course, we have stickers. Everyone loves a sticker, right? Whilst it probably isn’t the number one reason for getting your jab, the language you use to get people there might be. One of the most notable changes in tack came when sending texts to the under 40’s in the UK.
The language had been tweaked from a more formal “You have been invited to book your Covid vaccination” used in older age groups, to an invite using the phrase “You have reached the top of the queue” and words like “priority” – as many noted, the text had been gamified – YOU are the winner!
Why words matter
When promoting a product or service, how altruistic should you assume your target audience are? Here’s two recent briefs I’ve worked on recently that both raised this question. One was for a FMCG product that had new green credentials, and another for some university courses in subjects that would certainly be for the common good. So, here’s the question – when enticing readers via headlines, should your focus be on what the product /service can do for you, or how it can help others?
Test and discover
We will often A/B test around 6 headlines for each True Native article, so there is always an opportunity to be proved wrong, but on the whole headlines which provide a clear benefit to the user will outperform those which don’t list any benefit to the reader. As altruistic as we would like to think we are, a good outcome for the user will usually trump all else.
How to craft content that performs
With this is mind, here’s three ways to ensure you’re producing content that pushes all the right buttons:
1. Think about the benefits to the buyer’s life
How can buying here cut my commute? How can this product help my skin? What experiences can I have on this holiday? Sell the dream!
2. Educate – The value exchange
Provide useful information that the reader will find valuable – the more engaging it is, the longer they’ll spend with your brand and content
3. Use emotive, aspirational adjectives
Words like stylish, amazing, luxury, stunning, dream, perfect – promise something valuable or emotionally stimulating. And in turn, generate high CTRs
