I think we’re all pretty familiar with “new normals” after 2020 but I’m here to tell ya, things are changing digitally just as much as things are changing.. well, globally. Have you ever heard of the term interactive marketing? If you position your business online, it’s only a matter of time before you do. So, I’m here to report the skinny on all things interactive marketing so you can not only be up to speed with the new digital marketing trends, but also learn quick and easy ways to start integrating this type of marketing into your business.
What is interactive marketing?
Interactive marketing is a “one-to-one marketing practice that centers on individual customer and prospects’ actions. Interactive marketing involves marketing initiatives that are triggered by customers’ behaviors and preferences; for this reason, it is a major shift from traditional campaign-based marketing efforts.”
Alright, that’s the textbook definition. Let me explain in the real talk: Interactive marketing is exactly what the name suggests — it’s a form of marketing that is intended to interact with your client/customer/reader/visitor. It’s more engaging, more enticing, and (to be completely honest) it leads to more conversion.
What are some examples of interactive marketing?
- Quizzes, Polls, and Surveys
- Contests and Giveaways
- Utilizing GIFS or short-video graphics through marketing channels like email
- Personalized content, using name tags and tracking
- Videos
- Website animations
Why is it important to know about interactive marketing?
Don’t you wish you would’ve been one of the first businesses to start promoting on social media? Don’t you wish you would’ve upgraded your website sooner? Don’t you wish you would’ve started sending out emails regularly to your contact list as soon as you had a list?
Deciding to implement interactive marketing into your business early on is something you’ll never regret. When it comes to marketing, it is a good idea to follow the masses (for the most part). Once something clicks and trends start rising, they don’t go away and as a business owner, it’s up to you to get on board or get left behind.
Interactive marketing isn’t the future… It is the new normal.
Okay, don’t start sweating. It’s okay if you haven’t heard of this until just now. That’s exactly why I’m reporting on it — to give you ideas, methods, and tools to start implementing it in your business ASAP. Let’s get to it.
Ways to Promote your Business with Interactive Marketing Best Practices
Animated Email
Want to easily increase the engagement on your email efforts? Start using GIFs throughout your newsletters or consider an animated email signature. There are LOTS of benefits to incorporating these interactive graphics and signatures to your email — for one, it makes you memorable, and any type of movement on a stagnant screen naturally grabs a human’s attention. It can also build hype, show personality, or express something much deeper than just plain text. However, there are disadvantages to animated features in your emails… especially, if it’s overused and unintentional. Read How to Make Your Emails More Interactive [Expert Tips + Examples] here.
With that said, I would never recommend you do something that I don’t do myself. If you’re on our email list, you know that I have an animated email signature. The number of email responses back when I first added it was insane. “How did you do that!? Can you do one for me?! That’s so cool!”
How can you get an animated email signature?
Don’t worry, I’m not going to tell you to hire me to do it for you. Especially when I know ways you can do it yourself right now for free.
- Check out Pad Box: A simple way to integrate movement into your emails without overwhelming anyone. It’s easy peasy to do. Simply add in your email signature info that you want showcased, change it up to your liking, and then download the file. Import it in your email settings as you would a typical signature and you’re good to go!
- Check out WiseStamp: For a little more pizazz, use WiseStamp to upload your signature or use one of their trendy templates to input your info and make it your own.
Animated Logos
Has your branding stayed the same from the beginning? There’s nothing wrong with keeping your branding the same — it’s actually a good thing to keep it consistent so when visitors get familiar with it, they know automatically it’s you when it pops up. That’s the whole goal, you want to be remembered. I will say, one way you can “spice” up your branding or do something to grab people’s attention a little further is to create an animated version of your logo. Believe it or not, this is the new trend and brand designers are starting to offer this in their signature packages more often than not.
“An animated logo is a modern and dynamic way to present a brand. It can show a company’s character and transfer a certain message attracting clients. Moreover, it is a good way to stand out from competitors since an animated logo guarantees originality.” – Tubik
Reasons animated logos work:
- It’s original
- It creates brand awareness
- It’s a memorable first impression
- It expresses personality/emotion
- It can better position your story (or the story you’re trying to tell)
- It shows professionalism and evolution (which all smart customers would want to invest in a company that is with the times)
See some animated logo examples from some top brands
Check out Be Digital’s animated logo, as well as one of our clients:
Animated Website
If you’ve been here for a while, you know that I’m a big fan of getting your website “refreshed.” There are many websites I’ve managed over my years in this industry and oftentimes, I find myself reaching out to clients with who I’ve personally designed their site and sharing new ways we could make it even better. This industry is always evolving and growing into something sleeker, faster, and sexier. It would be a disprivilege if I wasn’t willing to say the great work I’ve done in the past could use improvement in the future.
With all that said, showcasing animated features throughout your website has been in and is only getting better. I’m going to get a little nerdy with my tech talk but follow me — when it comes to developing websites, I always develop using WordPress. When it comes to building out that site, I use a builder known as Elementor Pro. It’s the bee’s knees and the animated templates offered spark so much imagination and possibility for what could be your website.
Check out these website animation examples for a little inspiration:
- 9 Websites With Animations That Inspire Us as Web Creators
- Introducing Motion Effects: Powerful Animations to Bring Your Site to Life
- Transform Your Long-Form Content With This Guide to Scrollytelling
Check out this super cute, fully animated website we just launched last month!
Welcome to the New Norm
Hopefully, now you understand the importance of introducing GIFs, digital pop-ups, and animated movement on your website and through all your marketing efforts. If you’re interested in partnering with a strategic digital marketer, I’m your girl.
