Mass marketing has changed considerably since the 1950’s. It used to be only national brands could afford to use national media: TV, large market newspapers, magazines and other publications. These were great tools for a company trying to reach a nationwide audience. They were a “shot-gun” approach though – the thought being “I’m going to put this out there nationally and a lot of people who don’t need our product will see it, but hopefully enough people who do will see it and buy our product.”
Various options developed over the years – advertising on only local affiliates reduced the geographic footprint, running ads on single shows allowed for the development of demographics and cable TV shows allowed the refinement even further. Print magazines came out with regional “editions” which allowed for a narrower geography and publications became more and more “niche” in an attempt to address a single (or a few) demographics that would desirable to advertisers.
And then, it all changed. At first, the Internet offered advertising on individual sites, but since websites were developing on every topic under the sun, advertisers could choose a handful of the most successful and reach an audience. Then Google came along. They changed the game by saying “don’t wait until someone has visited a website”, let’s catch their attention before they have gone to any websites. And, best of all, this allows us to reach this demographic at the precise moment when they are thinking about that particular niche (because, they’re searching for it).
Since then, Google has expanded into ad networks, affiliates and more. They can deliver ads to you on just about ANY website, based upon your prior search history. Ever Googled say a particular model of car? Did you notice that a majority of the ads on non-Google websites started showing you ads for that same model of car? Those ads are being displayed because of your search history.
Social media opened up a whole new world of demographics for advertisers. They could still use geography as a selection criteria, but now they can also use your education level, your home ownership status, the things you are interested in, the amount of money you make, your position in your corporation, where you went to college, what degree you received (or didn’t), who your friends are and a seemingly unlimited amount of other data.
As a consumer, it’s a cautionary tale to clear your browser cache and be careful about what you share on social media websites and what your “likes” say about you. As an advertiser, it means there are a dizzying array of options available to you to zero in on a target audience. No more “shotgun” approaches – you can deliver your message only to those people who you WANT it to reach.
Helping you identify those audiences, craft a relevant message, and then deliver it online as efficiently as possible is part of what we do for our clients at AgencyEvolved. Contact us if you’d like to discuss how it could work for you.
About AgencyEvolved
AgencyEvolved provides personalized marketing and consulting services for independent insurance agencies, brokers, wholesalers, and other insurance organizations.
Founded by an insurance industry veteran with more than 40 years of experience, AgencyEvolved combines practical insurance knowledge with thoughtful marketing strategy. We help clients strengthen their brands, communicate what makes them different, and build lasting relationships with the customers and communities they serve.
We work with a limited number of clients, providing hands-on attention and customized solutions rather than standardized marketing packages.
Our services include website design and management, content creation, social media, email marketing, digital advertising, branding, and strategic marketing consulting.
Marketing built around your business. Not the other way around.