When you think about creativity, you most likely think of design — beautiful images and stunning visuals. But creativity isn’t all about design. It also plays a huge role in marketing.
In the world of digital marketing, creativity is a must — it’s a powerful tool, and a fundamental one to marketing success. Creativity is what makes digital campaigns stand out; it encourages fresh ideas and allows you to gain an edge on your competitors. It also encourages innovation, which is exactly what you’re looking for in marketing. Nobody wants a cookie-cutter digital marketing strategy. Every business is different, and therefore, every business needs a bespoke marketing strategy as unique as their business purpose.
Let’s look at how creativity affects digital marketing, why it is needed and the difference it can make to business success.
Creativity Opens You Up to Unique Solutions to Pressing Problems
A technical mind is a great thing, but sometimes you need something more. While data can tell you a lot, it can’t always provide solutions. It can outline what should be changed, but not how. This is where you need to put on your creative hat and brainstorm unique solutions to the digital marketing problems that are costing you sales.
Say, for example, that you aren’t selling the number of products you had predicted, or perhaps you’re not attracting enough traffic to your website. Your bounce rate could be poor, or your conversion rate through the floor. At times like this, you need to think about what resources you could provide to turn things around. How can you be more appealing to your target customer? How can you help them along the sales funnel and secure that purchase?
The answer may be a compelling infographic, a creative video or even an interactive quiz. Such tools have been known to keep people on-site for longer, engage them and increase click-through rate. If people aren’t converting, you may also need to tweak the wording of your calls to action (CTAs). Another option would be to have another look at your lead magnet, or overhaul of the layout of your website. All of these tools require a creative mind that is able to take risks!
Creativity Helps You Stand Out From Competitors
Some companies are really rigid in the way they want to be perceived, even if this strategy isn’t really benefiting them. They are unwilling to be creative, adapt or take chances when it comes to their copy, their website layout and content. It’s becoming increasingly apparent that when you are willing to be creative with your digital marketing, try new things and take a risk, it can help you to stand out from the crowd and give you a real edge — particularly useful at this time when customers are inundated with options.
Did you know that first impressions of your brand are formed within ten seconds? This statistic really emphasises the importance of on-point branding, incredible copy and appealing website layouts. To compete today, you need to demonstrate your personality and USPs immediately, grab your customers’ attention and take them on a journey.
Creativity Drives Your Content Marketing Efforts
We can’t talk about digital marketing and creativity without discussing content marketing — specifically, blog creation. These days it’s not enough to simply create regular blog posts. You need to be coming up with new and exciting ideas with interesting angles that will organically attract people to your website. You need to be sharing engaging content that will get people talking. Don’t be afraid to touch upon slightly controversial topics or to use tools such as infographics – it all helps.
Creativity Results in Better, More Relevant Ads
When it comes to creating ads for your business, the success of those ads is almost entirely dependent on their ability to reach their target audiences. To create just the right ads for your business (ones that will reach the right audience and drive the right kinds of traffic), you need to think creatively and consider what your audience really wants to see and what they’ll engage with. You need an ad that is relevant and creative enough to convince your audience to buy your product. Focusing solely on data won’t get you where you want to be.
Creativity Can Result in Viral Concepts
A creative mind can take a brand from unknown to viral. Creativity is just what you need to harness off-the-wall ideas and turn them into marketing gold. Take GAME as an example. GAME achieved a dizzying amount of success with their ‘Christmas Tinner’ idea. When they came out with their vegan Christmas Tinner and marketed it, people shared the content in their droves — not because it was a good product, but exactly because it wasn’t. It was an unappealing, laughably off-putting Christmas dinner in a tin. The product got people talking and the story was shared like wildfire. GAME received a lot of attention for this creative stroke of genius and it cost them very little, perfectly demonstrating how creativity can benefit marketing efforts.
About the Author: Larry Kotch is the co-founder of The Brains, an award-winning digital marketing agency. Ranked #3 in B2B Marketing’s Global 30 under 30, Larry leads a dedicated, remote team of talented digital marketing professionals.
Larry Kotch
Jesse Pitts has been with the Global Banking & Finance Review since 2016, serving in various capacities, including Graphic Designer, Content Publisher, and Editorial Assistant. As the sole graphic designer for the company, Jesse plays a crucial role in shaping the visual identity of Global Banking & Finance Review. Additionally, Jesse manages the publishing of content across multiple platforms, including Global Banking & Finance Review, Asset Digest, Biz Dispatch, Blockchain Tribune, Business Express, Brands Journal, Companies Digest, Economy Standard, Entrepreneur Tribune, Finance Digest, Fintech Herald, Global Islamic Finance Magazine, International Releases, Online World News, Luxury Adviser, Palmbay Herald, Startup Observer, Technology Dispatch, Trading Herald, and Wealth Tribune.