A more engaging way for brands to tell their story has emerged, and we’re here to reveal how you can work it into your marketing efforts.
More than ever, brands are fighting for viewer attention in the digital realm. With fast-paced scrolls and shrinking attention spans, it becomes more difficult—yet more critical than ever—to find unique ways to stand out while capturing customer attention. A recent study confirmed brands have only eight seconds to hook their customers before they move on. That’s a lot of weight to put on one small visual moment. Not to mention, you want your cost per click to pay off. So, how can you possibly convey, “Hey, this is who we are and this is why you should care” in a single social post or display ad? The best place to start is by adding movement to your content.
That’s where animation can help. Animation allows you to communicate ideas quickly and sharply, while educating and engaging your audience. Research shows that animated display ads get 1.5x more clicks than static ads. Which means, in those critical eight seconds (or sometimes less) animated ads are more successful in performing the carefully choreographed mission they set out to achieve. In our experience, animation can often speak louder than words by helping your content be more engaging without having to rely solely on the copy. In other words, animation can be a helpful tool in amplifying your message.
But fear not, if paid advertising is not in your marketing plan for this year, there are other ways you can incorporate animation into your organic efforts.
WEBSITE
The one source of all your brand information lies in one corner of the internet, who says that information has to be purely informational? 64% of users are more likely to fill out a conversion form on a site with movement, animation or videos. These steps can be small (no need for a full site design), so consider spicing things up with link highlights, button color changes, load-in speeds, or small illustrated animations throughout your site.
EMAIL MARKETING
The competition to stand out in an inbox is fierce. That’s why 51.5% of marketers stated they are currently using animated GIFs in at least some of their email marketing efforts. These GIFs will be the M.V.P. to get your viewers’ attention. You can use movement to simplify a complex idea, showcase your products and offerings, or even tease that something new will be coming soon.
ORGANIC SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media has long since moved beyond snapping and uploading a single picture. In Stories, you can incorporate movement by adding on a GIF – did you know you can have one custom made for your brand that your viewers could search for in the GIPHY library and add to their stories, too? And in your posts you can use the opportunity to create movement across carousel and single posts. As social media is often the place where customers can get to know your brand on a deeper level, this could be an opportunity to try a more engaging style.
When incorporated effectively, animation can be a powerful tool for storytelling. This is why data has proven that an increase in interaction results when brands infuse motion into their communication streams. If your brand is looking to stand out and garner greater attention and engagement through digital marketing, then the future lies in movement—staying static is a thing of the past.
Want help? We’re always here.