Storytelling Still Wins Hearts & Minds
Marketers, hear this:
It has never been more important to be good at what we do as marketers and storytellers.
It was recently reported by eMarketer that Google has fallen below 50% of US Search Ad Spend, and that Amazon is coming up fast. There are a lot of reasons for this slow shift in search ad spending, but it all comes down to changing shopper behavior.
We have seen it over the past two years with the advent and advancement of AI search. (Enter AEO and GEO.) This movement to AI search has caused two things to occur.
First, while budgets have been flat to slightly up, the spend strategies are changing. The once guaranteed Google Search spend is being pulled to AI Search, more social, and other digital channels.
Secondly, I’ve said it more than a few times recently, but digital content is having a second-coming. Good storytelling has always been good investment, but it’s the content and the creative that has started to stand out and receive increased investment.
A few examples:
Social Media expert Jack Appleby created a Hoops following after chasing his basketball dreams at 35. Spoiler: He’s about to take off for Italy to play in a tournament in a castle; all because he started to tell his story.
These winners from America’s Credit Union shows the value of content marketing to support a community mission.
Olympian Tom Daley and Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black detail their financial journey as a couple in Starling Bank’s new series.
Money can’t buy everything and marketers would be keen to remember that as we get into the budgeting season yet again. Money may talk but stories move people to action.