Changing Media Landscape

There is no question that people are consuming media differently than they did in the past.  There are many more options available.  Noise has increased, and consumers are being faced with over 3000 messages per day.  Technology has also evolved and transformed business models across a variety of different categories, including the education sector.  As part of a solid marketing plan, educators need to have an understanding of consumer preferences and habits.  But how?  What do consumers really want?
 

Television is still a driving force

According to Nielsen, TV viewership increased 22 minutes per month per person over last year, demonstrating moderate growth and remaining the dominant source of video content for all demographics.  Event the lowest fifth quintile of TV viewers still averages an hour of TV consumption per day, with the highest quintile tuning in for nearly 10 hours per day. 

Smartphones on the Rise

Nearly 20% of those consumers who own smartphones site it as their most valued device.  And more than 50% of smartphone users have used their phone as a replacement for their laptops.  It’s clear that this media channel is becoming more and more important to consumers’ daily lives.

Abundance of Digital Opportunities

Emarketer predicts that digital advertising budgets will climb 20% this year, and continue to climb double digits over the next several years.  As digital technologies and media habits changes, so do the plethora of advertising opportunities.  The abundance of digital venues has created a minefield of interactive marketing complexities.  

How do we navigate through these changes?

Media buying today is inundated with choices.  Because consumers are exposed to so many messages through a variety of different channels, we need to be sure we seek the right combinations of media that evoke a response.  It’s not about selecting a channel, but it’s about selecting a mix.   At PlattForm, we utilize response behavior to tell us what’s working and what’s not working across multiple channels, and at the end of the day, we do what’s best for our clients.  We drive leads.  We drive enrollments.  We drive starts.  We improve ROI.  

A Convergence Culture

We live in a convergence culture.  All media channels play a critical role in driving response. And although people consume media differently, what many people fail to recognize is that fact that it takes a multichannel approach to break through the clutter.  Combining different channels such as television with Web will only make our messages work harder.  At the end of the day we need to calibrate around one goal and capitalize on every penny of media dollars spent on our clients’ behalf.