The Ultimate Guide to Real-Time Marketing in 2018

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Real-time marketing is one of the best ways to boost brand awareness and engage with your audience in a fun, unique way. Best of all, it is something that almost any brand from any industry can engage in. That is not the case when it comes to most marketing trends, but this trend has enough adaptability that you can make it work.

In fact, we would go so far as to say that real-time marketing is something that any brand should try out. However, there are several things you need to keep in mind. Let’s discuss exactly what real-time marketing is, what the main benefits and risks are, as well as how to best employ it.

What is Real-Time Marketing?
You’ve likely heard the term before, but do you have a solid grasp on what it is? Oreo still has one of our favorite examples of real-time marketing, as witnessed during the 2013 Super Bowl:

Oreo Twitter
The power went out during the game, and minutes later this tweet was posted. Not only did they get the message out in real-time, they focused on an event that had a major audience. Even if you have never had an Oreo in your life, you likely saw (or at least heard) about this tweet.
As you’ve likely picked up on, real-time marketing is unplanned and involves reacting quickly to major events as they happen. Timing is critical, especially when it comes to breaking news or live events coverage. For example, if the above tweet was sent out the following morning, it would have been far less effective. As the name suggests, the point of this type of marketing is to capitalize on something as it is happening. This can be scary for marketers who are used to creating (and following) strict content plans, but can pay off when executed correctly.

The Three R’s
While the Oreo example is one of the best examples of real-time marketing, it is certainly not the only way to approach this type of marketing. While they certainly took advantage of a major pop culture moment, real-time marketing costa rica telemarketing data doesn’t always have to happen in the context of major events. Rather, approach this type of marketing by keeping in mind what we are calling the Three R’s.

Recent: Most important, what you are covering has to have happened recently! And no, unfortunately that doesn’t mean within the last week. News travels fast these days, and even something that happened hours ago can feel old.
Relevant: What you choose to cover has to be relevant to your brand and industry. For that reason, it may not be the most popular story of the day. It doesn’t need to be! Instead, focus on what matters to your audience. If they don’t care about sports, don’t cover sports!
Real: While recency and relevancy may be the two most important things to remember, you also want to remember to be real. What does real look like? It depends! This type of marketing should fit in to your existing content strategy and feel like it belongs. You’ve taken the time to develop your brand identity, and this is simply an additional piece. Don’t force it- your audience will pick up on it. Keep reading to see some actual examples of real-time marketing to give you some inspiration!
Benefits of Real-Time Marketing
real-time marketing
Image credit(s): Leap Agency
So, what exactly can this type of content do for your brand? The above chart does a great job showing some of the main reasons why marketers are investing in real-time marketing. Real-time marketing can help you connect with your audience, boost your social media presence, increase SEO, and a lot more. Not bad!

Additionally, we love that real-time marketing can help set you apart from your competition. We admit: real-time marketing isn’t easy! It takes patience and dedication, and not every brand can commit to that. If you do, you’ll position yourself above others in your industry.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, users love this type of content. In fact, research shows that nearly 60% of marketers report that real-time marketing increases both customer satisfaction and a brand’s overall image. Increasing customer satisfaction sets you on the path towards more loyal and repeat customers, something all brands strive to achieve.

Putting it into Action
If you’ve decided that real-time marketing is something you’d like to try out (smart decision!) you might be wondering where exactly to start. How can you best take advantage of this type of marketing?

First- you need a platform that can get your message delivered and seen quickly. Sound familiar? Web push notifications are one of the best ways to get a message in front of your audience quickly. They deliver to both mobile and desktop devices, and don’t require you to be visiting a certain website or even using a browser at all.