Marketing a small business is challenging, even during the best of seasons. It’s never simple or straightforward to identify your target audience or to distinguish your brand from the competition, especially when the digital ecosystem is constantly changing.
To complicate matters further, we’ve officially entered a new presidential election cycle. For the next several months, consumer attention will increasingly be diverted to politics, even as partisan rancor takes a toll on our collective mental health. And that’s not all. Political ad strategies will dominate digital platforms, making the already-crowded landscape feel more competitive still.
No matter the results of the election, this political season is sure to have big implications for content marketers. But what should digital professionals know about content marketing in an election year? Consider just a few important implications for ad spend, messaging, and beyond.
Content Marketing in an Election Year: Essential Considerations
1) Digital advertising will be more competitive than ever.
It’s hard to overestimate just how many ad dollars political campaigns will spend this year, both on TV ads as well as digital video, social media, influencer marketing, and so forth. According to stats from AdImpact, the number is already well past the $300 million. And we’re just getting started!
For marketers, there are upsides and downsides to all this spending. The obvious downside is that, if it was hard to stand out or to command audience attention before, it’s going to be even harder this year.
And yet, there is also opportunity here. If TV, radio, and digital video are overcrowded this year, there’s a real opening for personalized content, produced at a niche level. Solid copywriting, paired with a smart content strategy, can help small business owners produce an engaging alternative to all the political racket.
With so much of their newsfeed clogged with politics, many consumers will gravitate toward other forms of creative content like never before. This is a perfect window for savvy content marketing in an election year.
2) Personalization will matter more than ever.
In addition to all the big bucks they spend on advertising, campaigns will also invest heavily in data and analytics, allowing them to micro-target voters with surgical precision.
What does that mean for content marketers? Simply put, personalization matters deeply. Consumers are growing accustomed to content that feels like it was made just for them. It’s never been more vital to know your audience, drilling down into user data and buyer personas and crafting your content strategy accordingly. Email segmentation is another important step for content marketers looking to provide users with a bespoke experience. Again, there’s opportunity here for marketers who adjust to the shifting landscape.
3) Authenticity will dominate content marketing in an election year.
Today’s social media users are less and less interested in content that feels overly scripted or corporate. In short, they’re tired of hearing the same old talking points and stump speeches, over and over again.
Instead, they want content that feels authentic: Personal stories and direct recommendations. As such, certain types of content are likely to rise above the din, scoring a more direct hit with users:
- Content that leverages user-generated testimonials and reviews.
- Localized recommendations for products and services, such as you might find on Reddit.
- First-person narratives, whether in written form or direct-to-camera video presentations.
For content marketers, the shift toward a more authentic, individual voice is key to success in 2024.
4) Regulations will become even stricter.
One of the big concerns heading into the 2024 election season is the easy spread of political misinformation. Naturally, this has big implications for content marketing in an election year.
Companies like Google and Meta have already announced significant measures to prohibit conspiracy theories and unfounded claims, along with new rules about how ad targeting strategies are disclosed.
While these efforts are hardly going to prove foolproof, it is important for content marketers to keep abreast of these new rules and regulations… and to ensure their own strategies emphasize transparency at all times.
Navigating Content Marketing in an Election Year
The next few months will undoubtedly prove unpredictable, both in terms of politics and digital marketing. One way to navigate this volatile environment, finding space for your message to connect with target consumers, is to work with a tried-and-tested content marketing firm.
At Grammar Chic, we have more than a decade of experience helping our clients develop robust and effective content strategies, allowing them to achieve their objectives through clear messaging, effective targeting, and smart resource allocation. We’d love to be your allies as you seek sound content marketing in an election year.
To learn more about adapting your strategy to the political season, reach out to the Grammar Chic, Inc. team at 803-831-7444 or www.grammarchic.net.
A freelance writer and journalist since 2000, Josh Hurst became a member of the Grammar Chic team in 2011. Initially serving as Associate Writer and Editor, Josh became the company’s Content Marketing Strategist in 2013. Additionally, he regularly writes about music, film, television, and literature for FLOOD Magazine and Slant Magazine.