Imma let you finish, but rich media is the best content…

Rich Media is the hottest form of digital content production on the scene. A 2012 study by Media Mind showed that people exposed to rich media ads are three times more likely to visit a company’s website than if they had been exposed to a standard banner ad. This statistic has only grown year on year with average completion rates!  So let us tell you why you should pull a Kanye and throw boring, regular content off the stage, 2009 VMA’s style.

By definition, rich media is any form of content that deviates from the normal text & static image. This is further defined as content that engages with the end user and creates a ‘richer’ user experience.

Rich Media can include any of the following content formats:

Podcasts allow you to form a one-on-one relationship with listeners and cater to roughly 30% of customers who are auditory learners. Podcasts also show expertise and allow you to go in-depth on your chosen topic (Kanye would be proud).

Cisco predicts that by 2017, video content will account for 69% of consumer internet traffic.  Users digest information through video more easily than through any other medium, so you should be utilising this form of rich media to its maximum potential.

The purpose of eBooks and whitepapers are to provide industry specific information to likeminded consumers within your industry. This type of rich media should be the cornerstone of your marketing approach as it puts your business forward as a thought leader within your industry.

Interactive content covers a multitude of items including interactive infographics, digital quizzes or smart, scrolling pages. This type of rich media is handy to use when you need to display written or image based content in a fun, interactive, and ‘enriching’ way.

Virtual reality and augmented reality are the new big players in the rich media field. While this form of rich media is costly to create, the social buzz around the content is well worth the effort. With the heavy push by social media giants on 360-degree photo and video, VR & AR’s more advanced, immersive content further enhances the consumer experience.

Live streaming is a new opportunity for marketers, having been recently released by Facebook, quickly followed by Instagram and integrated through Twitter shortly after. The world of live streaming has created opportunities for brands to let their audiences in behind the perfectly curated world of social media and allow users to feel more connected with the brands reality. Live Streaming is the ideal way to grab audience’s attention and build a real, personal connection with them.

While some banner ads may look static at first glance, once you roll over with your mouse they come to life. Interactive banners can let the user play games, watch videos or go to an external website. This is a great way to turn a static ad into a fun, immersive experience for your consumers.

Traditionally, rich media has always out performed regular content. Digital marketers that have struggled to find traction in the saturated social media and digital marketing landscape have found Rich Media to be the perfect solution.

As rich media is a part of the ‘native’ advertising consumer experience, any interaction with your brand through rich media becomes a deeply personal experience. This, in turn, means consumers are less sceptical and more open to the exploration of advertising. This shift in the consumer-advertiser relationship is reason enough to consider rich media as an integral part of your social media marketing strategy.

Rich media content not only adds value to the user experience, it ultimately brings your written content to life on social media. This will help you to stand out on social media, cut through the plethora of content and set your consumers up for a positive experience with your brand by giving them further access to your brands personality.

The best place to start when it comes to implementing rich media into your social media strategy is building on the content you already have. By building out and developing the written content you already have, you can create amazing rich media content using topics you are well versed in.

When it comes time to creating rich media content that develops a worthwhile experience for the consumer, ensure it is interactive, educational, and valuable for your audience. A great way to improve your use experience is to find out what topics or points of interest work with your audience and build those topics into more tangible, applicable content pieces.

Once you start creating rich media content for your audience, confirm you are doing the following to maximise its impact:

-Ensure social media sharing buttons are included on every piece of content

-Push the content through your own social media platforms, utilising the audiences you already have

-Include key CTAs in your content to drive further traffic to your brand

-Always customise your rich media content to your brand persona

-If a piece of content or topic isn’t working, change it.

-Always use your audience and their responses to be as a guide for your work.