Mining your photos on social media for information
Every minute, the world’s 2 billion Internet users upload staggering volumes of data to the web: an estimated 200 billion emails, 48 hours of YouTube videos, 684,478 posts on Facebook. And then there’s Tweets, Instagram photos, text messages and blog posts.
Social media, digital marketing and online marketing where not even considered valid terms 10 or 15 years ago. So let’s explore where new trends may take this new set of business marketing strategies.
To social media, digital marketing and beyond …
Until now, marketers who have used social media have focused their attention more on text than on images. The main reason for this is simply that text has been searchable. But with APIs (application program interface) getting better at scanning visual content like photos and working out what’s in them, images are also becoming searchable. This means that marketers will soon have a whole new box of toys to play with.
We are only just realising that millions of images uploaded every day to digital platforms are literal treasure troves of useful information. APIs are now capable of analysing images to extract certain information that can be cross-referenced to build a very informative picture of consumer behaviour and brand sentiment.
For example: A group of hikers pose along the trail for a photo. As soon as the photo is shared on Facebook, a logo recognition API gets busy picking up the Nike tick on a jacket, the Swatch on a wrist, the New Balance sneakers, the can of Sprite in someone’s hand.
Social media platforms naturally provide the level and volume of data that these APIs need. Add this to facial recognition software that can analyse the expressions on people’s faces, and, by inference, their mood and level of engagement. What you end up with is some truly powerful information – data that will help brands profile customers and refine marketing strategies.
Ignoring for the moment the questions that this raises about privacy and ethical use of data, such timely and textured information could be the holy grail for marketers. It also highlights the importance of brand and logo visibility on consumer products. Already, big name brands are using image scanning technology to fine-tune their reach, communicate with people already engaged with their brand, and find ways to appeal to new customers. APIs are also capable of capturing the social setting in a photo. Using common visual cues, they can tell whether the photo was taken at a party, at work, at home or at an event.
For all we know we may soon be at the stage where image recognition overtakes searchable text in terms of relevance.
A new online language
Who hasn’t used an emoji in a text? Anyone? Anyone?
The increasing use of emojis to communicate has been likened to the rise of a new, universal language. One that uses simple emblems to encapsulate coded messages with deep psychological meaning. In the same way that texting, and using text abbreviations, eventually became the preferred method of mobile-to-mobile communication, so the use of emojis could even be starting to put the squeeze on text itself.
Picture this: It’s 27 degrees outside, so you send a friend a text with a picture of an ice cream cone and a smiley face wearing sunglasses.
In isolation, this example probably means absolutely nothing to an online marketer. But apply a clever algorithm to tons of similar data and it’s more than likely some or other clear pattern will emerge.
The success of online marketing hinges on understanding change, within our culture and our everyday lives, and following those changes to meet our customers’ needs and desires.
Giant online supermarkets
Recently, Pinterest, the world’s largest mood board became a giant online supermarket, full of shop-able pins. At the same time, Instagram has started rolling out shop-able ads. This shift from a purely social to a transactional model happened startlingly quickly.
It presents online marketers not only with opportunities to present their products and services for viewing, but also to sell them directly, click-by-click, to a global audience through an increasing array of ‘outlets’ where visual content takes centre stage.
This should not, however, be misinterpreted as a green light to crudely try to press consumers’ ‘buying buttons’ by using appealing pictures. Modern consumers are way too street-wise and very resistant to anything they see as aggressive or manipulative. They still want choice and control – even if it’s only the perception of choice and control. And they want quality products and a seamless, almost transparent, brand experience.
Deliver what customers want, where they want it and when they want it
It’s crucial that brands reach people where they’re consuming content. Research shows that the TV is bowing out to tablets and smart phones.
Less than a generation ago, there would have been one or two TV screens in a household with specific broadcasts airing at specific times. Today, most homes have numerous screens of varying shapes and sizes delivering what viewers want, when they want it.
It’s no longer just about the screen and moving images, it’s about being connected, knowing you’re connected, and having the ability to interact. As one person put it: “iPads are cool; TV isn’t that good, because you can’t control it.”
The new generations want swipeable, tappable control and digital marketing and social media is keeping up with the pace.
Online marketers now have to think about ‘interactivity’ and ‘cross platform’, both in terms of the devices they target and the context of their online marketing.
The evolution of the digital, interconnected marketplace is driving online content to be more visual. However, using images to appeal is not something new. What made an attractive print advert 100 years ago follows the same principles as a successful video on a Facebook page toda
Make it beautiful, make it appeal to emotion, make it useful.
What is new, is how changes in behaviours and technology are driving how best to communicate with these images.
Brands that give priority to doing so will have the upper hand – those that don’t won’t be seen.
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