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Living in the “there’s an app for that” generation is not without its perks. No matter what you want to do, you can pull out your smartphone and find an app that does it. However, all those apps have caused a serious tech disruption. They’ve replaced digital cameras, calculators, print magazines and books, and in some cases even computers. If you’re concerned about the effects of mobile disruption on your company, approachable content may be key to surviving.
Smartphones are the ultimate convenience devices for their owners. In fact, it can be said that a smartphone connects its owner to the world. It can track your steps. It can become a digital camera. It can search for information, serve as your music player, replace your television screen, and much more.
This is phenomenal for the companies producing smartphones and the big app developers of the world, but for other companies like Canon, one of the biggest names in camera technology, things are bleak. In fact, Canon’s CEO says he wouldn’t be surprised if the market for digital cameras fell 50% by 2021. Despite these, these brands aren’t giving up. They’re just changing the way they do things in order to remain relevant and survive mobile disruption and going with an approachable content strategy.
Making content approachable is all about using products and services to tell stories and show consumers how important those products can be in their everyday lives. Using the camera example above, it’s true that smartphones (and numerous apps) provide excellent camera experiences for social media. Whereas smartphones are about simplicity and convenience for the average users’ sakes, standalone products from companies like Nikon and Canon offer far more features and they can be used in many situations in which a smartphone may not be the best choice.
Simply put, the Samsung Galaxy series of smartphones automatically stops a video recording when it reaches a very meager four gigabytes – which is equal to less than half an hour’s worth of content when recording in 1080p high definition. This means that standalone cameras still have a place in the photography world, but it’s up to the companies like Nikon and Canon to make sure their audience is aware of it. That’s where approachable content comes into play.
With all this information in mind, creating approachable content requires telling consumers a story. When it comes to cameras, it’s up to the companies to show buyers how they can become partners. To do it, these companies market their products as storytelling tools – ways to capture life’s moments to treasure forevermore and in ways that smartphones simply cannot match. Rather than focusing on their actual products, though, Canon now focuses on selling its customers an experience.
Both Canon and Nikon have started working with influencers, known photographers, and popular bloggers to help show customers their true storytelling potential, and this is something that any brand can duplicate whether it offers a product or a service. Social media is the perfect way to promote a company’s authenticity, and that’s what makes the content so very approachable. Remember that approachability is all about making consumers feel comfortable with your brand and your content, so utilizing hashtags and working with influencers across multiple social media channels is a great choice.
Building a reputation as an approachable brand will go a long way toward helping your company survive the mobile disruption sending ripples across every imaginable industry. By showing consumers that you still have something to offer despite the smartphone app revolution, you’ll be taken very seriously by consumers – and your brand will continue to thrive despite the disruption.
