According to research by Kantar, the majority of UK consumers are getting fed up with repetition in the online ads they see. A survey showed that while 57% are happier at the ways in which advertisers communicate with them, 77% are bored of seeing the same content time and time again.

Relevancy is key

The Kantar research also found that over half (55%) of people surveyed found the ads on websites not at all relevant to them. This statistic is very important, as it offers an insight into how online marketers can avoid repetition and target consumers more effectively.

Consumers are less likely to mind if they’ve seen a particular ad a few times if they perceive it as offering some level of value to them. It will provide value if it is relevant to their interests, shopping habits or needs. For example, offering a lower price version of a product they’ve been searching online for, or solving a particular problem they may have at that moment.

In some cases, consumers will ignore irrelevant ads. They simply won’t notice them. However, the same irrelevant ad with seemingly no value or interest to the consumer can soon become annoying if it pops up too many times.

Relevancy is important across all online marketing platforms, including social media. Indeed, Facebook now delivers its ads based on relevancy and provides relevance scores as metrics to marketers.

Targeting and personalisation

To add value to the consumer and make online marketing content as relevant as possible, marketers need to invest more time and energy into personalisation. Targeting tools are now widely available on online marketing platforms such as social media, where marketers can test ads aimed at different demographics.

Understanding your ideal customer demographic and using insight into shopping habits, interests, pain points and other information can help you deliver ads that are relevant. As for avoiding repetition, there are some other things you can do:

• Match the format to the audience – this is a top tip from ClickZ, which illustrates how this can be done using a real-life example where Toyota teamed up with the publishing platform Buzzfeed in an attempt to reach and engage Buzzfeed’s younger audience.
• Tap into niche audiences – if what you do ties into a niche audience (for example, cycling enthusiasts), the obvious solution to make your content relevant is to advertise and engage on platforms that this niche audience uses. For example, team up with relevant organisations and make use of local social media networks and other online communities.
• Be creative with content – if you’re concerned about repetition in your online marketing, the solution is often as simple as being more creative. Investing more time in the quality, freshness and relevancy of your content can really pay dividends, as long as you’re looking at personalisation and targeting at the same time.

For help, support and expert advice to develop or improve your own digital marketing strategy, get in touch with the talented team here at Ambos Digital.