The Smartest Brands Use Real-Time Marketing To Capitalize On Trends

Since the early days of advertising, companies have been trying to figure out how to advertise in the right place, at the right time.

The best way to reach potential customers is to be where they are. On the Web, that means knowing what videos and stories people are sharing, as they share it. With today's real-time marketing, advertisers can move quickly to take advantage of news stories, consumer behavior, and any kind of relevant content that goes viral.

Brands can also use this sharing information to become a part of the social conversation.

When Fox TV cameras caught NASCAR crews using Tide detergent to clean up after a Daytona 500 crash, Tide was able to capitalize on the publicity almost immediately with a commercial that went viral. According to The Wall Street Journal, the crew could have used any good detergent, but Tide was lucky enough to get the free publicity. And because they were paying attention to the social sphere, they took advantage.

The Tide example is part of the "always on" phenomenon that enables brands to adapt their media plans based on trending topics. Companies that stay on top of real-time marketing metrics can remain relevant and engage consumers (a key part of marketing to millennials).

To stay "always on," marketers need to recognize what people are sharing and talking about at any given moment, whether it's the funniest Super Bowl commercials or Mila Kunis giving "Oz the Great and Powerful" a publicity boost with an awkward press interview.

But it takes a lot more than a well-timed tweet for a brand to become a part of the conversation. With nearly one in four people active on social networks worldwide according to eMarketer, brands need measurable information that lets them craft campaigns that work. These campaigns also need to be coordinated, focused, and rapid-fire - and able to encompass other social networks, YouTube videos, or even TV commercials.

ShareThis, which monitors 120 million social media channels and tracks the sharing habits of 95 percent of U.S. Internet users, gives companies access to that social sharing information. Using a social-based metric called Social Lift, ShareThis shows marketers how to optimize ad campaigns based on user behavior. And now ShareThis has partnered with DigitasLBi's BrandLIVE platform, a real-time "intelligence center" on trending topics, increasing advertisers' ability to reach social and engaged audiences.

"Our partnership with DigitasLBi [helps] brands adapt to what matters most to consumers and be a part of the organic conversation," said Kurt Abrahamson, CEO of ShareThis, "resulting in better advertising campaigns and brand engagement."

To find out more about the power of sharing, visit ShareThis.

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