Looking ahead

The three foundational components of audience engagement

It seems today that everyone has a different approach to measuring and understanding success. Much of this might be driven by different marketing objectives, but our survey suggests that engagement is at the top of the priority list for many marketing folks. For us, engagement is a foundational metric that drives many others, including dwell time on websites, click rates, and the holy grail of ROI.

There are three foundational components that combine to drive engagement. The first, Attention, refers to whether people know who you are and notice what you’re saying. This is the starting point for success, as you must be seen to generate any effect. The second component is Fit, which is measured by how well your audience’s values align with yours. Does the audience have a need that aligns with your product or service? The final and most important component is Emotional Response. Are you stirring up the feelings of your audience? Trust, love, and desire create a reaction regardless of the sector you play in. We buy with our hearts and justify the decision with our heads.

We frequently measure proxies for these three attributes in the form of likes, shares, retention, churn rates, etc. But these only tell us if consumers have engaged, not why. It’s like measuring whether a plane has successfully landed without understanding gravity. By explicitly measuring the three foundational metrics—Attention, Fit, and Emotional Response—we can start to influence higher-level KPIs by understanding not just what is working, but why.

To reach the future of mobility, we must work together

Building a sustainable future in the mobility industry is an effort that goes beyond the switch from fossil fuel to electric or hydrogen. It requires a larger shift that moves people away from car ownership and usage. While it is crucial for the environment and urban development, it will not happen easily or without resistance.

Overcoming inertia and the comfort of familiarity is perhaps the most formidable challenge. Car ownership has been baked into the human psyche for generations, and many people have relied on car ownership for basic daily needs throughout their entire lives. Enticing them to switch to EVs, for example, involves not just assuring them of comparable functionality but also superior benefits in terms of cost, environmental impact, and convenience. Issues like range anxiety, poor charging infrastructure, and high electricity costs make change even harder, and negative reporting is casting an even brighter light on these challenges than perhaps necessary.

As marketers, we are experts in changing perceptions. We play a critical role in creating the future of mobility across ridesharing, scooters and bikes, buses, air taxis, and more. But we can’t do it alone. This journey necessitates a collective effort from businesses, governments, and communities to educate, incentivise, and ease the transition for consumers. It is only through a deep understanding of consumer fears, habits, and needs that we can hope to overcome the status quo, paving the way for a more sustainable, efficient, and inclusive mobility landscape.

For high—stakes communications, apply AI with caution

It's no surprise to see the application of AI high on the agenda of communications professionals right now. However, in the science and innovation sector, AI needs to be applied with particular caution, as we're dealing with complicated subject matters being shared in a highly complex and often regulated communications environment. AI is not currently capable of appreciating and responding to the nuances of this context, and it will be even longer still before AI can deliver trustworthy strategies for intricate and high-stakes scenarios.

For example, consider the challenge UK organisations face in navigating the upcoming general election. Public sector communicators are required to tread with caution in a pre-election period, while commercial enterprises have a lot to consider with regards to showcasing their expertise and commenting valuably on policy without alienating any party. For public and private companies, relying on AI to plan or craft content in this sensitive environment would be inadvisable. Then there's the trust issue. In an era of fake news and global pandemics, it's a turbulent time for science communication. A few undeclared AI-generated images and unchecked press releases could cause huge reputational damage.

That being said, working in the most future-looking sector means we're pre-disposed to embracing innovation. There are multiple ways in which AI can and will support with making communications more efficient, which is of paramount importance when working with budgets that could otherwise be spent on changing the world. If you're thinking about or already dabbling in AI, our advice is to focus on what it can support rather than replace. And be sure to quickly establish guidelines for staff and suppliers to ensure that AI is only used to support your communications in ways that you deem appropriate.