Image is Important…But Experience is Everything

In today’s content-rich marketplace, brand image is everything. But image can also mean nothing if a brand’s digital experience isn’t delivered in the quality that consumers expect. Enter: rich content delivery strategy. By nature, it is easier (and sometimes more fun) to focus on the development of creative assets from photography to video and everything in between, but if you’re not addressing the experience and speed in which your audience is digesting content, that asset goes from amazing to useless in moments.

What is a Rich Content Delivery Strategy?
A rich content delivery strategy ensures that the consumer experience is maximized on all devices and screen sizes AND visually communicates your brand. It ensures that your content, while beautiful, is also responsive and engaging on any device from an iPhone or a wearable to a desktop and even large format interactive screen displays. Mobile first is not the new norm. In a rich content delivery strategy, all screens are created equal.

Screens, Speed and Video, Oh My. 
“Add a video.” Was this the advice you received to solve a marketing problem? Yes, videos are great, but they can make or break the consumer experience. Did you know that 54% of consumers are more willing to stay on brand channels or a brand website when they see video, yet 51% will stop viewing slow-loading content altogether? Poor experiences are typically slow experiences and a delay in content delivery can have negative effects on brand loyalty and ROI.

1, 2, 3 seconds. That’s the amount of time that is deemed “acceptable” by consumers for a brand page or video to load. Every second beyond that threshold is said to reduce page views by . We get it. It’s hard to keep up with the demands of the marketplace… consumer expectations inch higher and higher and can seem unattainable to reach at times when money and resources are anything but infinite. However, having a thought-out and prioritized rich content delivery strategy can lead your assets and your brand to all of its intended glory.

Where Do I Start?
There’s no yellow brick road. There are tough choices to make and factors to prioritize as the high-res photography and video assets (that you invested so much money to create) might unfortunately slow down your website or negatively impact the functionality of large format screen displays. It’s not enough to abide by the latest design best practices as you can’t neglect the experience, which in most cases, is connected to speed. Naturally, there will always be a push and pull from the creative and UX perspectives, but there are priorities that need to be discussed to inform your content strategy.

Variables that can affect content delivery:

• Image:
  • Contrast
  • Sharpness
  • Color trueness
  • File size
  • File format
  • File compression
• Video:
  • Quality source video
  • Maximum required dimension
  • Format
  • Codec & containers

Your rich media content delivery strategy should address:

1. How can we optimize for the latest design trends with larger assets and video experiences?
2. How can we optimize for loading speed and address page weight at scale?
3. How are speed quality and aesthetic quality defined?
4. When is speed prioritized over the visual experience and vice-versa as it relates to your business and marketing goals?
5. Have we covered all of our bases – desktop, tablet, mobile, Apple Watch/wearables, social media channels?

The Pressure is On.
Rich content is essential to stand out in the clutter, but it’s not enough to just be present. Consumers are seeking unique, engaging, timely AND quality experiences. A rich content delivery strategy will ensure your investment in your assets is truly that – an investment – and should be optimized ongoingly as design and technology trends evolve.

At Orange Label, we agree content is king and we can help you define your rich content delivery strategy. To learn more, contact Orange Label today.