Top Hawaii Marketing Tips When Marketing to Locals

Being a good marketer means aligning your strategy and content to locals too. Here are the most important things to understand if you’re operating in the Aloha state. 

CONSIDER BOTH TRADITIONAL & DIGITAL MARKETING

Debating a digital vs. traditional media approach for your marketing campaign strategies? It should never be an either/or situation.  Recognize that traditional platforms such as print, radio and broadcast are no longer one-dimensional. For example, Hawaii Business has been a local print magazine for over 50 years, but now they offer advertising opportunities on the web, e-newsletter and social media. By taking advantage of a print outlet’s digital platforms, you’ll reach a second and potentially higher-paying reader.

EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING

Imagine entering a chilled, temperature-controlled snow globe where friendly staff wait to serve you warm drinks from your favorite hot cocoa brand. As other guests and passersby join you in the globe you feel joy, laughter and music filling the atmosphere. You’re not just participating in a shopping experience, you’re making a memory. That’s the magic of experiential marketing.

This innovative marketing strategy is all about creating unforgettable experiences for consumers. Gone are the days of bland, one-size-fits-all advertising. Today’s brands use creative tactics to engage with consumers on a much deeper, emotional level. Successful marketing campaigns must connect with emotions and create memories that last a lifetime.

It’s basic psychology; when you experience something, you’re more likely to remember it longer. You’ll want to take photos and share them with friends and family, growing the network of potentially loyal customers. If you’re a brand that hasn’t discovered experiential marketing, what are you waiting for?

Traditional advertising doesn’t have a snowball’s chance against a brand that creates experiences their customers can touch, taste, smell and hear. You’ll be creating a buzz and sparking conversations that can turn into sales. You’re tapping into the human experience in a meaningful and impactful way.

VIDEO MARKETING

Video content has been on the rise for years, and it’s going to continue to be strong. In 2023, we can expect more brands to use video content to engage with their audience. This includes live streaming, video ads, and interactive content allowing user participation.

Short-form videos have swept marketing; we predict that trend will continue in 2023. One in five marketers plan to leverage short-form video for the first time in 2023, and 90% of those using it plan to increase or maintain their investment next year.

As marketers, we know an engaging, stimulating video campaign can pack a punch. According to Wyzowl’s research, 86% of businesses use video as a marketing tool, and 92% value it as an important part of their strategy. 

According to the same study, businesses use video for various reasons, with explainers and social media videos at the top.

Still, it’s going to be stronger than ever in 2023. According to HubSpot, 89% of marketers engaging with influencer marketing will increase or maintain their investment in the next year. Those new to marketing also see value in working with influencers – 17% of marketers are planning to invest for the first time.

If you’re entering the world of influencer marketing for the first time, it’s important not to make face-value assumptions about the value of a particular partnership or influencer collaboration. For example, don’t ignore an influencer just because they have a smaller following (let’s say, tens of thousands of followers). Fewer followers are linked to having more engagement from a dedicated group of followers who put a lot of esteem in what the influencer endorses. 

By partnering with influencers, brands can reach a wider audience and tap into their followers’ trust and loyalty.

SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO)

Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is incredibly impactful in the success of your brand and its overall name recognition. Contrary to popular belief, SEO is about more than dominating the top of the search results queries. SEO allows you to create content that speaks directly to your target consumers. So much of good SEO comes from researching keywords and search trends to identify one’s audience’s preferences. 

SEO also works to build brand awareness and increase engagement. Creating high-quality content primed and optimized for search engines will attract new visitors to your website and, hopefully, encourage them to stay longer. These ‘wins’ can lead to other perks like more social shares, backlinks and opportunities to engage with your audience more deeply.

SOCIAL JUSTICE & SUSTAINABILITY

If you’re a caring person who is aware of the world around you, it’s likely that social justice and sustainability are near to your heart. Did you know these topics also play a major role in good marketing? Yes, there’s a lot more to a smooth, successful marketing campaign than just thinking about dollars and cents. Today’s consumer is highly empathetic and studies show that shoppers prefer brands that share their values. 

Let’s dive in to social justice first. The world has many inequities and marketers can take a role in using their platforms to create change and produce a positive impact. By putting social justice initiatives front and center, marketers can reach a wide audience to raise awareness about timely social justice causes and encourage others to get involved. This strategy isn’t just compassionate, it’s savvy too. It’s been shown that brands that publicly take a stand on social justice topics are more likely to build brand loyalty with their customer base if they alligin with those values. 

As consumers trend more eco-conscious, companies putting sustainability front and center are more likely to win lifelong loyalty. Inching into 2023, we can expect more brands to incorporate sustainable practices, including eco-friendly packaging, sustainable materials, and partnering with environmental organizations.

As marketers, it’s up to us to generate content that promotes sustainable practices and encourages consumers to make eco-friendly buyers’ choices. Prioritizing sustainability in marketing efforts is also crucial for the future of our planet. 

Through our marketing efforts, we can make a positive impact by lifting both social justice and sustainability. As a brand, we will be viewed by our audience as caring about more than just making a buck. It just might inspire our competitors to prioritize social justice and sustainability in their marketing efforts. We might create a community of like-minded individuals passionate about improving the world.

Thanks for taking the time to consider these few top marketing trends to keep an eye out for in 2023. By getting ahead curve and integrating these trends into your company’s marketing strategy, you can dream of a winning marketing strategy.