In today’s episode we’re talking about how to spark interest and engagement by using curiosity marketing. And if you do it right, it can make a huge difference in the effectiveness of your online storytelling.
So in Episode 54 of the Power Your Platform Podcast, we're talking about four ways to use curiosity in your next marketing campaign:
Add a little mystery.
You can actually tease out a big announcement by using tactics like mystery clues or even partially hidden photographs. Have you ever seen those images that are extreme close-ups of an object and you try to guess what it is? It’s a fun way to get people engaged and guessing about what’s coming next.
Another idea is to mix up a key word or phrase leading up to a big reveal, and challenge your audience to unscramble it. You can also drop hints about who an upcoming guest is going to be, or a new project you’re working on. Have fun with it!
Use the right script.
Pay attention to the words you use when you’re teasing out a new announcement in your marketing. Experiment with your own catchphrases until you find one that works for you and of course, the one that resonates with your audience. Because words matter. So that’s my second tip which is to use the right script.
Remember that timing is key.
When you start to tease out a big announcement, you don’t want to do it too far in advance or your audience is going to get bored and tune out. Between 5 and 7 days is ample time to add a little mystery and build up to a big reveal. The longer the lead time you give people, the more likely they’re going to get distracted and wander off to another bright, shiny object, causing them to forget entirely about your big reveal.
Create an Easter Egg Hunt.
"Easter eggs" are what we call an inside joke or a hidden feature of a post, a podcast, a YouTube video or even a music album. The idea first came about in video gaming actually when programmers would hide little memes inside the games that only the best players would understand. Easter Eggs can bring a community together, for one thing, because they get people talking. If your audience feels like they’re in on a secret, they’ll take great delight in sharing that secret with someone else. It makes them feel like a bit of a VIP because they’re the one who’s on the inside track of the group.
As well, Easter Eggs can create increased audience engagement and interest around your content as people watch for the Easter Eggs inside your content. And ultimately, Easter Eggs help you create a slightly more impressive brand since they take some planning and a really good understanding of your audience. But when they work, they work brilliantly, because they help us build more memorable brands.