It’s probably no accident that spending on smartwatches soared as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. According to the research firm Gartner, this expenditure increased by 17.6% in 2020 – perhaps unsurprisingly so, given the more general get-fit trend that also took off that year.
Though many smartwatches were originally conceived as essentially wrist-bound smartphones, they have increasingly found a new lease of life as sophisticated fitness trackers capable of measuring the user’s heart rate and other vital signs. So, do smartwatches bode well for marketers?
How smartwatches change the marketing game
For marketers, getting their messages noticed on smartwatches is undoubtedly arduous – simply because these little devices are designed not to be overly intrusive or conspicuous. Ultimately, a smartwatch should work for its owner rather than vice versa.
The small display of a smartwatch feeds into this, as it helps to ensure that the device shows little more than the information the user really needs at whatever moment they choose to look at the screen. When a runner is using a smartwatch to count their miles, for example, that person doesn’t want to see an advert pop up where they were expecting just to see the interface of a fitness app.
However, none of this is strictly saying that attempting to market on smartwatches is a waste of time. It would be closer to the truth to say that you should be strategic with how you do so. Social media could provide you with just the digital marketing path you need to take.
Where a little can go a long way
Today, there is an array of social media apps – like Messenger and Chirp for Twitter – available for wearables. Indeed, Facebook and Twitter have one particular thing in common: their content is largely text-based, and can often be pushed to people via notifications.
So, perhaps your brand could, on its Twitter page, post a specific Tweet that is then relayed in an email sent out by Twitter to someone who follows your brand on this social media network. If this person has a smartwatch, a notification about the email could consequently pop up on that.
However, the smartwatch’s compact display means that the device’s user could learn precious little about your message simply from looking at the notification. This scenario therefore challenges you to keep your marketing messages on social media short, sweet and to the point.
The old-fashioned route – social media advertising – still works
Of course, various social media platforms allow brands to pay for ads that will show up in the feeds of people especially likely to be interested in what these companies offer. So, you could – for example – invest in Twitter Ads that later appear on the Twitter feeds of certain Chirp users.
If you have never embarked on any kind of social media marketing campaign before, don’t fear – as we can provide you with a multifaceted digital marketing package that lets you dip your toes into these waters gently, whether or not you want your promotional drive to particularly target smartwatch owners.
