A Comprehensive Marketing Package For Strengthening Your Brand's Message
Updated: Feb 24, 2022
The consumer doesn't just buy your product, the consumer buys your brand values as well. You can reach more audiences through inclusion marketing.
Marketers have been aware of what audiences want for years, but the standard for modern, successful campaigns has grown to include what they care about as well.
Through their purchases, consumers no longer just vote for brands and products. Now, they're also voting for the type of society they want to live in - a society that's willing to address climate change, correct centuries of socioeconomic and racial injustice, and ensure that equality and inclusivity are available to all.
Consequently, brand values are now part of your unique selling proposition - and if you aren't promoting values that align with your audiences, one of your competitors will. Despite this, inclusive marketing is not just a way to pander to audiences. It acknowledges and celebrates our differences while drawing attention to humanity and the common struggles we face.
More than two-thirds (67%) of respondents to an Edelman study said they bought from brands for the first time because they agreed with their stance on a controversial topic, while 65% said they wouldn't buy from a brand that doesn't speak up on issues they care about. According to Microsoft, inclusive ads boosted purchase intent by 23 points among Gen Z consumers, regardless if the person experiencing the ad was represented or not, which proves that inclusive marketing can help you drive sales as well.
Below, we have compiled a list of resources designed to help you further your understanding and strengthen your messaging.
Comprehensive Inclusive Marketing Resources
We have compiled a number of resources that brands can use to promote inclusivity and diversity within their organizations and campaigns.
5 ways to promote inclusion in your marketing organization: The following is a recap of Dr. Lauren Tucker's SMX Next 2021 session, in which she discusses how organizations can promote diversity by putting inclusion first.
(Video) Addressing diversity, recruitment and retainment in agencies and marketing teams: The panel will discuss diversity's value to businesses, what an intentional commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives looks like, and how employees can drive change in the workplace.
The cost of ignoring website accessibility: The SEO community can help protect non-compliant sites from lawsuits by advocating for accessibility, which benefits both your business goals and differently abled audiences.
Diverse and inclusive technology solutions are also emerging in the tech space. For instance, Knockri, which eliminates bias from the hiring process (and tokenism), and Keep Wol, which automates and gamifies diversity training, are two examples.
In order to recognize the people and organizations in the search community driving positive change, Search Engine Land presents an annual award for Advancing Diversity and Inclusion in Search Marketing. As for the winners of the 2021 award, they are Rejoice Ojaiku for founding B-Digital, "which showcases and inspires real Black talent," and hasOptimization, an agency whose marketing efforts complement their commitment to inclusion and diversity.
Inclusive Guides To Marketing
Several of our campaigns are based on Google and Bing search platforms, which have also recognized the worth and need for inclusive marketing by publishing their own resources.
Microsoft’s Marketing with Purpose Playbook: With over 100 pages of marketing statistics (which can help ensure executive buy-in) and tips, the Marketing with Purpose Playbook is one of the most comprehensive resources available. The PDF covers a wide range of audiences and covers three important aspects of marketing (responsibility, values, and inclusion).
Google’s All In Inclusive Marketing Insights: This resource center was created from the lessons Google learned as it developed its own inclusive marketing practices. It contains strategies for building teams, choosing inclusive creative and embedding inclusion into your strategy alongside audience insights to help eliminate stereotypes in your marketing messages.
Guides To Inclusive Language
A welcoming environment for diverse audiences begins with the language we use in our messaging. You'll find below a list of language guides from various organizations which can be used to ensure that your content and creative assets are inclusive.
LinkedIn’s Inclusive Language for Marketers: The purpose of this pocket guide is to provide a concise summary of the importance of inclusivity to your messaging and brand identity.
Google’s developer documentation word list: This style guide for developer documentation provides alternative wording to bias terminology, including "slave," "tribal wisdom," and more.
Northwestern University’s Inclusive Language Guide: The guide explains why certain terms are considered exclusionary or biased, as well as alternative phrases you can use instead.
GLAAD Media Reference Guide: GLAAD's media guide focuses on language in relation to the LGBTQ community and is intended to be used by journalists.
We are also pleased to inform you that E-VOLVE Agency has been recognized as one of the Top Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Agencies by DesignRush.
