What is a persona?

A persona is a fictional but data-driven profile of a typical customer. It summarizes the motivations, goals, concerns, and behaviors of a target audience into a single, relatable character. Instead of “women, ages 30 to 45,” it becomes “Julia, 34, project manager, shops from her couch in the evenings and hates long load times.”

A persona without real data is just a guess with a name. Without interviews, surveys, or purchasing behavior data, it remains nothing more than a hunch.

In addition, a shared persona helps keep team discussions more objective, because opinions can be anchored to a specific character rather than vague assumptions.

This is what sets the persona apart from a simple target audience description: it speeds up decision-making within the team because every action can be mapped to a specific person.

• Name, Age, and Occupation as Anchor
• Goals and Frustrations in Everyday Life
• Preferred Channels and Devices
• Barriers to purchase and common objections
• Relevance to actual purchasing behavior

Here’s how to create a persona in several steps

The process never starts at a desk—it starts with real people. Interviews with existing customers, CRM analytics, and feedback from customer support provide the raw data. Only then are patterns identified: Which goals, channels, and purchase triggers recur most frequently? These patterns are distilled into two to four personas; more than that dilutes the focus. It’s also important to involve sales and customer service early on, because both teams often provide the most honest insights into actual purchasing decisions. If you ignore these perspectives, you’ll end up with a persona that looks nice but misses the mark.

• Survey and monitor existing customers
• Analyze Support and Sales Data
• Clustering Common Patterns
• Write and Visualize a Persona Profile
• Update regularly with new data

How Personas Are Used in Everyday Marketing

A well-defined persona guides nearly every marketing decision: from the tone of the copy to the choice of channels to the structure of the buyer’s journey. Ad targeting also benefits, as it becomes clear which wording and images truly resonate.

Even pricing strategies and offers can be tailored to a clearly defined persona, because it becomes clear what budget and expectations are realistic. In this way, the persona becomes a tool that provides guidance far beyond individual campaigns.

• Align Content Topics with Personas
• Choose an appropriate tone and visual style
• Prioritize Channels Based on Persona Preferences
• Target Ads More Precisely

Common Mistakes in Persona Development

In practice, the same mistakes keep creeping in. Some teams create a persona once and then leave it unchanged for years, even though markets, platforms, and buying behavior have long since moved on. Others build too many personas at once from the start and, as a result, lose the very focus that the model was actually meant to provide. Relying solely on assumptions without actual conversations also quickly leads in the wrong direction, because it merely confirms what the team already suspected. Another common mistake is leaving the persona entirely to the marketing department, even though sales, support, and product development would all benefit from the same clear picture.

• Never update the persona for years
• Managing too many personas at once
• Just assumptions instead of actual interviews
• Use the persona exclusively for marketing purposes

Using Persona Profiles in Practice

A good persona profile isn’t just a document that sits in a drawer; it’s actively used in briefings, editorial plans, and campaign concepts. Many teams print out the key characteristics or post them prominently in the workspace so that every decision can be checked against the actual person at a glance, rather than improvising from memory.

A detailed profile is also helpful when planning the customer journey, because it allows you to ask, for each phase, exactly what content will help this specific person move forward at this exact moment. Without this point of reference, the customer journey remains an abstract diagram with no real practical use in everyday life.

A well-maintained persona profile is also very useful for the internal onboarding of new employees, because it helps new colleagues understand much more quickly who we’re actually writing for, designing for, and selling to—rather than having to piece this knowledge together over the course of months from individual projects.

• Using the Profile in Your Daily Work
• Display items rather than archive them
• Align each phase of the journey
• Fill Abstract Models with People

Persona versus a pure target audience segment

A target audience segment describes a group, typically based on statistical characteristics such as age, income, or place of residence. The persona takes this a step further and distills a segment into a single, relatable character with its own motivations. The two concepts complement each other: The segment provides the data foundation, while the persona turns it into a story that resonates with the team.

The importance of this distillation becomes particularly clear when explaining behavioral psychology in marketing: People respond much more strongly to stories and concrete examples than to abstract percentages, even when both describe the same target audience.

There is always a risk of oversimplifying a persona and thereby reducing it to a mere cliché. Real people are more complex than any character on paper, which is why a good persona deliberately acknowledges uncertainties and exceptions rather than simply painting a polished, idealized picture.

• Segment provides data and structure
• Persona turns it into a character
• Both levels complement each other well
• Stories are more powerful than numbers

What does “relevance” mean in marketing?

Here’s what it’s all about:

• Relevance in Marketing: A Brief and Clear Explanation
• Distinction from Related Concepts
• The foundation of every marketing strategy

In marketing, relevance refers to the ability of a brand, message, or product to be meaningful and resonate with a target audience at the right time. Relevance arises at the intersection of what a brand has to say and what the target audience is currently thinking about, needs, or feels. It is context-dependent, temporary, and must be continually redefined. A brand can be highly relevant in one food segment and completely irrelevant in another—and even within a single target audience, relevance varies depending on life stage, mood, and the prevailing social climate.

The Four Dimensions of Brand Effectiveness

Relevance is not a one-dimensional concept. It is composed of functional, emotional, cultural, and situational layers that must work together for a brand to become truly meaningful. Functional relevance alone is no longer sufficient in most markets—a product that solves a problem but fails to establish an emotional connection is interchangeable. Only the combination of tangible benefits and emotional resonance creates the depth that turns consumers into brand advocates. Studies by Kantar show that brands that address all four levels of relevance simultaneously are, on average, 2.5 times more likely to make it into the consideration set than one-dimensional competitors.

Distinction: Relevance versus Name Recognition and Likeability

Many marketers confuse relevance with brand awareness or likability—three concepts that, while related, are fundamentally different. A brand can achieve high levels of brand awareness and still be largely irrelevant if it is not perceived as meaningful to people’s lives. Likeability generates positive feelings but does not automatically lead to a purchase decision. Relevance, on the other hand, connects both to a specific need or context. In the brand funnel model, relevance lies between consideration and preference: it is the door opener without which no conversion takes place.

Why is relevance the key factor in brand success?

Remember:

• Relevance in marketing creates a direct competitive advantage
• Measurable impact on revenue and reach
• Starting early pays off in the long run

Without relevance, even the largest media budget is ineffective. Consumers who perceive a message as irrelevant tune out—both mentally and technically (ad blockers, skip buttons, swiping). Relevance is the key to capturing attention, which in turn is a prerequisite for any further marketing impact. Brands that build cultural and emotional relevance over the years achieve significantly higher brand loyalty and price tolerance than interchangeable commodity brands.

Facts & Figures: The Cost of Losing Relevance

A brand’s value is directly linked to its perceived relevance—this isn’t just a theory, but a fact backed by data. According to Kantar BrandZ, brands whose relevance is declining lose an average of 21 percent of their brand value within three years. Nielsen data shows that advertising messages deemed irrelevant result in a 43 percent lower likelihood of purchase than relevant communications—with an identical budget and reach. And a 2024 study by Prophet found that 73 percent of consumers are willing to pay up to 20 percent more for a brand they consider meaningful to their lives. Relevance is thus not just a communicative value, but a tangible economic one.

• Brand relevance directly determines brand equity
• Declining relevance: 21% loss in value
• Irrelevant advertising: 43% fewer purchases
• 73% pay a 20% premium
• Relevance is a key factor in economic success
• Budget and reach are ineffective without relevance

Relevance as a safeguard against commoditization

In saturated markets with comparable products, relevance is often the only sustainable differentiator. Brands that manage to appear indispensable in the eyes of their target audience are not subject to pure price competition. They are not sought out as the cheapest option, but are actively sought after—a fundamental advantage for margin stability and customer loyalty.

The Spirit of the Times and Cultural Relevance

Brands that anticipate societal trends and integrate them into their brand communication remain part of the cultural conversation. This effect is amplified exponentially on social media: Relevant brand messages are shared, commented on, and further developed—resulting in organic reach without additional media costs. Cultural branding and purpose-driven marketing are strategic approaches that specifically target cultural relevance.

How do brands maintain their relevance over the long term?

Here’s how it works:

• Clearly define your goals before you start
• Integrate relevance into the marketing mix in a targeted way
• Test, measure, and continuously optimize

Brands that remain relevant over the long term combine a stable core identity with flexible expression. They know who they are and what they stand for—but they also know how to express that identity in different contexts, to different target audiences, and at different times. Relevance stems from a deep understanding of consumers: Brands that regularly gather qualitative and quantitative consumer insights can identify shifts in needs, values, and behaviors early on.

Data-driven personalization makes it possible to tailor messages to specific situations and individuals—the right content for the right person at the right time. Collaborations with culturally relevant figures, brands, or movements can also significantly boost a brand’s relevance at times. It’s important to note that relevance must not come across as contrived. Inauthentic attempts to jump on trends are quickly seen through by consumers and can damage the brand’s image.

• A Stable Core Identity with Flexible Expression
• Develop a deep understanding of consumer needs
• Regularly gather and analyze consumer insights
• Data-driven personalization for the right messages
• Leverage collaborations with culturally relevant partners
• Maintain authenticity; avoid coming across as artificial

Step-by-Step: Systematically Building Relevance

Building relevance is not a matter of chance; it follows a clear logic. First: Consumer insight work is an ongoing process—not a one-time study. Those who conduct quarterly qualitative interviews and regular social listening can identify shifts in values and needs before they become apparent in society at large. Second: Prioritize relevant topics. Not every trend is applicable to every brand. A clear brand identity prevents a brand from appearing arbitrary. Third: Differentiate messages contextually—the same core message can sound and look completely different to a 25-year-old city dweller than to a 55-year-old family man. Fourth: Measure and optimize relevance. Brand tracking, consideration set analyses, and engagement metrics provide continuous feedback on whether investments in relevance are paying off.

Common Mistakes in the Pursuit of Relevance

The biggest mistake is losing authenticity by over-adapting to trends. Brands that jump on every cultural bandwagon lose their distinct identity and, at best, are ridiculed; at worst, they are actively rejected. A second common mistake is confusing volume with relevance: High media spending and aggressive targeting create visibility, but not significance. Third, many brands underestimate the risk of relevance erosion over time—what is meaningful today may already be considered outdated in two years. Brands like Kodak and BlackBerry serve as cautionary tales of what happens when building relevance is viewed as a one-time task rather than an ongoing discipline.

Examples of relevant brand communication

The most important thing:

• Leading brands prioritize consistency
• The courage to be different pays off
• Define measurable KPIs from the very beginning

With its Real Beauty campaign, Dove set a prime example of cultural relevance: By showcasing real bodies instead of model aesthetics, the brand struck a chord with society and became part of a decades-long discourse on beauty ideals. Patagonia demonstrates how purpose-driven marketing works: The brand is not just an outdoor gear manufacturer but an active environmental advocate—a stance that generates extremely high emotional resonance with its target audience. Nike took a calculated risk with the Colin Kaepernick campaign and polarized opinion—but in doing so, achieved maximum relevance with its core audience. Spotify’s “Wrapped” campaign creates cultural relevance every year through personalized year-in-reviews that are shared millions of times, turning the product itself into the message.

• Dove features real bodies instead of models
• Patagonia combines business with environmental activism
• Nike deliberately polarizes with social issues
• Spotify Wrapped creates shareable, personalized moments
• Emotional relevance trumps traditional advertising messages
• Purpose-driven marketing fosters deep audience engagement

Dove Real Beauty: How to Shape a Conversation

When Dove launched its first Real Beauty campaign in 2004, the world of personal care advertising was dominated by glossy images and unattainable beauty ideals. Dove radically broke with this convention and featured women who didn’t fit model standards—with visible wrinkles, diverse body shapes, and no retouching. This wasn’t a PR stunt, but the beginning of a strategic repositioning: The brand became a voice in a socially charged conversation. The result: In the first two years after the campaign launched, Dove’s global sales rose from $2.5 billion to $4 billion.

The campaign won numerous Cannes Lions and is still analyzed today in colleges as a case study in cultural relevance. Crucially, Dove didn’t just communicate—it took action: By 2024, the Self-Esteem Project had trained over 87 million young people worldwide in media literacy and body acceptance.

• Dove broke with beauty ideals.
• It featured real women without retouching.
• Revenue doubled in two years.
• Won several Cannes Lions awards.
• The Self-Esteem Project trained 87 million people.
• Communication was linked to concrete actions.

Spotify Wrapped: The Product Becomes the Message

Spotify’s annual Wrapped campaign is one of the most striking examples of how situational and emotional relevance work together. Every December, users receive a personalized summary of their listening habits—from top artists and favorite genres to quirky statistics like the total number of minutes played. The mechanism is simple but highly effective: the product itself provides the content, which users then share en masse on social media. In 2023, organic Wrapped posts on Instagram, TikTok, and X alone generated an estimated 1.3 billion impressions worldwide—without any paid promotion. The cultural relevance doesn’t come from advertising, but from participation: Wrapped has become a social event that you either take part in or you don’t—and this FOMO drives new users to the app.

• Spotify Wrapped: Annual Personalized Listening Summary
• Users share their results en masse on social media
• 1.3 billion impressions without paid advertising
• Cultural relevance through participation, not advertising
• FOMO drives new users
• Social event generates organic engagement

“Brands that lose their cultural relevance first lose the younger generation—and with it, the future of their market share.” — Mark Ritson, Marketing Week

Conclusion: Relevance as an Ongoing Marketing Task

Conclusion:

• Relevance is indispensable in modern marketing
• Think strategically, implement consistently

Relevance in marketing isn’t a given, nor is it a one-time achievement. It’s the result of continuous work on consumer understanding, brand identity, and cultural awareness. Brands that are relevant today must already be working on the next wave of relevance tomorrow. The good news: Relevance can be learned and measured. Consumer insight programs, brand tracking studies, and social listening tools provide the data needed to identify and close relevance gaps early on. Companies that make this discipline part of their corporate culture build a brand that people will buy not only today—but also tomorrow.

Why Pinterest Ads are particularly powerful for companies

Pinterest is fundamentally different from other platforms: Users come with a genuine intention to buy. They actively search for ideas, products and solutions – and are open to advertising that enriches their feed instead of interrupting it. This leads to a different mindset than on Instagram or TikTok, where advertising is often perceived as a disruption. Pinterest users are planners: they collect ideas for renovations, weddings, outfits or recipes months in advance. Brands that are present early on in the decision-making process win.

The most important Pinterest ad formats at a glance

Pinterest offers various advertising formats that perform differently depending on the campaign objective. Choosing the right format is crucial for your ROAS. Here you will find all current formats with typical guide values for CPM (cost per mille) and CPC (cost per click) – as a guide, as the actual costs depend heavily on the target group, industry and bidding strategy:

Agency tip: Start with standard pins and video pins in the upper funnel before using shopping ads and collections for conversion campaigns. The build-up creates brand trust, which significantly increases the conversion rate for bottom-funnel campaigns. Many companies make the mistake of immediately optimizing for conversion – and are surprised by poor ROAS values.

Place Pinterest Ads: Step-by-step guide

Getting started with Pinterest Ads is more structured than with Meta or TikTok – if you follow the right order. Here’s the tried and tested process we use for our clients at Social Media One:

1. set up a Pinterest Business account

No ads without a business account. Switch to business.pinterest.com for free. Link your website and verify the domain – only then will your pins be displayed with your brand’s distinctive logo. Also set up the Pinterest tag: The JavaScript snippet on your website tracks conversions, shopping baskets and page visits – the basis for all retargeting and conversion tracking.

2. define the campaign objective

Pinterest distinguishes between the following campaign goals: Brand Awareness, Video Views, Consideration (traffic), App Install, Conversion, Catalog Sales. For most e-commerce companies, we recommend starting with Consideration and switching to Conversions after 2-3 weeks as soon as the Pinterest tag has collected enough data (at least 50 conversion events per week).

3. set up target group precisely

Pinterest offers three main targeting options: Interest targeting (by topic such as fashion, home decor, fitness), keyword targeting (by search intent – similar to Google) and audience targeting (custom lists, lookalikes, retargeting). The combination of keyword and interest targeting achieves the best results for most campaigns.

4. prepare creative material

Pinterest is primarily visual. Images in 2:3 format (1000×1500 px) perform best. Text on the image should be minimal – Pinterest users scan, they don’t read. Warm, bright colors statistically beat dark images by 20-30% in click rate. Use realistic lifestyle photos instead of product free-sharers if you want to build brand awareness.

5. define budget and bidding strategy

To get started, we recommend a daily budget of at least €20-30 per campaign to collect enough data. Pinterest requires a learning phase of 7-14 days in which the algorithm learns the optimal delivery. Do not interfere with bids or target groups during this phase – otherwise the learning phase will restart.

Targeting strategies for maximum reach

Targeting on Pinterest follows a different logic than on Meta or TikTok. Pinterest knows the planning intentions of its users – that makes it unique. Here are the strategies that work best in practice:

Keyword targeting: The strongest lever

Pinterest searches are transactional. People who search for “minimalist living room ideas” are planning to furnish their home and will make a purchase in the next few weeks or months. Use the Pinterest keyword tool to search for relevant terms directly in the Ads Manager. Use a mix of broad keywords (high reach) and specific long-tail keywords (higher conversion relevance). Plan at least 50-100 keywords per ad group.

Interest targeting: Ideal for awareness

Pinterest recognizes over 5,000 interest categories. Combine 3-5 relevant categories in an ad group without creating clusters that are too broad or too narrow. For a kitchen brand, suitable interests would be: “Cooking & Baking”, “Kitchen Furnishings”, “Food Photography”, “Recipes” and “Home Decor”. Test different combinations and optimize according to CPM and engagement rate.

Actalike Audiences: Scaling based on the best

As soon as you have at least 100 existing customers or website visitors in your Custom Audience, Pinterest automatically creates an “Actalike Audience” – the Pinterest equivalent of Facebook’s Lookalike Audiences. These can be set to 1% (very similar, small) to 10% (less similar, large) of the total population of a country.

Optimizing ROAS: What really works

A good Pinterest ROAS is between 3x and 8x, depending on the industry. The following parameters have the greatest influence on your results:

A systematic approach to creative testing

Create at least 3-5 creatives per campaign and let them run for 7-14 days before making decisions. Test one variable at a time: image vs. video, light vs. dark background, with vs. without text overlay, product photo vs. lifestyle. Pinterest Analytics shows you impression share, click rate and spend per creative – so you can quickly see what converts.

Optimize landing page for Pinterest traffic

Pinterest users are inspiration-driven and have a longer decision phase than Google users, for example. Your landing page should therefore be visually high-quality, build trust (ratings, UGC, seal of approval) and have a clear, low-threshold CTA – e.g. “Discover inspiration” instead of “Buy now”. Also add an exit-intent popup or a newsletter CTA to keep visitors who are not yet ready to buy.

Use seasonality

Pinterest is the platform for advance planners. Christmas content is already planned in October, summer vacation ideas are sought in March. Place your ads 6-8 weeks before the actual event – not just before. This allows you to reach planners before the competition gets expensive and benefit from lower CPMs in the preparation phase. Use the Pinterest trend calendar in the business dashboard as a basis for planning.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

When advising companies, we see the same mistakes with Pinterest Ads time and time again – and most of them are easily avoidable:

• Wrong image format: Landscape format (16:9) performs significantly worse on Pinterest than portrait format (2:3). Pinterest was built for vertical content – use that.
• Too much text on images: Pinterest suppresses pins with excessive text in the distribution. Keep text overlays minimal and clear.
• Pinterest tag missing: No conversion tracking, no retargeting, no optimization without a tag. This is the most common mistake made by beginners.
• Budgets are too small: Pinterest cannot train the algorithm with a daily budget of €5. At least €20 per day for the learning phase.
• Adjust campaigns too early: Bids, target groups and budgets must not be changed during the learning phase (7-14 days) – otherwise the learning process will start all over again.
• No organic Pinterest presence: Ads perform better when your organic profile is active. Users check your profile before they click.

Integrate Pinterest Ads into the overall marketing mix

Pinterest ads are fully effective when they are used as part of an integrated strategy – not as a silo channel. The typical Pinterest user has their first points of contact with your brand on Google or Instagram before they enter the planning phase on Pinterest. Or vice versa: they discover you on Pinterest and then continue their research on Google. Take these cross-channel journeys into account in your attribution.

Connect Pinterest with your social media budget planning so that investments are distributed sensibly across channels. Supplement Pinterest ads with organic Pinterest boards that contextualize your paid content and strengthen the user profile. Set up retargeting campaigns that reactivate Pinterest visitors on other channels (Google Display, Meta).

If you are planning influencer collaborations on Pinterest, pay attention to the current prices and structures in influencer marketing – Pinterest creators often have very high-profile, ready-to-buy communities. A well-thought-out Pinterest marketing strategy forms the basis on which ads should be built. For the overall channel strategy, it’s also worth taking a look at our Pinterest agency services if you’re looking for professional support.

Do you have questions about your individual Pinterest Ads strategy? Write to us – we’ll advise you free of charge on your options on Pinterest.

Frequently asked questions about Pinterest Ads

More on the topic: Instagram Ads costs – YouTube Ads – Performance Marketing – Paid vs. organic

What distinguishes an enterprise strategy from a normal strategy

An SME can work with a social media manager and a monthly plan. A corporation with 10 brands, 5 countries and 200 marketing employees cannot. Enterprise social media strategies need to solve three problems that smaller companies don’t face: Governance (who gets to do what?), consistency across markets and teams, and reporting that holds up in a board meeting. Without these three pillars, corporate social media becomes a chaos of individual initiatives with no clear direction.

Governance: the underestimated foundation

Before the first post is planned, clear answers to these questions are needed: Which departments are allowed to post independently? Who releases creatives? What happens in a crisis? How does community management work in the event of negative comments? A social media policy is not a bureaucratic document – it is the difference between controlled brand communication and viral PR disasters. Toyota, Schwarzkopf and Magenta Telekom all have functioning governance structures that run smoothly internally and with agencies.

Platform strategy: not being everywhere, but being right

Enterprise companies make the mistake of being present on all platforms and producing mediocre content everywhere. The better question: Where is your target group really active and where can you be relevant? For B2C consumer products, TikTok 2026 is essential. For B2B companies, LinkedIn is the key platform. For employer branding, Instagram and TikTok are the strongest channels. Concentrating resources on 2-3 core platforms always beats the strategy of being omnipresent.

Content production on an enterprise scale

Large companies need a content mix consisting of three levels: Always-on content (3-5 posts per week per platform, editorial team or agency), campaign content (for product launches, seasons, events – higher production budget) and reactive content (trends, news, crisis communication – fast approval processes are essential). The most common bottleneck in corporations: approval processes that take 3 weeks for content that is relevant in 3 hours. Lean approval structures with 1-2 levels are not a loss of quality – they are a competitive advantage.

KPIs that say something to the Management Board

Likes and followers are not board meeting figures. What counts: Share of voice compared to competitors, cost per qualified lead from social channels, attributed revenue share from social media, sentiment score for relevant topics, and recruiting metrics (application rate from social channels). If you link social media with these metrics, you won’t lose budget – you’ll get more.

Agency or in-house?

Most enterprise companies are best served by a hybrid model: the in-house team manages strategy, brand and community. A specialized agency such as Social Media One provides paid social expertise, a creator network and platform-specific know-how that cannot be built up profitably in-house. The model saves costs, increases quality and avoids dependence on a single external service structure.

Frequently asked questions about enterprise social media strategy

What does a social media strategy for large companies cost?

Depending on the scope, between EUR 15,000 and EUR 80,000 for strategy development, plus ongoing implementation costs. In-house development of a complete team costs from EUR 200,000 per year. Hybrid models (in-house + agency) are generally the most cost-efficient solution.

How long does it take to set up an enterprise social media strategy?

Strategy development: 4-8 weeks. Implementation (governance, processes, tool stack): 3-6 months. First measurable results: after 3-6 months of consistent implementation.

How do I manage social media in multiple countries and markets?

With a glocal approach: global brand message and governance defined centrally, local content control and community management implemented decentrally. Clear brand guidelines plus local scope.

Developing a social media strategy with Social Media One

Governance framework: How large companies coordinate social media internally

In corporations, social media doesn’t fail because of content – it fails because of internal coordination. Five governance levels that every enterprise social strategy needs:

1. Central playbook: Brand voice, visual guidelines, subject areas, what is not allowed – documented, up-to-date, accessible for all participants.
2. Approval processes: Who can post what without approval? Who has to proofread? Crisis content needs a different speed than regular posts.
3. Department coordination: HR, marketing, PR and product teams have different goals. A monthly social media roundtable prevents silos.
4. Crisis protocol: What happens in the event of a negative shitstorm? Who responds? In what time? With what tone? You don’t decide that in a crisis.
5. Performance review: Quarterly strategy check: What worked? Which platform is developing? Where are budget shifts necessary?

Related articles

• Social media KPIs for companies: What really counts
• Calculating social media ROI: Formula and practical examples
• Building a social media team: Structure and roles
• Social media agency vs. in-house: decision support
• Social media agency – full service from Social Media One

Demographics and definition: Generation Alpha

Generation Alpha, born between 2010 and probably 2026, are the children of the millennials. They are growing up entirely in a digital world and have access to smartphones, tablets and other digital devices right from the start. Generation Z, born roughly between 1997 and 2012, has experienced the transition from analog to digital media and makes intensive use of social media. Both generations are technologically savvy, but Generation Alpha is fully digitally savvy, while Generation Z is adaptable to new technologies.

• Generation Alpha: Born from 2010 onwards, children of the millennials, completely digital.
• Generation Z: Born 1997-2012, transition from analog to digital, social media intensive.

Technological affinity of both generations

Generation Alpha has grown up entirely in a digital world and is often referred to as “digital natives”. They have had access to smartphones, tablets and other digital devices right from the start. Generation Z has experienced the transition from analog to digital media. They use social media intensively and are adaptable to new technologies.

Direct comparison: What you need to consider!

Media consumption: Alpha vs. Z

Generation Alpha prefers visual and interactive media such as YouTube, TikTok and child-friendly apps. This generation mainly consumes content via visual platforms and interactive media. Generation Z uses a variety of platforms, including Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube. They consume content quickly and prefer visual and short content.

• Generation Alpha: Prefers YouTube, TikTok, interactive media, parents as mediators.
• Generation Z: Uses Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, short content, values authenticity.

Communication and interaction

Generation Alpha interacts heavily via visual and voice-controlled assistants such as Siri and Alexa. Parents are often the mediators in product use and decision-making. Generation Z values authenticity and direct interaction. They prefer brands that are transparent and socially engaged.

Values and attitudes

The values and attitudes of Generation Alpha are still emerging, but it is becoming apparent that they are strongly influenced by the values of their Millennial parents, who are focused on sustainability and social responsibility. Generation Z places a high value on diversity, inclusion and social justice. They are skeptical of traditional advertising techniques and prefer personalized and relevant content.

Buying behavior of the generations

The purchasing behavior of Generation Alpha is strongly influenced by parents. Products that offer education, fun and interactivity are popular with this generation. Generation Z has reached its own purchasing power range and shows a preference for online shopping. They research thoroughly and rely on reviews and recommendations on social media.

Effective marketing strategies

Marketing strategies for Generation Alpha should include interactive, visual and playful content. This content should be distributed on channels such as YouTube Kids, apps and interactive learning platforms. Authentic, short and relevant content should be created for Generation Z.

• Generation Alpha: Interactive, visual, playful content, channels such as YouTube Kids, apps.
• Generation Z: Authentic, short, relevant content, social media, personalized approach.

What is Discord? Quickly explained!

Discord is a free communication platform that was originally developed for gamers (similar to Twitch in a marketing context). It enables text, voice and video chats and offers server-based structures on which users can interact with each other. These servers can contain different channels for different topics, allowing for organized and specialized communication. Discord has now established itself beyond the gaming community and is used by a wide range of interest groups, including educational groups, study groups and social clubs.

5 facts about Discord for marketers

1. Communication platform for text, voice and video chats
2. Popular with gamers and communities
3. Offers server and topic-specific channels
4. Supports bots and integrations
5. Free of charge, with premium options (Discord Nitro)

How does Discord work? Explanatory video

A video is worth a thousand words, isn’t it? Here’s Discord quickly explained for you:

Place advertisements on Discord

Discord offers various possibilities for advertising and marketing:

1. Partnerships and sponsoring
2. Discord Server
3. Discord Ads
4. Nitro gifts

Partnerships, sponsoring and Discord Server

Companies can partner with popular Discord servers or influencers to promote their products or services. Create your own Discord server to build a community around your brand. This can serve as a platform for exclusive offers, announcements and direct customer contact.

Discord Ads and Nitro gifts

Although Discord does not offer traditional Google Ads or Facebook Ads (or Meta Ads) style ads, you can advertise creatively by integrating bots and other tools. Read more about Discord Ads here. Nitro is Discord’s premium service. You can offer Nitro subscriptions as gifts or contest prizes to increase participation and interest in your server.

Marketing tips for Discord

How can you use Discord? Here are 5 quick tips and then an XL 10+ minute explainer video if you want to learn more about Discord in marketing. Let’s take a look at Discord, what you can do:

1. Community development
2. Interactive content
3. Personalization
4. Engagement tools
5. Exclusive offers

Community development and interactive content

Build an active and engaged community. Use regular events, polls and exclusive content to keep members happy. Use Discord features like voice and video chat to host interactive content like live streams, Q&A sessions and webinars. Customize your server and bots to match your brand identity. This creates a consistent and professional environment for your community.

Engagement tools

Use bots and other tools to increase engagement. Examples include music bots, game bots and moderation bots.

Exclusive offers

Reward your community members with exclusive offers, discounts and early access to new products or services.

Discord in marketing? Comparison with TikTok, Instagram and YouTube

Let’s take a look at the “3 biggest competitors”:

1. Discord vs TikTok
2. Discord vs Instagram
3. Discord vs YouTube

Discord vs TikTok: What to look out for?

TikTok focuses on short, viral videos and reaches a younger target group through creative, visual content and trends. In contrast, Discord enables in-depth interactions and community building through structured text, voice and video chats. While TikTok encourages quick, short-term engagement, Discord provides a platform for regular events and specialized discussions.

• Short, viral videos vs. in-depth community interactions
• Young target group and trends vs. specialized interest groups
• Short-term commitment vs. long-term commitment
• Discord vs TikTok

Discord vs Instagram: What do you need to know?

Instagram is a visual platform that is great for branding and quick updates, with features such as Stories, Reels and IGTV. In contrast, Discord offers server-based structures for specialized communication and continuous exchange through text, voice and video chats. While Instagram allows for quick, visually appealing engagement, Discord encourages regular and specialized interactions within communities.

• Visual branding and quick updates vs. specialized communication
• Stories, reels, IGTV vs. themed servers and channels
• Rapid engagement vs. continuous exchange
• Discord vs Instagram

Discord vs YouTube: What’s the difference?

YouTube is the leading platform for video content, ideal for longer, informative or entertaining videos and reaches a wide audience through subscriptions and comments. In contrast, Discord provides a platform for continuous interaction and community building through text, voice and video chats in topic-based servers. While YouTube focuses on creative, visual presentations, Discord promotes interactive and specialized communication.

• Longer, informative videos vs. continuous interactions
• Broad audience through subscriptions vs. specialized interest groups
• Creative video presentations vs. interactive community discussions
• Discord vs YouTube

Use Discord? Short explanatory video for companies

Target group: Generation Alpha & Z and Discord

Generation Alpha, born from 2010 onwards, is growing up entirely in a digital world. They are familiar with smartphones, tablets and other digital devices and prefer visual and interactive media. Discord offers an ideal platform to reach this generation. Use Discord to share visual and interactive content such as videos, GIFs and memes. Generation Alpha values both education and fun. Offer content that combines both to capture and hold their attention. With these strategies, you can effectively use Discord to reach Generation Alpha and build an engaged community.

Learn more about here:

• Generation Alpha

Discord: The communication center

Discord is a free communication platform that was originally developed for gamers. It enables text, voice and video chats and offers server-based structures on which users can interact with each other. These servers can contain different channels for different topics, allowing for organized and specialized communication. Discord has now established itself beyond the gaming community and is used by a wide range of interest groups, including educational groups, study groups and social clubs.

5 advantages of Discord for marketers

1. Communication platform for text, voice and video chats
2. Popular with gamers and communities
3. Offers server and topic-specific channels
4. Supports bots and integrations
5. Free of charge, with premium options (Discord Nitro)

TikTok: The king of short videos

TikTok is a social media platform that allows users to create and share short, creative videos. It is particularly popular with the younger generation and has quickly become an important marketing channel. TikTok offers numerous filters, effects and music options to make videos unique and appealing.

5 advantages of TikTok for marketers

1. Short videos, ideal for quick consumption
2. High engagement and viral trends
3. Popular with Generation Z
4. Easy access to influencers
5. Diverse advertising opportunities

Discord vs TikTok: Which one suits you better?

Both platforms offer unique opportunities for marketing, but which one is right for you? Here are some considerations:

Target group – comparison 1

If your target audience is mainly gamers, educational groups or special interest groups, Discord is the better choice. However, if you want to reach the younger generation who are interested in fast, entertaining content, then TikTok is ideal.

Content type – Comparison 2

Discord is ideal for building communities, regular interactions and in-depth discussions. TikTok, on the other hand, is perfect for creative, visual content and short, viral videos.

Engagement – Comparison 3

Discord provides a platform for continuous engagement through chats and regular events. TikTok enables fast, often short-term engagement through viral videos and trends.

Advertising opportunities – comparison 4

Discord offers partnerships, sponsorship and creative advertising opportunities through bots. TikTok offers a variety of advertising formats, including in-feed ads, branded hashtag challenges and collaborations with influencers. Another advantage of TikTok is that you can link directly to the TikTok store, which brings more conversion than the jump to classic e-commerce in some areas.

Conclusion: using both platforms effectively

Why not use both platforms to get the best of both worlds? Use Discord to build an engaged community and interact regularly with your users. Use TikTok to create creative, viral content and reach a younger audience. With these tips, you can use Discord and TikTok effectively for your marketing and build a strong presence on both platforms.

Discord: The communication center

First, let’s take a look at both systems if you are not yet familiar with Discord or YouTube in detail or do not use them for your marketing.

Discord is a free communication platform that was originally developed for gamers. It enables text, voice and video chats and offers server-based structures on which users can interact with each other. These servers can contain different channels for different topics, allowing for organized and specialized communication. Discord has now established itself beyond the gaming community and is used by a wide range of interest groups, including educational groups, study groups and social clubs.

5 advantages of Discord for marketers

1. Communication platform for text, voice and video chats
2. Popular with gamers and communities
3. Offers server and topic-specific channels
4. Supports bots and integrations
5. Free of charge, with premium options (Discord Nitro)

YouTube: The number one video platform

YouTube is the world’s largest video content platform, allowing users to upload, watch and share videos. It is particularly popular with content creators and brands and offers a wide range of content, from tutorials to vlogs and music videos. YouTube offers numerous features such as live streams, premiere videos and monetization options to support content creators.

5 advantages of YouTube for marketers

1. Largest platform for video content
2. High engagement through subscriptions, likes and comments
3. Popular with all age groups
4. Easy access to influencers and content creators
5. Wide range of advertising options, including video ads

Now to the question: What to do?

Discord vs YouTube: Which one suits you better?

Both platforms offer unique opportunities for marketing, but which one is right for you? Here are some considerations:

Target group – Fact 1

If your target audience is mainly gamers, educational groups or special interest groups, Discord is the better choice. However, if you want to reach a broader audience interested in video content, YouTube is ideal.

Content type – Fact 2

Discord is ideal for building communities, regular interactions and in-depth discussions. YouTube, on the other hand, is perfect for longer, visual content, tutorials and creative videos. For companies, the question arises as to whether the lengthy setup is worth it compared to direct YouTube video marketing or YouTube ads.

Commitment – Fact 3

Discord provides a platform for continuous engagement through chats and regular events. YouTube enables high engagement through subscriptions, comments and livestreams.

Advertising opportunities – Fact 4

Discord offers partnerships, sponsorship and creative advertising opportunities through bots. YouTube offers a variety of advertising formats, including video ads, sponsored content and partnerships with content creators.

Conclusion: using both platforms effectively

Why not use both platforms to get the best of both worlds? Use Discord to build an engaged community and interact regularly with your users. Use YouTube to create longer, creative videos and reach a wider audience. With these tips, you can use Discord and YouTube effectively for your marketing and build a strong presence on both platforms.

However, I tend to lean towards YouTube Marketing if you don’t have an explicit reason for using Discord.

What to do? Let us analyze your company and find your strategy. Write and or call: Contact

What does a TikTok agency do?

The main task of a TikTok agency is to help other companies to establish a presence on TikTok with their brand and to reach their target group through targeted marketing activities on the platform. A TikTok agency offers the following services, among others:

• Setting up & maintaining a TikTok account
• Creation of marketing strategies
• Creation and management of marketing campaigns
• Target group analysis & targeting
• Content Creation
• Influencer marketing

A good TikTok agency therefore offers holistic support for the TikTok presence with a wide range of services to meet the customer’s personal requirements.

Are you interested in working with a TikTok agency? Let an expert advise you here: Contact

Which companies advertise on TikTok?

It is not without reason that TikTok, now one of the most popular social media platforms, is attracting the attention of numerous companies from a wide range of industries. As a platform, TikTok offers you a new, innovative & unique way to reach your target groups and communicate with them. Here, for example, are some German companies that are already successfuly positioning themselves on TikTok:

• BMW
• Bionade
• Dr. Oetker
• Adidas
• Just Spices
• Catrice
• Sennheiser

As you can see, both large brands and small and medium-sizedenterprises (SMEs) are represented on TikTok and successfuly advertise their products there. Especially for smaller companies or those with little experience with the platform, working with a TikTok agency is helpful in creating and implementing successful advertising campaigns on the platform.

How much does a TikTok ad cost?

The costs for TikTok Ads can be surprisingly low. Based on our experience, CPMs(cost per mille) of between 0.50 and 2.50 euros are possible. For comparison: On Meta, the CPM averages between 3 and 7 euros. When calculating CPMs, however, it is important to bear in mind that the actual costs depend heavily on factors such as the target group, the industry and the product or service in question. Nevertheless, the platform offers companies the opportunity to place effective advertisements at lower costs and thus achieve a broad reach and interaction with potential customers.

In order to keep advertising costs as low as possible in the long term and to make full use of the platform, it makes sense for most companies to seek advice from an experienced TikTok agency.

A TikTok agency can help you plan, implement and optimize your advertising campaigns on the platform and ensure that you get the best value for money.

For whom is a TikTok agency worthwhile?

If you want to build and expand your company or brand on TikTok, gain followers and thereby increase your sales, working with a TikTok agency can be worthwhile. Influencers who want to significantly improve their presence and reach on the platform should also consider the professional support of an agency.

TikTok is a popular platform that focuses exclusively on video content and has long since ceased to appeal only to the younger target group. An experienced TikTok agency helps with the development of creative concepts, professional video production and strategic placement in order to reach the target group and noticeably increase your own reach.

How much does a TikTok agency cost?

The price of a TikTok agency can vary greatly and depends on various factors, such as the size of the respective project, the complexity of the campaign and the scope of the services ultimately used. The services of a TikTok agency include, for example

• Target group analysis
• Concept development
• Professional production & editing of the videos
• Campaign management
• Social Media Management
• Influencer management

When choosing a suitable TikTok agency, it is particularly important to ensure that the agency specializes specifically in TikTok as a platform and can demonstrate corresponding experience in the form of cases.

Are you unsure about the costs you might incur and would like advice on the individual prices of a TikTok agency? We will be happy to advise you: Contact

Conclusion: Then working with a TikTok agency makes sense

Every company that wants to establish a presence on TikTok and also maximize its own reach, follower numbers and ultimately sales should consider working with a professional TikTok agency.

The fact is: TikTok is one of the most popular platforms today and will continue to gain relevance in the future. Our experience shows that TikTok in particular is absolutely worthwhile as an advertising platform – especially in comparison to Facebook, Instagram & Co.

In order for companies to get the best price-performance ratio and position themselves successfuly and profitably on the platform, cooperation with an experienced TikTok agency is usually indispensable.

What does a TikTok agency do?

The primary task of a TikTok agency from Cologne or other cities is to help companies establish their brand on TikTok and reach their target group through targeted marketing on the platform. In addition to comprehensive advice, a TikTok agency offers various other services, including

• Setting up and maintaining a TikTok account
• Development of marketing strategies
• Implementation and management of marketing campaigns
• Target group analysis & targeting
• Content creation
• Influencer marketing

A professional TikTok agency offers comprehensive support for the TikTok presence and a wide range of services to meet the individual requirements of the customer.

Are you interested in working with a TikTok agency from Cologne? You can find expert advice here: Contact

For whom is a TikTok agency worthwhile?

Cooperation with a TikTok agency can be worthwhile if you want to establish and expand your company or brand on TikTok, gain followers and thereby increase sales. Influencers who want to significantly improve their presence and reach on the platform should also consider the professional support of an agency.

TikTok is a popular platform that focuses on video content and no longer only appeals to younger target groups. An experienced TikTok agency provides support in the development of creative concepts, professional video production and strategic placement in order to reach the target group and significantly increase reach.

4 reasons for a TikTok agency from Cologne

TikTok marketing agencies from Cologne are recommended for various reasons:

1. In-depth industry knowledge
2. Creative and innovative atmosphere
3. Large network
4. Local target group knowledge

1. in-depth industry knowledge

Cologne is an important business location with a large number of companies from various sectors. Marketing agencies in Cologne therefore often have extensive experience and expertise in the local and regional markets.

The city is also home to numerous companies, brands and events from the TikTok and social media sectors, which are constantly dealing with the latest developments, trends and best practices. This means that an agency from Cologne is always up to date.

2. creative and innovative atmosphere

Cologne is known for its lively creative scene and is often referred to as the media and advertising capital of Germany. The city is therefore a hotspot for creative minds and digital expertise. Marketing agencies in Cologne benefit from this creative environment and develop particularly innovative and unique marketing concepts.

3. large network

Thanks to its central location in Germany and its proximity to other major cities such as Düsseldorf and Frankfurt, Cologne has a well-connected business environment. As a social media hotspot, Cologne is also home to countless creative talents, content creators and well-known influencers. Marketing agencies in Cologne can benefit from its extensive network to find partnerships, collaborations and resources for their clients.

Cologne in particular has a vibrant business landscape, with many local companies already using TikTok as a marketing channel. A TikTok agency from Cologne therefore has access to a huge network with the opportunity to enter into corresponding synergies that can significantly increase the reach and sales of your advertising campaigns on TikTok.

4. local target group knowledge

A marketing agency from Cologne has a deeper understanding of local target groups, their needs, preferences and behaviors. This enables a more targeted approach(targeting), taking into account regional trends and preferences to make your TikTok campaigns even more relevant. Through its local market understanding, the agency develops effective strategies to successfuly position your brand in the Cologne area.

Of course, whether a marketing agency is worth recommending also depends on the company’s individual requirements and objectives. It is important to compare different agencies, check references and find out about the agency’s track record and expertise in order to make the right choice.

Conclusion: Then it makes sense to work with a TikTok agency from Cologne

It is advisable that every company that wants to establish a presence on TikTok and maximize its reach, follower numbers and ultimately its sales considers working with a professional TikTok agency. Companies from Cologne and the surrounding area in particular benefit from working with an experienced agency from Cologne, as it has in-depth, local industry and target group knowledge, is characterized by a creative & innovative environment and usually has a very large network of influencers, brands and other companies.

TikTok is undoubtedly one of the most popular platforms today and will continue to grow in importance in the future. Our experience shows that TikTok in particular is comparatively inexpensive as an advertising platform and therefore absolutely worthwhile. TikTok currently offers by far the lowest advertising prices compared to other social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube & Co.

In order to achieve the best price-performance ratio and to position yourself successfuly and profitably on the platform, cooperation with an experienced TikTok agency is indispensable in most cases.