While businesses often boast of admirable intentions regarding inclusivity and diversity, they need to transform their claims into actions and find ways to change the narrative from a mere marketing campaign to something more cultural. This involves including diversity and inclusion ideas into their every day goals and actions, as and their digital marketing materials.
Certain companies accomplish this by creating specialized task teams to promote the cause of diversity and inclusiveness. Some include these values in their mission statements as well as their company objectives. Some integrate it into every aspect of their business, like by prohibiting contact with businesses that don't respect these values.
Five ways that digital marketers can encourage diversity and inclusion
Raising awareness
Digital marketers have to take a key role in the promotion of diversification and inclusivity. This could mean incorporating an array of individuals in their advertising, or it could mean creating ads, particularly targeting individuals who have been historically excluded from traditional advertising. An excellent example of this can be seen in Microsoft's We All Win campaign. It particularly highlights the needs of those with disabilities who play and challenges preconceived notions about gamers.
Understand your audience
As a digital marketer, you need to figure out the best way to structure your message to ensure that it will be appealing to the people you want to reach without excluding or displacing people who aren't your target audience. Marketing has to broaden its audience to encompass more customers.
Modify the message
Businesses often need to change their messages to stay more current with changing trends and changes in demographics.
Gain the information you need
If they're not aware of their biases, marketers who are digital may have a difficult time creating diverse content. If they want to be more inclusive in their advertising it is vital to be aware of one's own biases, which is discussed in the following.
A deeper understanding of the brand you're promoting is crucial. What is it that makes a brand important to customers? Find the characteristics that are common to everyone, regardless of race or gender, abilities, or any other difference. Explore the possibilities beyond the norm and find new ways in which the brand can be able to resonate with people of all kinds of demographics.
Change the direction of your car.
Digital markets often adjust to changes to ensure that they are up-to-date and relevant. By exposing their target audience to perspectives and ideas they may not be presented with, the market may encourage societal changes. As we said before in the article, The Ad Council questioned popular perceptions of terms like love.
It's not a good idea to send a message to people in the African American consumer market if you aren't convinced that it's a feasible market for you. You need to be ready to be a leader in the change process and get the support of these different audiences in order to grow your customer base and gain new customers. Your brand should be representative of the diverse nature of the world.
Four ways companies can help promote diversity and inclusion.
Modern businesses understand the advantages of having a variety of employees and are trying to recruit and retain employees who will encourage diversity throughout the organization. Companies as a whole could create inclusive, diverse cultures; however. Change agents can include HR departments, CEOs, as well as individual employees.
The organization
The diversity of organizations can be promoted by:
- All are welcome.
- Projection of an inclusive image
The top leaders
Organizational leaders can help promote the diversity of their workforce through the following:
- Starting from the highest
- Willingness to change
The HR department
HR departments can encourage diversification by:
- Making the transition to the job market
- Offering opportunities
The employees
Furthermore, every employee has to be aware of the unsettling facts. Everyone has preconceptions and prejudices. The messages we've experienced from the moment of birth -- from our parents, our environment, and even our surroundings--have an effect on who we are. What can we do to embrace diversity and overcome our preconceptions?
Employees can encourage diversity through the following:
- Making yourself aware
- Making amends for their mistakes
- Integrating diversity into the society
- Make sure you have a safe place
- Helping others learn