Edutainment Content: What It Is & How to Create It

Posted on July 12, 2023

In today’s digital age, attention spans are getting shorter and shorter by the day, and the demand for engaging content is rising. The concept of entertaining, educational content, or “edutainment,” has gained significant popularity and has proven to be an effective method for captivating the imagination and holding audiences’ attention while teaching them new concepts or materials.

Understanding Edutainment Content

The goal of edutainment is to teach an audience what you need them to know in an entertaining way. As counterintuitive as it may seem, one of the best ways to get them to care about your story is to design content that’s relevant for them; not you.

This type of content goes beyond traditional education methods by incorporating:

Engaging storytelling techniques
Interesting visuals
Interactive elements

All of these techniques are designed to make learning more enjoyable and accessible. This encourages and motivates learners to actively participate and engage with your content.

Work doesn’t feel like work if you enjoy it, and when you present educational content in an entertaining way, you create a more immersive and enjoyable experience. This leads to improved retention of knowledge and an increased interest in the subject matter. For example, in some schools, students have fun while developing their problem-solving capabilities with the wildly popular video game Minecraft. It’s been successfully used in the classroom to teach students complex concepts by presenting them as fun parts of the game.

While it may seem new, edutainment content has a long history of success. Generations of young children have benefited from TV shows like Sesame Street and Mr. Rodger’s Neighborhood, which teach essential skills through music and comedic skits. Similarly, kids have enjoyed shows like Bill Nye the Science Guy, and The Magic School Bus which present scientific concepts in a fun format.

Creating Edutainment Content

When designing and creating edutainment it’s important to know who your target audience is. Understanding their needs, preferences, and potential educational goals will help you tailor the content so it resonates with them effectively.

Whenever it’s practical, consider adapting your content for different mediums so you’re able to deliver your message across multiple platforms. There’s power in repetition. If you have content presented as a video, part of a game, and also as a podcast, you’ll naturally increase the opportunities for your audience to interact with it in a manner that best fits their needs.

Power of Immersion

Storytelling plays a critical role in effective edutainment content. By crafting compelling stories you invite your audience to become fully immersed in your world. Here you can present them with complex ideas and information in a highly relatable format. By incorporating visuals such as illustrations, animations, or slideshow presentations, you can further immerse your audience and enhance their learning experience.

Designing Effective Edutainment

Adding humor to edutainment will make it even more appealing. When something is funny it feels lighter and easier to connect with. Interactive elements like funny little multiple-choice quizzes, puzzles, challenges, or interactive simulations increase active participation and reinforce what’s being taught.

Providing the chance for continuous communication and feedback with user surveys and assessments will make it easier for you to make any needed improvements going forward.

Implementing suggestions will also help keep your content fresh, effective, relevant, and entertaining.

The Best of Education and Entertainment

Edutainment content combines education and entertainment to create immersive and fun learning experiences. By understanding your target audience and using a variety of different mediums, you can design effective edutainment content. Embracing this approach can revolutionize the way your audience learns and at the same time make education more accessible and enjoyable for all.

Do you need help creating effective edutainment content? Contact ArachnidWorks; we will ensure your content resonates with your audience.

5 Digital Marketing Trends to Watch Out for In 2023

Posted on January 24, 2023

People change, and so do their stories. So it naturally makes sense that marketing will change as well. The trick is keeping up with these stories as they’re told.

Let’s discuss some marketing trends that will be prevalent this year and beyond, starting with…

User-Generated Content Marketing

People trust their friends, loved ones, and other reputable individuals, but they don’t always trust a business. Because of this distrust, a simple ad with a “buy our product” jingle may not be as effective as word-of-mouth.

Not so long ago when you wanted to know who the best plumber was, you simply called your friend who just recently had their pipes snaked. Today, you may still do that, but you can also use the internet and find testimonials or reviews (both bad and good) for practically any product or service.

Anything put online by a person not employed or paid by the company is considered ‘user-generated content.’ We can look forward to this becoming an increasingly viable marketing tool.

Interactive Websites

Interactive websites invite users to explore content on a deeper level. This may mean questionnaires, attractive animations, or anything else that’s more than just simple information and “Learn More” buttons. If implemented well, this content will bring the customer back time and time again, which leads to a higher conversion rate. These experiences have the potential to make traditionally boring subject matter a bit more fun.

Because of their conversion potential, these websites are certainly something we should all be on the lookout for and expect to see more of in 2023 and beyond.

Influencer Marketing

Lately, this has become more than just a buzzword, But what exactly is it?

The concept stems from the days of celebrity endorsements or advertisements, bringing that marketing concept online and modernizing it. The difference is that oday’s “influencers” don’t have to be movie stars. Love it or hate it, ‘online fame’ is now its own universe, and this universe has a lot of marketing power! That’s because influencers have a loyal following. If they say, “Product X, is the best,” then many of their followers will turn into customers. In some cases, the influencer matters even more than the actual product they are promoting. It’s a powerful trend, and it’s getting more prevalent.

Automation Tools

The “one size fits all” approach to marketing is a thing of the past. With automation tools, marketing websites will be able to give a user a greater level of personalization. Today’s customers want and deserve what meets their personal needs. Every time you visit a website, its automation tools may ask for your name and email address. That automation is a tool that’s allowing marketers to match a product with the customer who may benefit from it the most.

As time goes on, these tools will become more refined, which could have a profound effect on the way we market.

Short-Form Video Content

Video Marketing is a gigantic volcano in terms of just how red-hot it is. These videos are beyond popular. That’s why your social feeds are filled with video content. It catches the eye in an instant. People are making content for the products they like—free advertising for the seller!

A 30-second video of an unknown teenager discussing a skin-care product she loves can be more effective ad than a paid endorsement from a big star.

You may be asking how this is possible. The answer is that the girl making her own short-form video is genuine, therefore more believable. So, as we start 2023, and continuing in the future, we’ll be expecting this form of video advertising and marketing to continue.

At ArachnidWorks, we’re always up to date on the latest marketing trends, and we consistently put these practices to use helping our clients achieve success. We know how to implement the latest tools and techniques to ensure your content is ready for today’s marketing landscape.

Social Media Marketing Trends For 2022

Posted on December 15, 2021

It’s hard to believe it, but we’ve made it to 2022! As marketing pros, we’ve learned a few lessons throughout 2021, and spotted some emerging social media marketing trends. So what are they?

1. Short and Sweet

This is more of an extension of an existing trend than a new one altogether, but it’s worthy of a second look; short content for the win! Shorter is better when it comes to social media content. It’s thought to be more effective since the attention span of younger users is much shorter, accustomed as they have become to TikTok style short form content.

Advertising on these emerging popular platforms, like TikTok, will continue to be an effective marketing strategy.

2. Permanent Posts Take the Lead

A “Story” is disappearing content that’s viewable for about a day before it’s gone for good. While this will still be a good choice in some cases, 2022 will see more businesses turning to those that can be viewed days, or even weeks, after the initial publishing. It’s estimated that permanent postings give the most return on your social media investment.

Disappearing content still has its place in some platforms where it will continue to thrive. The best recommendation is to consider the platform, your audience, and the intention of your post. Are you having a moment of light hearted fun, for instance, or are you advertising for an event with a ticker? A great approach is to use a mixture of disappearing and permanent postings.

3. Augmented and Virtual Reality Marketing Step Strongly into 2022

More and more consumers are diving into the virtual world, and many smart businesses will be taking advantage of this trend. Some ways to take advantage of this niche are offering virtual tours through a facility, or adding a scannable code on business cards that will allow a user to view your products, or recording events and allowing visitors to view the events as if they were part of them.

This may be a costly set-up, but the attention it brings to your brand may make a great return on your investment.

Continue reading →

Advertising Trends To Watch For in 2020

Posted on February 21, 2020

There are basically two types of advertising. The first kind gloms onto the latest tricks and trends for novelty’s sake and looks dated in a matter of months. Type #2 relies on a select group of promising trends and manages to look fresh while remaining classic and timeless.

Which kind of advertising strategy do you want?

Let’s look at a few trends that are out in front for 2020 that are worth learning and adapting into your business’s advertising.

Voice Search

One of the most popular ads aired during Super Bowl LIV was “Before Alexa,” in which power couple Ellen DeGeneres and Portia DeRossi talk about life before the advent of the voice assistant. At least 25 percent of adults in the US could relate, as that’s the number believed to own a smart speaker like Alexa or Google Home. What implications does this have for your advertising? Make sure your site is voice-search enabled so that people can access it using their smart speaker.

Increased Artificial Intelligence

In 2011, tech researchers predicted that by 2020, 85 percent of customer relationships would be enabled by Artificial Intelligence (AI)— that is, managed without human interaction. Sound unlikely? Actually not. The latest data says we are on track to not only meet but exceed that benchmark before year’s end. In fact, the latest predictions indicate that number might hit 90 percent by New Year’s Day, 2021.
AI is not only available 24/7, it drives the customer experience in ways we could only have imagined. It allows us to get our questions answered more quickly online, and provides personalized content on YouTube, Netflix, and Spotify. Banks are linking with Alexa and Google Home to allow customers to schedule transfers and pay bills. Movie theaters use AI to allow customers to purchase tickets, select seats, and pre-order popcorn and Raisinets before they pull out of the garage.

So how does Artificial Intelligence impact advertising? Start with this: AI can offer you in-depth information about what your customers want. It can leverage apps to learn what an individual’s preferences are, and direct you to construct and place ads based on past purchases.

Bottom Line? If your company isn’t already exploring how AI can inform your advertising, what are you waiting for?

Personalized Advertising

Technology allows advertisers to tap into the generalized preferences of buyers and also to the specific needs of individuals. In fact, simple efforts to make a brand more personal causes the likelihood of a purchase to skyrocket. 80 percent of consumers report they are more likely to purchase when an app they access greets them by name, reminds them of past purchases, and offers suggestions for similar products based on these items.

Social Media

Social media is already a popular advertising platform, and that trend is not slowing down. The number of users currently using social media is estimated at nearly 3.2 billion, pretty much ensuring an audience for just about any type of business. As an added bonus, you can write, design, and create ads that target age, location, gender— even interests. The actual sites that are most popular might change, but social media is here to stay.

Large Format Printing

Large format printing in the form of billboards, ads on the sides of buildings, and oversized banners at conventions and trade shows are increasing in popularity. These large format options grab attention, making up for their lack of targeting through the sheer number of people who see them.

Shoppable Posts

Emerging technology will allow users to click directly on the image of a product to get a description, price, and clickable link to order. While a version of this is available now, the newer version will be more streamlined— and in a world where time is of the essence, that will translate into more users. The new version of the shoppable post experience will be more interactive for customers, allowing you to publish ads that don’t necessarily look like ads.

Immersive Experiences

Expect Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) to become increasingly popular. Start exploring ways to use these emerging technologies to provide your customers with more opportunities to interact with your products.

Open Composition

Another design trend that is impacting how advertising looks and feels is what’s called the “open composition” concept. The look is free of harsh edges, and elements don’t line up perfectly on a grid. Picture an image where the edges fade into smoke and recede into the background. Websites designed with the open composition look and feel seem more fluid, and adjust well to varying screen sizes. The look also works for billboards and magazine ads. Look for more open composition styles, especially online.

Advertising is a creative field that invites risk-taking. That’s one reason that advertising trends change quickly, making it impossible to predict what will stick around and what will disappear before it’s even noticed. Our best advice? Mentally bookmark a few brands whose advertising styles you admire, and whose customer base is similar to your company’s. Keep an eye on what they’re doing. What seems to be working for them? The answers to those questions will inform your own advertising mix, and help you develop an ad strategy that will work for your business.

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