Believe it or not, television no longer commands our full attention. Television has become one of the most common devices used simultaneously with other screens. Smartphones, the backbone of our daily media interactions, have the highest number of user interactions per day. Things have really changed.
When the Metal Roofing Alliance launched its first campaign, the main component of the program was a national consumer and trade awareness campaign, which included television advertising, a website and a VHS tape consumers ordered by calling a toll-free number. Through the years we’ve continued to “fine-tune” our messages and how they are delivered.
The MRA continually launches and supports programs and initiatives that advance and grow the industry. “Although our efforts shift slightly, our guiding principles and objectives remain the same,” says Tom Black, executive director of the MRA. “We concentrate on speaking directly to consumers and contractors with a simplified and focused message. Reinforcing the overall value of residential metal roofing has been the resounding theme in all of our communication efforts.”
For the last several years we have been able to purchase national television advertising time at a deep discount through Google TV, which was an auction system for unsold commercial space. Buying through Google TV was a great option for an association such as the MRA, with a national audience but a limited advertising budget. Unfortunately, at the end of 2012, Google stopped selling television ad space to focus on other parts of its business. As a result, our marketing team was faced with the task of continuing to reach consumers and contractors without using traditional television advertising.
At the same time, the world of smartphones, tablets and laptops have opened up tremendous new opportunities to reach our target audience. Television is not the only game in town, and in fact, most consumers use multiple screens simultaneously. Consider the numbers — of the 6 billion people on the planet 4.2 billion have at least one mobile device. And according to a Google survey, 90 percent of consumers in fact use multiple devices sequentially, moving between several devices, depending on the context. For example, we may initially search for something on our smartphone and use our PC for more detailed exploration. On average, we spend more than four hours of leisure time each day in front of a screen. Coupled with the work hours we spend online, the potential audience is huge!
As a result, the MRA will spend a large portion of our marketing budget on digital media this year in addition to print advertising, search engine optimization, social media and public relations. Our digital strategy will allow us to perform advanced targeting while providing video engagement and awareness building.
For example, we have partnered with Sunset Living and Coastal Living magazines and are participating in their project homes. MRA manufacturer member Fabral is working with Coastal Living and ASC Building Products is working closely with Sunset Living. In addition to the metal roofs being featured in each publication, the roofs will also be featured in a number of digital media initiatives.
Our digital strategy will include a great messaging mix. We will continue to focus on the visual aspect of metal roofing. The residential metal roofing industry is still battling the misperception many homeowners have that a metal roof won’t work on their home. To better educate our audience, our digital advertising will feature a wide variety of home styles with metal roofs. In addition, our existing consumer testimonial videos and banner ads highlighting the style, fire protection and the energy efficiency messages will be placed on the web properties that reach our target audience. For example, you’ll see MRA messages on sites such as weather.com, Coastal Living, homes.com, msnbc.com, diynetwork.com, Time.com, WSJ.com and Southern Living.
Choosing a new roof is a big investment and today’s homeowners are much more likely to do extensive research before making a major purchase including their roof. With the MRA’s new robust digital strategy, consumers will find even more metal roofing information online that at any time in the past. Our digital-focused marketing strategy is expected to generate millions of media impressions, each with a link to our www.metalroofing.com website for more information.
The MRA website is a wealth of accurate, timely information. In addition to the Find-A-Contractor feature, homeowners can find information of the many benefits of metal roofing including the many styles, colors and finishes available. They can download photos, learn about tax credits and find information on energy efficiency and sustainability.
To learn more about the MRA, please visit www.metalroofing.com. Interested in joining the MRA? Please email Tom Black at tom@metalroofing.com.
Bill Hippard is the president of the Metal Roofing Alliance and vice president of sales at Precoat Metals.