Digitally savvy brands that meet consumers on their own terms can drive greater engagement, write Google’s Kelli Wasuri and Gopi Kallayil.

Source: knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu

In the digital world, consumers don’t want to be ambushed by advertising; instead, they expect brands to advertise to them only when they grant brands permission to do so. Consumers expect brands to deliver something valuable in their messaging, whether its entertainment, education, or utility. And lastly, consumers know they have the power to amplify a brand’s message, and they expect to actively participate in doing so.

The message is clear — to be successful in the digital era, brands must listen to the demands of their consumers when marketing to them: “Meet our expectations, or become irrelevant.”