Let’s demystify the buzzword. What is content marketing and why is it so important?
According to the latest Edelman Trust Barometer, 59% of us agree that it is becoming increasingly difficult to tell if a piece of news was produced by a credible media organisation. With our trust in traditional forms of media waning, we look to trustworthy organisations to provide timely, relevant and accurate information.
At its core, content marketing is strategic storytelling designed to inspire and engage your audience. Done well, a content marketing strategy can build brand loyalty and integrate your message as a daily part of your customer’s routine.
Think strategically
A content marketing strategy creates efficiencies and gives your team confidence that it is communicating relevant, purposeful information that is aligned with your brand. A strategic plan will not only enable you to be prepared, but also to respond nimbly to developing stories and opportunities. It also helps to ensure that you are creating the most effective content to achieve business objectives at any point in time.
Educate and entertain
Powerful content marketing tells a story. It should add value to the lives of your customers, whether it is through education or entertainment. Fitness brand ClassPass has its own online publication – ‘the warm up’ – which provides free articles on health and fitness cleverly sprinkled with nonchalant mentions of ClassPass products here and there.
This is a huge shift from the ‘buy, buy, buy’ tactic of traditional marketing. Imagine people actually anticipated your marketing, spent 10 minutes a day reading it, and then shared it with friends – the dream right?
The nine lives of content
‘Nine lives of content’ is a little mantra often repeated at Ellis Jones. If a story is worth telling once, then it is worth telling again. Engaging content can be repackaged and repurposed across multiple channels.
Information should also be sourced with this approach in mind. Filming a video? Take some extra B-roll footage. Interviewing for a blog piece? Ask more questions than you might need. Focus on building up a bank of quality content that you can re-share, refresh and redistribute.
It’s a learning process
A considered and insightful content marketing strategy allows brands to be fun, expressive and create a real community. You probably won’t get it right the first time, but you will continue to refine your approach as you learn.
Our final tip? Use your analytics! This data will tell you what is working, and what isn’t. Read, analyse and adjust. You will start to see results soon enough.
Unsure where to start on your content marketing journey? Talk to us today.
