It’s all about ‘Content’ – but hasn’t it always been about ‘Content’? Product brochures, advertising campaigns, infomercials and even websites pre-date this ‘new’ concept. Content now includes tweets and Vines ™ and posts, e-zines and mobile games and apps; blogs and webinars and everything in between.
Traditional marketing relied on sharing information with your audience generally from the company’s point of view or via endorsements from partners impressed with the company’s offer or benefactors happy with the company’s outreach activities. Audience feedback was at best delayed if offered any at all.
Content marketing is far less about pushing information and more about sharing. In this new paradigm, companies are challenged to add value at the point of communicating – and not only at the point of purchase. Through content, the public gets a chance to ‘sample’ the company’s brand and seek endorsements pre-purchase that virtually eliminate the chance of any post-purchase dissonance.
Through content marketing you invite your audience in and actively involve them in your business. Your audience, if successfully engaged, will critique, recommend, complain and complement.
When developing your content marketing strategy – keep in mind the ABC’s
Authenticity is the most important value to embrace. If you don’t, you will be ‘outted’ by the ever-vigilant on-line community and risk irreparable damage to your company/brand reputation. Stick with what you know and what is real and verifiable.
Brevity is required – cut to the core and deliver your message in short form wherever possible. The on-line audience is exposed to multiple messages per minute and will quickly decide what deserves a second look. Give your audience the option to get more involved with you via e-zines, blog posts or webinars for example.
Creativity counts more now than ever. With the plethora of media options and messaging opportunities, the challenge is to do something different. The content marketing environment is a playground for creative thinkers. Add some real right-brainers to your team and let the ideas flow!
Here’s an easy to follow map to developing your own content marketing strategy.
For more inspiration, check out… 101 Companies Rocking Social Media http://bitly.com/ZLOTgl via @HubSpot
Tanya Miller is the President of Kingstonville, LLC a digital marketing company in Maryland, USA. Follow her on Twitter @Kingstonville or visit her blog at www.kingstonville.com
