Content marketing has been around for decades and is seen as an essential part of the modern marketer’s toolkit, and yet there is still something elusive and possibly misunderstood about where content marketing fits in, the value it adds, and what constitutes good content.
One of the reasons this discipline becomes confusing is the sheer volume of content that gets pushed out by companies that have some skin in the game. Google “content marketing trends” and you’ll be served a minefield of predicted trends and tactics, many of which are simply not true or are very obviously trying to sell you a content-marketing-related platform or service.
Things like, “Video content will replace all other forms of marketing”. Er, nope. Video is the most engaged with content but there will always be a place for words and imagery, for infographics and podcasts. Another that catches the eye is “Ephemeral content is the future”. Hmm, do we really want to spend our resources and budget on content that disappears after a few minutes? Or, my favourite, “Every brand needs a VR strategy”. No, they don’t. The relatively minuscule number of VR headsets in the hands of consumers globally – and certainly in South Africa – means that this much-predicted trend has never materialised in any meaningful way and should certainly not be touted as the next big thing. With all the focus marketers put on staying up to date with trends, we sometimes forget the basics, and that’s a mistake.
The truths, not the trends
Rather than being so trends-focused, there is probably more value in going back to basics and looking at some of content marketing’s perennial truths to help inform your content marketing strategy. And the best place to start is by remembering who our content serves.
Audience first. Always
It seems obvious. We should always be keeping our consumers in mind when crafting content for them. Providing relevant and useful content that meets your audience’s needs is content marketing’s primary goal. Meeting them where they are and addressing their needs through the content you serve builds trust and engagement. Yet, time and again, we’ve seen strategies that started with the best intentions ending up putting out content that is more aligned with what the brand (and its many stakeholders) wants to say than with what the audience needs. Our consumers’ attention is a currency. Content marketing has to be a value exchange where we reward our audiences for their time and attention with content that adds real, tangible value. When we start to force product, price and promo messaging, our audiences see it, they feel manipulated, and we lose the trust we’ve been working so hard to gain.
“Content marketing is really like a first date. If all you do is talk about yourself, there won’t be a second date.” – David Beebe, founder and CEO, Storified Hospitality Group
Content marketing is a commitment, not a campaign
Like all good things, it takes time. As Michael Brenner, CEO of Marketing Insider Group, puts it, “It’s like building a retirement account where consistent investments over time yield significant returns.” Content marketing is the baseline of your brand, which establishes who you are and what you’re about, and this can only be done if you show commitment and patience and are in it for the long haul. We all want instant results, but that’s what your campaign calendar is there for. Targeted and short-term campaigns have their role to play and can be very effective. Your content marketing efforts, however, should be consistent, crafted, and focused on creating long-term value where the cumulative impact of your content grows, attracting more leads and increasing your reach. But that won’t happen overnight.
Have a point of view
If your brand has no point of view, doesn’t stand for something and plays it safe, you’re possibly contributing to what architect Thomas Heatherwick calls the “blandemic”. All too often, in a time of social media fallout and brand-blaming, we tend to want to sit on the fence on issues or topics that attract the trolls. And, while you never want to step outside of your “right to publish” territory – the content space where you have the credibility and authority to state your brand’s beliefs – not having an opinion can be harmful. Consumers care about what your company stands for and want to understand your values as an organisation. These days you have a couple of seconds to convince your audiences not to click away, so don’t be same-y, stand out. Your consumers will notice and reward you for your conviction. A great example of a brand that does this very well is Patagonia, which has a long history of championing the environment and sustainability. I love this quote from K. Corley Kenna, Head of Global Communications and Policy, “For us, it’s more important to get the environmental story out than Patagonia the brand. Before all, we emphasise storytelling and spotlight the environmental causes we care about.” Having a point of view also makes life easier – it’s the golden thread that runs through everything you do.
Message first. Medium second
Having the right martech stack is vitally important. You can’t work your magic without the right wand, and with the tech landscape ever-evolving, ensuring you have the right channel mix and tech stack is a must for any brand. But that shouldn’t mean that you should let the medium dictate the message. The medium can enhance the message’s reach and presentation, but without a strong, clear and engaging message, the medium can’t achieve the desired impact. The message informs your channel mix, not the other way around. This is a mistake we’ve seen backfire. Pepsi’s 2017 “Live for Now" ad featuring Kendall Jenner handing a Pepsi to a police officer during a protest had the right mediums in play. Influencer marketing? Tick. Big-budget social media campaign with paid behind it? Tick. But what the marketers here failed to think through was the message, which was deemed by many to be culturally insensitive, resulting in the ad being pulled pronto. As customer experience expert Jay Baer puts it, “Tools are great, but content marketing success is about the wizard, not the wand.”
Keeping these basic truths top of mind – even when things are wild and you’re madly chasing sales and have your internal clients breathing down your neck – can ensure that you keep your eye on the long-term goals that underpin your content marketing efforts. It’ll all be worth it in the end.
Need help crafting a content marketing strategy that ticks all the boxes and asks the right questions? Let us know if you want to chat.