Getting to the Content of Content Marketing  

We have heard that content is king and that content will never die and that content is at the core of digital marketing. But what, exactly, is content? Is all content equal? How is content created?

What Is Content?

Content is basically a brand’s story expressed across various platforms through multiple media channels. It may be a cultural curation through the brand lens or profiles of products and how they can enable a perceived level of access into the brand.  Content can come in the form of quizzes, articles, videos, user-generated materials or shared news. It should be generated within the company’s brand voice in a language and tone that is synonymous with the brand’s intended personality. Is the brand serious, authoritative, quirky, fun, sophisticated, or clever? Is it retro, chic, modern, classic or trendy? However the brand is defined, the brand language needs to follow suit. Too many companies neglect the written word and focus solely on imagery as a means to communicate, but both are equally important. Think of brands like Kate Spade and Ralph Lauren, where every touch point from colors to fonts to language is considered a branding moment. All content needs to apply the same filter.

Consumers, on average, take in about ten hours of content a day. They absorb various forms of content across multiple devices and sometimes simultaneously (TV/tablet). What used to be in demand is now in a competitive marketplace. Content has become cluttered and is vying for attention. To add complexity to the challenge, the majority of time spent on devices is channeled through applications (apps), and many platforms are applying algorithms that will presort and anticipate content for the user. (For example, Facebook filters what is seen on a feed in order to make the information more manageable.)  Indeed, as we move to an ad-free society, the pressure to create, deliver, and maintain consistent content is being elevated so that brands can remain competitive in attracting customers rather than disrupting and interrupting them.  The shift is from “push” to “pull” advertising.

Is All Content Equal?

This is a bit of a trick question because the knee-jerk reaction would be yes, but certain executions of content should be considered more valuable. Much of this concept is based on the marketing intent. To which audience or market segment is the content targeted? How much exposure will be generated? Is the audience broad or influencer-based?  Whether posting a 140-character tweet or an 800-word blog, the lens should be why is the material being presented and to whom is it speaking.  Marketing uses three levels or types of content: Hero, Hub and Hygiene. Hero content is the type intended to be conversational with a goal to be shared and channeled across networks. This content tends to be long form (1,000-plus words) and gets shared more than short-form content. Hero content is used to position a brand as an authority or thought leader such that the reader feels validated by the information/opinions and wants to reflect it as his/her own by sharing it to his/her networks. Hub content is evergreen storytelling. This is the content used to generate an emotional connection with an audience (such as Budweiser and the Clydesdale horses). These videos, games, articles should be a direct reflection of a brand’s purpose and the silent differentiator for consumers when making product choices. How will they feel in a store when they see the product versus how they feel when they see another product—do they want family and nostalgia (Budweiser) or fun and island lightheartedness (Corona)? The third type of content is Hygiene. This is housekeeping content intended to anticipate consumers’ needs and address them accordingly. Hygiene covers FAQs and Q&As, product information, and service videos. It is not the most glamorous, but it is a core element in brand experience. Brooks Brothers does a very good job in addressing Hygiene content in a branded way (details of a shirt, how to tie a tie, etc.).

How to Get Content

There really are only three ways to get content:

• Build it as branded (see above) or non-branded (used for industries like pharmaceuticals and health companies).
• Buy it by paying bloggers or vloggers to create or tailor content or leverage user-based audience creations.
• Borrow it by sharing already posted content and repurposing it for the brand.

Regardless of the source, the content must be targeted to identified customer personas and the content must be scheduled according to platform and frequency. The content should be sorted by persona at the appropriate lifecycle stage. The plan should be to identify the brand voice; to source content that is audio, video, editorial; to plot it out across various platforms (social sites, web, in-store, emailed, etc.) and to deliver it to the right person at the right time. Is the prospective customer male or female, new to the brand or a loyalist? Is the target ready to purchase or just in the consideration stage? Has the person already made a purchase and perhaps wants to expand his or her experience or learn more about the product/service? It is basic marketing. The easiest way to address this is to create a grid and execute a plan that addresses each customer at each life stage and in each medium. More is not necessarily better here. Many marketers can over complicate this plan and get overwhelmed with content. The key is to focus on the critical few and be consistent.

Measuring Content

Like anything else in marketing, dashboards and clear expectations for pre-established objectives are critical in assessing success. While more and more efforts are quantifiable, don’t underestimate the qualitative values of content. Content should be used for both short-term and long-term goals. Whether encouraging a consumer to a specific action (click, learn, provide brand info) or building a relationship with the customer to elevate the brand value perception,  content has a role. Marketers need to be very clear about what they are trying to accomplish, what is the best way to accomplish that, and what measures will they use to determine if they succeeded or not.

If the purpose of a marketing plan is to acquire new customers in a specific age group/gender audience, creating a series of ads with related content and target websites and other placements where that audience is most likely to be exposed to the ads can be an effective course of action. Make sure the message is reflective of appropriate content that will engage potential customers and move them through the purchase funnel/journey. Measures could be impressions, clicks, click through to site and action on a site, or even store traffic and CRM post-purchase data.

If, however, the goal is to build brand awareness and establish the brand within a particular personality, a better path might be to redesign the brand/product website, create social paid-content programs, and elicit the help of established like-minded influencers. Measures could be pre and post surveys, likes, shares, and audience growth.

Whatever the goal, the content plan should be treated as a key marketing component. Staffing/structure and resources (both time and money) should be allocated accordingly, and a strong commitment to consistency and measurements should be in place prior to execution. As we continue to move toward an experiential and visual world, let’s also not forget the power of the written word, and the power of the broadcasted/podcasted word as well. Customers engage with all senses, and the best of brands understands that human aspect to the business. If content is to remain king, remember that a brand needs to create an appropriate kingdom, and that does not happen in a fortnight.