Content Marketing: Content is King

We have all heard and read about it: Content is king. According to @EntMagazine “Some 329 million people read blogs each month, and 27 million pieces of content are shared each day. That's why "content marketing" – a catch-all phrase that refers to how a brand might delivering custom content though its website and social channels – is key to building relationships and loyal customers”. Brands have realized this  opportunity and are now focusing on creating content that leverages their marketing strategies and connect with their consumers. Many are trying but many are failing.

Nowadays consumers don’t care where or who is providing the content as long as it’s relevant. IT may be a blog, a post on Facebook, a video on YouTube or a tweet. It may come from a brand, from a celebrity or even an influencer. What they are looking for is content that is appealing and relevant. Therefore, What should advertisers take in consideration when developing content for their audience?

1.   Listen

When brands are creating content the first thing they should do is listening to itsconsumers. They need to identify what are their consumers looking for and how they can connect with the brands strategy without being intrusive. Nike is the perfect example of a brand that listens. For its 2014 world cup campaign they found a clever way to connect with what their audience was looking for. They identified a clear insight: is not only about the superstar players, as a Fan I want to be part of it.   As  @danielnewmanUV mentions in his Forbes article Risk Everything: Nike Does For World Cup 2014, And Wins!: “It is the perfect blend of product placement, provocative storytelling and real-time marketing. Welcome to the future of marketing where brands, media and content meet seamlessly to create the ultimate level of customer engagement.” Compare  the 2010 and 2014 videos and see how they changed

2010

2014

 2. Tell The Story, Make It Compelling
 
Storytelling is a concept that has been around for centuries. Brands that have been successful developing content marketing strategies have mastered the art of storytelling. They've understood that it is not  all about what the brand wants to tell but telling a story that is compelling to the audience. Remember is not telling the story in the brand’s language; the key is to create content that connects with the audience in the language they understand best.  RedBull is a clear example on how a brand uses storytelling to create content. As explained by masterinbound in his post Content Marketing Case Study - Red Bull “In addition to filming documentaries, hosting extreme events, and generally pushing the boundaries of human ability, Red Bull promotes their messaging and content through a robust social media strategy anchored around embracing the language and practices of their core audience”

3.   Right story at the correct moment

“Content relevance is that sweet spot of delivering the right piece of content at the right moment through the right channel”.  Its not only about having   content that the consumers wants to see and that  is useful to them, is delivering it in the right time and context. . Beats by Dre created a video called “the game before the game”, which showcases exactly how to have the right story and deliver it in the right moment. Beats had to find a way to connect their brands with the consumer and the world cup, with the extra challenge that they were not an official sponsor. How did they do it? They created a compelling story around the game before the game. They showed the players in a moment that wasn't showed by anyone before and that fans wanted to see: The pre-game rituals.  Not only did sales increased, but actually they had higher recall than Sony , an official sponsor.