Content should be an asset for your brand, not a chore. However, to make it work for your business, you must realize that content is everything. It’s also all-important, meaning that it helps to fuel all areas of your business, from sales and marketing to internal communications, events, and hiring. Given the important role that content plays for your business, it’s easy to understand a stance that I have taken for years. That is, all brands should take it upon themselves to produce at least some of their content, be they blog posts, guest blog posts, service pages, product pages or e-commerce descriptions. (Author- Ronell Smith)
In the world today of hyper quick dialogues especially online and brand/ corporate perceptions sensitive to change, citizen journalists, voices of the consumer and influencers as well as competitive counter marketing, businesses need to live with the ‘content is everything mindset’. Furthermore, every voice that a business or brand has should speak the same language simultaneously. These include the heard and written communication but beyond that how an organisation and brand behave. Content is the core of any communication and communication is all about disseminating pre created key messages. Therefore, in the marketing profession today, content rules.
Finally, content is never about what you like or your MD likes. It’s customised to your existing and targeted customers. Content now is business.
How can you cultivate the Powerful Content Creation Mindset?
Understand the scope that content covers first
It’s tough for most business owners to see beyond text and images when it comes to viewing content in its entirety. Getting them to view advertisement layouts, designs, email and social media as content is a solid first step. But getting total buy-in, having them realize the full scope of content, is an altogether different matter. Content comprises of the following scope, and more (Author)
- Location
- Ads
- Products
- Packaging
- Customers
- Website
- Charts
- Social media
- Storytelling
- Customer service
- Graphs
- Text
- Images
- Uniforms
- Logos
- Employees
- Service
(Source- Ronell Smith)
And there is more, the overall look and feel, the way your spokespeople or brand ambassadors speak. Every Moment of Truth that your target audience experiences
Key messaging and its strategic execution have never been as important
Audience definition and connection is the cornerstone of content creation. Above all the business purpose of the communication. Clear logical analysis of the product/service or corporate differentiators after competitive analysis. Key messaging should not be just carved in stone but be flexible as the environment, postulates assumptions during the time of key messaging are highly subjective to change with the passage of time. (Author)
Much research goes into key messaging before it even starts. These include in house experiences and product/service feedback as well as recording external feedback from channel partners and influencers. Then, starts the churn, first with senior marketing management to curate the key messages having the rationale ready and handy. Then target audience focus groups and finally the MD and his team.
PR the most effective content engine
Public Relations (PR) accelerates content creation by turning internal company updates, expert insights, and original data into highly authoritative external stories. Instead of generating content from scratch, PR uncovers the most compelling stories already existing within your organization. This approach ensures your messaging resonates with journalists, industry leaders, and your target audience (Source- Internet)
When you buy medium to communicate, such as print and electronic advertising it gives you a visibility boost but when you look at today’s consumers, they are literate and sensitive to credibility. This is where authentic PR raises credibility. Third party influencers validate authority. PR also boosts industry leaders with authentic and exclusive content as subject matter and domain experts. Good content also creates earned media.
Last but not the least, consumers look beyond product or service content. Community support, human interest and external proof of excellence continue to attract their share of mind.
“Content builds relationships. Relationships are built on trust. Trust drives revenue”- Andrew Davis
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