When you think of awesome content, what companies spring to mind? Perhaps. Kraft’s ample assortment of recipes, Fiskars’ collection of crafting ideas, or Lowe’s compilation of home improvement projects stand out. All of these companies–and many others–have used creative content to establish themselves as trustworthy authorities within their respective industries.
And your company can garner a loyal following by creating stellar content too.
Before embarking on a content marketing campaign, however, there are a few things to bear in mind.
Quality Trumps Quantity
While it is important to generate fresh content on a regular basis, you never want to sacrifice quality to create quantity. No content, after all, is better than lousy content. In fact, “Content is the Key to Keeping Your Customers” points to research in the UK, stating that “customers relate quality content with quality products.” Low-quality content, therefore, is perceived to come from companies that offer lower quality products. If you want your readers to think of you as an industry authority whose products are top-notch, you had better ensure that your content is consistently stellar.
Videos Rock
Viewers love visuals, especially videos. Not only do they offer a break from reading text, but they also allow you to communicate a vast quantity of information in a short period of time. Plus, videos tell a story–tapping into the emotions of your viewers. These emotions, then, become associated with more than just the video. They become attached to your brand. As Joe Martin, Marketing Analytics Manager for the Adobe Digital Index team, tells “26 Ways to Create Engaging Content,” data shows that video content will indeed lead to better ROI than non-video content.
Go Interactive
Humans are social creatures and, as such, we prefer to engage in conversation than to act as mere receptacles for incoming information. It stands to reason, therefore, that interactive content is preferred to static. Polls, surveys, games, and open conversations fare better than one-sided walls of text.
Furthermore, as Forbes contends, users are becoming increasingly accustomed to individualized results in the digital world, including content that shifts or responds to user prompts. This will lead to an increased need for your company to generate and interpret data to create content that better appeals to your customer base.
Social Media is a Must
Most people will not stumble upon your website by accident. You need to create multiple routes to lead them there, instead. And the best routes are via social media channels.
Creating a corporate Facebook page, “tweeting” links via Twitter, posting videos on YouTube, “pinning” images on Pinterest, and sharing posts on Google+ will increase your website traffic and generate a large following. And, remember–every follower is a customer waiting to be converted.
Remember, your company is more than just a purveyor of goods and services. It is a brand.
When it comes to choosing between brands–your company versus the competition–customers will choose the one that has earned their trust, nurtured a positive emotional connection, and, quite frankly, kept them entertained. The difference between winning or losing can come down to content.
What companies do you feel generate the best content? Why?
