Content Marketing – Are you giving the consumer what they want? | I-Believe

t. +353 (0)1 703 0405 e. info@i-believe.ie

Goto Home Page

I-Believe

The Right Environment Matters

Content Marketing – Are you giving the consumer what they want?

“Content marketing is more than a buzzword. It is the hottest trend in marketing because it is the biggest gap between what buyers want and brands produce.”  Michael Brenner, SAP

Capturing the attention of consumers is no longer about shouting the loudest. In fact, marketers are finding that more and more they need to think like storytellers – less push and more pull.

When asked what digital related areas were a top priority for their business in 2014, marketers in the U.S. reported Content Marketing as their number one priority (Adobe/E Consultancy Survey 2014).

And why is content marketing the top priority for businesses? Simply put, content marketing builds relationships; relationships are built on trust; and trust drives revenue.

Educate, Entertain, Inspire

Going forward, brands will need to invest more in identifying and creating stories which are of value to consumers – all content must educate the consumer, entertain them, inspire them or provide them with social capital to share with others. Giving the people what they want sounds basic but it is the critical element of effective content marketing.

7 Tips for Creating the Content Your Customers Want:

1. Walk in your customers shoes: Identify and understand your target audience – listen to their conversations on forums, on social media, in store etc. and consider how your brand can make their life easier.

2. It’s all in the timing: Make the content timely by relating it to an issue that is relevant to the consumer NOW.

3. Make value a priority: Above all, make sure that your customer is educated, entertained or inspired by your content.

4. Be original: What can your content add that makes it indispensable and thereby worthy of being shared.

5. Keep it simple, but engaging: Ensure it is clearly laid out and use images and videos to engage with visitors and keep them coming back for more.

6. The power of the human connection: Content which evokes emotions is proven to be shared more readily.

7. Amplify your reach: Distribute the content on multiple platforms to ensure it engages with your consumers at multiple touch points.

 

Content Marketing Trends for 2014

Contentlyrecently identified four key trends for the year ahead:

  1. Increased transparency: More brands making their role in the content they produce transparent – there is increased evidence that customers buy into brands that clearly identify their goals in the stories they are telling.
  2. Increased pressure to demonstrate how content converts to actual business results.
  3. Increased debate around content distribution and what works best – should you curate your own content or sponsor others. Curating its own content gives a brand complete control enabling it to develop its own voice and look. While sponsoring content enables a brand to leverage the trusted voice of site.
  4. Storytelling will become even more competitive. Brands will be forced to invest more in people and production facilities to produce quality stories/content which will compel their target audiences.

(http://contently.com/strategist/2014/04/14/state-of-content-marketing-2014/)

 

Brand Voice

Here at i-Believe we have seen a dramatic increase in demand for campaigns which involve the creation and promotion of content onsite and via social media networks; particularly across our Parenting, Sports and Entertainment Channels. We’ve delivered successful content led campaigns for brands such as Laya Healthcare, Heinz, Cow and Gate, Kellogg’s , Kia and more recently with Guinness across the six Nations.

Brand Logos

Through our Brand Voice proposition we provide brands with multiple opportunities to capitalise on the trusted relationships, goodwill and context which exist between premium publisher content and its audience.

To learn how Brand Voice can power your content led campaigns, call Dermot or Marie on 01 7030405 or visit our website: http://i-believe.ie/solutions/brandvoice/

To view highlights of the Adobe/EConsultancy survey visit http://www.b2bmarketinginsider.com/content-marketing/content-marketing-top-marketing-priority-2014