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Want to reach that guy staring at his laptop in a Starbucks cafe? What about that lady thumbing away at her smart phone while waiting for her cab?
What is the single best way to reach consumers in the age of social media and ubiquitous digital devices?
The answer? Create and curate great content!
In a world of endless screens large and small, compelling content will be key that unlocks the doors to customers.
To reach your target customers through content marketing, however, you need to consider carefully consider the perspectives of three principal players in the content marketing game.
Let me go through each of these in turn, beginning with the most important.
Customers
Customers, like content, are also kings.
The world doesn’t revolve around your enterprise and what it does. Nobody (beyond perhaps your chairman, CEO and Marketing Director) is interested in reading a “how great thou art” digital brochure. In fact, corporate drivel is about as exciting as watching a tree grow.
Instead of pushing out self-serving press releases or boastful corporate accolades, turn the spotlight on your customer’s needs, wants and desires. Publish and share content which entertains, informs and helps your customer.
A cooking oil manufacturer could offer healthy recipes and cooking tips. A grocer could provide ways to maximise one’s trip to the supermarket. Similarly, an accountant could supply tips on managing one’s cash flow.
The keyword here is relevance. Is your content meaningful and useful to your customers?
Connectors
The next important groups of stakeholders in content marketing are your connectors. Here there are two important sub-groups to consider.
#1 Social Influencers
Widely known as social media influencers, these connectors are the media owners, forumers, bloggers, YouTubers, Facebookers, Instagrammers and Twitterati with significant numbers of readers, fans and followers.
Known widely as taste makers, trend setters or opinion shapers, these influencers are the “sneezers” who can trigger the right actions from your target audience.
It is critical here to create relevant and exciting content that will ignites the interest of these influencers. Provide a reason for them to spread the word. If necessary, help to grease their wheels of action with the right incentives.
#2 Online Communities
The other important group of connectors are the members of your online communities. Like influencers, these digital denizens could be your fans and followers on social networks like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram or others.
To engage your communities, ensure that you listen and respond to their feedback. Seek their views and opinions through questionnaires and polls. Address their concerns, especially in customer service areas.
Beyond responding to their requests, share fresh and buzzworthy news that are targeted at their interests. Make it easy for them to reshare your content. Use images, videos, and sound bites to make your content multi-media.
Courtesy of Business2community
Most importantly, however, you need to ensure that your content resonates with both influencers and community members. You should also cultivate relationships with these stakeholders such that they’re more willing to help you.
Company
Last, but certainly not least, consider how your content marketing efforts relate to your business.
Sure, it’d be great to churn out tips on fixing your home appliances or cooking a great pasta dish, but what relevance does it have to an insurance company?
Sexy music videos of the latest K-pop stars are swell in generating traffic. However, what relevance does it have to an education provider? On the other hand, such entertaining content may be great for a retailer of MP3 players or other mobile entertainment devices.
A great example of a company with good relevant content is Blendtec. Its unforgettable “Will It Blend” videos are widely known to be the gold standard for viral marketing.
Through the clever use of entertainment, humour and a little shock appeal, Blendtec has made its blenders stand out from its competition while showcasing their prowess in pulping anything under the Sun.
Like Blendtec, ensure that your content generates a return to your business. Creating great viral content isn’t enough if it does nothing to generate relevant interest, attract prospects, and convert them to become customers.
Ultimately, great content marketing must lead to revenues for your business.
Spend some time today understanding the motivations and needs of your three primary stakeholders. By doing so, you’ll be able to generate content that is meaningful and relevant to your customers, resonate with your influencers and communities, and be profitable to your business.
Most importantly, however, you need to ensure that the content resonates with these influencers.online tree nursery
So glad you highlighted connectors. Often, the company focuses solely on creating content and folds its palms in a prayer, hoping that the content will go ‘viral’ by itself. But connectors are the people who are catalysts in the content reaching, and being consumed, by the target audience.
Great Post. What you think Influencer Marketing can change the marketing way?
Good blog…Variety of information which is helpful to improve my knowledge even more and very thoughtful blog…Thanks for the article!!!