DECLUTTER YOUR CONTENT

Content marketing.  It’s a phrase beloved by modern marketers.  But what is it?  Essentially, it’s marketing communications.  It’s the things we’ve always done but rebranded, yet somehow it feels more overwhelming.  And that’s because today we consume content at an unquenchable rate.

The pressure to create content is felt by business owners, business development representatives and marketers across the globe.  And obviously, the biggest culprit is social media.  Here, content disappears in an instant.  Relevant one minute; irrelevant in the next.

So, what can be done to alleviate this pressure.  Obviously, you can appoint people like us to take the headache away, or you can box clever.

Declutter your content

First off, we need to banish the adage more is more when it comes to content marketing.  It isn’t.  There is more content in the digital sphere than ever before, but this doesn’t translate to higher engagement levels.  Nowadays, there’s just too much stuff, we simply don’t have the time or in some cases, the inclination to wade through all this clutter.

So, for your content to resonate and help you achieve your business goals, you must concentrate on making relevant and engaging content that aligns with your business strategy.

Where to start?  My background is in PR so for me, content is about far more than a few social media posts.  I am a firm believer than we should maximise each PR opportunity.  Take a case study, for example.  In our experience, they rank consistently high in page views for many of our B2B clients.  They appeal to architects, specifiers, and homeowners alike.  They are also incredibly content rich.

Communicating your core messages

A well-written case study does the hard work for you.  Somebody else, a happy customer, is saying lots of lovely things about your business, staff, and products.  This is very powerful.  It gives confidence to other prospects.  It’s a subtle sales pitch.  Done right, a case study can highlight your objectives and underpin your core messages.

Quotes from customers can also be used as testimonials across your owned media and marketing material.

Visually engaging

Case studies provide valuable opportunities for photography and video.  Budgets vary so don’t underestimate the quality of smartphone photography and footage, especially for digital use.  A few tips picked up from a YouTube tutorial will point you in the right direction.

These can then accompany a written case study for sharing with relevant print and digital press, be posted on your website and social media, and to enhance marketing literature.

If using a professional photographer be sure to check their copyright restrictions before appointing and credit where necessary.

Bite-sized PR

Producing a case study is one of the highlights of my job.  They are wholly satisfying because they provide valuable PR for my clients, digitally and in print.  In full, a good case study can achieve high-value print coverage over several months.  It will also appeal to Google’s requirement for ‘People first content’ – content that has been written for people not search engines, demonstrates first-hand experience, and a depth of knowledge.

Edited, a case study can provide numerous snippets for social media.  Quotes, product information, experiences, challenges, and solutions can all be clipped and shared alongside your captivating images, with a link back to the case study on your website.  It makes for positive internal communications too.

Customer feedback gained during the interview process can also be put to good use within the business, to aid decision-making, highlight strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities.

By focusing on content rich opportunities, such as case studies, you can be sure that your content aligns with your brand strategy, resonates with your target audience, and delivers high-performance results.

Find out how we can help you declutter your content, get in touch now.  Department of Marketing has over 50 years’ combined marketing and PR experience.

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This article first appeared in the marketing supplement of Glass Times.  Reproduced with thanks.