Five Tenets for Content Marketing Success

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Jun 24, 2013 

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Five Tenets for Content Marketing Success

ADOTAS — When it comes to effective marketing strategies, nothing is garnering more praise or trade media ink than content marketing. Technology has made creating quality content a snap, and social media makes that content simple to publish and syndicate.

One key to winning at content marketing is targeting passions. While many of us scratch our heads as shows like “American Pickers,” “Hillbilly Hand Fishing” and “Pawn Stars” pile up in the listings, it’s because they attract a loyal, passionate, niche viewing audience. Online, brands looking for success in content marketing frequently fall short on securing this level of loyalty, although some brands are doing it right: Red Bull has found a niche among extreme sports fans. Dove’s “Real Beauty” content is resonating among women of a certain age.  Johnson & Johnson’s BabyCenter.com has been attracting expectant and new mothers for well over a decade now.  We can definitely learn from the successes these brands are seeing.

Generally, these companies adhere to what I term ‘The Five Tenets of Content Marketing,’ which encompass both content types and distribution methods.  Let’s break down each of these and discuss how they can work for brands targeting passionate niche audiences.

1. Premium Content: The native advertising trend has opened opportunities for brands to associate their unique content with a premium publisher. A frequently cited example of this is Porsche’s “Where Design Meets Technology” content, which made a very successful appearance in The Atlantic. This content strikes a chord among luxury car lovers, a passionate group themselves, as well as anyone who appreciates elegant design. There are many great publishers out there offering content opportunities like this – AllRecipes.com features consumer-generated recipes, as well as those from Campbell’s and Betty Crocker. Forbes, Funny or Die, The Onion and other quality publications offer native and content-driven advertising opportunities.
2. Social Content: Social media has made everyone into a publisher – including many brand advertisers. Not only can they create their own shareable content, but many brands allow their followers to contribute content as well. High-end fashion brands have been doing particularly well in this arena: Kate Spade, Tory Burch and Burberry tap into their base of loyal fashionistas with lively presences across blogs, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest and beyond. Tory Burch in particular offers shareable photos, videos and even playlists on her blog, which attracts over 200,000 visitors each month.
3. Video/Rich Media Content: Old timers like me are quick to forget that these days, content goes well beyond text and deep into interactive games, video and more – lest we forget “Angry Birds Rio” and “Angry Birds Star Wars.” Entertainment may seem like the best fit for rich content, but other verticals can have an impact too. Those targeting DIY homeowners can offer helpful how-to videos or tutorials. Last month’s Prancercise phenomenon is (hilarious) proof positive that video works well for fitness brands. Virtual test-drives can also be very successful – for cars, for juice extractors, even complex halter dresses. And of course, budget-permitting, branded games – both social and app-based – can really drive engagement.
4. Local Content: Smartphones have made local content an imperative, particularly for brick-and-mortar businesses. To drive foot traffic, creating content anchored to a particular locale is critical. Starbucks leverages FourSquare, Groupon and LivingSocial to pull consumers into its stores. Less-ubiquitous retailers, hospitality brands and restaurateurs follow their lead and add some ideas of their own, including optimized blog posts, and a presence on platforms like Google Plus and Facebook that are tied to a location.
5. Product Reviews: Love the idea or hate it, product reviews are content too. More often than not, they can work in a brand’s favor.  Amazon and TripAdvisor reviews come immediately to mind: a good review will certainly drive more business, but a sane negative review can provide a roadmap to a better product or service. And of course, a kind response to negative review goes a very, very long way.

Unfortunately, these five tenets alone can’t help brands engage audiences repeatedly. The secret sauce to creating a lasting relationship with your audience is being able to customize content based on engagement. Success depends on optimizing the content and the creative for brand advertisers based on engagement, NOT optimizing ad units based on CTR. Always remember folks, clicks are for kids!

Ultimately, content marketing is not an endeavor to be taken on lightly. Success requires a lot of content. It also requires, as I’ve said earlier, meticulous mapping to your target audience’s passion. And it requires patience, because it is an ongoing initiative – not a short-lived campaign.  But with the right content built on the foundation of these five tenets, content marketing success can be yours.

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