Five simple ways to create a content marketing strategy for brands

So:

You really dig content marketing…

You understand why this year is sink or swim for brands (and agencies) that don’t do it…

You have a basic idea of how to measure it…

Heck, you’ve even decided on the best tech platform to use to do it. AHEM.

Problem: You’re not sure where to start.

Well, you have a brand you are in charge of/work for/wish to win as a client – now ask yourself the following questions:

1) Where are you buying advertising currently?

The idea here is to look at the traditional media properties brands could be found advertising through, and encouraging them to create their own content around these areas.

As traditional media disaggregates and the publishing-adspend certainties of yore are challenged, brands have a legitimate opportunity to stop renting attention through other media (i.e. bought media) and building their own media propositions (owned media). To read more on our view on The Future of Publishing go here.

2) What are the core values of the brand?

Check out Red Bull – they’ve produced a print and online magazine called Red Bulletin – around exciting and high-octane lifestyle and sports.

3) What are the core products of the brand?

L’Oreal created Makeup.com as a content marketing offering that “is provided for your information, education, personal entertainment and/or non-commercial enjoyment” around (surprisingly) make-up products.

4) What would your brand be like at a party? (yes, really)

In other words, what is the brand’s persona. What is the brand like when it’s talking with it’s audience, not at it.

Take Guinness (disclaimer: client), for example:

Their persona was the pub lad who always had the anecdotes and knew the quirky stories that fuel pub conversations.  The result was 1759.com which is filled with – yep – the anecdotes and quirky stories that fuel pub conversations.

5) What is the data saying?

It might just be that the nebulous ‘brand values’ that you as brand manager have been charged with protecting are completely irrelevant to your audience’s day-to-day concerns*.

We found when analysing the audience of a well-known motor-brand (who shall remain nameless) that their audience did not give a flying fornication about the brand or cars in general. Ok, that’s going too far, but certainly it wasn’t top of their list when it came to what they spoke about and the content they shared online. Instead, the topic they spoke most frequently about was their home. Go figure.

So we encouraged the agency in charge of said brand to run a content marketing proposition around the maxim: ‘Your car is your second home’**. They didn’t, sadly – but the end result would have been immense. It’s a pretty simple process to actually listen and learn what your market wants to talk about. It’s a great place to start.

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If you represent an agency or brand that wishes to learn more about the benefits of content marketing, please do get in touch and check out Idio’s Content Marketing academy.

*I’m aware this may have undermined point no.2 – soz.

**To the account managers/creatives with motor clients who decide to run with this - you’re welcome. Please make cheques payable to Idio Ltd.