In Kate Santore’s 2017 keynote address for Content Marketing World, she addresses the obligation of sharing “thoughtware” to push the competition and consistently raise the bar for content marketers.
As a newcomer to the content marketing party, I found her talk inspiring. I mean, who among us wouldn’t want to be a content marketer at Coca-Cola?
After watching Ms. Santore speak and pondering my own marketing career development, I have collected what, in my humble opinion, are the three most important factors for content marketing.
1. Decide how you want to make people feel
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
–Maya Angelou
I was elated when Kate Santore quoted Maya Angelou. This is one of my favorite quotes of all time and great minds think alike, right? As a feeling, perceiving introvert, I dedicate (willingly or not) a fair amount of my time to wondering about other people’s feelings. This exercise is a requirement for quality content marketing.
Most people’s decisions are closely tied to their emotions. The tone and style of your content will determine how people feel about your business and your brand. If your voice is consistent, engaging and connects with your audience on an emotional level, visitors will return to consume your content. This process builds trust and credibility, which is essential to content marketing.
2. Become an expert in your niche and be authentic
When it comes to generating content, go with what you know. Most savvy online visitors can spot a fake a mile away. Even if you are not an expert, then conduct some online research. If well executed, you can become the go-to expert through curating other’s research and compiling it in a well-organized, visual manner. Your own personal commentary mixed it will allow your voice to shine through. This will also do wonders for your credibility.
Also, if you truly want to create a loyal fan base for your brand, your content must be authentic. In a world of content saturation and high bounce rates, this is absolutely necessary when representing your business or brand online. No shameless self-promotion or gimmicks needed. Just be your original, authentic self (also a little humor might help).
3. Involve your audience AND influencers
They say it takes a village, and sure, they may be referring to babies, but isn’t your brand your baby as well? Something that you love, nurture and want to grow to be a success? I am going to assume that if you are still reading this then you answered “yes” to at least one of those questions.
But what does all that mean? Well, if you are struggling to find ideas for your content then you should look no further than your own community for ideas. Comments and reviews are great resources for content ideas that are relevant and valuable to your audience.
Still stuck searching for content ideas? Why not involve your favorite and most trusted influencers? You could pick a theme that your feel is relevant to your audience (plucked from your comments or reviews) and ask some influencers to weigh in. This could create unrivaled value for your audience and boost your credibility as well.
Conclusion
The widespread availability of the internet ignited the spark that became the explosion of content marketing as we know it today. Although this is an area of my career that I am actively developing, I feel that effectively following these three principles will ensure success in content marketing.