BLOG

EditorialPR Musings
Content Marketing Blog

Keep up to date with the latest content marketing tips and news.

20/Aug/2020
Why-content-marketers-should-marry-storytelling-with-machine-learning-2.jpg

Two ‘new media’ experts have suggested a way of resolving a core contradiction facing content marketers – the dilemma of whether to ‘go niche’ and tailor compelling content to specialist platforms catering for relatively small audiences with strong preferences, or ‘go wide’ on more generic platforms and risk submerging unique content in a sea of other, unrelated topics.

Both approaches have flaws: many niche platforms draw small audiences, not large enough to generate sufficient returns for rich, authentic and engaging content that requires so much talent and effort to produce. Big brands might be able to attract a sufficiently large audience, but smaller outfits will usually struggle.

Yet the apparent way out – placing marketing content on more generalist platforms – also has its drawbacks. They tend to cover huge varieties of different topics, leaving people to wade through an ocean of content that doesn’t really float their boat to find a particular article or video that does the trick for them.

Aileen Lamb, CEO of the South African digital content marketing agency New Media, and Hendri Lategan, COO of Swipe iX, a digital solutions and development house specialising in scalable and secure technology for helping businesses grow, suggest a way forward: machine learning.

Machine learning technology has advanced in leaps and bounds over the last few years, making it possible for content marketers to train their most relevant content on consumers who would value and benefit from it most. As the authors put it, machine learning has given content marketers “a quantum leap forward in increasing audience engagement and, ultimately, ROI for clients”.

The technology enables a switch of focus: instead of the often thankless task of pumping as much content as possible ‘out there’, hoping for interested parties to simply happen upon it, it lets content creators target highly particular content with laser accuracy – straight at the right end users. It has even evolved to the point where creators can dynamically fashion custom publications for individual end users in real time.

The effect, Lamb and Lategan suggest, is akin to going to your favourite generic news site but being spared the tedium of sifting through numerous layers of irrelevant categories to reach the content that inspires you. Machine learning can ensure instead that you get a complete homepage already customised exclusively to your specific interests.

The technology can help creators build up a detailed profile of each person’s likes and dislikes, their user preferences and browsing habits, and what content they find most engaging.

As the authors put it: “You can do this without asking the user to fill out a survey or ever tell you what they want. Ever wonder why your own Netflix profile brings up such different content from when your partner logs into theirs?”

Machine learning can collect discrete data points tracking a user’s pathway through a platform, pinpointing what issues they engaged with the most, how much time they devoted to specific pieces of content, and what they’ve felt moved to comment on or hit the like button over. The beauty is that no user will have their anonymity compromised by this technology: it uses ones and zeros, not user IDs or names.

The time has never been better for content marketers to marry great storytelling with machine learning’s technological wizardry.


16/Jan/2017
Depositphotos_34232807_m-2015.jpg

A new poll has shown that almost half of content marketers are not solely focused on generating leads – they’re aiming to boost brand awareness instead. Clutch’s ‘Content Marketing Survey 2016’ showed that though content marketing is developed with a variety of objectives in mind, 49 per cent of professionals focus on simply bringing more awareness to their company and brand as a whole. In addition, a variety of mediums, particularly original research and infographics, are expected to be successful in the coming year.

The new year has brought fresh opportunities for companies to jump on the latest trends in order to maximise their content marketing strategies in 2017. It is, therefore, extremely important to reflect on the industry trends noted in 2016. In the survey by Clutch, it was discovered that brand awareness was the leading objective for content strategists. Other goals that were placed as a priority included reaching a higher search engine visibility, with 30 per cent of respondents mentioning this. Meanwhile, lead generation was also important, finding favour with 21 per cent of those questioned.

Delving further into the type of content that saw the most success, it was shown that infographics, original research and data, and product reviews continue to do well. They were mentioned as the best performers by 17 per cent, 18 per cent and 16 per cent of respondents respectively. Other content formats included blog posts, which 14 per cent of people said excelled, and videos, mentioned by 13 per cent. At the other end of the scale, eBooks and podcasts failed to find success.

Clutch also investigated the ways that companies measure their success. For 32 per cent of respondents, content marketing success is directly tied to sales metrics, with campaigns perceived to be more successful, according to how many new customers are gained. Meanwhile, 29 per cent of firms focus on lead generation, whilst the same percentage take consumption metrics into account. Researchers said “metrics should tell a story about whether you achieved your goal… before creating content, you need to define what return-on-investment (ROI) means for that specific piece.”

For content marketing strategists, promotion remains a key way to boost the success of a campaign. It means that companies are using more methods to promote their work, with 71 per cent using paid advertisement options, 70 per cent making use of organic social media, and 69 per cent relying on traditional marketing channels in order to amplify their marketing efforts. The report writers noted “it’s important to prioritise paid forms of content distribution over organic efforts. In fact, we found that the majority of enterprise content marketers surveyed believe paid advertisements are more effective than organic approaches to content distribution.”

Elsewhere, a new report entitled “B2B Content Marketing 2017: Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends – North America’ found that 62 per cent of marketers in the B2B sector believe their current content strategies are already more successful than a year ago. This is largely attributed to increasing content priorities, producing better quality content, and developing strategies. Additionally, 52 per cent said that blogs would be vital for marketing in 2017, whilst email newsletter and social media content will also remain important.


05/Dec/2016
Depositphotos_132242632_m-2015.jpg

Content marketing is a complex topic for even the most expert of strategists. Conducted incorrectly, this form of marketing can easily fall far from the mark when it comes to satisfying audience needs, instead just adding noise to an already cluttered space. It is, therefore, essential to get marketing strategies right from the outset. Although brands and strategists will continue to learn throughout the process and evolve their plans constantly, staying away from these common pitfalls can help position organisations for success.

Internal reorganisation can be a challenge

One thing that can be problematic, especially for larger firms, is implementing internal changes to facilitate the real-time content creative process. For example, Rachel Hawkes, the group social head for travel and holiday brand, TUI, said that working with international teams can result in duplicate work. As a result, the firm is focussing on trying to gain a more centralised approach to creating content. At TUI in the UK, there are 70 employees creating social, web and print content. Meanwhile, 30 creators are doing the same in Germany, whilst other locations have fewer.

By centralising all content creation, Ms Hawkes says that local content can be created more quickly and duplication can be avoided. “If we have 3,000 beds in New York, we can send internal teams out to create social content that can be disseminated through the group,” she explained.

Culling platforms shouldn’t be dismissed

Another aspect of modern content marketing that many strategists struggle with is trying to cover the multitude of social media platforms available. Creating content for all of these can be challenging, especially when each piece needs to be tailored to where it will be broadcast. In some cases, brands might simply become overwhelmed by the amount of work required. However, it’s important to recognise that platforms can, and should, be culled if needed.

As a case in point, oil firm BP previously identified seven key audience areas and began developing content for them. They quickly realised that simply picking the fastest growing platform, the largest one, or the place where competitors were found didn’t necessarily guarantee success.

Ben Jefferies, BP’s global head of digital publishing, concluded: “I’m not afraid of killing a platform.” In fact, despite their Facebook platform having around 250,000 followers, they’ve noticed some stagnation since its heyday in 2010. As a result, BP now produces more content for LinkedIn instead. “Map your content to the right audience, and build a framework around it,” Mr Jefferies said. “Take the relevance of your content and what the audience wants to figure out, and put the platform at the centre of that.”

Watching market trends is essential 

Finally, experts suggest that watching market trends is essential. This is particularly true for identifying emerging innovations for content marketing. Ogilivy & Mather’s head of innovation, James Whatley, suggests that bots are fast becoming the next brand experience. Instead of spending money on developing brand applications that fans then have to download, using bots in Facebook Messenger can offer high returns. The company, which helped develop campaigns like Stoptober, has noticed success here.

By taking an informed approach to content marketing, the most common mistakes can be avoided. And this can help brands achieve success far faster, whilst providing their audiences with the right material.


24/Oct/2016
Plans-content.jpg

Video marketing is becoming huge, with content strategists increasingly using this medium to gain momentum and interest through their campaigns. However, it is vital to recognise that the first five seconds of a video are crucial for maintaining interest. If a brand is unable to hook a viewer immediately it risks losing some business, so it’s essential to focus on video openings.

New research from Cisco suggests that over 69 per cent of content could consist of video by 2017. This shows that the video marketing approach continues to excel; however, it also indicates there will be far more competition than ever before, meaning that videos must be expertly curated if they’re to keep consumer attention. Users are becoming extremely fussy over what they watch during their precious time, so companies need to catch them during the first five seconds, otherwise, people will simply move on. If it’s a small firm they’ve lost interest in, they may well forget that brand name forever.

There are numerous reasons why the first seconds are vital. For example, research has shown that the average attention span has shortened. In just 15 years, it has dropped from 12 seconds to 8.25 seconds. It now means that human beings have an attention span less than goldfish; which has an average of nine seconds. With it being harder to catch and keep people’s attention, brands must now offer some form of instant gratification.

Viewers need to be hooked instantly if they’re not to click back and forget about a brand. To do this, video needs to speak to the consumer directly and answer any questions to confirm they’ve found the information they’re looking for. When a consumer knows they’re in the right place, they’re more likely to stay around. In addition, the first five seconds of a video can be used to set the tone – not only of the content to come – but the brand overall. There are many ways to do this, including voice tone, visual style and music.

Finally, all video content must spark curiosity. Most consumers will not stay around long enough to watch the entire piece if it doesn’t make them wonder what’s to come. Five seconds is not a lot of time to work with and it’s a huge challenge to get any form of complex idea across. However, by hooking viewers and making them curious about the content, people are more likely to stay for longer. One good tip is to open with a question they’ve asked themselves; thereby indicating the content has the answer. Alternatively, outlining a common situation they may find themselves in and indicating that the video will have solutions is a good option.

Video marketing is set to continue growing in appeal over the coming months and years. It is, therefore, essential for content strategists to start honing their expertise in this space. With falling attention spans, hooking consumers immediately is of growing importance, especially if brands are to get people to watch an entire video, regardless of its length.


03/Oct/2016
Depositphotos_65938161_original.jpg

The world of content marketing has evolved a great deal over the years. In 2015, many brands began to realise the potential of this form of advertising – particularly if the power of digital delivery is harnessed. Now, PulsePoint’s head of demand for Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Ben Pheloung, has suggested that 2016 has seen companies finally understand that distribution and context are as essential for content marketing as producing the material in the first place.

Talking about how the content marketing industry has grown, Mr Pheloung said: “We have always said that content is king, but now brands are realising that data, distribution and context are just as vital. Your content means nothing if nobody sees it.”

The increased use of content marketing has been significant. In fact, new estimates from the Content Marketing Association’s (CMAs) managing director, Clare Hill, said that the channel would reach a value of £6bn by the close of the year. This is partly because marketing budgets have increased by an average of 25 per cent annually. Ms Hill says that as ad blocking has seen increasing activity, content marketing has become a favoured way of delivering valuable material, because success can be easily measured, and engaging relationships can be nurtured. In fact, some brands have become so involved that content is now the cornerstone of their advertising operations. For example, with its YouTube webisodes, TV shows and feature-length movie, Lego have made the move from a simple product to a media mogul. Similar success is being seen by brands like GoPro and Red Bull.

An expert in the industry, Rhiannon Thompson, says that content strategists need to ensure their brands are continuing to make investments, particularly in sophisticated measurement and data collection solutions. Agility remains a top priority, with real-time measuring and monitoring likely to grow in importance. “The ability to shape content according to the detailed statistics now available ensures greater ROI and efficiencies in content-to-audience delivery,” Ms Thompson explained.

While many believe that real-time means should always be present, Mr Pheloung suggests this is not the case. For example, while brands like Red Bull and Adidas have the capital to offer a rich content programme, smaller firms should invest in engaging and meaningful content that is offered in the right digital space. “Think less like a marketer and more like a consumer,” Mr Pheloung suggests. As an example, a nappy manufacturer could focus on building a wide space in the parenting niche. Likewise, companies providing financial services could produce content based on helping people secure better credit scores or explaining the implications of the latest budget. Instead of trying to be everywhere, these companies would instead stay focused on their niche and offering content in the right context.

While context, data and distribution are crucial for future content marketing strategies, the most important element remains a current and proven tactic – remaining genuine. This enables brands to establish their credibility and remain transparent, helping to generate true emotional connections with fans, followers and customers.


01/Aug/2016
Instagram.jpg

There are many social media platforms around, some of which might not immediately spring to mind as a good advertising opportunity for content marketers. For example, strategists might readily dive into Facebook and Twitter but leave other platforms on the sidelines. However, with many Fortune 500 brands turning to Instagram as a way to spread their message and interact with fans, this image-based application should not be overlooked.

Instagram made its debut in 2010 and has proven extremely popular with users since then. As the platform gained attention, it began to provide tools for content strategists and marketers. Now, more than half of Fortune 500 brands are using the application, showing just how important Instagram can be for any digital campaign.

A report from TrackMaven that analysed more than 41,000 Instagram posts between May 2015 and May 2016 discovered that the vast majority of interactions were click-based. In fact, 98.9 per cent of all engagement noted was made up of “double taps”, the system Instagram uses for people to “like” an image or video. This clearly shows the platform is not geared towards personal conversations or feedback. Instead, it is about brands and content creators engaging with their fans and followers through “like” and “comment” features.

One interesting point for all content strategists to note is the lack of filter use by global firms. One of the core appeals for users is that Instagram offers a various filters and tools to manipulate uploaded images. However, these are largely ignored by big brands.

TrackMaven Content Director Kara Burney explains that this is because most Fortune 500 brands upload pre-made content, although this method of content dispersal could be negatively affecting engagement because 12 of the filters are well-documented to actually boost interaction. Ultimately, brands should use filters if they want to ensure a smooth and immersive experience within the social platform.

Talking about the fact that many brands do not use filters, Burney said: “This finding indicates that there is an appetitive for authenticity on Instagram. Brands need to remember and respect that their content is appearing not amongst a feed of other brand-generated content, but among content from users’ friends and families as well. Remaining true to the aesthetics of each social network, like taking and editing photos natively in each platform, could prevent the jarring ‘this is obviously an ad, let me ignore it’ effect on social media.”

One of the first Fortune 500 firms to use Instagram was Starbucks, and the brand’s strategy is working. Engagement on the platform has reached a record high for the coffeehouse brand, with a ratio of 24.64, which is calculated on the number of interactions each post gets per 1,000 fans.

For strategists that want to extend their digital approach, utilising Instagram is a wise move that can be used in combination with other social platforms to boost audience reach and interaction. Data shows that some of the highest engagement levels are experienced on weekends and late at night as users sit down to surf the application during their leisure time.