5 key principles of content marketing

THE 5 PRINCIPLES OF CONTENT MARKETING

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SEYMOUR SLOAN IDEAS THAT MATTER

HERE’S WHAT WE LEARNED DURING 2014

For years we’ve heard the phrase “content is

king,” the point being that flashy applications,

beautifully shot videos and well-designed

websites are great, but it’s the content that

provides the substance and that will ultimately

garner interest from our audiences.

Fast forward to now that same adage has

given rise to the latest discipline in our

industry: Content Marketing. Companies are

hiring “Chief Content Officers,” even if they’re

not quite sure what that role means. Content

marketing conferences are sprouting up like

zombies on “The Walking Dead.” And here at

Seymour Sloan, we are building our own

Content Marketing Practice.

But what exactly IS content marketing? How

do we describe it to clients, let alone convince

them it’s something they need to consider in

their marketing mix?




HERE’S WHAT WE LEARNED DURING 2014

At Seymour Sloan, we have settled on the

following definition:

Content marketing is the discipline of

planning, creating and distributing

relevant, meaningful and valuable

content that builds and engages a

clearly-defined and understood

audience to drive valuable customer

action or behaviour.

Essentially, it is about delivering the right

content to the right person at the right time

to drive the right action. It is more than just

campaigns; it is about taking a

programmatic view of content, using it to

drive customer engagement, even when

you do not have media in-market.

To help deliver on this promise for clients

and their audiences (and reap some

benefit for the brand and business) we

follow a few basic principles.

These five principles will help marketers create

and evaluate social media content:

EVERYTHING IS NOT CONTENT

GOOD CONTENT HAS A PURPOSE

VOLUME IS (OFTEN) THE ENEMY OF THE

GOOD

EXECUTION MATTERS

INNOVATION IS AT THE HEART OF CONTENT

CREATION

1

2

3

4

5




#1

PRINCIPLE




EVERYTHING IS NOT CONTENT

Content is something that an audience

consumes in either a visual or auditory

fashion that helps influence a change in

attitude or behaviour.

Blogs? Yes. Tweets? Sure. Video case

study? Yup.

iPhone app? Nope.

That is a piece of functionality. But you’ll

likely need to populate that app with content

to make it worthwhile for your audience.

Which takes us to principle #2




#2

PRINCIPLE




GOOD CONTENT HAS A PURPOSE

Our clients, particularly our longer standing

ones understand that, for us, the phrase

“content with a purpose” is not new and it

applies to more than just video.

Every piece of content you produce

should have a purpose and, ideally, a

measurable goal attached to it.

Whether its intention is to drive brand

awareness, in which case a volume metric

like views might matter. If it is lead

generation, then you should be more

focused on conversion rates.

The purpose will help you to keep your

content efforts focused and help you to

deliver the right kind of content at the right

time.




#3

PRINCIPLE




VOLUME IS (OFTEN) THE ENEMY OF THE GOOD

We once had a client tell us, “we should be

everywhere.” We were happy to point out that it

was not true.

You want to be in all the spaces that are

relevant to your target customers when they

are making the decisions that affect your

brand.

You need spaces where you can deliver

credible, relevant content.

Producing masses of content for the sake of

volume will prove a costly and time-consuming

expenditure with limited return. At best, it will

come across as a bunch of noise with a logo

slapped on it; at worst it will seem disingenuous

and damage the credibility of a brand.




#4

PRINCIPLE




EXECUTION MATTERS

This is true in every aspect of our industry, and is

especially true in the area of content. A brand’s

core competency is not creating and distributing

content assets at scale.

You’ll need guidance on how to make the

proposition of content marketing a sustainable

one. The solution can include client-side SME’s,

agency resources, third-party aggregators, etc.

It’s not enough to plan what to produce; you need

to know how to make it happen as efficiently as

possible.

Another essential part of execution is the ability to

make in-flight changes in response to feedback

and market changes. Remaining agile and

responsive in your execution is crucial.




#5

PRINCIPLE




DISTRIBUTION IS VITAL

It’s not a field of dreams and just because you

build it, doesn’t mean they will come.

This is one of the big mistakes clients make when

they ask for “viral” content. Success doesn’t just

happen, especially for branded content.

A thoughtful distribution strategy that covers paid,

owned and earned channels and considers

ongoing messaging and outreach is key to

successful content marketing.

It ups the chances that your content will cut

through the clutter and make an impact with your

audience.

They main consideration around virality is that

it often happens for the most unusual reasons,

but what unites all viral content is that, it

remains relevant to the consumer.




THE REALITY OF CONTENT MARKETING

While great content and virality can often appear to alchemy or the work of genius,

often it is not the case. The reality is that it is a disciplined and focused approach

that delivers the big impact. It is just as important to know what not to do as it

is to know what to do.

Consumers expect brands to produce content beyond advertising and content

marketing efforts can sometimes be the differentiators that drive loyalty and

advocacy for one brand over another. Great content can make your brand relevant

and drive interest that then amplifies your brand presence.

By being selective and purposeful in the planning process, ensuring high-quality

execution and developing a solid distribution strategy, you improve the odds that

you will go beyond a one-off “viral” success and instead deliver a content-driven

engagement model that supports business goals over the long haul.




TALK

TO US CONTACT:

Terry Chapendama - Director

[email protected]

Read our blog at:

www.seymourthinks.wordpress.com

Follow us on twitter

@seymoursloanuk

Visit us online www.seymoursloan.com

ABOUT Seymour Sloan

We formed the company in order to do

special things for our clients through the

creative use of new technologies and

techniques.

We help companies understand a

complex and ever-changing technology

landscape, along with changing

customer behaviours, developing

strategies and solutions to maximise the

opportunities available. We operate at

the intersection of digital, strategy and

customer, building a track record of

driving customer growth across our

three core industries.

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.seymourthinks.wordpress.com/

http://www.seymoursloan.com/

5 key principles of content marketing

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