An exploration into the world of content creation in 2021.
As much as I despise the expression “content is king”, let’s face it: content — in all its forms — is the definition of the word “king”: “something preeminent in its class.”
This is due to a variety of factors. The first is of course content marketing, which is dubbed marketing’s “new black.” Rather than focusing on itself; it focuses on the customers. It draws people in rather than distracting them, and it’s more about them than you.
Another reason for the rise of content is the democratisation of media. We live in a world where anyone can get involved, even if succeeding at it is a completely other story. If you have a phone, you can write a blog, or record a podcast or video. And whether we like it or not, fake news has unfortunately earned a place at the table.
There are a few more strategic reasons why content reigns supreme. In this article we’ll take a closer look at why content is king.
Converged Media
The marketing world has evolved; gone are the days of the single-fire, single-platform messaging. Now, consumers seek brands that are consistent, trustworthy, and reliable, and to which they can be loyal. This customer is the driving force behind converged media.
Converged media is a media strategy that combines paid, owned, and earned media aspects to produce a consistent and consistent message for your brand across all channels. Consumers nowadays are less inclined to accept any message delivered through a single channel as gospel truth. They can simply cross-reference it with other available sources. As a result, relying solely on one form of media at the cost of others may result in an inconsistent message and a loss of consumer confidence. Using a convergent media approach, on the other hand, may increase customer trust and advocacy while also expanding your reach.
The Culture of Content
Marketers aren’t the only ones who benefit from content. Content comes from all parts of the company, although it’s mostly from customer service, sales, marketing, and product development, as well as the executive suite.
Because companies are publishers, and workers are also creators, we’re witnessing a growth in content culture. Some may dismiss it as noise rather than signal — but as channels, platforms, and gadgets increase, workers are becoming more equipped to represent the brand’s voice.
When you include demands from social media, thought leadership, sales, real-time marketing, customer service, and recruit teams, it’s clear that there’s never been a greater need for content development, refining, repurposing, and reformatting.
Content may be utilised to elevate a variety of tasks, including redirecting calls away from call centres and social selling, to more successful digital channels. Smart businesses spread the word because it saves money, empowers workers, provides thought leadership, and has other advantages.
The Advertising Eclipse
Takeovers, banners, videos, and other forms of digital advertising are becoming less effective. Ad blockers are being used by more individuals than ever before to combat ad fraud. Marketers are challenged to develop new methods to communicate with their customers in a way that makes them happy rather than furious.
Following the advent of mobile, digital, and social technologies, traditional marketing has become a commodity and has gotten lost in a sea of media buy options. Advertising used to be the king of marketing techniques and channels since it was the most expensive. Brands are now reacting to changing customer expectations by delivering relevant content across the whole purchase decision process.
Marketers are discovering marketing routes that give them more levels of control, but advertising remains expensive even as it becomes less successful.
Real-Time Marketing
The days of marketing efforts being ‘completely locked down’ ahead of time are long gone. Real-time marketing has become a key issue for many businesses in order to remain relevant, deliver excellent customer service, and provide relevance and direction as news and events occur. With all of this comes continual obstacles, but also the possibility of big benefits such as relevancy, newsworthiness, and being at the forefront of your audience’s minds.
Even yet, preparing for — and carrying out — real-time marketing necessitates a laser-focused content strategy; training; triage; and tight coordination with departments other than marketing, such as legal.
Contextual Campaigns
Content may be discovered in a variety of places, including beacons, sensors, the Internet of Things, and everything in between. We’re getting to the stage where almost everything, from appliances and apparel to destinations and cars, will include or incorporate content.
“Marketers have already begun to cooperate with IT and product departments in an effort to develop content based on the way people live their lives, what they do, and where they are when doing it,” says Jim Epton, Director of Marketing at Domain Hunter Gatherer.
Content is rapidly expanding beyond marketing to become a component of how individuals engage with the world around them.
If you need a guide navigating the shifting seas of the content world, feel free to reach out to the team at VA.