The Rise of the CCO
The Rise of the CCO
Content is your new daddy!
content marketing | kənˈtent ˈmärkitiNG | noun : creation and sharing of valuable and relevant content to attract, generate and retain a clearly defined target audience in order to drive profitable customer action
It Comes in Many Forms
Educational, entertaining and informative… Content Marketing is articles, pr, questions, infographics, testimonials, videos, photos, webinars, e-newsletters, case studies, white papers, e-books and much more. Really, it is any way that you communicate with your target audience through the multitude of platforms out there to get your message across in an effective way that causes them to take action towards your product in a positively, profitable (for your business) kind of way. Say that again without taking a breath.
With so much information bombarding us on a regular basis, Content Marketing has taken a front seat in business operations… enters Chief Content Officer (CCO). Treating Content Marketing with any less importance will just get your business lost among the static noise all around.
No Time for Hand Holding
We are now a race of individuals that won’t slow down for much. With the advent of On Demand Technologies and Social Streaming Experiences that the individuals create… most audiences can now skip the so-called “commercial.” For this reason alone the content your business distributes about your product has to be to-the-point and extremely interesting. Consumers will not be captured for any less. You must grab them, shake them and entertain their emotions. Provide consumers with the answers they have been seeking. Become the “go-to” for your industry.
The Right Techniques
Get this, there was a time when potential customers would dial a telephone (sometimes connected to a wall) and ask a business questions about their brand, and sometimes they would just show up at the business’s doorstep unannounced. Well get on board, times have changed quickly. Your objective now is to DRIVE profitable customers TO YOUR BRAND. These days people go to the web to find out information about something, anything, and product “feeds” arrive at their door… actually their smartphone. If your business does not have a website and social media platform, well, good luck to you. But if you do have the right presence and wherewithal, get started with a few of these mentions:
1. Create a Content Marketing Calendar. Develop your strategy and share content in a timely manner.
2. Understand What Works. Know your target audience and the platforms they use.
3. FOLLOW. Watch what other content marketing influencers are doing and most importantly watch your competition.
4. TRENDS! No what is trending in the news and develop content that relates to the NOW.
5. Be Intimate. Generate discussion and let your audience get to know the real you… leaving politics and religion out of this.
6. Get Creative and Controversial. Be edgy with your content, and do this in a way that all sides can relate.
7. BLOG. BLOG. BLOG. Enough said.
8. E-NEWSLETTER. Enough said there too.
9. Everyone Loves Visuals. Eye candy is an excellent way to grab that audience.
10. DON’T FORGET STATS. Know and make analytics tools work for you.
The Platforms to Perform
Most importantly, make your business easy to find. DO NOT IGNORE Social Media any longer. Build that website you always wanted, and key here… KEEP IT UPDATED. BLOG! Develop an e-newsletter and send it. Did we mention… be social? And don’t forget about the eye candy. With all of the cool imaging, video, conferencing and group development platforms out there, it is obvious people want to SEE YOU. This is only the tip of the iceberg. Go viral with your content!
PS, The Don’t Does
Your content marketing, well planned or unplanned, will either keep people coming back or scare them away. The last thing you want to do is spend too much time boasting about how amazing you are. Even if you are amazing, their’s no need to shout it in your audience’s face. Food for thought, your content should be more about how useful your product is and less about… you. Don’t forget to be honest. Do not act like something you are not. Your audience is smarter than that. And do not pretend to be listening to your audience. Again, this is not about you. It is about them, and understanding what they have to say and what they want. Be respectful. Do not blast your audience with useless information just to be able to say something. And leave politics and religion out of it. Sorry, had to throw that one in there again.
Developing and consistently sharing valuable content is not easy. It will force you to reinvent your business marketing on a regular basis. Keeping your content fresh and interesting is extremely important. It takes time and skill to build a deep understanding of your target audience and their needs and wants. Taking the time and right steps to plan a great Content Marketing Strategy will take your business far. It will also keep customers coming back for more and referring potential sutomers. Every bit of content you put in front of your target audience can make the difference between a relationship and a passerby.
-By Antonette Martucci
