Creating a content powerhouse

A comprehensive and impactful content marketing program should be a pillar of any communications platform

Only a few years ago, publishing was the exclusive domain of a privileged and connected cadre of executives with tight control over the way content was created, distributed, and funded.  Few predicted that the model would change so drastically since the dawn of the Information Age.

Digital developments have enabled anyone to be a reporter, publisher and promoter.  This has created an overwhelming amount of content available for public consumption, so much that at a 2010 technology conference, Google CEO Eric Schmidt said that we create as much information in two days now as we did from the dawn of man through 2003.

Creating content and using it as a means to engage with the outside world is a fantastic way to brand and market your organisation.  But while it’s never been easier to distribute your content, making it stand out has become ever more difficult.

You don’t need to commission a 500-page report to create “content”.  It could be an article bylined by one of your managing directors on major issues they’re seeing in the market; or could be a few slides of a presentation which was presented internally for strategy or planning purposes.  It’s about always looking out for opportunities to create content that can be repurposed and distributed to a broad audience.

4 steps to creating content that stands out from the crowd

1. Share what you already have:
   Many organisations produce real-time reports for their clients, without realising that such content can be used far and wide for communications purposes.  We recommend looking at the content currently being produced by your organisation and how it can be repurposed for broader consumption.
   Some organisations, of course, create content which is uniquely valuable (for example, equity research reports from major brokerages) and is a source of major revenue.  While we never recommend that all content is given away “for free”, it’s important to realise in this day and age that paid-content nearly always makes its way to non-paying recipients.
   One possible solution could be releasing limited content (e.g. an executive summary) on a one-day delay, which strikes a balance between providing value to customers and the marketing department.
2. Make it snappy: as the volume of content available online has increased, our attention spans have rapidly diminished.  Any public piece of content should be properly designed by an experienced professional and should hit key points quickly – a printed report, for example, should be no longer than 5 pages.  If it must be longer, we recommend including a punchy executive summary up at the head of the document, so audiences can understand and digest the main points quickly and easily. Don’t forget to avoid using jargon.
3. Promote, promote, promote: content is only as good as the people it reaches.  Make sure you’re using all of your resources to promote your content, including direct email, public company websites, and of course social media like Twitter and LinkedIn.  We always recommend linking to company reports via a hyperlink – it’s even better if you use a web-shortener such as bit.ly, which will even provide click-through metrics (for free!).
   Depending on your level of sophistication, it may make sense for your organisation to use an email management program such as Exact Target to distribute your content.  And keep in mind all of the various stakeholder groups that should be considered targets for your content: sales prospects, vendors, customers, and media to name a few.
4. Don’t get discouraged: As communications professionals, we are often asked to distribute reports to media which don’t receive attention from reporters.  This is simply the reality of being a proactive organisation – sometimes your content isn’t seen as valuable.  Don’t let it get you down.  The key to getting your content recognised is consistency.
   This being said, you always want to ensure you have feedback on your content.  This invaluable step is often the most overlooked aspect of a content marketing program; picking up the phone and receiving anecdotal feedback is a fine method, but it might also make sense to gather more formal feedback through a program such as SurveyMonkey.

Every day, we help organisations across sectors and markets maximise the impact of their content.  If you’re looking to ramp up your content marketing program, get in touch with one of our consultants.

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