mastering your brand story in the digital age with content marketing

Mastering your brand story in the digital age with content marketing

@AndreaTEdwards

AndreaTEdwards

AndreaTEdwards www.thedigitalconversationalist.com

The Digital Conversationalist

The Digital Conversationalist

#DigimindTalks @AndreaTEdwards

What is content marketing?• It’s a philosophy, not a tactic• It’s not an add-on to existing marketing•Move from selling to serving• Fundamental shift in mindset• It’s a revolution• It’s more than marketing

Because we just don’t care about brands anymore – we really don’t

15% of people trust recommendations from brands

84% trust recommendations from people they know

Source: Gartner

67% of the buyers journey is now digital

Source: Sirius

Digital owns 90% of the buyers journey

Source: Forrester


Who do we trust?According to an affilinet survey, the order of trust1. Family 2. Friends3. Bloggers4. Social media connections5. Colleagues6. Journalists7. Religious leaders8. Celebrities9. Brands10.Politicians


We are the change• Global conversations• Sharing knowledge• Speed• Conversations• Human• Communities• Power• Today’s playing field• Business continues to speak marketing


It’s content shock!

Average attention span dropped 12 secs in 2000 to 8 secs in 2015 - Statistic Brain

Photo: Courtesy of Shutterstock

Content Marketing is fundamentally about

business transformationIt’s not something the marketing team ‘does’

Everyone must be on board and it starts at the top

It’s huge!

No focus?Content shock!


Our goal todayCreating conversations with customers,

partners, influencers, employees, potential employees

To achieve that, it’s about creating content so good, it earns the right to exist in your

customers world, where they are

We’re building so much loyalty with customers – because we consistently deliver value to them –they reward us and buy from

us

Start with content strategy


Book a brainstorm• Marketing• Digital• Comms• Sales / biz dev• Partner leads• Customer service• Agencies• Executive leadership


Your job?What does the customer care about?• Define the customer – who buys, who

influences?• What challenge is your customer

facing?• How do you define your story in

relation to customer need? • Create the big idea

Do the research

You’ve done your research, listened to sales and…


Come up with your big idea…• The big picture of digital transformation and

steps to transform successfully • Dog training tips & tricks for a more peaceful

home • Healthy eating and living information for a

better life • Strategies and advice to become a

successful marketing professional in the digital world


Now you need energy• The quality and intent of the content • It requires a hunger• A desire to solve your customer’s problems• A sense of urgency in how you think and plan• A true obsession to help customers• Half hearted? Not going to happen

Success needs a destination


A content hub – mission critical• A central destination• Make it easy for customers • Feature content audience wants• Very very little sales or promotional content• Branding up to you – but subtle is good• Regular posts / many authors• Full spectrum of topics around big theme• Wrap CTAs around the content• It will be the future digital entry point to business

Amplification strategy?


What are your channels?• Social media – Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube,

Google+, SlideShare, SnapChat, Twitter, etc…?• Spend money!• Direct marketing?• Advertising?• Native advertising - Outbrain?• PR?• Events?• Influencers, customers, partners?• But the most powerful?

Your employees

500 connections500 x 500 = 250K5k x 500 = 2.5 mil

And remember, they are trusted


Unleashing the employees

1. Culture2. Guidelines3. Employee brand first 4. A Platform 5. Effective

measurement 6. Champions 7. 1-2-1 Coaching

“If your employees aren’t

your biggest fans, you’ve got problems WAY

bigger than social media”

Jay Baer

But employees must be advocates for themselves first, your brand second

To become a content marketing driven business


Reach customers in their bubble• Think holistically• Tap into their need• Educate them and enhance their life• Make them laugh• Answer their questions• Engage with them how they want to be

engaged with• Make them want to read/watch/absorb you• And then they buy

Once you’ve done that, measure, measure, measure, refine and keep going!Patience really is a virtue

Your customer has a challenge Identify itAlign your brand to itCreate world-class content customers can’t resist


It takes guts• Starts at the top• A powerful CCO• Company-wide commitment• Strategy• Processes to simplify• 180 degree shift in thinking• An energetic team determined to succeed• True collaboration


True success is big picture

1. Siloes down2. Partnership 3. Train & trust4. Leaders

engaged5. Culture change

Image: Courtesy of Shutterstock

Content marketing is the digital shop front for your business

Is your window tantalising enough for customers to walk in or will we walk past?