Content MarketingDigital’s Eureka Moment
Paul NorthHead of Content and Strategy
@2pointNorth
plus.google.com/+PaulNorth
uk.linkedin.com/pub/paul-north/27/987/1aa/
WHAT?
Mediarun’s Definition
The strategic use of content to drive marketing goals, support business
objectives and strengthen a website as a key destination for a target
market.
Content should be original, exceptional and engaging if it is going to
stand out and perform.
“To create ideas so contagious they
cannot be controlled, we call this
liquid. And these ideas are so
innately relevant to our business
objectives, brands and consumer
interests, we call this linked. And
through the stories we tell, we will
earn a disproportionate share of
popular culture.”
Other Definitions
Jonathan Mildenhall – VP Global Advertising Strategy & Creative Excellence, Coca Colawww.youtube.com/watch?v=G1P3r2EsAos
Brands As Publishers
Brands As Publishers
Advertising Performance
People ignore, get frustrated by, actively block this:
Advertising Performance
Adblock used by 30% [Pagefair August 2013 Report]
Advertising Performance
People seek out,
subscribe,
interact and tell
others about
this:
Advertising Performance
This cost £7,000,000:
https://
www.youtube.com/watch?
v=XqWig2WARb0
Advertising Performance
This cost £3000:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUG9qYTJMsI
New Publishing Models
New Publishing Models
New Publishing Models
New Publishing Models
Changing News Models
Brands Commissioning Work, Not Ads
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHtvDA0W34I
Brands Commissioning Work, Not Ads
dumbwaystodie.com
Marketing Team StructuresWithout With
HOW?
Know Your Message
• Align with business and
marketing goals
• Make it answer needs of
customers
Awareness
Consideration
Purchase
Experiencing
Advocacy
Customer Buying Cycle
Make It Meet The Requirements of a Channel
Social – emotionally engaging, confirm purchase decision, imagery
Search – match search trends and intent
Email – say something new
PR – newsworthy, relates to wider issue
Display – answer customer needs
Make It Good
Pick at least 1
Make It Good
Consider curation
Make It Good
Just don’t be unremarkable, or else:
The 70:20:10 Rule
70% - Safe, quick, proven
20% - Plays with formula and pushes boundaries
10% - completely new, high risk/reward
How to develop your approach:
70% - Learn about your market, products, customers
20% - Learn about how to do content marketing
10% - Learn about something totally separate that inspires you
And another one…
What Is Already Being Done?
• Competitors aren’t just those with similar products• Competitors compete for your audience’s time and attention• Be better/different
• Above: image search for “Game of Thrones infographic” published since April 1st 2014
Know Your Audience
Know Your Audience
Customers Prospects
Press
Influencers
What Is Already Being Done?
Time It Right
Amplify
Amplify
Great content needs effective planning, execution
and promotion to work
Amplify
WOW! A book excerpt featuring 2 of the internet’s heroes!
Amplify
OH COME ON!
Amplify
Great content and ideas alone are not enough.
It’s as much about context, execution and promotion.
Amplify
Missing:
• Inter-team collaboration (content and social)
• Content promotion (Social media profiles never promote the blog!)
• Content strategy
• Centralised strategic function
What if you don’t have hundreds of thousands of social followers?
• Build influencer relationships
• Create content that answers needs of influencers and customers
• Be exceptional
• Have a personality – be identifiable
Amplify
• What is needed:
• Seeding
• Influencer targeting (Cision, Gorkana, Radian6)
• Build an audience to work for you
• Paid promotion (Twitter, Facebook, StumbleUpon, Outbrain, Taboola)
• Split test
Measure
WHY?
How Content Works For Everyone
How to guide for:
• Onsite
• Social
• SEO
• PPC
How Content Works For Everyone
Video Interview with CEO for:
• Social
• PR
• SEO
How Content Works For Everyone
Infographic for:
• Native advertising
• SEO
• Social
How Content Works For Everyone
Content
The Benefits
• Unified channels, consistent message
• Collaborative teams, cross-pollination of ideas, greater efficiency and
effectiveness
• Customers do the work for you
• Budget savings
• Production efficiency
CASE STUDY
Oscar Dresses Infographic
Goals:
• Develop fun and sharable content
• Celebrate key industry event
• Attract links and gain social shares
• Increase brand exposure and brand awareness
Thought Process:
• Leveraging timing increases chances of interest, press
coverage and viral effect.
• Content needs to be visually attractive to appeal to fashion
industry.
• Cross over with film industry would bring additional audience.
Execution, Production & Outreach
• Best Actress Winners
• Dresses & Designers
• Illustrative Pictures
Research
• Briefing Illustrator• Font, Copy, Colours,
Designers, Look & Style
• Visual Guidelines
Execution• Placement on site• Seed out to 3rd party
fashion titles• 20 UK and 50 US
titles
Outreach
Final Product
Results: UK Coverage
Results: US Coverage
Results: International Coverage
Results: Social Media Buzz
Results: Social Media Buzz
Results:
• 385+ placements/links
• 160,000+ visits to Mediarun site
• Massive social engagement
• Estimate tens of millions of views worldwide
• Massive UK and International press coverageAchievement of All
Desired Goals!
• Develop fun and sharable content
• Celebrate key industry event
• Attract links and gain social shares
• Increase brand exposure and brand awareness
IN SUMMARY
Content Marketing is Digital’s Eureka Moment
WHAT?• Internet has changed things again
• Ad performance exposed
• Strategically used content for achieving marketing aims
HOW?• Brand, message, voice
• Find out what makes you great to people
• Targeting, timing
• Build, iterate, improve
WHY?Content marketing is the logical primary response to the new marketing opportunities the
internet and particularly, social media present us.
How Do Agencies Work In This Picture?
• Increase resource
• Increase performance
• Add expertise
• Provide crucial outsider input
• See the bigger picture