Did you know that the soap companies created ‘soap operas’ back in the 1950s as a way to engage audiences so they could sell their soap to the housewives who were home keeping their house ready for the return home of their beloved husbands and children? Oh, how times have changed.
One method of engaging audiences, similar to what the soap companies did in the 50s, is called content marketing. This content needs to resonate with your audience by offering them what they need and want, rather than selling them something. Like all worthwhile things, it requires a strategy before you dive in.
Audiences
Your audience is the most important part of your content marketing strategy. Content marketing is special because it provides your audience with something they need, want or value, which increases their interest and engagement with the content and your brand overall.
What to do:
Choose Your Mediums: Select an assortment of mediums that your audience is most likely to follow.
Create an Audience Map: Determining the motivations, goals and pain points of your audience members can help you identify content topics that will benefit them.
Use Avatars: Representative avatars can help you provide information your audience cares about. Find a stock photo for each avatar and give them a name so you can create content specifically for them.
Write an Audience XYZ Statement: An audience XYZ statement simplifies the main objectives of the audience: When ______ I want to ______ so I can ______. For example, an audience member of a coffee shop may have an XYZ statement like this: When I am on my way to work, I want to have a dark roast coffee so I can be energized for my day ahead.
Create a Content Calendar: It’s important to plan what messages you are putting out, when and on which platforms.
Look at Existing Work: By looking at content you have already produced, you will be able to see which topics were most popular so you can cater to your audience’s interests.
Conduct a Competitive Analysis: Generate new ideas and see what is working for competitors by looking at the content they create.
Get Your Audience Involved: Posting polls and surveys or encouraging commenting can make your content more effective as your audience feels more involved in its creation.
Repurpose Content: Use content you have already created in different ways, such as using content in a blog post for social media.
Use Your Employees: Employees are some of your best advocates because of their special interest in the success of your company.
Hire Influencers: Influencers already have the attention of your audience, so sending them your product, offering discounts or paying them to mention your business can be advantageous.
With a focus on your audience, the content you create becomes more beneficial, converting them into customers. By following the steps above, your content marketing plan will be in full swing in no time.
Learn more about the marketing strategies we use here
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