The 21st century has put marketing on its head. It goes without saying that the Internet has been the great disruptor. Mass media was once the all-powerful channel for brand building. Today, advertising – and its delivery of interruptive messages to an audience consuming media -- has taken a back seat. Content marketing is in the forefront. And with this transformation, a whole new set of requirements for marketers.
Media fragmentation and the un-intermediated relationship with consumers (i.e., via the web) give brands the opportunity to connect and build value directly with prospects and customers. The 19th century phase from academia, “Publish or Perish,” should be the guiding principal for brands. Content is the digital currency that fosters discovery, augments consideration, facilitates purchase decision and drives customer acquisition and loyalty.
The importance of content marketing is true for all marketers, whether B2C or B2B. The 2016 Content Preferences Report found that a majority of buyers of business products relied on content to research their buying decisions. And, similar to most audiences, these buyers want shorter, interactive content that educates rather than sells.[1]
As consultants to big and small companies, Hyphen advises our clients about the content that they should create that is…differentiated and authentic to the brand…customized for the brand’s target…engaging and story-telling… and is aligned with available resources. So that translates into working with our clients to steward content.
Our work spans a broad scope of content creation: creating meaningful social media content strategies and its implementation that doesn’t strain resources; conceptualizing lead magnets such as eBooks and white papers; designing a template and content blocs for a monthly newsletter; directing an achievable blog strategy; advising on video; facilitating webinars; and more. Of course, the content must fit into the overall marketing strategy.
Facilitating the “Publish’ part of the directive, and helping our clients become publishers with a purpose is the best part of being a marketer in 2018. Feel free to contact us to find out more.
[1] https://www.demandgenreport.com/resources/research/2016-content-preferences-survey-b2b-buyers-value-content-that-offers-data-and-analysis