We’re excited to bring you an in-depth recap of the latest episode of our webinar with Jess Cook, the Head of Content at Lasso (she’ll be giving a talk at RevCon 2023, make sure to register!) and Justin Simon, Content Strategy Consultant. Let’s dive in and discover how you can elevate your content marketing game asap. For the full video, follow this link.
Debunking Content Marketing Myths
The Weekly Publishing Myth
We all can agree that after the launch of AI tools, we are overwhelmed with information, and thus, the spotlight has shifted to ‘what you publish’ rather than ‘how often you publish.’
If your content lacks substance, no amount of regular publishing will salvage your brand’s reputation. Quality, therefore, supersedes quantity in winning your audience’s trust and engagement.
The Perfection Paradox
Jess introduced a new concept that we fell in love with: the Minimum Viable Piece of Content (MVC).
As the landscape evolves faster than brands can publish, waiting for content to reach ‘perfection’ is the same as missing the bus.
This doesn’t mean you should compromise on quality; instead, adopt a ‘release, refine, repeat’ methodology.
In other words, deploy your MVC, gather feedback, and then iterate for improvement.
The 2023 Content Strategy: Hits and Misses
Unique and Original Content Stands Out
If everybody can create content, how do you distinguish your brand from the rest?
Brands must become storytellers, tell tales out of data and position narratives that offer unique perspectives to their audience. Telling the same story everyone else is telling won’t help you stand out; innovating on how you narrate that story will.
Avoid Over-Polishing Content
Authenticity is the currency of the age we live in. If you are creating content, the best approach is to strike a critical balance between professionalism and genuineness.
While your content should be well-researched and expertly written, it should also bear the marks of human imperfections — making it relatable and engaging to your audience.
Promote Team’s Personal Branding
Every team member is your brand ambassador if empowered correctly. By promoting the unique stories, skills, and insights of team members, a company can create a multidimensional and authentic brand image.
Striking the Right Balance: Production and Distribution
As we create more and more content, the “distribution First ” approach is what separates your content from the rest.
It shifts the narrative from not just creating content but understanding where it will land and how it will be consumed. Tailoring your content for specific platforms or audience segments can amplify its impact by at least 5X.
Audit Existing Content First
Before you jump into creating new content, pause and examine what you already possess. An audit can find golden, untapped potential you didn’t know existed — pieces that can be updated or repurposed.
Align Content with Overall Strategy
At the end of the day, the overall goal of the brand is to increase sales and revenue. Thus, the content should reflect that as well.
Each piece of content should be a part of the wheel of your brand’s overarching narrative, this means blogs, video, or tweet should echo the brand’s ethos, ensuring a consistent message across all platforms.
AI: The Future of Content Marketing
AI will not take your job, but a person using AI can definitely do.
Instead of denying, the best way to understand more about AI and how it can help you is by experimenting with it.
Use AI to Reduce Human Efforts
The infusion of AI into content marketing can make your job a lot easier.
It can sift through mountains of data to find actionable insights, helping brands to focus their strategies and optimize engagement.
Generate Drafts and Insights
Advanced AI tools can now assist in the creation process, offering templates or even entire drafts based on a set of guidelines.
However, it’s not about replacing human creativity but assisting it, creating a synergy between machine efficiency and human insight.
Human Oversight for Quality
Though AI can do a lot, it can’t replace the human touch necessary for emotional resonance.
Machines provide the analytics and insights, but the job of crafting a compelling story lies with the humans behind the screen.
The Evolution of Content Formats
Over time, as content evolves, so does the format. Experiment with different formats to understand which one works the best for you and your brand. Remember, each brand is different, which means what works for your competitors may not work for you.
Here are some interesting ones to explore.
Interactive Content
Interactive elements like quizzes, polls, and interactive infographics aren’t just frills; they’re essential tools for engagement. They offer users a voice, a stake in the content, and provide brands with invaluable data for future content strategies.
Long-Form Content
While platforms like TikTok prioritize brevity, long-form content still holds significant value. Detailed guides, whitepapers, and in-depth articles allow a brand to flex its intellectual muscle, positioning it as an authority in its domain.
2023 saw a huge surge in the importance of niche online communities.
Platforms like Twitter (or X), LinkedIn, and Reddit have groups dedicated to specific interests, offering brands a laser-focused audience segment.
Brands should identify and engage with these micro-communities that align with their industry or values, build meaningful interactions and deepen their consumer relationships.
- Creating content on these platforms
- Live streaming on platforms and doing a QnA
- Interacting with the audiences, sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses, and more can build a relationship of trust and transparency.
Engaging with the audience in real-time helps in addressing their queries immediately, creating a stronger bond.
Personalization is the King
When creating content, we have to see the other side of the story a.k.a the customer side and understand how they want to consume your content.
Brands tend to make the mistake of relying solely on data instead of asking the users, and this is where we must change.
Content for Individuals
With AI and machine learning tools becoming more sophisticated, there’s an increased capacity for content personalization. We are in the “Era of Hyper-Personalization,” where content will be tailored to individual user preferences, browsing history, and even mood.
It’s not about creating content for the masses anymore; it’s about creating content for the individual.
Segmentation for Better Engagement
Understanding the diverse sections of your audience allows for a more targeted content approach.
For instance, millennials might resonate more with video content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, while professionals might prefer a well-written article on LinkedIn.
Sustainability and Content Marketing
2023 marks a year where consumers are more conscientious than ever. They’re not just looking for products but also for brands that stand for a cause.
Whether it’s environmental conservation or social justice, brands that have a clear and genuine stance on issues can create more meaningful content that resonates with a conscientious audience.
Transparency in Content Creation
The audience is sharp; they can discern genuine content from pure marketing gimmicks. Justin advises brands to be transparent about their content creation processes.
This could mean being open about where they source their materials for products or how they ensure ethical practices in their operations.
Such transparency can be a treasure trove of content that not only promotes but educates the audience.
Wrapping Up
As 2023 looms large, the content marketing space will continue to see a lot of transformations and innovations. For the time being (well, until AI takes over completely in a terminator style), the focus will be on authenticity, strategic distribution, and the integration of technology to refine and streamline efforts.
Brands need to remain agile, ready to adapt at the drop of a hat. AI offers incredibly sophisticated tools, but the soul of content marketing remains rooted in human connection and storytelling.