SEO. Social media. Websites. Blogs. With so many strategies and options available, it can be overwhelming to develop a content marketing strategy. We shared our results earlier this week on how we developed content. This post will show you how I do it for brands such as yours.

We work with brands at all stages of their content marketing journey. We help brands create processes that will allow them to reach customers effectively, from those still learning about content marketing and why it is important to those who have already implemented their campaigns and need guidance.

Quick Takeaways

• 
  Content marketing is a growing trend. Marketers are focused on content marketing that builds brand loyalty.
  
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  Content marketers need to focus on solving the problems of their target audience.
  
• 
  Find the right platforms to connect with your audience. Make content that your audience prefers to consume.
  
• 
  Businesses need to realize that their employees are their greatest marketing resource, and find ways to activate them.
  
• 
  Effective content strategies require data, brainstorming and alignment with the customer journey.
  

Content marketing is crucial to brands' survival in today’s economy, as many brands have discovered. According to the Content Marketing Institute's 2022 Budgets, Benchmarks and Trends report, 43% of marketers reported that their company's content marketing budget had increased since 2020.

74% of marketers believe their campaigns are more successful than they were a year ago. 66% expect their content marketing budgets will continue to grow. Respondents stated that the more mature their content marketing is, the greater the chance it will succeed.

Content marketing is not a sprint. We can help you and your brand reach the finish line with loyal customers who have satisfied your needs.

Here's how it works:

1. Content Marketing Objectives

The way we approach marketing has changed over the last decade. Buyers now have complete control over their buying journey. Brands have to provide a seamless and quality experience for their customers. One thing is certain: the goal of content marketing campaigns must be defined.

This step involves an analysis of five aspects within a brand.

1. current audience insights
2. Business case
3. Current state
4. Mission statement
5. Budget

What is the brand's current position? What is our mission statement What are our current customers like? What is our budget?

2. Determining the Target Audience

Understanding buyers is crucial as they are now in complete control of their experience. They have high expectations for brands and want to establish relationships with them.

It includes more than the basic data such as age, gender, race and income.

We always take into account other factors when conducting content marketing workshops for clients. Are they satisfied with their personal and professional lives? What are their current frustrations? Where can they find their information? What are their curiosity about?

Although the list of questions is long, it allows us to begin to create the foundation for a content marketing campaign that will be successful.

3. Publishing content

You will publish content only if you know where your target audience is located.

There is some confusion around platforms. We don't blame you! Millions of people use at least 12 social media platforms. You can also build your hub using a variety of content management systems. It is easy to get lost.

We place the greatest value in the area where brands can control their content. Just look at the content marketing best practices. They are great for content distribution but the constant flux of social media algorithms and user agreement makes them unreliable platforms to develop a content marketing strategy.

4. Content Marketing Workflow

The next step is to determine the best way for us to work together with you and your brand. This includes defining the process we will use to plan, approve, create, and publish your content marketing campaign. This is an easy process for some clients. Some clients have needed additional steps or internal procedures that were not yet defined by law.

5. Editorial Strategy

Once we have a clear understanding of the brand's goals and who their target audience is, we can begin to define the editorial strategy. This includes the identification of content topics, types, and themes. Marketing Insider Group identified four key themes.

• content marketing workshops
• content strategy agency
• Activation of employees
• Content marketing for events

Next, we created topics around these themes such as how or tools to use video in content marketing strategies. The topic will determine how these articles are written. However, the content can include lists, how to articles, infographics, and why posts.

6. Brainstorming

Brainstorming is an important part of creating a content strategy. Our clients work with us to find the best ways to reach their target audience. It can be (and should be) one the most enjoyable parts of the entire process.

Design thinking is a strategy where everyone contributes ideas to the group and then they categorize them.

Analytical types are not to be worried. To brainstorm, we use data-driven techniques.

• Google is the place we first look. It offers suggestions based upon the number of searches made for a particular topic.
• AnswerThePublic is another excellent resource for categorizing the most commonly asked questions about a keyword.
• BuzzSumo allows us to identify the content that is performing well over a certain time period. It allows us to see both our content and that of competitors. We can also search for high-performing content by topic on the platform.

7. Consumer Journey: How Does the Content Fit in?

It will take a different approach to reach a consumer who has not heard of your brand than if they follow you on social media. We work with brands in determining which demographics should be included in the three stages: middle, late, and early.

This stage also affects how often we create or reuse content, and how we reach consumers (blog posts/email, social). We always remember that buyers aren't searching for a specific product. They want to solve a problem.

8. Distribution of Content

There are many platforms that you can choose from for your content marketing campaign: social media, podcast, video and paid advertising. You also have the option to activate employees through harnessing employee activation. We work closely with clients to determine the best tactics for achieving their goals.

Brands we work with are encouraged to think within when choosing the best way to promote digital content. The strongest marketing tactic is on the payroll: employees. Employees can share content from their employers up to 8x more often and 14x more brand awareness than content that is brand-exclusive.

9. Content Marketing Measurement

According to research, 100 pieces of content are produced for each buyer. This makes measurement an important component of content marketing strategies and will likely be the most relevant to your CEO.

We help brands identify the metrics that need to be tracked based on their goals and buyer stages early in the process and give them a dashboard to keep track. Although our reporting schedule is flexible, it is designed to optimize a brand's content marketing campaign.

Make your brand stand out with your content

Content marketing is essential for distinguishing your brand, positioning you as a thought leader and positioning your company in the industry. It can be difficult to keep your ideas current, especially when your competition is also creating content.

You can also bet your competitors will soon be following you if you create something new and interesting. These are some tips to differentiate your brand through content marketing.

1. Strategically Position Yourself

You must be different from your competitors by using your content and expressing your unique viewpoint.

You must first know your market and key content marketing trends within your industry before you can position your brand in a positive light. Also, do some research about your competitors to see what they are doing.

Find out which creative direction is being pursued by the competition. You can see what kind of tone they prefer and what aesthetics they use. You can get an idea of their tone and aesthetics by looking at their logo, mascots and even the colors they choose.

• What themes are they using?
• What message are they trying to convey?
• Which campaigns are they running and what kind?

You must know your target audience if you want to be different. Your brand should be unique to fill a niche. You can take what your competitors do and make it better or add a new spin.

2. Customers Experience is the main focus

Your brand's customer experience can make a significant difference. Instead of thinking that there is one perfect customer experience, you should try to find out what your customers want. Revieweal's content marketer Jerry Estes says that different customers choose to use different brands for the unique experience they get.

Your brand positioning should be reflected in the experience. It should also reflect your personality.

3. High Quality Content

There are many ways to produce quality content that your customers will love. A good place to start is to determine your niche. Consider an area that is untapped and hungry for content. If you can appeal to a niche that is not being covered by other brands, you can build a loyal following.

A good idea is to focus your primary goal on educating and informing people. Learn what customers are most interested in and then create content to address those questions. You can use forums and blogs to discover the most popular topics when people search your brand or industry. Then, create content based on this information.

4. A long-term growth strategy is important

Fads can change, but they shouldn't dictate how you plan your strategy. Long-term growth should not be the focus of your strategy.

The internet is very fast-paced and has a short attention span. Your brand will quickly lose touch if you try to incorporate this week's sensations into your strategy.

"Thinking long-term is key to seeing how far you can expand your boundaries. You should look for opportunities to expand your reach and grow in new areas within your own sphere. Keep in mind that expanding doesn't mean you are changing your brand's message or positioning," Doris Tanguay (ecommerce content writer at Essay Service) says.

5. You can improve your content writing skills by using online resources

Many people are great at creating content but have trouble writing compelling copy. There are many online resources that will teach you how to write like an expert.

These are some great ones to start with:

• Studydemic/Academadvisor
  
  These resources will help you improve your grammar skills. Bad grammar can be a big problem for your brand and you could really damage yourself.
• Assignment Writing Service / Essayroo
  
  These online tools will ensure flawless content copy. A single typo can make you appear like an amateur.
• StudentWritingServices
  
  A guide makes it so much easier to write. This guide will help you navigate the writing process from beginning to end.
• UKWritings / BoomEssays
  
  Editing can be tedious and not everyone enjoys it. However, these resources will make editing easier and more enjoyable.

6. Segment and Distribute

Many brands have trouble segmenting their audiences based on their wants and needs. It's important to think about the journey of each group when segmenting your audience. This includes engagement, conversion, loyalty, and awareness.

Segment your content according to pricing, customer service, product lines, or services. You should also consider your geographic location and relevance when segmenting.

Differentiation can have a negative impact on both your short-term profits and your long-term viability. Your brand will not be remembered if you are just another less interesting person. You need to be able to clearly position yourself and stay on top of similar brands' activities so you can find unique angles to work with.

The Best Brands With Great Content Strategy

It seems that every brand has its own publishing house, with a content marketing strategy. This is due to the success of content marketing and its explosion. They create content for specific websites to reach their target audience, convert visitors, increase exposure and establish themselves as experts in their fields.

Branded content, however, isn't always the best. Some brands don't appeal to their customers, while others reuse articles, photos and videos rather than creating original pieces. Others are pushy in trying to sell their products.

You should do your research on the top-of-the-best brands to learn how you can start your own content website. Five of them, including IBM, GE and Williams-Sonoma, spoke about their websites and how they consistently produce great content.

These content creators talk about their content marketing strategies, methodologies, and goals when it comes building a brand-new content site.

IBM: Creating a real-time content desk

Tami Cannizzaro, a designer of a real-time content desk at IBM in 2014, has this to say about branding content and messaging: "I don’t think I’ll get too many views contrary to what I say that effective marketing is becoming harder every day. People seem to be allergic to any type of selling. Banner ads are wallpaper that has a very low conversion rate of.1%. The DVR has virtually eliminated television ads. Text ads can be a brand killer if they aren't pushed at the point of sale when the discount coffee is still hot. I could go on.

What can you do to make your brand part of a welcoming conversation? Marketing is about creating relevance and utility for your brand. Social media is often the first step in a conversation, and should be integrated into the brand experience. Tami and her team at IBM created a real-time content department. This system has a profound impact on how we create and distribute brand content.

There are five main stages. Here's how to build one.

Monday – The Beat Box Find the most relevant conversations and ask what's going on in the world. You can use social listening tools to find the most recent topics. Sparks & Honey is a great agency to tap into important cultural trends. The agency provides a daily report that covers current world events, consumer trends, and general cultural shifts. Create themes that are in line with the areas of market interest.

Tuesday Editorial Sync: Determine what content your audience wants to consume and how. A seasoned PR professional working with your marketing team can help you to guide and direct this process. You might use this example to illustrate how your software can help you identify the right candidate for election. Or, it could be Valentine's Day when you're selling expensive gifts for your loved ones.

Wednesday: The Angle: Brainstorm about the content to be produced. Ogilvy & Mather is a content strategy and creative agency that supports the desk. They help to create both short and long-form content. SlideShare that is filled with facts, and ties in to a upcoming holiday.

Thursday – The Deadline: Plan how to deploy content across brand properties. Plan how paid, owned, or earned media will increase the content's visibility. Retargeting and other technologies can be used to help consumers move down the funnel.

Friday – The Analytics: Do a weekly evaluation of winners and losers. What content types are consumers sharing and engaging with? It is crucial to understand which themes and content types are most successful for increasing brand engagement.

IBM's real-time content desk made it easier to create content that resonates. This desk's nirvana is "news jacking" conversations. It can push a SlideShare into another conference stream, or be the top tweet that goes viral at a major world event.

As consumers, we hate being sold. We marketers know that we must sell. To be heard by consumers, brands must align with people's perceptions of the world in order to find the right way to connect. This engagement can be achieved by using a content engine such as IBM's.

Casper: Rather than focusing on conversion, focus on awareness

Casper is a startup which sells "outrageously comfortable" mattresses directly to consumers, eliminating the need for commissions.

The brand's launch in April 2014 has seen rapid growth. It generated $30 million in revenue in a period of 10 months and expanded its staff from five to hundreds.

Casper has been able to power an on-brand, off-domain blog. However, in June 2015, Casper made an unexpected move and launched Van Winkle's, an independent editorial venture.

Quality Journalism Examining All Aspects Of Sleep

Casper announced Van Winkle's on its blog. It is an independent editorial venture that is staffed with an award-winning team. Van Winkle's original stories and features explore all aspects sleep, science-wise as well as pop culture.

Luke Sherwin is Casper's co-founder. He explains that the site will publish "weekly, in-depth features," "hard-hitting investigative articles, columns and explainers" and will also report on cultural issues and topics "through a lens grounded n rest and wakefulness, such as the societal implications and experimental interrogation techniques or the limitations to quantification."

This brand clearly puts quality content as its top priority. It has hired experienced journalists from Maxim Magazine, Travel + Leisure and Men's Journal. Elizabeth Spiers, a former editor-in-chief of The New York Observer as well as a founder editor of Gawker, will lead the team.

An Independent Venture

We've seen content marketing initiatives without branding before (e.g. L'Oreal's Makeup.com). However, it's usually a move by brands that a. are trying not to be associated with a negative brand perception; b. are trying to repair customer trust issues or c. have a number of brands all rolled up under the same parent company. Casper is not one of these.

It seems that the purpose of the site was to fill a journalistic need in an area of interest. Casper is not just a mattress seller, but a lifestyle brand. This comes at a time in which people are more concerned about work-life balance. They are also wearing fitness bands to monitor their sleep and activity. Casper seemed to be the only one who could fill this void.

Van Winkle's is supported by Casper but retains its autonomy in branding, online identity, and budget. This site is not intended to be used as a marketing tool or to drive traffic towards the Casper website. It's not even part of Casper’s marketing budget. Van Winkle's does not indicate any association with Casper. The only exception is a small disclaimer at footer.

Van Winkle's online identity is also separate with independent social accounts and an unassociated URL (vanwinkles.com instead of something like casper.com/vanwinkles). It's also interesting to note that Van Winkle's online identity is separate with independent social accounts and an unassociated URL (vanwinkles.com instead of something like casper.com/vanwinkles). It will not contain shoppable or e-commerce links. Most brands who choose an unbranded strategy will still have shoppable hyperlinks scattered throughout their content.

Although still in its infancy the site has generated a lot of buzz and been featured by Wall Street Journal as well as the New York Business Journal. Van Winkle's site is an interesting experiment, which will be fascinating to see and influence the content marketing strategies of other brands at a time where content is the "in-vogue" strategy.

The Strategy

Jeff Koyen, Van Winkle's editor in chief, does not consider himself a marketer. He is a journalist who manages freelance journalists. They are just like traditional journalists, and they want to tell great stories and increase awareness about specific issues. Koyen sees sleep as the issue.

He stated, "We aren't converting people to Casper.com. That is what makes Van Winkles unique." "We don't measure ourselves by mattress sales or conversions."

Our goal is to create a new vertical called sleep and to get "more eyes on Van Winkle’s." Casper will be able to benefit if we create the sleep category. They will make people say, "Gee, we have a better mattress." It is my job to raise cultural awareness. While my competitors might also benefit, it is ultimately up to Casper's position to be there for customers when they want to purchase.

What is it that Koyen has found his readers most interested in when they talk about sleep? He says, "Not surprisingly," posts about boners do well. I did one about morning erections. Another is about how to clean your sheets. These two posts were shared far and wide on social media.

Koyen advises other brands who want to launch their own brand content websites: Don't be too cautious. He says, "It takes courage to let an editorial entity run and launch on its own." Most people think that someone from the brand side will blink and tell them, "I don't know whether this story is appropriate for the brand." They might overthink it. You need to be bold and trust your editor if you want it to be published. Don't try to sell Red Bull or convert eyeballs. You need to find the right editors to do real journalism at a higher level and ensure they are honest with themselves.

Why It Works

There will undoubtedly be many people who are skeptical and pessimistic about this potentially risky venture. However, there are several elements in the site's strategy which have made it a strong contender for success. The site's first advantage is that it has a team of experienced journalists who are skilled at creating compelling content. They are able to deliver on the high standards they set, regardless of what topics they cover.

The site's broad topic on "sleep", which is a broad topic, has an impact on all aspects of our lives. Because sleep can be integrated into almost anything, they have given themselves the freedom to write about subjects that are truly interesting. They won't be writing boring stories just because they fit in with the overall theme of the site six months from now.

The unbranded strategy is third and fits perfectly with Casper’s mission. Casper's direct to consumer business model benefits consumers by removing inflated prices. A business built around the benefit of the end customer has an advantage over other businesses. This will help you build a trustworthy and honest brand image. This positive perception is further enhanced by the launch of an unbranded editorial website, full of amazing content and without a direct strategy for driving e-commerce.

The executive team is realistic, open, and ready for adaptation. Sherwin doesn't expect the site will be a place that people visit every day. The goal is to create valuable, interesting content that will be shared.

Sherwin says, "We live today in a world where being the destination site is not always the primary goal for all content sites." Philip Krim, Casper's CEO is aware of the risks and will alter the strategy if necessary. He explained, "If it's not well received, we'll need to reevaluate. But if we succeed in creating amazing content, then I think that we'll be able to have an interesting standalone company here."

Barneys: Provide exclusive content

Your brand has unique access to people and information that other brands do not have. The staff at Barneys' branded content website, The Window, know this.

Marissa Rosenblum, editorial director, says interviews with Barneys' designers are the best content on the site. She also mentions "things that you can only get by visiting The Window," as she describes the best content. This is due to the exclusive access we have at Barneys. The exclusive collaborations that we have with Barneys are not available elsewhere.

This kind of original content is available at The Window in a variety of formats, including written pieces about designers and photos from Barneys' photo shoots as well as videos from their runway shows.

Rosenblum says that brands must stick to the old advice of writing what they are experts in order to be successful. Tell the stories that you are an expert in, and people will be interested in your brand's point-of-view. They are interested in our opinions on emerging designers, fashion, style, and other topics. Although we are still trying to sell them something it doesn't change that fact that they respect and value our viewpoint."

Williams-Sonoma: We want to attract repeat visitors

Success is not measured by the number of visitors to your brand content website. Your brand's success depends on loyal customers who return time and again.

Merritt Watts is the senior content manager at Williams-Sonoma. She says they want people to return to their website Williams-Sonoma Taste for more content. "Return visitors are a sign that we are truly connecting with customers. Although they may not purchase every time they visit the blog they will be returning to a trusted site that has already taught them how to cook, inspired them to host memorable holidays brunches, and suggested some Austin restaurants for them to try. This is the type of long-term success that we want."

Watts and her team, which includes freelance and in-house writers, create content that is valuable to customers in order to encourage them to return. She says, "Our primary target is the home chef." They don't need to be able to cook a souffle or sous vide (though many of our customers are able to do so). (editors note: Seamless? They are not! But they are people who love to be inspired and who enjoy getting their kitchens messy and setting up a table for family and friends with a delicious meal.

Recent pieces include how to plan a spicy cookout and how to make ice cream sandwiches.

GE Reports: Get the scoop

Tomas Kellner, GE Reports' Managing Editor (read a complete interview with him here), stated that the brand wanted to tell its own stories and appeal to a broad audience. They also wanted influencers to see them as more that an appliance company.

They report on technological innovations to do this. They research the most recent information on subjects like 3D printing and medicine, science and technology. Then they hope to have it distributed by other publishers such as Gizmodo or Fortune which have large readerships.

Kellner says, "With one our stories about 3D printed jet engines we got hundreds and thousands of views, and it was picked up by other websites, which generated a large universe of impressions." "Ultimately, impressions are more important than traffic to the site," Kellner says.

Kellner has easy access to the stories of innovation because GE makes technology. He then looks at the stories that he believes would be popular with his readers and assigns them to them. He says, "If I try to sell to readers, they're just gonna walk away." You must be honest and truthful, as well as informative, current, and useful.

How can we help your brand succeed in content marketing?

As much as I've helped brands develop successful content marketing campaigns I also enjoy the discovery phase because I get to learn something. We can help brands succeed, no matter what the challenge is.

Are you curious about how we could work together? Get in touch with us today!

This is the right time to learn how to create video content. 91% of businesses are already using video marketing tools in 2023. 96% of marketers also spend on video advertising.

This is because consumers spend more time on social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube and TikTok than ever before. There are many benefits to creating video content such as building brand identity and improving your SEO.

This is your chance to jump on board the video content train if you haven’t done so already. We're sharing the secrets to creating video content that converts. This post will show you how to create video content that benefits both you and your audience.

Quick Takeaways

• 
  94% marketers believe that creating video content has helped their customers understand products and services
  
• 
  83% of professionals marketers believe that creating video content now is more important than ever
  
• 
  Video content can increase your ROI, educate your audience and improve your SEO
  
• 
  Customer testimonials, company culture videos and product demonstrations are just a few of the best forms of video content.
  
• 
  Video content marketing strategies will increase your ROI and scale up your marketing efforts
  

Video content is an effective way to reach your target audience in a saturated world.

What Does "Creating video content" Really Mean?

A recent survey found that 83% of professional marketers think creating video content is more essential than ever. What exactly is video content?

Video content marketing is exactly as it sounds: companies create and share videos to promote products and services, educate audiences, and encourage engagement with the ultimate goal of increasing conversions.

Why is this happening? First, the 2020 pandemic saw social media usage rise by 215% in the US. In 2022, the average time spent watching video content was 19 hours per week. This is a fraction of the time it takes to watch videos online.

Image Source: Wyzowl

You are missing a huge opportunity to connect with your customers if you have not yet started creating video content. You don't have to reach potential customers; video content is a great way to connect with your audience.

Four Reasons to Start Making Video Content

It's clear that video content will be the most effective way for brands to connect with their customers in 2023. No matter if your company is B2C, B2B or has decent editing skills, it doesn't really matter. Here are four main reasons to start creating video content as soon as possible.

1. Video Content Is A Great Way To Educate Your Audience

You want to show potential customers why your product is so great. Make an explainer video explaining how your products and services work.

Wyzowl reports that 94% of marketers believe creating video content has helped increase their customers' understanding of products. Professional marketers know that customers will only purchase your product if they understand how it works and the benefits it provides.

2. Videos Have Great ROI

According to industry professionals, the number of people creating video content has increased significantly by 2023.

• Brand Awareness
• Traffic
• Leads
• Sales
• Time for rest

The best thing about creating video content is that it doesn't need to be time-consuming or expensive. You can now record great videos in seconds with your handy-dandy phone. You can maximize your ROI by spending less on production.

3. There are many options when it comes to creating video content

YouTube might be a familiar name if you have been in the video business for a while. There are many video sharing options available in today's market.

• Social Media.Post Stories that will eventually disappear from channels like Instagram, Snapchat, and Instagram. It's quick and easy to communicate directly with your audience.
• Live Video. According to Facebook, live streaming receives 6x more interactions than regular video posts.
• Webinars. You can share webinar content to build authority. Answer your audience's questions. Teach them about the latest topics in your industry.

This list could go on. To maximize your ROI, you need to identify the best channels for your business and continue posting video content.

4. You Can Amp Up Your SEO By Creating Video Content

Google frequently features YouTube videos at Page 1 of search results. Your content will be more likely to land in Google's top results if you use keywords and create content that targets popular topics.

Image Source Google

You can expect to see a significant increase in traffic if you add the exposure that YouTube gives you when people search for your topic.

Six Types of Video Content That You Should Create

You're likely curious about the videos that successful businesses are making now that you know how powerful video content is. We've got you covered.

1. Explainer Videos

Explainer videos can be a great way for your audience to learn. Customers will be more inclined to purchase your products and services if they understand the benefits.

Video Source: Consumer Reports

You can use animated or live videos to explain your brand's message.

2. Product demonstrations

Demonstrating your products and services is a great way to showcase them. These demonstrations are more engaging than explainer videos, as you will be highlighting your product's unique features and benefits.

Video Source: Gorilla Glue Company

You will need a charismatic host who can speak passionately about the product and you will need to brainstorm ways to engage the audience during demonstrations.

3. Video about Company Culture

One of the best ways to connect with your audience is through brand storytelling. To draw attention to your company's values, create video content.

Video Source: PSIA AASI

It's amazing how many customers and employees you can get by sharing your brand's "why"

4. Behind-The-Scenes

Who wouldn't love to see the delivery process of your products or services? Show off the craftsmanship involved in creating your products.

Video Source: Evening Standard

If your company specializes in customized products or sourcing materials, you will want to make the most of this video content. Your viewers will be more engaged in the process if they feel involved.

5. Customer Testimonials

Word-of mouth marketing is the best and most effective way to market your business. You don't need to rely on customers sharing success stories by posting testimonials.

Video Source: Gorilla Glue Company

Ask a customer to tell you on video why they love your products and services. Prospects will be more likely to purchase your product if they see the passion of customers.

6. Employee Portraits

Share employee portrait videos to give customers a glimpse into the heart and soul your company. Your audience will be able to see the daily actions of passionate employees and help them understand your business.

Video Source: Life and Thyme

This is a great way for small businesses to connect with and expand their community.

6 Steps To Creating A Video Content Marketing Strategy

Just a few steps away, you can reap the benefits of video content. But every great marketer knows that content without a solid marketing strategy is useless. These are 6 steps that will help you maximize your video content's return on investment and scale your marketing efforts.

1. Why?

Before you begin creating video content, it is important to understand the purpose of it.

Do you own a small business and want to showcase the personality behind your brand? Are you looking to show how your business can make a positive difference? Do you have an innovative product or service that requires a tutorial video?

No matter what your reason, understanding the "why" behind video content can help you communicate your message effectively to viewers.

2. Who

Your target audience is the heart of your success, there's no doubt about that. To ensure a positive response, make sure that your video content aligns with the buyer personas.

Video content can be a powerful way to connect with customers emotionally. It is important to use the right emotions and tell the right story.

3. What

After reading the options, you may have an idea of the type of video content that you will create. Before you decide on your video style, ensure it is relevant to your audience. Video content can be a great way to build credibility in your industry.

4. Where

Before you decide where to share your videos, it's important that you know what the final product will look like. While short videos are great for social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube, longer videos that provide education should be shared on channels like YouTube.

These are some options that will help you choose the right channels for your videos.

• YouTube upto 15 minutes for unverified account, up to 12 for verified account
• Facebook: Up to 15 Minutes
• InstagramIGTV: Reels can be up to an hour long
• LinkedIn anywhere from 3 seconds to 30 minutes
• TikTok up to 10 minutes
• Tweet:anywhere in between 20 seconds to 2 minutes
• Websites It's your choice, but remember that shorter videos are more popular.

When making a decision, remember your audience. What are their preferred channels for video content consumption? Your chances of reaching new customers will increase if you choose the right channel.

5. When

Consistency is the key to your success. Customers will trust brands that are consistent.

To keep your content consistent and organized, create a content calendar. It will outline when, where and what you'll post video content. You won't need to worry about what content to post.

6. Measuring your Success

Without measuring your success, there is no way to tell if all your hard work was worthwhile. You can assess the effectiveness of your strategy by looking at key performance indicators (or KPIs).

• Views the total number of people that viewed your video
• Impressions The total number of times that your video has been displayed on a user’s screen
• View through rate: The total number of times that your video has been viewed in its entirety over the initial impressions (completed view/impressions = view-through rates)
• Time spent watching: the total time that viewers spent viewing your video.
• Views: Total number of viewers who clicked on your video
• The brand lift: the impact your video had on viewers' perceptions, behaviors (calculated through a survey)

You can determine which types of content are most successful by looking at the metrics. Once you have measured your strategy's success you can make changes to your content calendar in order to maximize your ROI.

Start Creating Your Video Content Marketing Strategy Today

Video content is a powerful way to reach and convert people in the world of content marketing. It can be a cost-effective and time-saving way to maximize your ROI.

Are you ready to reap the rewards of video content marketing? Marketing Insider Group can help. You can get started by visiting our weekly blog content service or scheduling a consultation to learn more.

"Marketing is not about what you make, but the stories that you tell." – Seth Godin

Since the dawn of time, brand storytelling has been an integral part human communication. Stories are used to communicate information, connect with others and create meaning in our lives. Marketers looking to establish strong relationships with their audiences will find storytelling a valuable tool.

Are you still skeptical? OneSpot reports that 92% of consumers want ads that feel like stories. Edelman also found that 63% of respondents said that they remember a brand's story when making a purchase decision.

Marketing storytelling is about creating a story around a brand to attract customers, evoke emotions and motivate action. This is more than just promoting a product. To create deeper connections, it's all about creating memorable experiences that resonate with your audience.

Let's look at the importance of storytelling and how to elevate your brand using proper storytelling techniques.

Quick Takeaways

1. 
   Make it relatable. Be relatable.
   
2. 
   Share engaging stories that are emotionally relevant.
   
3. 
   Trust is vital and can only be built by authenticity and consistency. It is not what you speak, but what you do.
   

Your brand will be more relatable if you tell stories

Marketers often throw facts, features, and other brand attributes at their target audience to appeal to their rational side. These elements are important but can overwhelm consumers.

It's much more effective to create stories and establish a connection with your audience. Stories are a way for people to connect because they offer context, emotion and empathy. This humanizes your brand. It is one of the most valuable skills that marketers have today.

Think about Coca-Cola’s success with the "Share a Coke” campaign. Coca-Cola made it easier for customers to identify their brand by putting their names on products. With more than 150 million bottles personalized, the campaign was a great success. The campaign also helped to reverse more than 10 years' worth of decline in American Coke consumption.

Our brains are wired to take in information when it is presented engagingly rather than presenting cold facts. Fast Company reports that only the language part of our brains can decode straight data. When we read a story, our brains activate any other parts of the brain that would be used if we were actually experiencing the information.

Bottom line: Consumers don’t want to be sold on or overwhelmed by facts about your company – they want a genuine, meaningful connection.

Storytelling can elicit emotion

Google, Nike and Apple are all brand powerhouses that rely on emotional marketing to increase their brand visibility.

Marketing is powered by emotion. You can motivate your customers to act by tapping into their emotions. Because you can create a story that resonates with your audience, successful storytelling can inspire positive emotions about your brand.

Nike is arguably the most powerful storytelling brand, and almost all of its ads evoke emotions. Nike's "You Can't Stop Us", for example, features split-screen videos of athletes from different sports and backgrounds. This highlights the similarities among athletes and shows how they face similar struggles and challenges.

Another Nike ad campaign, "What are girls made from?" encourages people pursue their dreams and be the best version of themselves.

Nike's story is about pushing boundaries, conquering obstacles and reaching success. This creates a brand that inspires, motivates, and challenges its customers on an even deeper level.

Bottom line: Evoking emotion can make your audience feel more connected and memorable.

Storytelling builds trust

Marketing is all about authenticity and trust. Customers who trust your brand are more likely to recommend your products and services to others. This can help build brand loyalty.

Patagonia is an excellent example of a brand that uses storytelling to its advantage. Their brand mission, values and expertise are clearly articulated in their showcase. They also demonstrate their commitment to ethical business practices and environmental sustainability. Patagonia has a loyal customer base that trusts its brand and supports its mission.

Trust is built by authentic messaging. The brand story you tell should reflect who you are as an individual brand. It shouldn't be exaggerated or fabricated. Transparency, authenticity and honesty are signs that the brand is transparent and open about its operations. This can help customers feel more secure in their relationship with it.

Bottom line: Effective storytelling builds trust with your target audience by allowing them to relate to the brand's values and mission.

Storytelling delivers ROI

Storytelling taps into human emotion and makes brands more relatable. Brands we trust and like are more likely to buy from us. Brand storytelling has a better return on investment.

Stories are what make customers heroes, not your product. Customers love to see themselves as heroes. This makes them more inclined to purchase from you than brands that brag about themselves.

How to incorporate storytelling into your marketing

These are five things you should consider when crafting a compelling story about your brand.

Brand Story If your are unsure of where to start, you can begin with the basics. Your brand story is what you define. Your story should be compelling, authentic, and simple to understand. Think of your customers as heroes. We know that consumers don’t like being sold, so marketers often try to make their brand the hero. Your consumers should be at the heart of your story. Next, you need to explain their motivations and challenges. This will allow you to craft a compelling story that appeals to your target audience. Define your marketing channels. Your brand story must be shared across all channels in order to be effective. Some channels are better suited to long-form content like videos and websites, while others can be used for short-form content such as email marketing, social media, and advertising. Keep your message consistent across all channels and touchpoints to reinforce your brand story. This will not only create a consistent brand message but also help to build brand recognition. Visualize it: People love strong visuals. Engaging and compelling creative can help you draw them in to your story and reinforce your message.

If storytelling is done well and authentic stories are shared across multiple platforms, it can be a powerful tool to build long-lasting relationships with your audience. You can make your brand more relatable by using storytelling to build trust and create memorable experiences that will inspire action.

Are you looking for more examples? Here are 6 examples of genius brand storytelling you must see.

Only brands who can stay relevant to their target audience in an age of content and internet rabbit holes will make a lasting impression.

That means you have to show up in search results, people! Our research shows that 60% of corporate websites fail to create enough content to keep them ahead of their competition in search visibility.

What is the best way to appear in search engines? You must have consistent and useful content.

Are you finding it difficult to find the time to create quality content in your marketing plan?

This post will discuss how blogging services can make your life easier and help your business grow. All this knowledge is shared with the best intentions. We are here to help, no matter what your choice.

1. A blog writing service should make you more money

Your first concern is probably cost. A blog writing service can be another investment in your company that can generate revenue through traffic to your site or building leads.

If done right, contracting with an article writing or blog service weekly is cost-effective and can result in measurable traffic, leads, and revenue growth for your company.

2. A Blogging Service Is Cheaper Than Hiring Full-Time Writing Staff

For businesses of any size, outsourcing assignments to freelancers is a great way to get work done. You only pay for what you use when you need it. You could lose money if full-time employees are not working at their maximum capacity.

You may also get discounts if your company is able to take advantage of economies-of-scale. Outsourcing can help reduce overheads because you don't have to provide office space and equipment for contractors or freelancers.

3. Only qualified writers are used by the best blog writing service

When you don't have the time or energy to write content, the hours required to find a good writer can help fill in your schedule. Advertise the job, interview candidates and onboard and train the writer. The process begins again if the candidate doesn't succeed.

Although freelancing job boards can be attractive, you will usually get what you pay. Find the best blog writing company by finding one that verifies writers' fluency in English and communicates clearly via the written word.

You can check the G2 recommendations to see if anyone is willing to give references.

PS – Make sure that all content is checked for plagiarism. All content must be original and written by humans. We are actually currently testing an AI-checking tool! (More details to follow!)

4. Stable Blog Content connects you with your ideal clients

A coherent SEO strategy is crucial to your marketing plan. It's not enough to be visible. You also need the right people to find your website. It takes time to refine and test keywords and topics, just like all your business strategies.

Blog writing services provide you with a steady stream of SEO-optimized content to reach your target audience.

5. A weekly blog builds your online presence and credibility

A blog each week is a great way of building an online presence. Blogs are a great way to establish your expertise and show potential clients that you care about your work. This builds trust and credibility which are two key ingredients to successful client relationships.

Our research has shown that consistent content is essential for companies who want to increase or maintain their content output.

This is a clear indicator of how important content production is, especially when you consider the fact that global economic growth has slowed down and experts predict that it will continue to slow in the future. Competitors who are smart will take advantage of every method to boost content and swallow any company that is behind.

Blogs allow you to share your thoughts and ideas on a variety of topics. This will help you provide valuable insight that will benefit your clients, and keep them coming back to you. Blogs can also be a great way to meet people all around the globe, helping you network and create new business opportunities.

Instead of writing a new piece each week, give topics and outline to your weekly blog writing service.

6. A Blog Writing Service Helps You Stay Organized

To create repeatable success in your business, you need a process or system that applies to every department. It is possible that you don't have the time or energy to research the most recent AI-driven word processing and design software to create professional-looking articles and e-books.

Your blog writing service will do everything for you, on time and according to your requirements. You don't have to pay extra for a calendar or upload it to WordPress.

7. Outsourcing blog writing offers greater flexibility

Article writing services allow you to modify your content strategy whenever you like. In anticipation of a busy season, you might decide to increase the content or add subjects to your article.

You don't need to spend time creating messaging that drives traffic to your website or door.

8. A Writing Service opens the door to a New Marketing Perspective

It can be difficult to see the world from your perspective when your entire life revolves around your business.

Your presentation can stagnate if it comes from the same person as an in-house author. It can be hard to find guest posts that achieve your goals.

Businesses face one of the most difficult content marketing challenges: creating content that is appealing to clients at different stages of their buying journey. Blog writing services employ writers who are able to pay attention to marketing trends, and adapt to the subject matter. You can attract more people by having a different perspective on a topic.

9. A blog writing service lets you keep control of your content

The person you hire to create your information can have legal implications about ownership. Solid blog writing companies understand the importance of owning your content. Instead of relying on freelancers who may not be available for your work and asking for attribution, hire a company that is able to do the work.

As my British friends love to tell me, our content is custom. This means that you are the one who owns all content we create. That seems right to me.

10. A Blogging Service Gives You Room To Experiment

You can test new markets and ideas with a weekly blog service without having to commit to a long-term project.

If you're thinking of starting a new series for your blog, you can submit several ideas to gauge the response and decide if it is worth the effort. Sometimes, we try longer forms of content, such as e-books or interviews.

Your connection to a top-tier blog writing service

Businesses that want to succeed are not going to be satisfied with a marketing strategy that does not include providing valuable content on a regular basis.

Plan to outsource your writing to a professional blog writing service. If this is a part of your year's plan, please contact us for further details. We will provide more than just content. We'll provide a custom content strategy, weekly content, and monthly measurement to show that it works for your company.

For startups and small businesses, generating more leads at a lower price is always a top priority. According to our research, 65% of B2B marketers say that generating leads and traffic is their number one priority.

Although generating high volumes of leads can be a positive thing, this doesn't always translate into sales or revenue. Although you may have a lot of visitors to your site, only a few may opt in to receive your content. Even fewer leads will convert to paying customers.

As marketers consider cost-per-acquisition, lead quality is a major focus.

Another study revealed that 61% B2B marketers have difficulty generating high-quality leads. Companies aim to lower their cost per lead (CPL). This is because they believe that the more expensive the lead, the higher the profit margin. In reality, high-quality sales leads are not cheap.

PS: These 10 tips will help you optimize your content marketing. Click Here to Watch Now

What is Quality Lead?

Quality leads are those who have the authority, budget and time to purchase your product in a short time. To describe the lead quality criteria, I use the acronym BANT.

• Budget: Do they have the funds to purchase your product or services?
• Authority: Do they have the power to decide to buy it?
• Do they know the solution to your problem?
• Timing: Are they going to make the decision in the next 3 months?

SAP added the "S" to our acronym to make sure that our lead qualification criteria included a next Step. So, BANTS.

What is Lead Scoring?

Lead scoring refers to the process of assigning leads a score to determine whether they are worth further marketing nurturing or sales follow-up.

We also weighted each lead's scoring at SAP based on their answers to each question.

No budget would score 0 points. Budgets would receive the most points. Each answer would earn somewhere in between.

Leads with a high score would be considered to be of high quality and sent to sales as Marketing Qualified Leads (MQL). Leads with lower scores will receive marketing emails and offers in the hopes of moving them along their buyer journey.

But why is Quality Leads so expensive?

1. It can be difficult to find correct data and contact information.

Quality lead generation is dependent on accurate data. A lead should not be considered a prospect unless it is verified. An email address is sufficient, but it's best to include the company name so that you can verify where they work and how big they are.

2. Many leads don't fit your buyer persona or target market.

If you sell only to large businesses and most of your leads come from small businesses, you can't really call them quality leads. The same applies to industry, title, and location, as well as many other BANT criteria.

3. You might not be able to afford the services of some leads.

Although it is one of the criteria in BANT, it may be more important than Need. If the prospect cannot afford your product, then why bother talking to them? I ask prospects in my contact form if they are able to afford the basic or starter levels of my service.

4. It can be difficult to reach decision-makers or company influencers.

This answers the "Authority” question in BANT. There is no wrong answer. One of the most important follow-ups is "Can you point me to [whoever the right person for your product] in your company?" Account Based Marketing is all about getting to the right people, and all those who have an influence on the buying decision.

5. Your leads won't be ready for sales in the majority of cases.

It is all about the Time factor of BANT. It may not be the most important. It is possible to convince them that they should move faster. You can offer discounts, salespeople who are really great, and even offers to increase the likelihood of them buying your product.

6. It can be difficult to create content that attracts leads.

This should not be a problem. You can reach us here to get help in attracting the right people with relevant weekly content. We can help you make e-books or other offers that will generate leads, turn them into qualified prospects, and then convert them into customers. It shouldn't be difficult to have the right content marketing strategy.

If leads are not qualified, you will spend more effort and resources to convert them into customers. Quality leads are rewarded with a premium.

The most cost-effective and free lead generation strategies will take more time and effort. However, more expensive methods will yield faster results. It's not only speed that you should be looking at. Quality leads are those that can convert into real revenue. Leads with higher purchasing intent.

You have a reason to create a buyer persona that reflects your target market. The buyer persona is not only a good fit for your brand, but also represents the ideal client you want to work with. It can be used to help you qualify leads and to focus your efforts on low-hanging fruits (leads that are the easiest to convert).

It is not worth wasting your sales team's efforts trying to sell your product to someone who doesn’t need it. It's a waste of time and money.

High quality leads are a priceless commodity. A funnel full of leads may seem overwhelming, but it doesn't always translate into many customers. Quality leads are what bring in the bacon.

Quality Leads at a High Price

High quality sales leads are not cheap. You might think that you are in control because you have lowered your CPL and accumulated a large number of leads. Yes, leads are leads. But can they be quality leads that you can convert into paying customers?

Your business will grow if you invest in a lead generation strategy that generates revenue. Not only will you save time and money, but your sales team will also be able to save effort in following up with leads that don't convert.

The old saying "You get what your pay for" applies when it comes to effectively spending your lead generation budget.

We can help you get quality leads

We are a highly-ranked content marketing agency assisting companies like yours reach, engage, and convert quality leads. We are eager to assist you in growing your business by writing high-quality, keyword-rich articles that will help you to generate quality leads as fast as possible.

Learn more about our Content Builder Services. We can help you make all the content that you need to win customers or increase sales. Get in touch with us today!

PS: Check out our most recent case study to see how we helped one company double its leads!