Content marketing's transformation by AI is exciting and disconcerting. Many content marketers are overwhelmed by OpenAI, new content tools, and best practices. Staying grounded in the content foundations will help us to move forward despite the uncertainty we feel about our profession.
Content foundations include artifacts such as buyer profiles, data on industry and competitors, data on search keywords, data about content performance, and key messages. These facts and data are essential to building an effective content strategy.
Facts alone will not convince companies to spend a lot of money on software, consulting services or other high-value products. People are the foundation of companies. They have emotions and desires.
Storytelling is another important brick to your content foundation.
The Hero's Journey Framework creates powerful business stories
Dr. Jennifer Aaker is a Stanford professor and behavioral scientist who has written a book. She says that stories are remembered 22 times better than just facts.
You can sometimes find the narrative in the messages that your marketing team has developed. This messaging is usually short, bulleted and factual. There is no urgency or intrigue that would encourage buyers to act and imagine a better tomorrow.
A narrative is a story that includes a plot, characters and conflict. The Hero's Journey can be found in both contemporary and traditional stories. Joseph Campbell, a renowned mystologist, first introduced the concept of the Hero's Journey in his book, "The Hero with a Thousand Faces." Campbell outlines 17 distinct stages, beginning with the "Call to Adventure," and ending with the "Freedom to Live." Campbell’s structure can also be simplified into 3 acts:
- Departure A mentor helps the hero prepare for an unknown journey.
- InitiationEnemies test the hero’s new abilities and knowledge in a series trials.
- Return The hero receives his reward, and then begins the journey back to the familiar world.
Image Source
Harry Potter is a modern-day hero's story. As Harry enters the wizardry world, he faces a series of challenges and tests. He learns magic, forms bonds with mentors and faces off against enemies, including the dark magician.
A business also has a mission: to solve problems for customers. Or, to put it another way: Businesses are on a mission to help heroes overcome challenges.
This is an example of content marketing in real life, as I mentioned at this article's beginning:
The journey of the AI-generated content is a hero (content marketer). Digital agencies with years of experience (mentors) offer knowledge to help content marketing outwit search engines (enemy), achieving page one rankings (reward ).
Another example of blockchain in action:
A developer (hero), inspired by the 2008 financial crisis, seeks (journey) an alternative to traditional finance (enemy). He meets other developers who are allies and share the same goal. They also provide him with knowledge to help develop blockchain. The banking industry (enemy) spreads false information about blockchain because it threatens its power.
You can tell your entire company's or product's story by adding more details to these short narratives. This story will become the core of all your writing. Each article, podcast, or website should reflect and connect to the story.
Image source: Seed World
Put hero's Journey narratives into action
Consider how this can be beneficial immediately and over the course of your marketing cycle.
- Writer Onboarding. As part of the onboarding process, ask new writers to read a narrative. You can also have them read boring keyword analyses, but a compelling story will allow them to understand the business better than buyer survey data. The writers need to know every plot twist so that they can incorporate the story in everything they do.
- Employee Buy-in. Bring your story to life with a dramatic reading at the next company meeting, or sales kick-off. The theater is a great way to help employees understand the mission of your company and their role within it. Bonus: Employees who believe in a hero's story will be more willing than others to create content.
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Create content.
Create high-quality, emotionally engaging content faster. Your content plan is built on a well-written and detailed narrative. Content is waiting to be created at every fork in your hero's journey, and with each mentor or villain that they meet. Here are some examples:- Point-of-view articles. Write about the reasons for starting the journey, how to defeat the enemies, and the better life the hero will have if he overcame adversity. You can publish the articles in your blog, or submit them to media outlets as bylined pieces.
- Customer Interviews. Use this narrative as a guide to help you create questions for your customer interviews and encourage them to tell their own story. You will learn why they embarked on their quest, who mentored them and who stood in the way.
- Explainer Video Script. A basic story outline can be a great way to describe your product or service. Engage viewers and educate them by describing the hero (the person who benefits) of your solution, what problem it solves (the trial) and how your product helps your customers (the reward).
- SEO pillar pages. Some of the most popular web pages explain a concept completely, answering all questions. Common questions are about key narrative elements. Who (hero) is using widgets, for example? What are some of the best practices for using widgets (mentors)? What are some of the emerging (journey) alternatives to widgets What are the greatest threats to the widget industry?
- Social media campaign. Illustrations, animations and diagrams are all examples of creative visuals that can be generated by good stories. Create a social media campaign that is based on a story arc and includes creative to make it memorable.
How to start writing a hero’s journey story
In building a strategy for content, facts and data are important. However, they do not inspire business buyers to take action. Stories that include good and bad, struggle and victory, are more motivating.
The Hero's Journey framework is an effective way to create memorable stories that will resonate with your target audience. It may be intimidating to begin with, but you can find many online resources that will help. The Joseph Campbell Foundation's mythological resources database is a good place to begin. You could also take a short course on LinkedIn Learning with Shane Snow, a journalist and cofounder at Contently. You can get advice from professionals like Joshua Reynolds, the founder and CEO at Rob Roy Consulting. He has created more than 100 narratives, both for consumer and business brands. Josh discusses his process in his blog "Harnessing The Power Of Myth In Corporate Narratives: Persuasive Storiestelling Model".
Start with an outline and get input from a few key people. You can then refine the story over time, as you gain more knowledge about your business and customers. Validating the story is also important with customers and leaders who have knowledge of the company, its products and vision.
Your content will be superior to your competitors if you create a compelling narrative. The hero's story helps you go beyond buyer personas to get into the heart of your customers.
The post A good story goes a long way: How to use the hero's journey for content marketing appeared first on Marketing Insider Group.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference of advertising and marketing?
Advertising is a form of communication that promotes products or brands. Advertising has a clear call of action. For example, “Buy now!” or “Click here.”
Marketing is, on the contrary, a way to communicate your company’s mission, vision and values to potential clients. Marketing is also a way to establish relationships with potential customers and current customers.
If you sell shoes online, for example, marketing can be used to tell the story of who you are and what your offer. Talk about your philosophy, history, and commitment towards quality. You could also share testimonials from customers who are satisfied with your products. Perhaps you can even hold an event where people are encouraged to visit your website by giving away free shoes.
Marketing is, in short, about telling stories. Advertising is all about selling products.
Why is it so important for your brand to be defined?
Your company can simply call it a brand. A brand can promise certain characteristics and benefits that make your business stand out from its competitors. Your brand is what sets you apart from other companies in the industry.
A brand can give you authority and credibility. Prospective customers immediately recognize your company's logo and trust it to stand behind their products and services. They trust your company because you have earned their respect.
Your brand is also a reflection of your company's culture. If your employees are passionately involved in your brand, then it is probably reflective of your passion for the product or service.
Your brand isn't just words or pictures. Your company must live up to this promise. It is a promise that you will provide value for your customers.
When you set out to develop your brand, you need to consider several factors. First, choose a name that is clear and concise. For example, if you run a bakery, you'd probably pick something like Sweet Dreams Bakery. You'd choose DreamSpark Software if you were running a software firm.
Next, decide how you want your brand to be represented. Will you use a recognizable symbol? Will your colors match your corporate identity? Will you use logos
Finally, you'll want to consider how your target audience perceives your brand. Are you friendly and helpful? Are you trustworthy and professional? Are you able to communicate your knowledge and experience?
These are all questions to ask before you build your brand.
Are there risks involved in digital marketing
Yes, digital marketing has its risks.
To protect your online reputation, it is important to be cautious with what you post on social networking sites.
Also, you must ensure that all of your content is original and does not infringe on anyone else's intellectual property rights.
You also risk losing control over your brand image if your online presence is not monitored closely.
If someone uses your information without permission, you could be at risk of identity theft.
How to Protect your Online Reputation
- Be Careful About What You Say On Social Networks
- Make Sure All Content Is Original and Doesn't Infringe Any Other Person's Intellectual Property Rights
- Monitor your Brand Image
- Use Strong Passwords
- You should not use personal information without permission
- Notify Us of Any Unauthorized Activity immediately
- Don't Post Photos Of Yourself Or Others In A Disturbing Way
- Never Give Out Your Social Security Number
- Stay up-to-date with the most recent news
- Avoid Scams
- Secure Password
- Always keep an eye out for new updates
- Don't give away too much information
- Don't give out your credit card number without being vigilant
- Do Not Send Money Through E-Mail
- Check For Fake Websites
- Remember That Bad Reviews Can Hurt Your Business
- Regularly review your credit reports
- Be vigilant about your privacy settings
- Ask Someone Who Knows You Well Before Sharing Something
What are the four functions of marketing?
Marketing is the art of creating demand and products.
It contains information about an organization's products and values as well as the impact they have on customers' lives.
Marketing also stimulates interest in an offering, builds awareness of the offering, and ultimately drives action (or purchase) in response to an invitation to act.
The four functions of marketing include:
- Creating Demand – This includes developing relationships with potential buyers and convincing them that there is value in purchasing your product or service.
- Stimulating Interest: This refers to increasing awareness among consumers about your product/service.
- Building Awareness – This refers to ensuring that consumers know your product or service and why they might want to buy it.
- Driving Action – This means that you ensure that your customers take action after learning about your products or services.
Statistics
- Companies that use personalization are seeing revenue increases ranging from 6-10%. (blog.hubspot.com)
- According to statistics, 60% of online shoppers worldwide actively search for coupons before purchasing from a virtual shop. (influencermarketinghub.com)
- Many experts recommend you share 20% of your promotional content and 80% of other valuable content you find. (marketinginsidergroup.com)
- From 2020 to 2022, eMarketer predicts that digital marketing will grow by 36% and take up 54% of marketing budgets! (marketinginsidergroup.com)
- Meanwhile, a PartnerPath poll found that co-marketed ads help 68% of consumers arrive at a buying decision before even speaking to a salesperson. (influencermarketinghub.com)
External Links
neilpatel.com
- How to Use Search Engine Optimization to Build Your Brand
- Marketing Automation: What is it, Examples & Tools [2022]
hubspot.com
influencermarketinghub.com
youtube.com
How To
Six Types Of Ecommerce Marketing
How do I market an eCommerce store?
Ecommerce marketing is one of the most challenging marketing tasks. It requires that you understand your customers and their buying processes. You also need to understand how your products and service interact with them. This knowledge will enable you to develop a strategy that helps you reach your goals.
There are six types or eCommerce marketing strategies.
- Product Strategy – The first thing you need to do is decide which product you want. There are three main categories. These are physical goods (things), digital products (services), or membership sites. Once you have chosen the category that you wish to work with, it is time to decide whether you want to offer wholesale or retail pricing. Wholesale pricing is when you decide the price at which you will sell your products. Retail pricing means that you charge your customers directly for your products.
- Pricing Strategy – Next, figure out how much revenue you would like to make by selling your products. Profit margins, competition and shipping costs are all important factors. Two ways to increase profits are possible when pricing your strategy: reduce your cost per sales and/or increase the volume of your sales.
- Promotion Strategy: Now comes what? Your business needs a promotion plan that is most effective. There are many options, such as free shipping, special discount, deals, coupons, or other incentives. If you don't have any promotional ideas yet, try brainstorming some new ones.
- Shipping Strategy: After you've determined how to promote the products, think about how to get them to people. Are you shipping via USPS, FedEx or UPS? Do you intend to use a fulfillment facility or do all the work yourself?
- Merchandise Management System- The software you use to manage your inventory, track orders or fulfill orders is called the merchandise management system. Depending on your needs and budget, you can choose from a variety of systems.
- Customer Service Strategy – Finally, you must create a customer service strategy that is effective for your business. Do you plan to offer phone support or email? Can customers contact you through live chat, social media, or even snail mail?
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By: Ann Smith
Title: How To Use the Hero’s Journey for Content Marketing: A Good Story Goes A Long Way
Sourced From: marketinginsidergroup.com/content-marketing/how-to-use-the-heros-journey-for-content-marketing-a-good-story-goes-a-long-way/
Published Date: Mon, 01 May 2023 09:30:47 +0000