Much has been made over recent years about the state of modern marketing, with technology and data enabling far more than ever before. But, while avenues to connect with customers may evolve, a focus on strategy for content marketing has, and must always be, fundamental for all marketers. While technology will enhance your marketing function and enable you to better manage the content marketing funnel – connecting the dots like never before – you must all be cognisant of some key factors to ensure success. How do I maximise my daily efforts? This person translates corporate goals into content realities. Connecting the dots helps you understand: – Which persona is most responsive to your content – Which of your content authors are producing the most effective content – Which stage of the buying cycle leads to the best return on your content marketing investment – Which geographic area is performing the best – Which content (category) is driving the biggest response – Which type of content (topics) is performing best (video, text, image, etc.) Set content marketing goals One of the biggest selling points of content marketing, as a practice, is that it’s a highly measurable part of your marketing mix — one that can provide increased brand awareness, engagement, and even bottom-line results. Before you map out a content creation initiative, assemble a core strategy around value-based themes for your audience. It will be interesting to see how content marketing develops over the next few years. Using content tools to manage content is still low growth in Europe and many people still manage it manually.
With over 20 years in the marketing industry, Sylvia
Jensen (pictured below), Senior Director, EMEA Marketing, Oracle
Marketing Cloud, has seen the full evolution of the marketing
function and the rise of more intelligent, connected content
marketing. Here she takes us through her top tips for marketers
wanting to maximise their customer relations for both growth and
retention.
Much has been made over recent years about the state of modern
marketing, with technology and data enabling far more than ever
before. But, while avenues to connect with customers may evolve, a
focus on strategy for content marketing has, and must always be,
fundamental for all marketers. The truth is, it’s always been
important but our industry has become more sophisticated about the
channels that we use, the format the content takes, and what type
of content to use at different stages of the buying cycle. We also
have more innovative tools that enable a more genuine measurement
of effectiveness and how content contributes to overall marketing
efforts.
While technology will enhance your marketing function and enable
you to better manage the content marketing funnel – connecting the
dots like never before – you must all be cognisant of some key
factors to ensure success.
Mine the gold in your own back garden
Marketing Cloud
Before you begin developing your content marketing strategy,
take stock of what you currently have. In truth, while technology
moves on, the central question remains the same – marketers now are
still seeking similar advice as they were five years ago, so don’t
be afraid to repurpose content.
Similarly, remember to look in-house. Every organisation has
their own unique resource centre of assets: your staff! These
people are closest to your business and can be helpful in crafting
stage-specific content across the research and discovery journey.
Regardless of your team’s size or makeup, make sure to meet
regularly to discuss how you can maximise the value of your
individual efforts and turn initiatives into content marketing
themes and assets.
Ask yourself key questions
A documented strategy helps keep your content in check so your
teams can maximise the value of the assets you’re creating and your
audiences feel the value of interacting with your content. Whether
you’re starting from scratch or knee-deep in planning, here are
four basic questions to keep top of mind when crafting content:
1. How is this relevant to my audience?
2. What are our success…
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