Content marketing is the hottest form of marketing these days. Every company attempts to create content that can be used for marketing purposes. Many succeed, but more fail. Where companies fail is likely due to a variety of misconceptions surrounding the mystical idea of content marketing. However, once the fog of mysticism clears, you realize that all you need to do is offer useful knowledge to your viewers in order to have a successful content marketing campaign.
Content marketing is marketing technique that uses content in the form of text, graphics, or social campaigns to attract a certain audience and entice them to engage in a particular customer action. The most common channels for content marketing are social media platforms and online communication tools such as blogs.
In an effort to help clear the ambiguous haze surrounding content marketing, here are three common myths that need to be debunked.
Myth 1: Brands can’t tout their own stories.
A common tactic for content managers is to pull interesting stories from other sources and repost it on their social pages with the hopes of drawing in a larger Like count. It is important to give Fans of your page interesting content to keep them engaged. But, if this content is not associated with your brand, then it is not serving to increase brand equity.
The poster child for content marketing is Red Bull. They use extreme marketing to the maximum potential. From epic sporting events to silly Red Bull Flugtag Flying events, Red Bull has its name on almost anything that has something to do with sports, fun, and extreme. So what are competitors supposed to do? Competitors may feel like they need to do wild and crazy tactics to try to steal some market share from Red Bull. But the truth is, the competing brand just needs to share their own, unique stories. If the company is doing something great, then fans are going to recognize the brand’s genuine values. If your brand can manage to give the reader something they didn’t know before, then you have succeeded. Your brand gains an authenticity that makes readers feel like they were personally helped by the information you provided.
Myth 2: Only the young-bucks can execute content marketing.
There is the common thought that only witty 20-somethings can keep up with the ever-changing content marketing landscape- that is simply untrue. The key to a successful content manager is not age, but the ability to be nimble, adaptable, and quick to respond. It is the responsibility of management to provide the infrastructure to quickly evaluate risks and give approval for the content. By placing “executive sponsors” in charge of content management, your brand can trust that the content being published aligns with your company’s vision.
Myth 3: Shortform is the only method for content marketing.
Many companies find themselves in the predicament of choosing between a lot of shortform content or one five-minute mini movie on YouTube. Shortform content can come in the form of six-second Vines, artsy Instagram posts, and witty banter on Facebook and Twitter. The temptation to do the plethora of shortform content is too enticing for most content marketers, and more often than not, companies opt to go with full-time shortform content. But, they are overlooking the surprising potential of long form content. Choosing long form content allows you to tell a multi-layered story and leave an impression on your viewer. Witty banter is fun for the brief moment a viewer reads it, but then it is gone from memory in then next minute. Thought-provoking stories will always stick with a viewer and leave them to continue to think about your brand.
Content marketing is unavoidable and a necessary tool in any company’s arsenal. Since it is such a new form of advertising, it is constantly evolving and changing. But that is the nature of content, it will ever challenge marketers to avoid complacency. Just when you think you have it all figured out, the market shifts and trends take you in an entirely new direction. The sea of content marketing is tumultuous, so equip your brand with valuable stories, adaptable managers, and meaningful videos.
