(Blogpost: http://goo.gl/t45Na) More than a buzzword on social media, Content Marketing is now a fixture on every digital marketer's mix. A well-orchestrated branded content marketing strategy is a business driver and revenue generator. Discover the 7 steps to holistically manage content, and eventually, master the Content Marketing Loop. (Article in AdMedia, Aug 2012 issue)

1. branded content
If you’re not marketing content, you’re
not marketing
Content Marketing builds brands. Amar Trivedi explains how to master the
Content Loop – in seven steps.
M
ost social media-sav- content marketing WIP. The term ‘content’ Holistic Content Management
vy marketing man- seems a bit of a broad stroke owing to its – Working the Content Loop
a ge r s r e c o g n i s e multi-dimensional nature. Holistic Content Management is the way
quality content as Simply put, if you’re promoting your forward. It’d serve your business well to
a web traffic (and business via any media – whether it’s go about it systematically, and implement
business) dr iver, offline or online – you’re creating brand- these seven steps to manage a branded
and content marketing as digital innova- ed content. content marketing strategy.
tion (and ultimately, revenue generation). Life itself is a great source of stories. Working the Content Loop effectively
However, despite its vital importance, Owing to easy access and all-pervasive takes multi-disciplinary skills, and calls
when I read about content, it’s mostly the nature of social media, we are constantly for cross-functional teams to come to-
same old stuff: creating content by expressing our like gether. For best results, social collabora-
Content is King (so? what’s new?) (and dislike) for everything happening tion is a prerequisite. Internally at first,
In these days of user-generated content, to or around us. between marketing and tech; then across
everyone’s a content producer (oh, re- And if that sounds too much like a For- the company; and finally, externally
ally?) rest Gump quote, here’s a more formal across the business!
Content is not about quantity, it’s about definition: Point worth noting: Social change oc-
quality (anything else?) Content Marketing is the process of curs gradually as it involves a cultural
And then, right amid the haze of cliché- generating marketing and communica- paradigm shift.
geddon, I spotted ... a fresh, new thought. tion material, identifying target mar- Three organisations achieving rock-star
A-ha! Marketing is not everything today. kets, and transmitting the material to results via the Content Marketing Loop
But … everything is marketing. specific audiences via paid, owned or are IBM with its Smarter Planet initiative,
That made me stop and go hmmm! earned media. Coca-Cola (Liquid and Linked Content),
On the same line of thought, my take The Creative Objective is to regularly and TED.com (TED Talk Videos).
is: Content is not everything today. But, come up with material in context which And where there’s content, there’s data.
everything is Content Marketing. the audience finds relevant enough to Given the sheer scale of content out
• Like when you uploaded the office opt-in to receive, compelling enough to there, it generates mind-boggling stats
party photos on Facebook and got 84 share with friends, and engaging enough which make perfect fodder for number
comments and 103 Likes! to demand and come back for more freaks and data geeks to use in their pres-
• Noticed how the London 2012 Games – thus building a community around entations – making audiences pop their
were aptly called the world’s fir st content. eyes and drop their jaws.
mobile-social-online Olympics The Marketing Objective is to am- Be aware! The numbers in themselves
• Or how every big news event (enter- plify reach for all content (ie, make it are static snapshots. The gold lies in
tainment, political, cultural) also gets go viral). Long term, create positive key consumer insights, buying patterns
relayed on your PC, phone … experiences via content association, to and market findings from real-time data
• Remember how most things in print increase brand engagement, advocacy mining & analytics. Ladies & Gentlemen,
now end on www, facebook, @, youtube, and loyalty. please welcome … Big Data.
blog, AR, or a QR code. Golden Two-way Principle: Add value to In today’s content-hungry, data-driven
The above may seem disparate but your community. Harness collective intel- ecosystem, digital marketing operates on
from a brand marketer’s outlook, it is all ligence to your brand. two dimensions:
12 www.admedia.co.nz

2. branded content
• Social Collaboration: the new world of
master the content loop in 7 steps
work from enterprise collaboration to
social business, and
• Information Management: making sense Create
of the resultant wave of big data being • Always craft content with your audience in mind. Be consistent. Create a rhythm.
generated. • Keep it easy-to-digest. Packaging and presentation matter. Build your creative skills.
At a time when businesses worldwide Curate
• Excite, engage, educate, entertain your audience with fresh content to avoid fatigue.
are going from social media best prac-
• It’s not feasible to create content all the time. Identify and Organize quality sources.
tice to social business transformation,
Integrate
content marketing is a forward step in
• Synergized brand content across all channels increases impact, reach and response
the evolution of the enterprise of the • Today’s fragmented media landscape calls for integration across multiple touch-points
future. Socialize
Quite fittingly, the Content Loop is now • The 4 S’s of Content Distribution and Delivery: Searchable. Shareable. Social. Simple.
the quintessential multi-tool in every digi- • Listen, Interact and Engage with your audience. Learn and Respect their preferences.
tal marketer’s kit. Analyse
Because if you’re not marketing content • 4 M’s of Data Analytics: Measure. Monitor. Moderate. Modify. Decide your KPIs first.
… • Build a feedback channel. Focus on insights. Select tech/ tools that work best for you.
Optimize
• Unify links and organic keyword-based SEO with social search, content and offline SEO
Amar Trivedi | @Mr_Madness
• Optimize content for people, not search spiders. Think mobile-friendly games, apps
Monetize
Download your free copy of an
• Define ROI metrics - eyeballs, brand engagement, retail sales, customer acquisition
eBook on Content Marketing at • Evolve into a social business model - align content marketing with your sales funnel
T R N 4 www.mrsocial1.blogspot.com. . p d f
0 6 5 - Cr e a t i v e Di r Pa ge 1 3 1 / 0 7 / 1 2 , 1 : 4 8 PM
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| august 2012 13