1. Content matters,
so make it work
skye doherty http://skyedoherty.com skye@skyedoherty.com +61 401 326 726
CONTENT is the most important thing on
your website and social media profiles.
It is what sets you apart from your com-
petitors. It is why users visit your site, search
engines rank it and advertisers buy inventory
on it. Content helps build and reinforce your
brand.
Well crafted, branded content will help your
organisation communicate its messages,
engage with customers or clients and reach
niche audiences.
It’s a form of marketing that is growing in
popularity.
A recent report on content marketing trends
shows that 90 per cent of organisations are
using content as a marketing tool.
The report - B2B Content Marketing: 2010
Benchmarks, Budgets and Trends, produced
by MarketingProfs and Junta42 - says that
content marketing supports multiple busi-
ness goals, with brand awareness, customer
retention/loyalty, and lead generation the
top three.
WHAT IS IT
When we talk about content we are talking
about words, images and sounds. And this
can take many forms:
• Stories or news releases
• Photo galleries
• Videos
• Podcasts
• Presentations
• Whitepapers
• Forums or polls
The reason content like this works is because
it provides your readers / users / customers
with something meaningful and useful.
New media PR man David Meerman Scott
says people don’t use the internet to find
advertising - they use it to find content.
“By providing information when they need
it, you can begin a long and profitable rela-
tionship with them. Editors and publishers
obsess over readership, and so should you.”
His book, The New Rules of Marketing and PR,
is a valuable guide to incorporating digital
content into your marketing strategy.
TELL STORIES
Increasingly, companies and organisations
are creating rich digital content that tells
stories about the work they do.
Look at some of the client work produced by
MediaStorm and DuckRabbit for ideas.
Narrative is an extremely effective way to
link facts, figures and details in a way that
engages an audience emotionally.
Charities and nonprofits are in a strong
position to use storytelling because, often,
they have good stories to tell.
If your work involves overcoming adversity,
standing up for the underprivileged or high-
lighting injustice then there are likely to be
good stories to tell.
Think about your cases and identify charac-
ters, conflicts and achievements.
These might form the foundation of a strong
narrative that will engage and inspire new
and existing audiences, without the need for
spin.
VQ @ UQ: Workshop November 5 2010
Create original1.
content
Update your2.
website regularly
Know your3.
audience and give
them content they
can use
Use social media to4.
increase exposure and
reach
Create content that is5.
meaningful
FIVE RULES FOR
CREATING CONTENT
THAT WORKS
MATCH CONTENT AND MEDIUM
FIVE QUESTIONS TO
SPARK IDEAS
STORIES
What tales have you got
to tell?
SOLUTIONS
What useful information
can you share?
EXPERTISE
What specialist knowlege
do you have?
EVENTS
Is there a way to hight-
light your cause?
CONFLICTS
What challenges have you
overcome?
Stories Solutions Expertise Events
Text
News release
Social media
Blog post
FAQ
Newsletter
Forum
Q&A
Wiki
Blog
Press release
Social media
Forum
Sound
Audio slideshow
Radio package
Podcast Interview
Podcast
Podcast
Interview
Vision
Image gallery
Video
Social media
Mashups
Slideshow
Animation
Vlog
Interview
Vlog
Presentation
Video, vlog
Image gallery
Maps
Social media