Content Rules

Are Facebook, Twitter or Instagram a daily part of your life? Well, you’re not alone. Since the past decade’s expansion of social media, consumers have become increasingly enamored of it, even using the internet to research products and guide purchasing decisions. But consumers don’t turn to social media sites alone; they also get product information from company websites, blogs and product reviews posted by other customers. So how can your business attract the online attention it needs?

It all begins with content.

In a nutshell, publishing content means creating and uploading of any kind, be it a blog post, a video, an ebook or a webinar. But to be successful, your content needs to appeal to your target customers. Obnoxious marketing calls and mail advertising are yesterday’s news; instead of going to your customers, the new strategy is to pull them to you with content they like.

How?

The most appealing and engaging content uses true stories about real people in normal-life situations. For instance, Procter and Gamble, the company behind the diaper brand Pampers, published a video series on their website called “Welcome to Parenthood.” The videos showed real new parents describing their daily lives – the potty training, the changing of diapers, the preparations for nap time. Instead of just selling their diapers, the company made a point of sharing experiences that new parents are actually invested in.

So how do you show customers you care?

Keep in mind that content is an extension of your brand. It creates the image customers have of your company; it builds credibility, helps your customers to trust you. That’s because content has the ability to foster one-on-one conversations between your company and your customers, even if your customer base is huge. Since your whole base sees your content, you’re building one-on-one trust with all of them at once. For example, the Chief Marketing Officer of Kodak, a $7.6 billion company, once reached out to a single potential customer by using Twitter to offer her product information.