Content Relevance- Keeps It Far From Boring
Why do some company’s struggle developing effective content and others seem to hit it out of the park every time? What does it take to have a “home run piece” as Doug Kessler calls it? It could be a few reasons, but most of all, it has to do with relevance of the content. According to the Content Marketing Institute 2014 B2B Content Marketing Benchmark Study, 93% of marketers say they use content marketing, up from 91% last year. But how can marketers ensure their content is consumed? Relevance.
If your Buyer wants and needs the information that you are delivering, they are likely to Engage with it and ask for more (opt-in or provide additional contact information). It doesn’t have to be a fabulously designed or a high-priced content offering, it could be a simple blog post that gives you pointers on how to develop great content, or a short two minute interview with a thought-leader from a trade show floor. What matters is the relevance of the content to the buyer above all else.
Marketers need to take into consideration many factors when developing a Content Marketing Strategy including buyer personas, buyer insights, buyer’s journey, buyers content consumption format, and the list goes on. Buyer-centricity is hugely important of course, but where does the relevance come into play? In a post dated July 14, 2011 (ages ago) in Social Media Explorer by Michael Brito from Edleman Digital, Brito talks about the importance of relevant content. According to Brito, “As long as the messaging on a company’s owned media channels is relevant, not inundated with sales propaganda, and delivers valuable information, they will essentially position themselves as a trusted advisor of content related to their own products and/or industry related information.”
This statement was true in 2011 and is even more important in 2014 – as the noise in the market is intense. We all compete for an audience and ultimately, a sale, no matter what you sell and who you sell it to. However, producing more content is not the answer-it just adds to the noise and confuses your Buyer.
The only way to gain new customers is by Engaging and Nurturing them with relevant content that helps them solve their problem. By delivering quality, buyer-centric, relevant content to your Buyer, you gain their trust, earn credibility, become that trusted advisor and gain permission to continue the conversation. Keep up the relevant content and you might just get yourself a new client as well. Focus on relevance when creating content – it is what really matters.
Author: Erika Goldwater @erikawg is Director, Marketing for ANNUITAS
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