The most effective strategies are often the simplest ones...
A brilliant content model
When I'm working on a new content strategy, I start by helping my client to identify the brand or campaign messages they need to convey. We then explore the interests and concerns of the individuals in their target audience. What are they keen to discover? What problems can we solve? What excites them?
There is always a point at which your campaign messaging and your customers' interests cross over. I find creative ways to strengthen that bridge by creating content that your audience will find genuinely interesting and useful.
I then create stories that will draw an emotional response from your audience. The response could be empathy, or simply making them smile. It could be lots of things – but emotion is what drives conversation.
Whether you’re a fintech, a manufacturing company or an economics research group, you can build an exciting and effective content model by using the same techniques used by the great storytellers in theatre, literature and film.
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WHAT'S A CONTENT MODEL?
HERE'S AN EXAMPLE
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01
Interview interesting people
Hold interviews with experts, influencers and stakeholders who have interesting and useful insights to share. Do this using a podcast platform that secures high-quality audio, and ask them for permission to use that audio in the future.
02
Create blogs
Write blogs based on the interviews. Put the blogs on your website, on Linkedin, and/or create an email newsletter. Use storytelling skills to create content that intrigues people, sustains their interest and gives them a satisfying pay-off.
03
Develop themed reports
As you accumulate material, compile it into deep-dive reports on specific reports that customers can request (perhaps on condition of providing their contact details)​.
04
Launch a podcast
Use your bank of audio to create a short podcast season, perhaps tackling six of the big issues that are of interest to your audience.​
05
Make short videos
These are relatively easy to pull together from your existing content and audio, and can work well on social media and your website.
06
Create an annual report
You're the go-to authority in your field, and you've developed the assets to prove it. Take all the content you've developed over 12 months to create an in-depth, state-of-the-market report. Setting out to do this from a blank page would have been a huge challenge but you've already created the content step by step. And in the process, you've developed your profile and the trust that your audience feels towards you.​
07
Hold an event
Invite your audience to attend the launch of the report, and ask some of the outstanding people you interviewed to speak at it. Encourage attendees to sign up to your blogs, reports and podcast. Every year, you will build further momentum. ​​​