The Dynamic Duo: Digital & Content Marketing

So you’re on Facebook and soon you noticed a profile page of a brand that you love and you buy from constantly.

Or you noticed a twitter profile of the same brand with blog posts links. 

Even you receiving push notifications on your cell from the app that you downloaded.

Have you ever wondered what are they part of and even why are they on there?

The social mediums and even the devices are that you use is part of digital marketing.  Digital marketing is simply interactive marketing that uses these new forms of technology to engage with consumers.

Even my blog is also part of digital marketing, however just setting up a blog website or a social media profile isn’t going to guarantee to attract people without engaging content.

Content plays a crucial role as part of digital marketing because having engaging content allows customers to come back, be entertained and share with others.

Having no content or very little would drive away viewers to other sites or just not even coming back all together.

I was reading a book called “Content Rules” co-authored byAnn Handley & C.C Chapman.

The book explains that importance of content allows you to directly reach out to customers and by developing fresher content; more customer relationships would deepen overtime.

“…by deepening your relationship with them; by repeatedly and consistently creating content they care about and want to share freely with your friends or colleagues…”

Content Rules, authors Ann Handley & C.C. Chapman, Chapter 1: The Case for Content, Page 7 published in 2012, published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.,

As well explains that the content can engage with customers directly and can produce the potential for customers to respond back.

“…you can reach your potential buyers directly. And of course they can speak directly to you as well. You now have the ability to engage in direct conversation.”

Content Rules, authors Ann Handley & C.C. Chapman, Chapter 1: The Case for Content, Page 6 published in 2012, published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.,

Now if you wondering what kind of content would fit to this new form of marketing, here is 3 examples of content from the Content Rules book “25 of approaches to relevant content” that could work for you.

Example #1: Start a Meme

Ok you probably have seen many examples of these posted on your friends or family members Facebook wall or on many YouTube videos that you happily enjoy watching.

Memes are very popular on social media sites, youtube, etc. Even memes have entered into the world of marketing. The meme example above certainly illustrates it.

The video is called “Keyboard Cat’s Wonderful Pistachios Commercial”.  The video is simply keyboard cat playing and as he plays, one of his paws cracks open a pistachio nut”.

This video was provided by an article from hubspot.com and authored by Pamela Vaughan, titled “10 Popular Memes Masquerading as Marketing Campaigns”.  The article showcases 10 memes that were used in marketing campaigns.

To me, memes are very engaging with customer because it reaches out  to customers on an emotional level and customers would recognize easily what the meme is associated. 

Example #2: Ask Customer Service

Asking customer service is described in the Content Rules as asking the customer service technician on what is the customer feedback, comments or complaints.

However for me this is not the best way for content because not all customers have the same problem or comment.

One customer may have a different issue than the other that doesn’t reflect on everyone. As well for a customer they have to go through a long process of reaching to the customer service.

I recommend using social media for this such as Facebook because this allows you to reach out to more to than just one customer on an individual basis and see other customer issues or comments.

Example 3:  Share Real-Time Photos

Sharing real time is simply taking photos of an event campaign, product launch or even a celebration and posts these photos in real time as they happen on social media sites such as Facebook.

In article from Forbes.com, written Apu Gupta; titled “TheShift From Words to Pictures and Implications For Digital Marketers”.

The article explains that consumers a more engaged visually than with written text and by using real time photo sharing platforms such as Instagram to engage with consumer on both an emotional and personal level of communication.

To me, I agree with this article because a photo can put a humanizing and familiar form that as customer can relate to. As well ability to engage the consumer on an emotional level to see the brand as more than it is.

Overall, I feel content is important part of digital marketing and even social media because without engage or even content in general, people would be more likely to avoid you or go to someone else.

However having engaging content can allow a customer to take something like a brand meme and share it to the point it becomes a popular trend.

Directly communicating with customers through content can deepen a relationship of a consumer and see what other problems you can fix.

The ability to share real time content with customers can help deepen their minds and reach them on an emotional level.

Content is key in digital marketing, without it you’ll start see tumble weeds

I would to say thank you to the authors of the book “Content Rules” Ann Handley and C.C. Chapman. I really enjoyed the book and it is very interest. I highly recommend reading it.

Also thank you to hubspot.com for providing the article and the author Pamela Vaughn for written the article “10 Memes Masquerading as Marketing Campaigns. I really enjoyed reading it and love all the memes on the article.

I also like to thank Forbes.com for publishing the article and Apu Gupta for writing the article. I really enjoyed reading it.

And I didn’t forget you the reader, thank you for reading and I apologize for not posting a new vlog video from my YouTube channel.

I will go back and continue making those videos and sorry for the change of schedule.

Stay tuned for a new blog post on October 9^th 2013 and a special note there will be no blog post on October 16^th 2013 due thanksgiving.

This is brad’s mind signing off.