2 keys to a great content marketing strategy

Whether you work for a large organization or run a small blog, your content marketing strategy is key to how well you reach and engage with your audience.

As you develop your strategy, here are two simple pointers that are sure to start you out on the right path.

Add a human element

Think about your favorite books, movies or TV shows. They all have compelling characters and story lines.

Now think about your content. Can you say the same?

Great content requires great storytelling. And great storytelling is much easier when you start with compelling people and moving stories.

We’re also drawn into stories with which we can relate. We love to read about and see pictures of people we know.

It shouldn’t be a surprise that videos, photos or posts about people – especially people known to your audience – always drive more engagement than posts where real people are not the focus.

In journalism, one technique for covering a story is to get a “man on the street” reaction, where reporters interview real people – as opposed to officials – in order to get a human element to a story that otherwise may not have one.

While adding a human element often requires more effort, it pays off in the end.

Think audience first

This rule may seem like common sense, but it’s actually very easy to lose sight of what’s important.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to look at content marketing – specifically social media – as a way to push out a message. One of the best words of wisdom I ever heard: Think of social media like a telephone, not a megaphone.

Content must first and foremost be seen as a way to engage with an audience. But it’s not just about serving relevant content – its putting your audience first in each decision that you make.

As you’re developing content, you should always ask, “What is my audience interested in?” before you ask, “What should I write about today?”

Crowdsource blog topics. Read your comments for ideas on future content. Use audience insights to see demographic trends and what they are interested in. Use analytics to determine how long to make a blog post or video. Don’t just consider your audience – put your audience at the core of every decision.

One technique of story generation in newsrooms is to to ask, “What are people talking about?” When you ask this question every day, you really begin to shift your focus to away from pushing a message to pulling an audience.

Putting your audience first also means less “selling.” No one wants to follow you if are always trying to push something. That doesn’t mean you can’t create self promotional content, but it must be developed in a way that creates a conversation.