Content is the buzzword for 2014. Every brand has content top of mind in the PR and marketing space, but while they’re ruminating about the idea of creating unique, creative content, many brands have yet to actually do it. They might have problems getting their campaigns off the ground, determining who their target audience is and where to reach them or figuring out exactly where to start.
Keeping this in mind, the team at Pollock has five tips you should think about when coming up with content for your next campaign, new website, social media pages or the big idea that’s hiding just under the surface, waiting for the light bulb to switch on.
How is my brand different?
Ask yourself: how does my brand stand out from competitors? Market research surveys, focus groups and developing a firm brand mission can help you determine what makes your brand unique and why people gravitate to you.
Who am I reaching out to?
Are millennials your core audience? What about stay-at-home Dads? Or Moms who blog? Discover who your target audience is and where they hang out online: Facebook? Twitter? Instagram? Pinterest? Make sure you have a presence – and a strong voice – wherever your audience is.
What knowledge can I offer?
Now that you’ve determined who your audience is, what they’re interests are and what drives them to your specific brand, you can start to think about what information is valuable to them – and how you can bring it to their attention. Think about your past successes (and what didn’t work) and what drew attention in the form of clicks, shares, likes and time spent reading each page on your website. Use those learnings as building blocks to create content that is new and fresh but always talks to your target audience in your brand’s unique voice.
How often should I update content?
Making sure your brand’s content has a fighting chance at being seen by your target audience is a major part of developing a successful content strategy. Focus on the frequency, timing and network to help increase consumer engagement. If you start with a Facebook update and a tweet per day then increase your posts quickly over time to multiple times per day. Be sure to create a content calendar or schedule to remain consistent and keep your content organized – no repetitious or missed posts.
Branch out beyond Facebook and Twitter and open a Tumblr, Instagram or Pinterest account, if that suits your brand, so your target audience can find you in multiple places. Post during the day as people tend to check social media channels during work hours (go figure!). If you’re hosting an event with a designated hashtag, make sure your posts are current, late-breaking and offer insider content that makes your audience feel as if they’re part of the latest and greatest going on with your brand.
How do I measure success?
Measure twice – before and after your program. Before beginning your new content strategy, benchmark your social channels and engagement. An online analytics program, such as Google Analytics or Clicky is helpful for providing insight into what worked – and what didn’t. Once you’ve measured your baseline, begin setting realistic goals for activities you have coming up. You’ll quickly learn how your target audience is interacting with your brand based on the differences between your benchmark data and your goal(s).
As you near the end of your program, schedule time with your team to report results and pinpoint key takeaways. Maybe your target audience has grown or a social media platform you used in the past isn’t working as well anymore. Taking the time to reflect on the overall campaign will pay off when it’s time to develop the right messages, strategies and goals for your next activity.
At Pollock Communications, we specialize in building awareness for food, health and wellness clients and we know that maintaining a strong social media presence is crucial to delivering stellar results for our clients. For more information on how we can help build your social media strategy, contact us.