When it comes to your brand’s content, you should never lose sight of the fact that you’re trying to engage people. You’re not writing stuff for the sake of it. It’s got to be valuable to people, otherwise it’s pointless. Also, the more valuable it is, the more likely it is to be shared, so it’s critical you get it right.
One simple way to ensure that your content hits the mark is to check it against four key categories that make content valuable to people: entertainment, monetary, information and utility.
Entertainment
Everyone likes to be entertained. Using comedy and drama in advertising are traditional ways of engaging an audience, and this was especially the case in the pre-digital world. But now there are so many different ways to deliver content that entertains.
Don’t dismiss the written word. Just look at the success of Buzzfeed-style listicles. However, the ability for brands to produce video and post to social media has taken content production to a new level. It has allowed companies such as Asda to work with vloggers to offer a Mum’s Eye View of the world, or Evian to show people in a Baby&Me dance-off against their younger selves.
By making them feel good, your audience/potential customer is also likely to feel good about your brand. If your content reflects the humour and values of the person viewing it, they are also likely to share it. Content that allows for personal positioning, whereby a reader or viewer aligns themselves with the brand, should not be underestimated.
Monetary
Offering discounts, special offers and coupons is highly valued by consumers. Who wouldn’t want to get a bargain? This kind of content is easy to provide thanks to digital channels. For example, you can try special money-off offers targeted solely to a brand’s Facebook fans or run competitions through Twitter.
The intrinsic value is obvious – and the sharing value is about helping friends and family, or (even if the consumer doesn’t realise it at the time) based around personal positioning.
For example, if you shared a competition to win a family day out, you’re positioning yourself as a brand that is family-orientated. A discount for a driving experience could show you to be a motor sports enthusiast.
Information
It’s easier than ever to produce and distribute informative content to help with a purchase decision. Blogs, how-tos and even simple “unboxing” videos can provide a wealth of information to the consumer.
Just because it’s informative doesn’t mean it can’t be entertaining. If it’s shared, the individual consumer can again be seen in a positive light by peers as being well-informed and even an authority on the subject.
Utility
This is where the digital age has really enabled companies to make an impact. This is content that can help the consumer do something useful. Apps are a prime example of how brands are helping people achieve a desired outcome, such as redesign their living rooms or find the best hiking trails.
Utility content can help to sell a product or service to new customers or keep current ones. Looking at different stages of the customer journey can help identify many opportunities. For example, those looking to buy a luxury supercar may expect a mobile tracking app to be part of the deal, while those who buy a GPS navigation device may want an app that gives them bad weather alerts.
While this provides an array of opportunities for brands to stand out among the crowd, it does mean the line between product and content is difficult to define.
The total package
Any content you produce should be based on the entertainment, monetary, information or utility pillars. The best campaigns contain a mixture of all of them.
True value, however, comes from seizing the attention of consumers and the best way of doing this is to garner an emotional response. A dry utilitarian app will only be valuable if it inspires or delights, which is perfectly possible, especially if it solves a particular problem or makes life easier for people. However, if your content engages emotions but fails to fall into one of the four categories, it almost certainly isn’t valuable and you should rethink your strategy.
Steve Sponder is managing director at Headstream
This advertisement feature is paid for by the Marketing Agencies Association, which supports the Guardian Media & Tech Network’s Agencies hub.
