Content marketing isn’t rocket science. However, it can take some marketers out of their comfort zone to put their audience’s needs above a sales objective.
As we showed previously, knowing your audience is only half the battle. You also need to know where to send your message to that audience.
Note: If you’re new to the Content Marketing 101 series, we recommend you check out the Content Marketing Pyramid (here are parts 1 and 2).
Your latest project is helping your niece develop a content marketing strategy for her lemonade stand. She doesn’t know how or where to find the right audience for her different content marketing goals.
“You need to know how your audience likes to receive a message, and where they’re likely to consume messages,” you tell her. “We call that ‘finding the right channel’ in the marketing world.”
“I guess I need to find batteries for the TV remote,” she says. “Do you think my audience likes the Disney channel or Nickelodeon more?”
“Not that kind of channel!”
A channel is a tool used to relay information. Content marketers use channels to send their content to an audience.
“So what’s the best channel to use?” she asks.
“It depends on the message, which depends on the audience. But some are pretty popular.”
Most popular content channels
Successful content marketers take the message to the people. Their audience contains different groups of people with varying motivations and needs, so they tailor messages to fit the right audience on the right channel. They “mix it up” and use multiple channels rather than stick to a single platform.
IMN’s recent content marketing survey found the most popular channels for content marketers:
- Websites
- Email newsletters
- Email blasts
- Social media
- Videos
Disclaimer: We offer an email newsletter service (you should check it out!) but our survey findings align with independent industry research and reporting from the NY Times.
One thing: “Social media” isn’t really a channel. It’s shorthand for a bunch of channels or digital platforms. Social networking, blogs and microblogs, content communities, and virtual game and social worlds all fall under the “social media” umbrella.
Although consumers expect to see their favorite brand on nearly four digital platforms, consumers generally will only follow that brand on one or two platforms.
“Social media includes Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Youtube, WordPress, and Tumblr, but there are many more,” you explain. “The list constantly changes as old platforms die out and new ones rise in popularity.”
“I gotta use every channel and platform?!”
“No. Pick a few and track how well those channels help you meet your content marketing goal. If one isn’t working, stop using it and try another.”
Most brands start with websites and either email blasts or customized email newsletters. Eventually they host their website and email content on another channel to reach a different audience. They might add a corporate blog or create a Google+ account and Facebook Page.
Your brand’s presence on multiple social media platforms should feel consistent but not identical. Take advantage of a platform’s unique format and capabilities. For example, break up a blog post into tweetable phrases for Twitter. Or share on Facebook a compelling image taken from an infographic you pinned to a Pinterest board.
Challenges with channel strategy
We found nearly 80% of marketers adapt content from one channel to publish on another. However, almost 60% don’t develop or follow a strategy for each of their content channels.
“Why’s that bad?” your niece asks.
“Let me tell you a story about Marty the marketer: Marty has great marketing ideas, but he never writes them down.
He uses content ideas as they come to him for the company’s blog and social media accounts. Some days he has a lot of ideas, and some days just a few.
He updates channels as he feels inspired, not on a consistent, scheduled basis. But one week, Marty doesn’t have any ideas.
Days pass, his channels are empty, his audience loses interest, and Marty feels terrible.”
“Poor Marty!” she says.
If you develop a strategy for each channel, you will ease your future workload and won’t stress like Marty.
A channel-specific strategy helps with several obstacles in content marketing:
- You can stretch content topics over time more easily because you schedule what content you post.
- You can track content distribution and publication more thoroughly because you schedule how and when you post.
- You can save content ideas to use for a later date because you’re not pressured to produce ideas on the spot.
- You can automate content aggregation and curation ahead of time because you know what you need to cover in the future.
According to our research, about 40% of marketers use channel-specific strategies. Of those marketers, 93% developed dedicated strategies for email and corporate websites. Social media (86%) and email newsletters (71%) are the other popular choices.
Interestingly, video isn’t in that group – even though marketers say they like to use it! More and more industry experts say that video is the channel for 2015. If you want to strengthen your video channel, get ahead of the curve and make a channel strategy.
“So how do I make a strategy?” your niece asks. “Do I need that editorial mind trick?”
“I think you mean the editorial mindset,” you say. “First I want to teach you how to think like a publisher. Then I can help you strategize like one.”
Our Content Marketing 101 series will continue with an in-depth look at the editorial mindset. You’ll learn about editorial calendars, strategic content reuse, sourcing and citation, and more.
Want to create better content and avoid common pitfalls?
Want to become a better content champion who follows a top-notch content marketing strategy?
Then keep following our Content Marketing 101 series!
