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Content Marketing 101: Strategy, Design, Delivery NewsCred 27 West 24th Street #202 New York, NY 10010 @newscred. 212-989-4100 [email protected]

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Page 1: Nc whitepaper web-final

Content Marketing 101:Strategy, Design, Delivery

NewsCred27 West 24th Street #202

New York, NY 10010@newscred. 212-989-4100

[email protected]

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IntroductionCapturing audiences today requires far more than strong copy and appealing

creative. At NewsCred we’re keenly aware that brands and agencies are striving to

keep up with the rapidly growing need for high-quality content that’s both relevant

and personalized. So it’s with great excitement that we share this content marketing

white paper, packed with detailed case studies and how-to tips for your content

marketing education needs.

Content marketing has evolved into a $44B industry, and is widely viewed as a top

priority by 39% of client-side marketers, up 10% since last year.1 As champions of

high-quality content, and the institutions that compose it, we have a vested interest

in seeing successful examples of its distribution, monetization and consumption.

Tracking the changes taking place in publishing, advertising and technology, our

aim is to deliver actionable intel to digital marketers, innovators, publishers and

syndication teams, giving you the tools to implement, manage and measure your

investment in content.

We’ll address the three key aspects of content marketing: strategy, design and

delivery. Upon completion, you’ll be able to identify the distinct stages of a powerful

content marketing campaign, from initial engagement to revenue generation,

pinpointing metrics along the way.

This white paper equips you with the skills to:

Craft a content strategy that marries your

content marketing goals and business

objectives.

Develop a structured editorial process, citing

examples from top brands and publishers.

Track the ROI of content marketing.

Learn design, UX and storytelling techniques

to create powerful visual campaigns.

Curate high-quality content to drive traffic and

increase engagement.

Determine an optimal distribution strategy to

get more eyes to your content.

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Chapter 1Content Strategy

Content marketing requires strategy and structure. A critical first step to getting your message right and keeping consumers actively engaged is understanding your brand’s top-line goals and marketing objectives. A strong content marketing strategy will not only hold you accountable, but will enable you to deliver real results: increased traffic, engagement, leads and sales.

“Traditional marketing talks at people. Content marketing talks with them.”—Doug Kessler, CoFounder & Creative Director, Velocity Partners

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Content Strategy Pepsi

1.1Connect the dots: link business objectives with consumer interests

In 2012 Pepsi launched Pulse, a socially fueled content hub populated by pop

culture and entertainment news from across the web. In doing so, they took a

radically different approach: no longer focused on product alone, Pepsi chose to

put content first.

Pepsi staff spent nine months developing their content and social strategy,

diligently researching their audience and talking to thousands of fans. With Pulse,

the company hoped to recreate, as chief creative officer Brad Jakeman says, “the

place that Pepsi already owns in people’s hearts and minds.” 2

From new music and video releases to in-depth concert coverage, they chose to

mix an array of content they knew would foster participation and social sharing.

Within the first month of launch, the newly minted homepage attracted 87% more

unique visitors and saw a 2,700% increase in social referrals.

Pepsi’s long-standing relationship with pop culture and music helped to mold

their vision—earning them the right to participate in the conversation. Their focus

was threefold: first, create an authentic experience around the brand’s core

proposition—entertainment and pop culture. Second, mirror consumer behavior

patterns by delivering content in real time, curated to hyperlocal audience

interests. And third, spark social sharing across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

through highly visual content, catchy headlines and consumer incentives.

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What you need to know

Put the end-goal first

Build a content strategy around the key performance metrics

you’re accountable for—whether it’s sales, social sharing,

brand awareness or lead generation.

Map audience interests

Develop a keen understanding of your consumer’s needs.

What are they passionate about? What challenges do they face?

How can you help them live a better, more inspired life?

Keep it real

No matter what you do, be authentic. Your strategy should lead

with content, not product. Tell relevant, useful and entertaining

stories. If you don’t, your audience will see right through you.

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Content Strategy GE

1.2 Build a production powerhouse: act like a newsroom

The responsive newsroom approach to content production has become a staple

in the world of branded content. In order for this concept to work, however, editors

must continuously churn out content that users find worthy of reading and sharing.

This not only requires a clearly defined process—editorial resources, meetings,

briefs and calendars—but a smart mix of original and licensed (third-party) content

to scale.

GE’s Tumblr-powered magazine Txchnologist successfully publishes brand-

adjacent content that’s both valuable to their target audience and reflective of the

brand’s inherent mission and services.

Like a traditional newsroom, topics covered by the Txchnologist editorial team,

like renewable energy, computing, science and transportation, are strategically

produced and promoted according to real-time trends and the way in which users

consume content across screens. With clear editorial calendars and meetings,

writers regularly create thought-provoking original content—on average, over 42

posts a month! Content is extremely niche and targeted to a specific audience

drawn to the future of industry and technology, covering such granular topics as

advancements in space exploration, climate change, pollution, mining technology

and molecular science.

Ensuring that Txchnologist captivates readers, adds value and speaks to the

brand’s ambitions is top of mind, according to GE’s head of digital marketing,

Katrina Craigwell.

“With Txchnologist, we think a lot about what it takes to capture mindshare. We’re

competing with any publisher that’s producing compelling content for audiences

that are passionate about science and technology. It’s pushed us to be really

creative with our storytelling, with the goal of adding value alongside some of our

favorite publishers.”

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What you need to know Build an editorial calendar and production plan. Set up a disciplined process

by clearly mapping out your content schedule and cadence, and you’ll be

able to churn out content with the speed of a real publisher.

Invest in talent

Hire a managing editor to oversee your editorial calendar and freelancers,

edit posts and ensure content embodies your brand and voice. Your editor

should be as much a marketer as a writer, and should be held accountable

for hitting KPIs, including: engagement metrics, social shares, leads or

closed deals.

Create content at scale

Scale your coverage by employing a mix of original and licensed

content. For example, the Huffington Post uses a rule of thirds: 30% of

content should be curated, 30% should be original, and 30% should

be experimental, comprised of multimedia, social feeds and innovative

platforms. Finding the right combination of original content, thought

leadership and licensed content is key to executing a well-rounded content

strategy.

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Content Strategy Marketo

1.3 Prove ROI: create content that sells

For marketing automation platform Marketo, content is the fuel that generates

revenue. By organizing content into three stages—early, middle and late—Marketo

is able to grasp customers at every step of the sales funnel:

The early stage: When a prospect has indicated no interest in Marketo

Is comprised of top-of-funnel educational content such as eye-catching videos,

data, infographics and curated, actionable lists.

The middle stage: When a prospect has indicated some interest

Is comprised of industry-oriented content, such as analyst reports, buyers’ guides

and webinars, to help buyers solve problems.

The last content stage: When a prospect has strong interest in Marketo

Consists of solution-oriented content such as customer case studies, demos, third-

party reviews and company-specific information to help close deals.

Marketo uses a “4-1-1” principle to calibrate the content it delivers to leads and

move them down the purchase funnel. For every 6 communications, one should

be “hard sell” content (e.g. “sign up for a Marketo demo”), one should be a “soft

sell” (e.g. “attend this Marketo event”), and 4 should remain informative and

educational, focusing on the lead’s interests.

Marketo’s strategy has paid off, literally. The company drives more than 9,500

inbound leads per month, more than 40% of which ultimately become prospects.3

From content on their website alone, more than 58% of prospects become real

leads (with a clear intent to purchase). Even more impressive, more than 60% of

Marketo’s revenue can be attributed to marketing.

The bottom line? Take a cue from Marketo: create content that sells.

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What you need to know Identify what you want to prove. Set concrete performance metrics to guide you in

measuring your campaign’s success.

Target with content

Map out content against each distinct stage of the sales process. Breaking up the sales

funnel into stages allows for a targeted approach to how you publish your thought

leadership, using content to draw in potential clients every step of the way.

Work backwards

In order to accurately determine ROI, it’s important to think inversely, backtracking to

assess how each piece of content contributed to individual milestones, whether it’s a

spike in traffic, engagement or newsletter sign-ups or the inbound of a highly qualified

lead.

Think in quantifiable terms

Be sure to tie content directly to your company’s profits by thinking of each piece of

content as a percentage of your marketing efforts, rather than an abstract component.

Utilize extensive A/B testing

Improve conversion performance at all junctures. Test click-through rates at all points,

from blog post to landing page, and form completion rates on the landing page itself.

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Chapter 2 Content Design

Images and video are quickly becoming main drivers of how we consume content on the web. Tumblr is now the world’s most popular blogging platform, and both Tumblr and Pinterest see significantly higher engagement levels than that of Twitter, LinkedIn or Google+.5 A strong visual narrative is integral to content curation; a site’s design should be informed by the content it houses. On-brand content design allows consumers to identify your brand from a visual standpoint, and compels brands to create a clearly defined style.

“It’s not that my vision is better. It’s having one singular vision.”—Jenna Lyons, President, J.Crew 4

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Content Design J.Crew

2.1Use strong visuals: build a lifestyle through design

J. Crew, renowned for its strong visual philosophy and carefully curated

lookbooks, has used their revamped catalogue, or style guide, as a catalyst for the

brand to develop a uniquely identifiable personality. The universally recognized

brand, once a catalogue-driven business with little marketing cache, has emerged

as a force in the social media and content space.

The style guide layers designer profiles and style insights on top of eye-catching

photography and spreads of bold, colorful products. The publication bears a

closer resemblance to a monthly fashion magazine, rather than a sales-focused

platform promoting seasonal items and sales.

J.Crew has developed an acutely discernible style, taking the notion of traditional

New England prep from conservative to cosmopolitan. Clean lines, geometric

shapes and tailored edges are key aspects of the line, elements of which are

reflected in both the line’s clothing and content. J. Crew’s Tumblr is simple,

sophisticated and proportional—similar to the crisp Oxfords and simple slacks they

produce.

The J.Crew lifestyle rests upon the foundation that visually appealing images are

more likely to catch customer attention than deep discounts. From the moment a

prospective shopper encounters the retailer’s e-commerce site, a physical retail

location, or even its monthly catalogue, Instagram account or company blog,

they’re flooded with a visual narrative that screams J.Crew.

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What you need to know

Lead with purpose

Design is much more than shapes, colors, and fonts alone. It’s about

storytelling, conversation and developing a meaningful consumer experience.

Leverage good design in order to bring emotion, creativity and purpose to your

brand.

Tie it all together

A choir sounds a lot better when everyone in it is singing the same tune.

Ensure that the look and feel of your content—from typography and color to

your site and collateral—is consistent across all of your brand touchpoints and

social platforms.

Fuel your social channels with visual content

Strong, arresting visuals are key to producing high-quality, viral content. Photos

are 200% more likely to be shared and liked than text alone, and videos are

shared 1,200% more than text and links combined.6

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Content Design Whole Foods

2.2 Use multimedia to craft immersive experiences: storytelling across platforms

Whole Foods Market’s digital magazine Dark Rye is proof of the fact that visual

storytelling is most immersive when told using multiple mediums. Dark Rye’s

content is created with the company’s target customer in mind: individuals

who identify with an organic, sustainable lifestyle and have an appreciation for

beautiful design and the culinary arts.

“While exploring the Whole Foods Market story, we came across really inspiring

and interesting people,” said Vadan Less, senior director of content at Whole

Foods. “We found we had a lot of content and that there was a need for it in the

community. Out of that, Dark Rye manifested. We tell stories about vendors, but

we also delve into people’s lives with the hopes of inspiring others to make a

change themselves, and to change the world around them.”

Dark Rye, published monthly, is ripe with various mediums and means of narration.

The stories within the publication are organized as a series of multimedia pieces

that revolve around a single topic. For example, a recent issue showcased the

story of actor Kumar Pallana through a short video and written feature. These

stories were accompanied by more content related to his life: simple recipes, a

written feature on Ayurvedic healing, and an illustrated, step-by-step guide to

meditation. Content is then broadcast using a variety of channels, including a

beautiful Tumblr, Twitter, Vimeo, and a recurring post on the Huffington Post food

blog. - Since its launch, the digital magazine has won numerous awards including a

recent James Beard Award for Group Food Blog.

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What you need to know

Capture the people, stories and context behind a piece

Context and background are crucial to telling a captivating story. Go

behind the scenes with 1:1 interviews, capture emotion through video and

paint a picture through rich visuals.

Repurpose content across multiple platforms

Get the most out of your thought leadership by repurposing content for

videos, blog posts, webinars, slideshows and so on.

Think of storytelling as multilayered and multiplatform

Get readers hooked by creating a narrative across social channels and

your owned properties. Draw readers in through social, then connect the

story across your blog, video platforms and website.

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Content Design USA Today

2.3 Craft a complete content experience: consider all elements of UX

Poor structure and web design prohibit users from fully immersing themselves

in your site, compelling them to exit at a higher rate and absorb and share less.

Before you determine the look and feel of your site, craft a content plan that is

complemented by intelligible and straightforward navigation.

The online version of USA Today is a great example of development with multiple

screens in mind. The site, designed once for cross-platform usage on mobile,

tablet and desktops, allows for easier publishing on the back end and a seamless

user experience that is both device agnostic and consistent.

A simple navigation bar makes for easy discovery, and the use of dynamic

headlines that appear when you hover over an article’s photo icon provides a

glimpse into an article without any commitment. In the absence of continuous

scrolling, users are able to choose when they want to populate new content, and

personalized functionality allows readers to decide how headlines are displayed,

using either a grid or list structure.

The site employs horizontal flip navigation, reminiscent of an iPad app,

encouraging continuous reading to guide users section by section. Calls to action

like “read story” and “get home delivery” are suggestive, not forceful, and inspire

discovery, allowing the reader to consume more without fully leaving the page.

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What you need to know Design for multiple screens

Responsive design guarantees that users have the same experience on

every screen and ensures publishers don’t miss out on a visit or view.

Put content before technology

Don’t overwhelm users with too many dynamic modules or special effects.

Make your site easy to use and intuitive. In turn, your users will stay longer

and consume more.

Encourage discovery

Thoughtful calls to action should suggestively lead users towards more

content, related information or applicable services. Layers of additional

content or product offerings allow for increased engagement and lead to a

more fluid experience overall.

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Chapter 3 Content Delivery

Even the most compelling content can get lost in the shuffle without a proper distribution strategy to support it. In order to hook consumers and keep them coming back, you must be armed with a tactical approach for delivery and promotion.

“Content is king, but distribution is queen and she wears the pants.”—Jon Steinberg, President, Buzzfeed

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Content Delivery Oreo

3.1Deliver content that matters: achieve real-time marketing success

Generating buzz in real time requires knowledge of social media and consumer

behavior. When Oreo jumped on the back of the Super Bowl blackout earlier this

year, they had more than just quick Twitter fingers ready at the gate.

Oreo chose to lean on the iconic brand’s 100th birthday as a way to promote their

rich history via modern-day media, using Super Bowl 2013 as their stage. So,

when an electrical delay caused the stadium’s lights to go dark, Oreo’s marketing

team took advantage of the blackout’s shock factor with their “Dunk in the Dark”

campaign.

As viewers and Oreo fans sat in the dark, waiting for the game to resume, Oreo

cleverly tweeted “Power out? No problem.” with a picture displaying a new slogan

“You can still dunk in the dark”—a timely and amusing play on a moment that

resonated with millions of viewers at the time. By tapping into the moment, Oreo

became hyperrelevant in the midst of an event with critical mass and eyeballs. The

tweet was retweeted nearly 15K times and the brand’s Twitter following increased

by about 8K that day.

The key to Oreo’s strategy and execution was its keen understanding of social

measurement. Relying on dashboards to monitor tweets, posts and comments,

the team quickly identified when the conversation altered. This newsroom-style

approach to content production proved to be far more sophisticated than the

traditional means of social media stunt programming: not only is it proactive, it’s

reactive as well.

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What you need to know

Align real-time content with a long-term brand narrative

Responding to events in real-time is not just about capturing attention in

the moment; it should be one piece of the marketing puzzle that keeps

your audience loyal for the long run.

Remember, real time is about more than being timely

Your content should be timely, but it doesn’t always need to be created

on the spot. When building your editorial calendar, plan for the events

you can anticipate and react quickly when you cannot.

Evaluate before you react

According to PR agency Edelman, brands must ask themselves three

questions before rushing to push content out. Is it relevant (does it align

with your brand’s values)? Does it resonate (map to audience interests

beyond your brand)? Is it timely (are these stories that drive interest and

conversation now)? 8

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Content Delivery Citi

3.2 Start a dialogue: pair utility with conversation

Citibank’s Women & Co. is a financial and educational resource geared towards

the brand’s target audience: women with rising financial influence. The platform,

which provides educational content and commentary on personal financial

management, showed early success. But, after running the site for 12 years, Citi

was looking for a boost.

Enter LinkedIn. In an effort to increase audience reach and ignite conversation,

Citibank partnered with the B2B network on the Connect Professional

Women’s Network, an interactive discussion board. LinkedIn is responsible for

curating content and guiding relevant discussions through polls, a way to drive

engagement and gain insights.

“We evaluate the subjects trending on LinkedIn today and which topics are

popular at what time of day. We also get pitches from various outlets with story

ideas so we keep a pulse on what content is interesting and we look at the RSS

feeds of members to also decide what people are thinking about at the moment,”

said Alison Engle, senior director of global marketing at LinkedIn, during an

interview with Digiday.

The network has proved to be a brand awareness and lead generation vehicle

for Citi, evidence that creating a targeted distribution strategy via LinkedIn works.

Within one year, the group has grown to over 130,000 members, including over

30,000 senior level executives9. Members leave over 1,000 comments10 each

week and 30–50% of users returning on a weekly basis.11

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What you need to know

Chose the right social channel for your brand

Citi generated incremental buzz by turning to a community they knew

contained their target audience. As the top social platform for work-related

discussions12, LinkedIn was the ideal channel to spark awareness through

business-minded dialogue.  

Nurture individual relationships through community

Allow the power of community to cultivate your brand’s relationship with

consumers. Citi successfully leveraged LinkedIn’s inherent notion of

community and professional conversation to organically grow their follower

base and influence, addressing timely financial issues important to women.  

Get creative with distribution

When it comes to engagement, having strong content isn’t enough; how

you distribute that content matters just as much. By leveraging both

original and licensed content, Citi maximized the amount of content being

pushed out to users thereby increasing the likelihood of readership and

engagement.

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Content Delivery Burberry

3.3 Drive sales: distribute digital content with revenue in mind

In 2011, Burberry and Twitter developed Tweetwalk, taking consumers backstage at

London Fashion Week via live tweets and images of Burberry’s spring/summer 2012

collection. The show was also live streamed on Facebook in HD, and select items were

made available for purchase immediately after. By partnering with two of the most

powerful social networks, Burberry successfully bridged the gap between engagement

and commerce. And it proved valuable; in the first half of 2011 Burberry reported total

revenue of £367 million and a 49% jump in retail revenue.13

Participation is a large part of the brand’s online marketing efforts, and consumer

behavior and interests are factored into every digital execution. Burberry’s social blog,

The Art of the Trench, encourages users to upload photos of Burberry’s iconic garment,

on Instagram, with select photos published to the blog. In 2012, the site saw a 60%+

growth in total visits.14

Burberry’s most recent digital execution integrates chips with custom content into

select handbags and coats, scannable via any mobile device. Inside every chip is a

video showcasing how that exact item was made. The result? A highly personalized

and exclusive consumer experience.

Burberry’s goal is to make their content as memorable as their products. By building a

strategic distribution strategy that touches consumers at every step of the purchasing

process, they’ve shifted from being one of the world’s most recognizable fashion

retailers to one of the most recognizable names in digital marketing as well.

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What you need to know

Merge online and offline content

Leverage multiple platforms and social networks to engage consumers in

unique ways. Take advantage of technology and real-time marketing tactics

to distribute content, via livestream or social channels, on a global scale.

Encourage consumer participation

Embed consumers within your campaign via calls to action that inspire

both competition and engagement. Augment your original media library by

calling upon users to help with the creation and delivery of content.

Use exclusive content as added value

Gating, or protecting premium content can be done in a variety of ways.

One way to do so is by making it an added benefit to conversion, whether

that comes in the form of downloading a white paper or purchasing a luxury

item. Withholding content allows for engagement to occur post-conversion,

or purchase, and encourages the consumer to interact with your brand for a

longer period of time.

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In a world where every brand is a media brand, quality content sets people apart.

“Quality,” as John Ruskin once wrote, “is never an accident.”

Blending powerful technology, creative design, and a world-class editorial team,

NewsCred powers content marketing for the world’s leading brands.

At our core, NewsCred is about relationships. Over the past four years, we’ve built

steadfast partnerships with thousands of publishers, including the New York Times,

The Economist, The Guardian, Getty Images, and more. Our content library gives

business unprecedented, real-time access to millions of articles, images and videos

from every corner of the globe.

Our product suite includes end-to end content marketing solutions: the technology to

filter and curate relevant content; the publishing tools to design and build campaigns

with speed and scale; and the editorial teams that bring authenticity to every content

experience.

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Get in touch!

@[email protected]

Footnotes

1 http://econsultancy.com/us/reports/quarterly-digital- intelligence-briefing-digital-trends-for-2013

2 http://www.fastcocreate.com/1680713/pepsi- launches-first-global-campaign-live-for-now-with- new-social-platform-pulse

3 http://docs.cdn.marketo.com/definitive-guide-to- marketing-metrics-marketing-analytics.pdf

4 http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Tumblr- Boasts-Rapid-Growth-New-Advertising- Opportunities/1009024

5 http://www.jeffbullas.com/2012/08/27/the- facts-and-figures-about-the-power-of-visual- content-infographic/

6 http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/a- focus-digital-makes-burberry-relevant-a- generation/238671/

7 http://www.edelmandigital.com/2013/04/30/creative- newsroom-brand-storytelling-at-the-speed-of-social

8 http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20130515/ FINANCE/130519939

9 http://emea.marketing.linkedin.com/blog/connect- passes-80000-milestone-for-citi/

10 http://emea.marketing.linkedin.com/wp-content/ uploads/2012/11/LinkedIn-Case-Study-Citi.pdf

11 http://www.forbes.com/siteslydiadishman/ 2011/09/19/burberrys-tweetwalk-delivers-to-the- masses-and-challenges-fashions-old-guard/

12 http://www.burberryplc.com/documents/fullannual_ report/burberry_ar_final_web_with-urls_indexed.pdf

Photo Credits (in order of appearance):

1. Photographer: Brian Buckland | Source: AP2. Photographer: Doug Pesinger | Source: Getty Images3. Photographer: Chung Sung-Jun | Source: Getty Images4. Photographer: Brendon Thorne | Source: Getty Images

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