Feeling Content

Nov 2012 - by Scott Holmes

I’m not sure when "content" entered the modern lexicon specifically referring to material on the internet, but for the past five(ish) years, content has indeed been king. If you’re a small business owner (or for that matter, a large business owner) content it is something you need to be aware of.

Ask yourself why you buy magazines? Is it to be in the know, learn a new improved way to do something, look at beautiful photos, check out the latest products and trends? Essentially, you buy the magazine for things you find interesting. Web content is no different; it is compelling articles, photos, videos, blogs, and things that your market finds interesting.

Sound easy? Unfortunately it’s not. Content takes effort. First, as always, you need to define your brand. Who are you, what do you do, what do you want to say and how you say it? Once those questions are answered you can start developing content.

But how do you develop good content? Here are some ideas:

Be Cheap
Take advantage of what’s free. YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook and so on, allow free accounts and are customizable to match your brand look and feel. They also allow integration into your own website. Every outlet can find a different audience member (aka potential client) and each allow for developing specific content types.

Be Aware
Seems logical, but it’s often ignored. Be aware of what’s going on in the world, be aware of the time of year, be aware of what’s happening in your company and develop content around it. A great example of this was a video LG recently did for Halloween. Check out a recent video they created to scare unsuspecting elevator riders. It was on-brand, it was apropos to time of year and it was awesome:

Be Consistent
There is nothing worse than a stale website with content from 2007, with empty twitter feeds, a blog with one entry, a calendar that lists nothing and a video channel with no videos. The point of content is to interact and inform. If you’re going to have a twitter account, make sure you’re actually tweeting something 2-3 times per week (at least!), add something new to your website weekly. Not only is it good for people dropping by, it’s recognized (and rewarded) by search engine algorithms.

Don’t Be Consistent
Consistently develop content but make sure it's something more than “Buy my stuff”. Give updates of what’s happening in the company, comment on what’s happening in the world, take time to acknowledge users and followers. Plan ahead for what’s down the road and create something (have you thought about what you're doing for Christmas yet? you should've in July). If you have a staff party, make sure you video it and throw it up on the website. You never know what might resonate with people and the next thing you know 2 million people have watched it. Don’t believe me? See how many people watched this:

Learn to Write
Correction, learn how to write for your company. Anyone can write, but can you write with the voice of your brand? There’s a difference. Visualize Starbucks, Red Bull and RBC. All are distinctly different in their brand and if you read the content on their respective websites all are very different. Your followers are interacting with your brand, not yourself. Learn to write like your brand…or hire someone to do it for you.

Scott Holmes is the Director of Marketing Operations at Synergist Communications (www.synergistcommunications.com). He has extensive experience developing travel and corporate brands in Canada and overseas,  through strategic, creative programs that resonate with their identified targets and goals.