An Introduction to Content Marketing

A brief over view of the role of content marketing within the integrated digital communications mix.

1. Digital Communications: Introduction to Content Marketing

2. Agenda for this session: Definition of ‘Content Marketing’ Some examples How ‘Content Marketing’ works Principles of creating ‘Content’ Activity

3. Content Marketing: What do you know about ‘content marketing’?

4. Content Marketing: a definition “The technique of creating and distributing valuable and relevant content to attract, acquire and engage a clearly defined target audience – with the objective of driving profitable customer action.” Joe Pulizzi the Content Marketing Institute

5. Content Marketing is not new… Michelin tyres started to publish the famous Michelin guides for motorists in 1900 35,000 copies of the first edition were given away

6. Contemporary Content M arketing includes: Newsletters and news feeds (RSS) Videos White Papers and Reports E-books Infographics Case studies How-to guides Question and answer articles Photographs Blogs Games & Apps

7. A contemporary example: Blendtec A struggling manufacturer in a competitive marketplace In 2006 emailed a video ‘What should we blend?’, to its customers, featuring the CEO Tom Dickson. 2013: 180 videos, 700,000 YouTube subscribers: 700% increase in sales. http:// www.youtube.com/user/Blendtec

8. Turning strangers into customers and promoters of your business Content Strategy: Source: HubSpot

9. Principles of Creating Content: Develop the customer ‘Persona’ Create the E ngagement C ycle Develop the B rand Story Develop the content marketing channel plan

10. 1: Develop the Customer Persona Know the person you are selling to – more than their demographic Behaviours, individual needs, buying cycle Customer Motivations, Goals and Frustrations Why should this person care about your company? What Unique Value P roposition do you offer this person?

11. 13 For start-up digital services provider FakeCrow : http://fakecrow.com/# about-page

12. 2: Create the Engagement C ycle Map the Customer’s Buying Process and Customer Journey: Awareness  Information Search  Price  Purchase Decision  Alternatives  Short List  Purchase  Post-Purchase Experience  Re-Purchase  Advocate

13. 3: What is the Brand S tory? How does the customer perceive / experience your brand? What does your brand promise the customer? Why is your brand new, different, challenging? What is your brand’s history? What does your brand help the customer to achieve?

14. 4: Develop the Content M arketing C hannel P lan Where will the customer view your content ? What device will the consumer be using? Why would people want this content through this channel? What do we hope the consumer will do with the content? What are the objectives of each channel as they relate to the engagement cycle? Source: Smart Insights

15. And finally… Six examples of successful content marketing campaigns in 2014 http:// www.outbrain.com/blog/2014/07/6-epic-content-marketing-examples-from-2014.html

16. Summary: Content Marketing should: Go beyond conventional segmentation to communicate directly and in a relevant way with individuals. Be planned and designed to achieve specific customer-focused objectives. Be integrated with the entire communications / promotional mix. Be relevant, useful, findable, sharable, creative and fun.

17. Recommended Reading: Chaffey, D. (2015) Digital Marketing: Strategy, Implementation and Practice. 6 th ed. Fill, C. (2013) Marketing Communications: Brands, Experiences and Participation. 6 th ed. (Chapters 21 and 22) Pullizzi , J. (2013) Epic Content Marketing (Chapters 10 and 11) Recommended websites: www.contentmarketinginstitute.com www.hubspot.com www.smartinsights.com www.quicksprout.com/the-beginners-guide-to-online-marketing-chapter-1/

18. Activity 1: Create your Customer Persona Using the Persona Template, create a Customer Persona for a prospective undergraduate student considering doing a first degree in Business and Management.

19. 22 For start-up digital services provider FakeCrow : http://fakecrow.com/# about-page

20. Activity 2: Create your Content Once you have created your Customer P ersona, brainstorm your table to make two lists of possible Content which would help: Attract the prospect to the Birmingham City Business School (generate website visitors) Covert prospects to prioritising BCBS on their list of options (generate leads and subscribers). Check the BCBS website: http:// www.bcu.ac.uk/business-school