Bridging the Benefits of Content Marketing

When people get a scrape or a cut, they ask for a Band-Aid; they don’t ask for an adhesive bandage, they literally request the product by its brand name.  This is an excellent example of how effectively Johnson & Johnson has branded their product since its debut in 1920; where their brand name has become synonymous with the product they sell.

However, things have certainly changed.  In a time where the only real avenues for distributing content were magazines, newspapers and the fledgling invention of radio; Johnson & Johnson only had to focus on two or three distributions channels, making it easy for their business to brand themselves and their products.  You, unfortunately, are not so lucky - Creating interesting content to brand your company, your website, your products, and your public image can be a daunting task.  But before you leap into the deep end of the proverbial media pool, let’s talk about the number of key things you need to know about producing solid, engaging content.

Content, simply put, are the words that describe you, your business, and answers the questions that your audience wants to know.  Your SEO tailored content brands your company in ways that traditional media platforms, such as print, no longer can.  Your written words become a knowledge bank for your audience, educating them about your business, products, and most importantly it makes them feel an emotional connection to you as a company.  Keep in mind, every time you write content; you are talking to the world!  Take advantage of this, be an open book and craft every word as if you’re talking to a friend.

One of the most important things to remember when creating good content is its level of engagement and its chances of being shared across the Internet. You want your audience to be so impressed by your content that they feel inclined to “share” your links, your words, and news about your company with the people around them.  They’ll retweet your blog on Twitter.  They will “like” your business page on Facebook.  They will copy your words, paste them into their e-mails and send it off to family and friends.  As people do this, your content is locked into their memory, and you’ll have left behind another digital footprint.  You then become part of their lives and, when given a choice, people choose what is familiar and memorable over what is new and unknown.

So, how do you extend your brand recognition?  By being proactive!  Use every tool at your disposal and interact with your potential customers at every level; interacting with them on their home turf.  If a customer posts a complaint about your product or service on Twitter, someone should be responding to that customer and offering help, not criticism or a rebuttal.  Win that negative Nancy over and then everyone who sees how far your company went out of its way to be personable will be thoroughly impressed.

In closing, whether you are creating media that will go on your company Facebook page, your personal website, blog, even the flyers you send out via snail mail, you must always be building more onto your brand.  Your content – sincere, personable, relatable, and entertaining – will drive everyone towards your words, therefore gaining a loyal following.  Just remember to make sure that all that content works in your favor by being fully optimized by SEO standards.  Choose your words with all the deliberation and intent of Michelangelo did with his chisel, or Botticelli with is paintbrush.  You can be a new kind of artist in a fledgling world of content, where the written word sways emotions and a turn of phrase can forge life-long friendship that will see your brand welcomed with open arms and your star ascending.