How To Create An Effective Content Marketing Strategy

Content Marketing
Getting content right is among the top priorities in a marketer’s agenda. In the year ahead, this will hold even more significance in the Middle East and North Africa region. As attracting, and retaining, consumers becomes more challenging, marketers have been switching budgets from the so-called ‘interruption’ media to using rewarding content through owned, earned and bought or paid media. In the innumerable content approaches and platforms, there are some of the common mistakes, that when addressed, can help create an effective content strategy.

In the recently culminated Mindshare’s Media Summit 2016 on ‘Content Decoded’, David Vincent, Head of Content & Partnerships at Mindshare Worldwide, summarized some of these mistakes and solutions.

David Vincent, Mindshare
David Vincent, Mindshare

Most Made Mistakes

#We think everyone wants our content
“Perception is that when we make our own content, media owners will want to take all of it but it doesn’t work that way. It’s not necessary that every time your content is used by brands. Media owners have their own tools. The approach should be a collaborative one.”

#We are obsessed by the wrong things
“Views are easy to track and compare across campaigns. However, it should not always be views that should be seen. Rather we need to think about the effectiveness of the campaign. We need to focus on measuring the right thing.”

#We ask for content but want an ad
“Clients approach us for content marketing but when we look at the briefs, we realize that what they want is actually an ad. What we need to understand is that the it is not necessary to replace all ads with content. We actually need to talk about content that is entertaining and useful, something that the consumers want to engage with.”

Important Things To Remember
#It’s never been easier to avoid advertising.
One of the biggest challenges for any marketer is ad blocking which is on the rise. Reports state that many UAE residents between the age group of 18-34 actually use ad blocking software. In fact, according to Google, 56 percent of all ads are not even seen. “The way people consume content is changing. It is important that brands create content and activations that engages people to get the attention of their target audience,” said Mr Vincent.

#Adaptive media needs adaptive content.
To remain relevant, brands need to be agile in their content. In order to cater to the specific needs of each consumer, marketers today are moving towards adaptive content to create personalized, one-on-one experience for their audience.

#Omnichannel planners will be the new industry rockstars.
Mr Vincent states that brands need individuals with the right skillset to create holistic experiences for consumers. “People expect an omnichannel experience. As brand marketers we need to manage the transition. We need people who can structure this all together, giving a seamless experience to consumers.”

According to Mr Vincent, agencies and brands need to build an offer that sits at the intersection of creativity, data and technology. They need to focus on more effective content strategies so as to plan the future. “Brands need more effective content strategies through connecting content creation and content distribution. It should be scalable with solutions ranging from high impact ‘tentpole’ experiences to highly targeted real time micro content for social and programming. It also requires more accountable content initiatives underlined by an evaluation and measurement framework,” he concluded.

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