Brand publishing and content strategy, much like brand storytelling, are user focused. As a brand, we need to be geared toward the user’s perspective, while also understanding the competitive landscape. Content-oriented brands should be asking:
- What do the people want?
- What are our competitors doing?
Most brands start out with the “Lift and Shift” method. This basically means that the brand is using the same content on all channels and platforms, instead of making custom content for each.
At Fulton-Mecklenburg, our goal is to help brands move out of this method and start using more modern content ecosystems as a way to converse with their customers.
To enable content evolution, we perform a content audit. We look at content trends resonating with users, what top competitors, while evaluating your brand’s content presently in the market. By doing so, we figure out the current state of the brand, much like a doctor checks everything to get a feel for the current state of your health.
- We determine where different content styles and strategies resonate in the content environment over the whole audit process.
This helps reinforce the strengths, recognize and neutralize risks and identify ways to fulfill the target audience’s previously unmet criteria.
Content Ecosystems
Once a brand has gone through all those changes, it needs to start creating new content to help move the brand ahead. There are three particularly important types of content that will help catapult the brand.
- Superhero Content is the biggest and most impactful content created. Its high-quality major content, like well-produced ads and videos.
- It is promoted across all channels which helps expand the brand’s reach and impact on special moments when they afford to go big.
- Superhero content is the big deal. It should only be released 3-4 times a year, taking up 10-15% of content, to extend the brand’s reach and impact.
- Supporting Content reinforces the superhero content, kind of like a sidekick. It supports the claims made in the superhero content. Often, it is in a more compact form than superhero content.
- This content is usually released right after the superhero content to reinforce the assertions made in the superhero content.
- Storytelling Content is targeted and episodic. A regular schedule and editorial approach is at the intersection of what a brand has to say and what the consumer wants to hear.
- It can be short or long arc — but always a start and an end. More sitcom, less drama.
- This content should be regularly released on a weekly/biweekly basis, making up over 30% of content, to keep consumers coming back.
- Consisting of over 50% of all content, Scheduled Content is a constantly on, content relationship building content.
- Born from keyword research analysis and data, this improves the discoverability and the post-purchase relationship with a brand.
- Scheduled content should be released daily on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
Each form is different and should be treated as such. For example, a supportive content blog should not be posted on Instagram.
Owned, Earned, and Paid Media
Owned, earned, and paid media are all channels that a brand can use to promote its content.
- Owned Media was created by the brand. It is made up of brand-controlled channels. Think websites and apps. This is where the storytelling, and superhero content is released.
- Earned Media is social media. Things like Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. It is called earned media because a brand must earn followers/subscribers. This is where scheduled, and supporting content is launched.
- Paid Media is distribution or engagement that have been purchased by the brand.
- For example, if a brand wants to get more popular without waiting to go viral, trying to get trendy or building a following from scratch, they can just buy some followers. Or the brand can pay to be featured on a certain newsletter or blog.
As you can see all these forms of media are connected, creating a unique ecosystem.
All these different types of media and content are needed to keep customers engaged. Without one of these the other ones seem like stale popcorn.
Many startups who are unfamiliar with content strategy use the ancient lift and shift strategy.
This makes the brand seem stiff, which it is. Much like real ecosystems, content ecosystems have many equally important parts. Our Content POV creates a lush ecosystem that makes the entire story of a brand stay fresh and remain cohesive.
