Content marketing was placed under the microscope at a recent briefing co-hosted by B2B Marketing and Waggener Edstrom. Alex Aspinall reports…
It’s definitely the concept du jour in marketing circles. Brands across the B2B spectrum and beyond are scratching their collective heads trying to create and/or curate constant streams of compelling content designed to position themselves as entities offering more than just financial transactions.
Relatively few people are arguing against the central theories of content marketing; these techniques seem in keeping with the current technological and buyer landscapes. But there are some brave enough to question whether or not these ideas really represent anything new. And it was this point, which came relatively late in the day at the event, that sparked the most interesting debate. Indeed, it’s one still rumbling on long after the event reached its conclusion.
Content is marketing
Prelini Udayan-Chiechi, director, EMEA marketing at Lithium Technologies, isn’t sold on the idea that content marketing is a revolutionary new theory. She says: “Content marketing is not really a new concept; it’s just another buzz word the market seems to have latched onto. As marketers we have always been doing content marketing in one form or another. However, what has changed is the way this content is now sourced or where it’s derived from. It’s no longer a case of organisations creating the content internally and pushing it out to customers and prospects.”
And she’s not the only content expert to admit to a feeling of ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’. Nic Shaw, editor-in-chief at Waggener Edstrom, largely shares this stance. He says: “Content marketing isn’t a new concept; white papers, reports, case studies and corporate videos have been around for decades, and even blogs have been well used since the early 2000s.
“What’s changed is the emphasis on content within the wider marketing mix, so rather than being an afterthought or a by-product of a piece of research, it’s increasingly (and rightly) viewed as a powerful means for a brand to engage with its audience. That’s largely down to the rise of the internet and the fact there are now thousands of potential channels for a company to deliver marketing messages through, from its website and social media pages to third-party blogs and specialist sites dedicated to a particular business area.”
So, it seems marketing’s obsession with inventing new buzz phrases is perhaps serving to block a deeper understanding of what has actually changed. While we are definitely marketing in a new era, it’s not one that has to be dominated by desperate attempts to create never ending streams of content. Having loads of average, untargeted content is not the secret to success in the digital age.
The customer comes first
In the same way that data’s current prefix ‘big’ serves to derail sensible discourse, so ‘content’ can get in the way of marketing. Instead of thinking about ‘content marketing,’ perhaps we should be discussing ‘customer marketing’. Maybe the ‘inbound marketing’ phraseology better pinpoints how we should be thinking at present. It stands to reason that if you place the customer at the heart of what you produce, the content will be better positioned to achieve the cut-through required.
This is certainly the approach most of the panel from the event seem happy to advocate. Udayan-Chiechi says: “The key to creating great content is to think about what your customers and prospects are looking to learn, read or research, and then creating the content with this mindset. Many organisations I believe fail as the intent might be there for the customer in mind at the outset, however, it is quickly lost when they focus on incorporating product or brand messaging. The best content I often see is when it’s focused on customer examples, ROI from customers and even lessons learned.”
Ex-IBMer Pete Jakob, who is now managing director at marketing consultancy Purple Salix, also sees an understanding of your customer base as the most important consideration when it comes to creating decent marketing content. He says, “Get into the mindset of your audience. Identify them, spend time with them, get to understand their issues and challenges, and try to understand the relative significance of the challenges that you can help solve for them in the broader context of their overall issues.”
The people purporting to know how best to navigate the complex world of content marketing seem to be placing far greater emphasis on the customer than the content. One informs the other. And it stands to reason. Relatively few traditional content producers – authors, bands, comedians and media companies – survive without giving the people what they want. You can surprise and delight them from time to time but your main thrust has to be of interest. This is especially true in the era of short attention spans and content overload. Next time you’re discussing whether you need an infographic, a video or a blog, think instead ‘what do our customers want to know.’ The rest will follow.
