It doesn’t matter if you’re a commercial insurance provider, bicycle maker or alcoholic beverage vendor, all signs point to increasing consumer and B to B focus on web content as an important tool in helping everyday and long-term strategic decision making. Those who want to master effective online marketing in the next decade need to be sure to include a strong content strategy as part of their media mix. Yes, online ads are effective. Behavioral targeting and Rich Media can work. However, to get that all-important referral or word of mouth mention, be sure to provide relevant information to your target customers. This leads to instant brand affinity and the added emotional trust bridge that comes with being an established thought leader.
Time Warner has made its share of mistakes, but their AOL division seems to recognize that the social web is revealing a few best practices. In a move to redefine themselves, AOL has announced that they will become “the internet’s largest provider of content in two years.” Quite a leap, given their former strategy of flooding the world with cheap internet starter disks.
What this all really means is even the tubby internet flunkies recognize that people still use the web for getting information. What we want you to know is that marketing best practices are quickly turning towards helping people share this information. Your company needs to have a blog, a facebook presence or Twitter page so that you can not only push content to your potential customers, but listen and gain an excuse to start talking to them beyond the ad agency. The single marketing message pushed to many can become many marketing messages shared with many – with even more follow-up conversations that can lead to sales.
So, get started. Form a content task group. Before you start pulling information, figure out what your customers want to hear. If you don’t know what that is, it’s time to do some research. If you can’t afford a massive research effort, you can wing it with some informal interviews. Find out as much about your customer as possible so you can start sending them information that enhances their lives. If you do that, maybe you can sprinkle in some messages about your product. Just remember you have to gain their trust, first.
Next, figure out our message strategy. Don’t just start posting and twoting all over Al Gore’s webbernet. Develop a 3 month plan that follows your communication strategy and business goals, just be sure to leave room for timely updates as they happen.
Be consistent. Once you start gaining an audience, be sure not to leave them hanging. Research and post regularly. In short, you are no longer just a company. If you want to get the most out of social marketing, you have to embrace your future as a publisher – niche as it may be.
