Consumers are now "always on." With the advent of the internet on various (mobile) devices, consumers are no longer bound by time and place. You no longer go shopping for shoes on a Saturday afternoon. This can also be at 2 a.m. on a Sunday. And you can order a book right during lunch on your mobile. How do we deal with this "always on" consumer who prefers to avoid advertising? For this you need "always on" content. To be precise: you need content that is present in the right place, at the right time, for the right person.
Therefore, a change in strategy is necessary. Brands must claim a clear role and start offering content that is truly interesting for the target audience.
Content sweet spot
Good content is located at the intersection of the brand's message(s) and the public's need. The problem is that the intersection between a brand's message(s) and the public's need is sometimes very small. Then there are two possibilities:
- Focus on the narrow intersection, but with great depth, so that you develop "thought leadership." You see this content strategy a lot with B2B brands.
- Broaden your focus by taking different points around the intersection that fall within the interest of the target audience. A good example is Red Bull, which within its message about what its energy drink does for you chooses the broader perspective of stories about extreme sports and their athletes.
Expanding the content sweet spot
Content marketing is indeed a very interesting strategy to reach the consumer. But what criteria should successful content meet? Research shows that branded content works best when it meets four criteria: credibility, visibility, likeability, and subliminality:
- Credibility is the most important of the conditions for successful branded content. You make content credible by sharing your (real) expertise in a certain area, provided with a good dose of passion. A high-quality packaging also helps with the perception of credibility. It is also important to seriously engage in the conversation if a consumer reacts to your content.
- Visibility is also essential. This is of course an open door. Nevertheless, it is important to realize that you are not done by publishing your content. Consumers should be able to easily discover your content. So sometimes you will have to help the consumer on their way by advertising.
- The next condition is likeability. Your content must simply be inviting. It should be easy to consume and presented from a positive perspective. Consumers have a clear preference for positive storytelling content that is inspiring, unexpected, or useful.
- The last condition is subliminality, a difficult word for 'unobtrusive' and 'subtle'. This means that you ensure that the advertising alarm does not go off in the consumer. So don't let the commercial shine too much through your content.
