Content Marketing<\/i>. It\u2019s one of those buzzy phrases that raises more questions for marketers than it answers.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow heavily should I brand my content?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow does this fit into my social strategy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere does this fit in my paid strategy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow can I create authentic content?\u201d<\/p>\n
Rob Davis, executive director of content marketing and video at Social@Ogilvy\u2019s cousin, Ogilvy One, stopped by our Washington, DC, office this week to help separate some of the hype from the help regarding content marketing.<\/p>\n
But before answering any of the above questions, Davis insisted that his audience \u2013 marketing execs from places like Amtrak, The World Bank, BIO, AARP, CSC and more \u2013 first put content marketing in its proper place.<\/p>\n
\u201cContent is only part of the process,\u201d Davis said, putting it between commerce<\/i> and conversation<\/i> as part of a long-term strategy. The message was clear: content marketing, thought important, is not a magic bullet. Instead, it\u2019s only effective when it\u2019s part of an integrated plan that has earned and paid support following it up to bolster its effectiveness.<\/p>\n
(Davis also admitted that he cringes anytime a client starts talking about \u201cauthentic content.\u201d)<\/p>\n
With examples from IBM<\/a> and DuPont<\/a>, Davis posited that the best content marketing is stories that are at the intersection of \u201cthe goals of the brand\u00a0and the desires of the users.”<\/p>\n And the goals of the brand for a piece of content should be very specific and agreed-upon before the content launches: Where in the customer funnel do you see this content working and how will you judge its effectiveness?<\/p>\n In other words, if your goal is simply to \u201cgo viral\u201d you\u2019re going to be very disappointed on multiple levels.<\/p>\n See Davis\u2019 full presentation and Q&A \u2013 and why he hates the word \u201cauthentic\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Click Here to Watch the Full Presentation and Q&A<\/a>
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