Is Your Content Building Your Brand

Content marketing means a bunch of different things to different people. For some, content marketing is a way to educate their clients. For others, it's a way to connect with their users. And for many, it's a way to boost their organic rankings on search engines. But no matter what you use content marketing for, every single piece passes on little cues about your brand and its positioning. Related: Generating leads with content marketing—4 things most brands get wrong Your job is to make sure that content conveys the essence of your brand efficiently and effectively. You want your brand not just to be known, but to be memorable. Here are some proven ways to do just that. 1. Use surveys to tell readers about themselves There's a power in data that no amount of convincing copy can match. It's no wonder, then, that original research is one of the most sought-after forms of content. Compelling data backed by strong market research and insightful analysis is a surefire way to grab an audience's attention. Online surveys—via your website, email or social media platforms—are a great way to collect first-hand data from users at little to no cost. By gathering this data, you're not only laying the foundation for the report you're building; you're also getting your users more invested in your brand. Once they tell you things about themselves—what they like and dislike, what they think, what they want—they're keen to learn more about your brand and whether you can customize products to their liking. Take subscription retailer JustFab for example. Every customer is quizzed about their style preferences, and a personalized style brochure is created for them based on their inputs. These personalized recommendations are the secret behind JustFab's success as a billion-dollar unicorn at a time when other retailers are faltering. 2. Ceaselessly educate your audience Rewind back to high school. Was English your favorite subject? If so, I'd bet $20 that you remember your favorite English teacher in vivid detail. Replace English with history, chemistry or whatever your favorite subject might've been—you get what I'm saying. When you learn something new and exciting, you're likely to remember who taught you about it. Sharing things that your users love to learn about will attract new customers to your brand like heat-seeking missiles. From YouTube videos to well-researched whitepapers, the form your educational content takes is entirely up to you and your readers. A detailed step-by-step post (with pictures) is my favorite way to quickly learning something new. As an avid iPhone fan, I turn to Apple forums for news and information on all my iDevices. What these niche sites successfully demonstrate is that you don't have to burn a hole in your pocket to create great content. In fact, you can record your iPhone screen and turn it into a quick video tutorial of your product. But, it's not just the format of your content that matters. It's also the platforms you use to share it on. For example, with the rise of Instagram, it's easy for me to reach out to my audience with short informational videos that showcase my skills and educate the user. 3. Support a cause you believe in One thing we know about the millennial generation is that they care deeply about causes that matter to them, and they support brands who support those causes. With millennials now wielding the most purchasing power, it's a good time to dig deep into your brand's heart and discover the cause that makes it skip a beat. Specialty retailer BoxLunch is a wonderful example of a brand that lives by its principles. For every $10 you spend with BoxLunch, the company donates one meal to the charity Feeding America. Mind you, this is not an exercise to start today and forget a few months from now. Consumers can smell fakes a mile away, and your actions go a long way toward building your online reputation. A positive online reputation is the foundation of a strong brand image, which ultimately improves the ROI generated through branding. For this reason, make sure you pick a cause that truly means something to your company, so it becomes a long-term investment rather than a quick win. 4. Keep in touch with your followers Each year, brands spend billions of dollars to stay top-of-mind with their target audiences. After all, mind-share equals wallet-share. But, the best ways to stay top-of-mind have been evolving. From outdoor media, print & television to their digital counterparts, the way consumers connect with brands is changing. According to a survey by Adobe, 61% of consumers prefer to connect with brands via email. (The next preferred channel? Direct mail.) Audiences love email for its efficiency and capacity for personalization, which makes it feel like the message was directly meant for them. Social media can also help you stay connected with followers while crafting a brand image that reflects your values. Asking customers to follow you on social media opens up a free, highly engaging channel that they already spend big blocks of time on. And, it offers several benefits that you definitely don't want to miss out on. Source: SproutSocial Beauty brand Glossier features its users on its social channels as a way to build closer bonds with them. Not only do they share real users using their products (hello, user-generated content!), they also engage each user on a 1:1 basis, bringing their brand into their users' intimate social circle. Key takeaway Your content should help build your brand each time you publish something new. Take your brand's message and bake it into new content that users seek out and connect with. Your brand will stay top-of-mind, and your users will become loyal brand advocates. Learn how Lucidpress can streamline your brand's content marketing and keep your whole team on the same page.