Kara Taylor is Executive Vice President of Marketing at ATTOM Data Solutions, where she oversees marketing, creative and public relations.
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In 2020, the amount of global online content consumption doubled since the beginning of the pandemic, according to research from DoubleVerify (via Global Newswire). This brings both pros and cons for businesses leveraging digital media to attract, engage and retain consumers in today’s world. A major pro is that more people are viewing or reading content; however, on the negative side, that can also mean there’s more competition to attract those eyeballs in the digital space — and it will likely become even more important for them to elevate and differentiate brand messaging. This is where a strong content strategy becomes fundamental to any business’s marketing plan. It can act as the master blueprint for not only driving consumers toward desired behaviors but also turning them into loyal brand advocates.
In my marketing career, I have seen many different definitions of a content strategy. Simply put, a content strategy is a how-to plan of action that identifies business goals and then uses content (words, images and videos) as the primary means to achieve those goals. You might focus some of these goals on increasing brand awareness in direct or indirect ways that ultimately drive more revenue. For example, a public relations plan with press announcements might not tie back to the sales of a particular product, but you can use it to help build brand authority and awareness that inevitably increases consumer trust in both the company and its products.
You can also use an SEO strategy as more of a direct micro-content marketing play by leveraging keywords and targeted content to direct consumers with specific calls to action. The element that both approaches have in common is audience-centric messaging that is tied to a specific goal. You should define this messaging in the overall strategy, along with the optimal voice, tone and style that resonate best with the targeted demographic profile. The strategy should be well-documented, and you should communicate it to all of the relevant stakeholders before employing any tactics from it. It should act as a compass and help align content creators and marketers on the best path toward collectively achieving desired results in a consistent, streamlined way.
At ATTOM Data Solutions, whenever we create our content strategy for a specific brand, product or service, we make sure it has high-quality content. “High quality” in our industry means content that is focused solely on being useful and informative, not fluffy, hyped or entertaining. It should educate or empower customers to solve their problems. We stay laser-focused less on what we want to say and more on what our audiences need to hear so that they can quickly make informed decisions for themselves. A strategy void of high-quality content can waste prospective consumers’ time, lose their trust, decrease brand authority and even show a lack of industry knowledge or experience.
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Because we speak about data, trends and real estate, our content strategy may differ from other industries. The language we use and the amount of technical information we provide are the primary differentiators. In any sector, it’s important to speak the same language as the industries you serve; you should leverage empathy to understand what information your target audience needs. For example, for us, facts, data and research need to lead the conversation. Sometimes, those conversations vary depending on the audience. If you cater to more than one industry segment, you should ensure that your content strategy identifies the right voice that compellingly speaks to the right audience at the right time — and always from a position of authority. If you don’t clearly understand how your content will enlighten, engage or guide people toward your (and their) goals, and if you cannot tangibly measure its effectiveness, you simply shouldn’t create it. Quality trumps quantity every time. This approach has saved my company a lot of time, money and resources.
You can wrap a lot into your brand’s content strategy, but if you focus first on high-quality content that your audience deems valuable, you can not only earn their trust and attention over the years; you can also keep it.
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