In 1996, Bill Gates wrote an essay titled “Content is King” for Microsoft’s website. Among the many other points made, he wrote this:
“Content is where I expect much of the real money will be made on the Internet, just as it was in broadcasting.
The television revolution that began half a century ago spawned a number of industries, including the manufacturing of TV sets, but the long-term winners were those who used the medium to deliver information and entertainment.”
In addition to predicting a future that’s now reality, he coined a catchphrase that has animated marketers’ approach to the internet ever since.
At K&A, we talk about – and generate – a lot of content. All day, every day. Yes, it’s a big part of what we do. We’re by no means alone, of course. There’s a seemingly endless amount of content being created every day.
Brand-driven content has become a major way for marketers to reach audiences, generating awareness and loyalty along the way. Short articles or posts and videos were the top two content types that B2C marketers used in the past 12 months, per Content Marketing Institute.
After all, the content volume is growing to meet a seemingly insatiable demand. In the US, the average time spent with digital media was 8 hours and 14 minutes per day in 2022 according to Insider Intelligence.
But here’s the thing. All of that content has made it more difficult for building product brands to stand out… and to get their message heard. Because this marketplace of ideas has grown so loud, it may be time to rethink the very idea of content creation.
The old way
In the past, agencies often would create a large volume of content in the hopes that a percentage of it would resonate with particular audiences they were targeting. However, this approach is no longer sustainable in today’s crowded channels. Instead of competing with ideas alone, now brands will have to compete for attention too. That means finding ways to cut through the noise before delivering a message.
The new way
The goal now is to create high-quality content that’s relevant to a very specific audience. Targets will continue to get smaller – and better defined – so tracking data and analytics is more critical than ever.
The right balance
Of course, there’s no “one-size-fits-all” answer to the question of how much content is too much. The right amount of content will vary depending on the brand mission.
However, there are a few guiding principles that building product brands can follow to ensure that their agencies and marketing departments are creating the right amount of content.
- Focus on quality over quantity. It’s better to create a few high-quality pieces of content… than to create a large volume of low-quality content.
- Target content to specific audiences. Ensure that content is particularly relevant to distinct communities and their interests.
- Measure results. Use data and analytics to track the performance of each content marketing campaign… making sure that it is creating a positive impact.
The future of content marketing
The future of content marketing likely will be a hybrid of the old and new approaches. Building product brands will continue the need to create a large volume of content, but they will also need to focus on creating high-quality content that is relevant to target audiences. Data and analytics will continue to grow in importance to track performance and guide best practices.
- Be creative. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different types of content and formats.
- Be consistent. Create a regular cadence for publishing new content.
- Be social. Use social channels as a way to connect and engage with customers directly.
- Be collaborative. Work with influencers, and even partner brands to create content that is even more effective.
If you’re ready to talk more about content campaigns and strategy, send an email to Steve at sk@kleberandassociates.com to get the conversation started.
