Before you finalize your content marketing plan for 2020, I want you to take a step back and ask yourself a simple question:
What makes people consume a piece of content in today’s digital landscape?
Whether it’s a video, blog post, social media update, or podcast – what keeps people engaged till the end? That’s not an easy question to answer in one article, but I will do my best to give you two of the critical things that will get you thinking in the right direction.
But first…
Did you know the average American consumer is served over 5000 ads each day? Organically, there are millions of blogs being published each day, not to mention the four hundred videos being uploaded on YouTube every minute. With stats like these, standing out from the crowd will only get tougher in 2020.
Think about it, there’s only so much real estate on these social media platforms, and we are all vying for that limited space on the feed. Most start-ups can’t afford traditional print or television because of the high costs. That means your best deal is going to be leveraging digital marketing. But given the stats I just shared, whatever your marketing plan is for 2020, it better be incredible; otherwise, you might end up drowning in the ocean of noise.
To help your content perform better, here are two things to consider as you plan your content strategy.
Action Step #1: Increase Your Relevancy
In a world where power is in the hand of the consumer (who gets to decide what they want, when they want, how they want, and in what frequency), it’s not enough to just map out your content plan. You’ve got to be really good at creating content that feels real and is super relevant to your target audience.
That means getting better at speaking to a specific audience and nailing down their passions, interests, problems, desires, aspirations, or whatever aligns best with your brand. Real impact happens when your audience feels like you “get them.” Google reports that customers pay three times more attention to ads that are relevant to them. Whether your content is paid or organic, you want to make sure you know, and I mean really know – who you’re talking to.
Action Step #2: Double Down On Storytelling
Once upon a time, having a big production team or working with a huge well-known agency to fulfill your marketing was the attention grabber. The more slick and professional your content (especially video), the more your brand grew. In today’s world of YouTube and other “selfie” based social media platforms, what sells are beautiful stories – not so much beautiful studios. Of course, if you happen to live in a mansion or drive a Bentley, it helps, but honestly, people resonate more with creators who are authentic and great at telling stories.
In fact, while researching this topic, I came across a video by YouTuber Sunny Lenarduzzi, who shares her big revelation after four years of doing YouTube marketing and figuring out what it takes to win on YouTube. Sunny confesses how she went from her tiny apartment video set to a big studio with a production team only to get back to basics because she realized that her content performed better when she stayed true to her personality and just focused on giving value. I recommend watching her speak on the power of being yourself, being authentic, and focusing on connecting with your audience.
Storytelling is the best and easiest way to hit on all those points. I have written extensively on this and how to tell your story or the story of your brand on several occasions. If you’re struggling to nail down a great creation story for your brand, that’s what you need to put your energy on this holiday so that as you get into the New Year, you will have content that stands out and draws your audience in.
Now I’d love to hear from you. How are you planning to make your content stand out and get people hooked?
