When you think of content marketing, what comes to mind? If emails, blogs, e-books, pillar pages, web copy and other written materials are on your list, you’re not wrong. But there’s another side that’s often overlooked – the role that content strategy services play in the age of media.
Podcasting, videos, social media and other forms of multimedia marketing are not new, but they’re becoming increasingly critical parts of a comprehensive inbound strategy. And at the heart of successfully driving brand awareness and growth is an omni-channel approach that maintains written content at the core.
Here’s what you need to know about how media and content strategy support each other for greater results than either could achieve alone.
Multichannel media and content strategy blend to form a dynamic marketing and sales strategy that gets results at every point of the buyer's journey.
Take podcasting, for example. It’s one of the fastest-growing digital media channels with podcast ad revenues up more than 115 percent from 2020, according to an IAB U.S. Podcast Advertising Revenue study. That’s more than double the rate of growth of the digital advertising market overall. At the same time, corporate-branded podcasts and guest appearances for thought leadership-style interviews are also increasingly common.
Or look at video. HubSpot lists short-form video as the number one content format offering the highest return on investment in the 2024 State of Marketing report. And marketers are taking note: according to HubSpot research, 30 percent of marketers who don’t currently use short-form video plan to start using it this year.
You can’t have an effective video marketing strategy or podcast strategy – or really, any kind of marketing strategy – without a content strategy.
Your video needs buyer persona research, a written script and a storyboard. Your podcast needs guests, a script and promotion. Social media isn’t ad hoc – it’s part of a larger content plan that requires strategic alignment with overall brand objectives and snappy copy.
Different channels will gather eyeballs and generate buzz to varying degrees, but effective and compelling content is still king.
It can be tempting to go all-in on a specific channel – it’s hard not to get excited about the latest, greatest thing that seems to be gaining traction everywhere else. Podcasting? Let’s do it! Micro influencer marketing? Sign me up!
In reality, though, conversions are still predominantly taking place at the conventional content level. Driving traffic to your website and converting leads remains a top priority to spur business growth.
So, it’s important to take a balanced approach and develop a strategy that works across channels. Start with the basics: what does your audience need?
Being genuinely helpful isn’t just good for audience engagement, it’s important for pleasing the Google gods, too, and attracting organic search traffic. Google has recently been prioritizing the “E” for experience in “E-E-A-T” rank content higher when it demonstrates a degree of authentic experience with the topic at hand. At its core, whether you’re producing a white paper or a video or anything in between, your content needs to help your audience.
Beyond that, an effective content strategy attracts and delights your audience at all stages of the buyer’s journey – regardless of the media type. Sounds pretty basic, right? In a lot of ways, it is.
Your content strategy should:
These content marketing tenets are foundational for a reason. They were true in the age of print, in the age of digital and now in the age of omni-channel media.
Words matter and they aren’t going anywhere. The fact that you’re reading this right now is a point in and of itself.
In a world inundated with information – particularly with the advent of AI – words may seem cheaper than ever. What that really means, though, is that producing great content that stands out and resonates is more important than ever.
Creating fantastic content is hard, no matter what format it takes. And no, AI cannot replace the human touch when it comes to content.
Effective marketing always starts with the right words, paired with thoughtful strategy. At Kuno Creative, for instance, we’ve created some ridiculously good videos. Award-winning videos that tell a story, sell a product and engage a wide audience. Each one began with a story outline and script. Then, we can shoot B-roll and interviews or draft an animation. No matter how well produced the final product is – it won’t do anything if no one can find it. It starts and ends with words.
The same is true for any aspect of marketing. Look at web design, as another example. The best websites combine the power of design with compelling content. When a visually beautiful and user-friendly website is combined with value-rich content optimized for search engines and your audience’s needs – well, that’s unstoppable.
If something in your marketing isn’t working, it may be time to revisit your words. Even if you’re pursuing seemingly non-wordy media channels.
When you work with a partner like Kuno Creative, you tap into a powerful way of creating a memorable brand story and experience that propels your business forward. But you don’t just get a winning content strategy. As a full-service digital marketing company with nearly 25 years of experience, we’re an extension of your team providing deep industry expertise and an unmatched dedication to your success.
From innovative strategies and engaging content to dynamic video production, compelling design, comprehensive demand generation and much more, we provide a full suite of services tailored to your needs.
Schedule a consultation to learn more about all that our team at Kuno Creative can do for you.
