Author: Joanna Styczen, Technical Writing Director at iMiller Public Relations
Twenty years ago, Bill Gates wrote in an article titled, “Content is King,” that “Those who succeed will propel the Internet forward as a marketplace of ideas, experiences, and products —a marketplace of content.”
But at what point does content drive meaningful audience engagement — a positive exchange of valuable information between business-to-business or business-to-consumers — or fail to elicit attention and become lost in a cacophony of irrelevancy? As many companies seek to meet self-imposed content quotas in an effort to engage customers, they walk a fine line between initiating worthwhile dialogue and over-saturating their audiences with mediocre messaging.
Every day, consumers are bombarded with messages from every angle, as business entities share news, opinions, ideas and information across multiple platforms. As their newsfeeds, Twitter accounts, Facebook pages and inboxes become saturated with content, target audiences can begin to filter out the noise. Meanwhile, companies, if they over-share with irrelevant, untimely or uninspired content, run the risk of establishing a reputation for over-promotion and not being attuned to the needs and interests of their customers.
Posting content is faster and simpler than ever before. However, it is still critical to utilize digital platforms with an approach that is both productive and strategic. Positioning your company as a leading industry expert does not necessarily mean providing more content than your competitors, but rather offering valuable information and carefully formulated ideas and opinions. This is no small task, and according to a survey conducted by the Content Marketing Institute, 72% of the least effective marketers are challenged with producing engaging content
Sound content strategy is simple, but the proper application requires creativity and planning. Content should tell a story, offering value and interest to an audience in a way that seizes and maintains their attention with each new message. By flooding the pipeline with irrelevant or “filler” content, a target audience becomes conditioned to tune out every overture, and meaningful and engaging messaging is simply lost in the din.
iMiller Public Relations believes that every message that reaches the eyes and ears of the market should be carefully formulated with relevance, creativity and originality in mind. Our client work demonstrates that a strong content strategy will set apart a company from its competitors and establish its position as a thought-leader in their specific business sector. To learn more about iMPR’s content programs, visit www.imillerpr.com or email info@imillerpr.com.