Basics of digital marketing - Content Marketing
In the context of digital marketing, content is a brand's way of making its strategy tangible. Users receive information published by the brand through different communication platforms, seeking to align with them and in multiple formats: texts, images, videos, animations, games, contests, applications, etc.
In this sense, an important conclusion emerges and that is that in the digital world, brands that really generate valuable content for their users stand out.
One of the ways to leverage content to make it stand out and achieve brand positioning is content sponsorship, as we can see in the example below:
Heineken content as a digital strategy
Heineken has been the official sponsor of the UEFA Champions League, one of the sports tournaments with the most visibility in the world, since 2005. Leveraged on this sponsorship, Heineken has been developing a strategy focused on digital media to position its brand. Thus, the brand has used content as a digital strategy to appropriate a sporting event with a large audience, developing entertaining content for the audience.
Local Content with Global Distribution is part of Heineken's content strategy.
Positioning a brand, including in the world of digital marketing, is a process that can take a long time. The Heineken example shows us the importance of being consistent and persistent in developing a strategy that engages users with entertaining content, thus positioning the brand by generating an association with the event it sponsors.
Today platforms have become secondary. It is becoming easier to develop a website for a brand in a matter of minutes, but the challenge is really to generate content of interest to users. When users perceive a brand's content as relevant or entertaining information for them that means that the content strategy is well planned and executed.
"A digital strategy without quality content is like a store without good products."
In content marketing, content becomes the materialization of a brand's digital strategy and it is only through quality content that a brand stands out and is positioned in the minds of users.
Content Formats
The most important thing about content is that it contributes to positioning the brand within a different field than its competitors, that the content is of very good quality and that it fulfills the purpose of entertaining or informing. Now, let’s take a look at the content formats that should be used to get closer to meeting this challenge.
Visual Content
In the digital world, people are increasingly interested in sharing and consuming graphic content.
It is clear that consumers today are purely visual. This creates a need for the brand to communicate graphically. Many users are interested in sharing and consuming graphic content. This aided by the fact that mobile device manufacturers strive to offer higher quality and functionality when it comes to their integrated cameras.
The 8 most popular content formats
Here are some of the content formats that are being used the most today and that are transforming the way information is traditionally displayed.
Editorial texts with images
Among the content formats, this is one of the most commonly used for websites, blogs and emails. They are specialized texts accompanied by images and are essential for positioning in search engines (SEO).
Videos
It refers to the production of video in traditional format or Motion graphics. This type of content can be distributed through social networks or websites. Now it is possible to make videos from the simplicity of a mobile phone, film-like blockbuster, digital animation or purchase from video banks.
Photography
This format is commonly used on websites or social networks. It can be given in a professional or amateur format, depending on the needs of the brand in terms of quality, quantity and frequency. It is possible to take the photograph or simply go to image banks to buy and use them.
Gifs
This short and low-weight video or animation format is becoming increasingly important, which is why it must be included in the offer of a brand, especially for publications.
Video games
Video games are also considered a content format. These can be done through adaptations of traditional games or custom game development. Video game development can be given for both web and mobile formats.
Infographics
It corresponds to the development of illustrations based on statistical data that seek to be summarized in visual formats. They are commonly used for posts on social media or on the web.
White papers
It corresponds to the more detailed production of textual formats with images, mainly used for the acquisition of leads, which seek to deliver valuable information to the user or potential client.
Webinars
This format has been gaining great importance due to the possibility of sharing content regardless of where people are, with the convenience of not leaving your office. This format has shown high growth in the B2B sector.
Content Distribution
When we talk about content distribution, we mean how to make it reach the users who are the brand's target. The content must be present in all those moments where the consumer demands it and from the device they use at that precise moment.
Distribution platforms
These are the most common platforms where content is distributed
- Websites / Mobile Portals / Blogs
- Podcasting
- Emails
- Mobile apps
Multi-platform
It is important to highlight the need to adapt the content to different platforms to reach it more effectively, which means that the same content must be adapted so that the consumer can access it from the PC, the Mobile, social networks, iTV among others.
For example, if your content is on a website, it is important that it is adapted for mobile devices, either by an exclusive version for mobile or by responsive design (techniques that we will explain later in the course). The importance of this adaptation becomes more evident when we see that almost 50% of Internet traffic in India is generated from mobile phones.
