Throughout the last decade, content marketing has continued to change, driven by constant shifts in the global market, technological advances and diversifying consumer preferences. But since the outbreak of COVID-19, successful content marketers have risen to the challenge and kept an ear close to the ground to produce content that’s not only relevant, but highly sensitive – crafting copy that truly resonates with target audiences.
Given the current situation, we at Wordsmith have gathered our 4 essential tips that will help you create content your audiences will appreciate during these uncertain times.
1. Show Authenticity and vulnerability
Nowadays, more brands are embracing authenticity and vulnerability. When companies reveal the “realness” behind their brand through their content, it not only helps to create new growth opportunities, but it also allows them to reinvigorate consumer relationships, instil trust and foster a stronger connection with consumers.
True brand authenticity strikes a chord in the age of noise, distrust and information overload. And authenticity breeds consumer trust – the most valuable brand commodity, which is hard to build and all too easy to lose. The Conscious Consumer now wants to know all about your corporate culture, values, environmental policies and ethical sourcing. Before they consider investing in your brand, consumers increasingly want to know what your brand actually stands for. So, this means content marketers must tread carefully in humanising the brand through content.
When done right, highlighting the human element of your brand can be a fantastic engagement booster. Advocating for a cause is a great way to engage with potential consumers, but it’s showing authenticity in supporting a cause is what will ultimately keep your consumers around and actively invested.
Back in 2019, Diet Coke partnered with several key organisations, including GLAAD, Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) to create their innovative #unlabeled campaign that aimed to shed stigmas and ignite a conversation about the complexities of labels in our society. And they started by stripping off their own brand name on Diet Coke cans as part of a far-reaching diversity campaign.
"We live in a world full of labels. Some labels are earned. Fought for. Demanded. Proudly owned. But then there are labels that are imposed upon us. Weapons aimed to limit. Box us in. Make us feel lesser than. But imagine a world where we aren’t limited by the way others label us," the multinational beverage giant said on its advertising. "We’re removing our own labels to start a conversation about labels."
Working with 16 key influencers they tackled a variety of issues from gender and mental health to disability and religion. Among the individuals that participated in the campaign’s promotion was Lauren Beene, a Diet Coke spokesperson, and she explains, “We knew that we wanted to do something that started a bigger conversation that's not about the product, It was really by learning from [our partner] organisations, learning from the people, that led us to realise what can we do to foster the conversation.” This multiyear campaign ultimately helped Diet coke promote diversity and inclusion with the hope that they will inspire people to view their identities and vulnerabilities in a new light to realise that diversity and differences are something to be celebrated.
2. Don’t skimp on insight-driven Marketing
Never underestimate the importance of insights-driven marketing, even during lockdown. Modern marketers can embrace a wide variety of data-centric tools to make the most of the treasure troves of consumer data being gathered from a variety of devices and social media platforms.
Change is inevitable— but standing still isn’t an option for brands looking to succeed. Companies will need to pivot and adapt quickly to the “new normal” when it comes to producing content. Founder of AJL Analytics, Michael Helbling, comments, “It’s a critical moment to establish a solid foundation for your business analytics so you have a clearer understanding of where your business is right now. With this foundation, you can then discover new opportunities for customer acquisition, lead generation and product sales.” During the pandemic, many content marketers are looking beyond top-line growth to more long-term metrics such as average lifetime value (LTV) of their existing consumer base.
Now is not the time to skimp on tracking analytics. With everyone staying indoors, research has shown that there has been an astonishing 87% increase of social media usage since lockdown began, meaning there is ample opportunity to analyse and utilise key insights to your advantage.
One of our personal favourites for data-driven content campaigns pre-lockdown is an oldie but a goodie from streaming service giant, Spotify, back in 2016. Creating a compelling narrative based on raw data and numbers, Spotify launched one of its biggest global outdoor advertising campaigns with the tagline, “Thanks 2016, it’s been weird.” Rolling out highly localised campaigns in 14 different markets, including the UK, US France, Denmark, Australia, Germany, Brazil and Sweden to name but a few, Spotify utilised data-driven insights from its listeners to create 164 localised stories to great effect.
One outdoor ad in New York City says: "Dear person in the Theater District who listened to the Hamilton soundtrack 5,376 times this year. Can you get us tickets?" While in the UK, there were billboards comically showcasing the message, “Dear 3,749 people who streamed “It’s the End of the World As We Know It” the day of the Brexit vote – Hang in there”. There was even a special shoutout to lonely hearts with, “Dear person who played Justin Bieber, “Sorry” 42 times on Valentine’s Day – what did you do?”
Spotify's former chief marketing officer, Seth Farbman, explained, "There has been some debate about whether big data is muting creativity in marketing, but we have turned that on its head," adding, "For us, data inspires and gives an insight into the emotion that people are expressing." And for Spotify, these data-driven billboards that sprouted into digital, social and email campaigns really paid off. Not only did they get great exposure on social media with over 669,000 shares and 1.2 million earned impressions, but the tongue-in-cheek global outdoor ads were met with such enthusiasm that Spotify subscriptions reached an-all-time record high shortly after the campaign’s launch - proving that a little data does indeed go a long way.
3. Harness the power of Audience-Driven Content
One of the most valuable sources of content you have are your audiences. Not only do 85% of users say that visual User Generated Content (UGC) is more influential in their decisions to purchase than brand-generated photos or videos, but it is also an extremely cost-effective method of promoting brand awareness.
Consumers want security above all else, so when making purchasing decisions they seek the opinions of people like themselves. You could say that consumer trust lives in the referrals of friends and User Generated Content, because, unlike influencers, they are not benefitting from a monetary partnership to sell their products. They’re genuinely sharing because they believe in the product and most importantly, what the product stands for. Research shows time and time again that consumers trust User-Generated Content (UGC) more than all other forms of media.
If you nurture your relationships with consumers in an authentic, original and inspiring way, the possibility for your users to become unpaid “brand ambassadors” could be a hashtag or a social share away. You may not believe it, but in the age of social media, the power lies in the hands of your consumers. And this is exactly what American technology company, GoPro, banked on.
Across their social media channels, main website and offline marketing, GoPro have always encouraged their consumers to share their passions, interests and creative lives through GoPro – which in turn, helps to generates a wealth of UGC content that is far less intrusive, while providing great exposure for their brand name. It’s a win-win scenario – GoPro audiences enjoy feeling a sense of participation in a larger purpose and community of photographers and videographers when they share their content, while GoPro uses their free content to share and promote themselves and their product portfolio.
Chief Marketing Officer at GoPro, Paul Crandell said, “We’re not just a camera anymore. We’re an enjoyment platform for people around the world to watch” – and their users can’t help but agree. GoPro makes it so easy for them to share their content. Consumers simply use their #GoPro household name hashtag to share their content so that GoPro’s social media team can sift through the content to showcase the prize-winning content on their Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube channels. They even have a dedicated webpage that showcases their users best content, while also offering innovative UGC competitions to enter and a “how-to upload” page for those who are new to GoPro that are looking to share content from different devices.
The result: a seemingly endless supply of user-generated content in the form of visual content shared by GoPro owners. Users continue to upload jaw-dropping images and video that have the side benefit of promoting GoPro’s excellent features. Most consumers aren’t being compensated for their enthusiasm; they’re just happy to be true brand advocates who love what GoPro allows them to create – and this type of consumer is probably one of the most valuable you can have.
UGC is quickly becoming the evolution of the traditional customer review. By harnessing your customers’ goodwill and positive energy for creating content, your brand benefits from authentic content that will attract new, highly engaged users.
4. Never undervalue the reach of influencers and micro-influencers
Despite changes in buying patterns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are still opportunities for brands to utilise the power of influencers and micro influencers to promote brand awareness, instil a sense of consumer loyalty and keep their brand front of mind during these trying times.
Ryan Detert, CEO of Influential, an AI Influencer platform, explains that these unprecedented circumstances offer a unique opportunity for influencers to stand out, claiming, “It's actually more relevant than ever to tell real stories from real people… Before the crisis ever occurred, influencers already worked from home or remotely and were able to quickly produce self-made content, so they are perfectly positioned to act on behalf of brands to get a message out at scale. Micro and nano influencers have increased their profile during these times, by being able to relate to their audience and speak through the lens of what people are seeing and feeling right now."
"A new crop of influencers, like medical professionals, grocers, delivery people, and others on the front lines, are key groups that people want to follow and hear from during the crisis," Detert says. "Influencers are also lending their influence to charitable efforts to help disseminate information and drive donations to WHO, CDC, and other COVID-19 funds.”
The new normal is forcing brands to transform their marketing strategies at a moments notice. Audiences at home desperate for the right kind of content, whether that’s practical assistance, hope or escapism and influencers can play a hugely beneficial role in steering consumer conversations about brands in the right direction.
Kantar’s research revealed that 70% of consumers want a reassuring tone from brands, and 77% want to see brands helping and remaining relevant without being self-serving. Influencers can help brands push this messaging to the forefront, as they are authentic intermediaries for brands that they see themselves as part of a community and know how to unite their followers.
For Nike, supporting the shift in public life amidst the coronavirus meant approaching novel problems with the indomitable spirit of influencer athletes who want to play for the world. Alongside working with local communities and manufacturing PPE for first responders, Nike is providing athletes the digital resources and tools they need to stay active indoors.
Their new innovative campaign, “Play for the world” created by Wieden + Kennedy enlisted the help of relevant influencers - from global icons to humble joggers - to unite under the new normal and amplify the key message that we must all do our bit for the 7.8 billion people in the world and ‘play inside’.
But this doesn’t mean the game stops – people are still accomplishing major athletic feats at home and in their own backyards. While Nike used athletic icons like Cristiano Ronaldo, LeBron James, Sara Hughes, and Ramla Ali in the campaign to generate massive impressions. Micro influencers and personal ambassadors also came out of the woodwork to stand behind the activewear brand, which in turn created more exposure and a supportive community of athletes striving to succeed, even under the most trying times.
Right now, it may feel like your content marketing strategy is more reactive than proactive, but if you convey authenticity and vulnerability through your content, harness the power of your audiences through UGC, dig deeper into your customer analytics and reach out to key influencers in your industry, you may find unique opportunities where your brand can shine. It’s more important than ever before to be a thought leader in your industry, spearheading with rich, insightful content that truly makes a difference.