To Create a Content Brand, Put Your Storytelling on Steroids
Push versus Pull Marketing in Content Branding
Introduction: The Problems with Traditional Marketing
Are you fed up with feeling like you're constantly being bombarded by spammy, pushy marketing messages that invade your privacy and disrupt your daily routine? We feel you. It's no secret that consumers are tired of being constantly marketed to and are seeking more control over how they engage with brands and their products. In today's digital age, social media and a plethora of digital content options give consumers more choices and control over what they consume. This has led to a shift away from traditional marketing tactics, such as push marketing, which try to force products and services down people's throats.
What Is Push Marketing?
Definition and Explanation of Push Marketing
Push marketing is a type of marketing that aggressively promotes products or services to consumers through various channels, such as email, direct mail, telemarketing, and advertising. It's called push marketing because the brand is pushing its products or services onto consumers, rather than letting the consumers pull the information they want. According to a survey by the Marketing Research Association, 69% of consumers find push marketing to be intrusive and annoying, while 63% say they feel overwhelmed by the amount of marketing they receive. For a more detailed discussion of push versus pull marketing, check out our post “What Is Content Marketing?”
“ 69% of consumers find push marketing to be intrusive and annoying, while 63% say they feel overwhelmed by the amount of marketing they receive”
As a result, consumers are seeking more control over how they engage with brands and their products. That's where content branding comes in. Content branding is all about providing valuable, relevant information to your audience and establishing yourself as a trusted source in your industry. It's like treating content as the product itself, rather than just promoting a specific product or service. A content brand acts like a publisher, creating and distributing valuable content for their audience and finding creative ways to monetize it.
What is Content Branding?
So, what exactly is content branding? Content branding is a way for businesses to provide valuable, relevant information to their audience, establishing themselves as a trusted source in their industry. Think of it as treating content as the product itself, rather than just promoting a specific product or service. A content brand functions like a publisher, producing and distributing useful content for their audience and finding unique ways to monetize it.
Contrast this with traditional branded content, which is all about promoting a specific product or company. Branded content can be effective, but it can also come across as self-serving or intrusive if it's not relevant to the audience. That's where content branding steps in, focusing on providing value to the audience rather than just promoting a brand.
According to the Content Marketing Institute, a content brand "takes an audience-first approach to business storytelling" in order to build reach and loyalty. This means creating valuable, relevant content for your audience, even if it's not directly related to your products or services. By providing valuable content, a content brand can establish itself as an authority in its industry and build trust and loyalty with its audience.
3 Benefits of Developing a Content Brand
But why should you care about content branding? While content marketing provides a significant return on investment, there are three primary reasons why you should care about content branding:
A content brand can establish itself as a thought leader in its industry. By consistently producing high-quality, valuable content, a business can establish itself as an authority and trusted source of information in its field. This can lead to increased credibility and authority, which can translate into more business opportunities and customer loyalty.
A content brand can drive business results. By providing valuable content to its audience, a content brand can build trust and loyalty, which can lead to increased customer conversions and retention. This can result in a positive impact on the bottom line, as a loyal customer base is more likely to make repeat purchases and recommend the business to others.
A content brand can differentiate a business from its competitors giving it significant brand equity. In a crowded and competitive market, it can be challenging for businesses to stand out. By adopting a content brand approach, a business can differentiate itself from its competitors by providing valuable, relevant content to its audience. This can make a business more memorable and attractive to potential customers.
So, are you ready to ditch the old-school, pushy marketing tactics and embrace the world of content branding? Follow our step-by-step guide to learn how to transform your branded content into a content brand that engages and resonates with your audience. Trust us, your audience (and your bottom line) will thank you.
Turn your Branded Content into a Content Brand
Real World Examples of Successful Content Brands
One example of a company that has effectively established itself as a content brand is HubSpot, a marketing, sales, and customer service software company. One example of a world-class content brand that is a real business selling a SaaS (Software as a Service) product is HubSpot. HubSpot is a software company that provides marketing, sales, and customer service software to businesses.
In addition to its software products, HubSpot has also built a strong content brand through its inbound marketing and sales methodology. The company has a reputation for producing high-quality, informative content that helps businesses attract and retain customers.
In addition to offering a range of products and services, HubSpot has also built a strong content brand through its blog, which covers a wide range of topics related to marketing, sales, and customer service. According to HubSpot's 2020 annual report, its blog received over 45 million visits in 2020, and its content marketing efforts contributed to over $1 billion in annual revenue for the company.
In addition, HubSpot has a strong presence on social media, where it shares content about inbound marketing, sales, and customer service best practices. The company has over 1.3 million followers on Twitter and over 177,000 followers on LinkedIn, and its social media channels are frequently updated with new content, such as blog posts, infographics, and videos.
One of the ways that HubSpot monetizes its content is through its content library, which is a subscription-based service that provides access to a wide range of marketing and sales resources, including ebooks, courses, and templates. The company also offers a variety of paid software tools and services, such as its marketing automation platform, content marketing software, and customer service software.
One of the ways that HubSpot has used content marketing to gain significant website traffic is through its Website Grader tool, which is a content magnet that analyzes a website's performance and provides a report on its SEO, mobile readiness, and performance. The tool is free to use, and users simply need to enter their website's URL to receive a report on its performance.
HubSpot has used the Website Grader tool as a way to attract and engage website visitors, and it has proven to be an effective way to generate website traffic. According to HubSpot, the tool has generated over 4 million reports and has received over 1 million unique visitors per month. The tool has also been widely shared on social media and has been featured on numerous blogs and websites, which has helped to increase its reach and visibility.
In addition to attracting website traffic, the Website Grader tool has also helped HubSpot to generate leads and build its email list. When users receive their website performance report, they are also given the option to sign up for HubSpot's email newsletter, which provides updates on the company's products and services, as well as tips and strategies for improving website performance. By using the Website Grader tool as a way to generate leads, HubSpot has been able to build a large and engaged email list, which has helped to increase its brand awareness and customer loyalty.
Overall, the Website Grader tool has been an effective content magnet for HubSpot, and it has played a significant role in the company's success as a content brand. By providing a valuable and informative tool to its website visitors, HubSpot has been able to attract and engage a large audience, which has helped to increase its website traffic and generate leads.
HubSpot has also published a number of pieces of content that have gone viral and have helped the company gain massive website traffic. For example, The Ultimate Guide to Marketing Metrics and Analytics: This ebook, which was published in 2014, was a comprehensive guide to marketing metrics and analytics, and covered topics such as website analytics, social media analytics, and email analytics. The ebook was widely shared on social media, and according to HubSpot, it generated over 50,000 page views in its first week. The ebook was also featured on marketing blogs and websites, and was cited in numerous articles about marketing best practices.
This example, one of many, demonstrates the success that HubSpot has had in producing content that goes viral and generates massive website traffic. By producing high-quality, informative content and promoting it effectively on social media and other platforms, HubSpot has been able to attract a large and engaged audience, which has helped the company establish itself as a thought leader in the marketing and sales industry.
According to a study by Content Marketing Institute, HubSpot was ranked as the top B2B content marketing vendor in terms of trust and authority. The company's inbound marketing methodology and comprehensive content library have helped it establish itself as a thought leader in the marketing and sales industry.
HubSpot is a prime example of a content brand that has effectively used content marketing to improve its trust and authority in the SaaS industry. The company's high-quality, informative content has helped it attract and retain customers, and its content marketing efforts have played a significant role in its success as a business.
Hubspot’s content brand has so established its authority that most marketing influencers agree the company is the “undisputed leader” in the field:
"HubSpot has become the go-to source for inbound marketing thought leadership, and it has done so by consistently providing valuable, educational content to its audience." - Neil Patel, Founder of Neil Patel Digital
"HubSpot has built an entire ecosystem around inbound marketing, and its content is a key component of that ecosystem. Its blog is a great resource for anyone interested in inbound marketing, and it consistently produces high-quality content that is both informative and actionable." - Rand Fishkin, Co-founder of Moz
"HubSpot is the undisputed leader in inbound marketing, and it has built its brand and reputation on the back of its high-quality content. Its blog is a must-read for anyone interested in marketing, and it consistently produces content that is both informative and engaging." - Jay Baer, Founder of Convince & Convert
By providing valuable information and resources to its audience, HubSpot has established itself as a trusted source in the industry and turned its content into a key driver of revenue for the company.
Another example of a world-class content brand that is a real business selling a product is Patagonia. Patagonia is an outdoor clothing and gear company that is known for its commitment to sustainability and environmental conservation.In addition to selling high-quality products, Patagonia has also built a strong content brand through its commitment to storytelling and sharing its values and mission with its audience. The company's website features a variety of content, including articles about environmental issues, profiles of outdoor adventurers, and stories about the people and communities that make up the Patagonia brand.
Patagonia also has a strong presence on social media, where it shares content about its products, events, and causes it supports. The company frequently uses its social media channels to promote its initiatives, such as its Worn Wear program, which encourages customers to repair and reuse their clothing, and its 1% for the Planet program, which donates 1% of its sales to environmental organizations.
One of the ways that Patagonia monetizes its content is through its brand partnerships. The company has worked with a variety of organizations and brands to produce sponsored content and events, such as the Patagonia Action Works program, which partners with grassroots organizations to support environmental causes.
Overall, Patagonia is a prime example of a content brand that successfully marries its values, mission, and products to create a compelling and engaging brand experience for its audience. By sharing its expertise and passion for the environment, the company has built a loyal following and has found innovative ways to monetize its content while also staying true to its mission.
How to Transform Your Branded Content into a Content Brand
Developing a content brand is not a one-time effort, but rather a long-term process that requires consistent effort and commitment. Building a content brand requires a clear vision and content strategy, as well as the ability to adapt to changes in the industry and the needs of the audience. Here are some key considerations for businesses looking to establish themselves as content brands:
Identify your target audience: To identify your target audience, it can be helpful to conduct market research to gather information about the demographics, needs, and interests of your potential customers. This can involve surveying your existing customers, analyzing data on website traffic and social media followers, and conducting focus groups or interviews with potential customers. For example, if you are a content brand focused on home decor, you might survey your existing customers to understand their decorating style, budget, and home size, and use this information to create content that meets their needs and interests.
Develop a content marketing strategy: A content marketing strategy should outline the goals and tactics for creating and distributing content that meets the needs and interests of your target audience. This can include identifying the types of content that you will produce (such as blog posts, videos, podcasts, etc.), the channels through which you will distribute your content (such as your website, social media, email newsletters, etc.), and the metrics that you will use to measure the success of your efforts (such as website traffic, social media engagement, email open rates, etc.). For example, a content marketing strategy for a content brand focused on home decor might include creating a series of blog posts and videos featuring home decorating tips and ideas, distributing this content through a website, social media channels, and email newsletters, and measuring the success of these efforts through website traffic, social media engagement, and email open rates.
Produce high-quality, relevant content: To produce high-quality, relevant content, it is important to identify the needs and interests of your target audience and create content that meets those needs and interests. This can involve conducting research to gather information about your audience and your industry, creating a content calendar to plan out your content production, and using data and analytics to inform your content creation efforts. For example, a content brand focused on home decor might research popular decorating styles and trends, create a content calendar featuring blog posts, videos, and social media posts covering these topics, and use data on website traffic and social media engagement to determine which topics are
Establish a strong social media presence: Social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, provide an opportunity for a content brand to share its content and interact with its audience in real-time. To establish a strong social media presence, a content brand should regularly post high-quality, relevant content, engage with followers by commenting, liking, and sharing their posts, and respond to comments and questions in a timely and professional manner. For example, a content brand focused on home decor might post photos and videos featuring decorating tips and ideas, share links to relevant blog posts, and interact with followers by commenting on their photos and answering their questions about decorating.
Consider partnerships and collaborations: Partnerships and collaborations with other businesses or influencers can help a content brand to amplify its reach and credibility. For example, a content brand focused on home decor might partner with a furniture retailer to co-create content featuring decorating ideas using the retailer's products, or collaborate with an influencer in the home decor industry to promote the content brand's content to the influencer's followers.
Monetize your content: A content brand can monetize its content through a variety of methods, including advertising, sponsorships, subscriptions, and merchandise. For example, a content brand focused on home decor might sell advertising space on its website or social media channels to home decor retailers, offer sponsored content in exchange for a fee from home decor companies, sell a subscription to its email newsletter or exclusive content on its website, or create and sell merchandise featuring its brand. It is important to find the right balance between monetizing your content and providing value to your audience, as too much focus on revenue generation can undermine the trust and loyalty that you have built up with your audience.
In addition to the considerations outlined above, there are a few additional factors that can help a content brand to succeed:
Have a clear and unique brand voice: A content brand should have a clear and unique brand voice that reflects its values and personality. This can help to differentiate the brand from its competitors and establish a strong connection with its audience so that your brand develops significant equity in the marketplace.
Use data and analytics to inform your content strategy: Data and analytics can help a content brand to understand the needs and interests of its audience, as well as the effectiveness of its content. By analyzing data on things like website traffic, social media engagement, and email newsletter opens, a content brand can gain insights into what content is resonating with its audience and what is not.
Foster a sense of community: A content brand can foster a sense of community by engaging with its audience and encouraging them to participate in discussions and share their own content. This can help to build loyalty and create a sense of belonging among the brand's followers.
Be responsive and transparent: A content brand should be responsive to the needs and concerns of its audience and transparent about its operations and decision-making processes. By being responsive and transparent, a content brand can build trust and loyalty with its audience.
Experiment and be willing to take risks: Building a content brand involves trying new things and taking calculated risks. It is important for a content brand to be willing to experiment with different types of content, channels, and monetization strategies in order to find what works best for its audience.
Conclusion: The Future of Marketing is Content Branding
In conclusion, content branding is an effective way for businesses to provide valuable, relevant information to their audience and establish themselves as a trusted source in their industry. By focusing on providing value to their audience, rather than just promoting their products or services, a content brand can differentiate itself from traditional, pushy marketing tactics and build trust with its audience. In addition, a content brand can also help businesses tap into new markets and expand their reach by providing valuable content in languages other than their own. While building a content brand requires a significant investment of time and resources worthy of a content consultant, the potential rewards, such as increased customer loyalty and conversions, make it a worthwhile endeavor for businesses looking to differentiate themselves in a crowded and competitive market.
So, if you're ready to embrace the world of content branding, consider the needs and interests of your audience and consistently provide valuable, relevant content to establish yourself as a trusted source in your industry. We’ve developed a free kick-ass content brand ebook to help you get started on your own, “The Content Brand Bootcamp.”
If you don’t have the time to develop a content strategy and produce consistent high-quality content, Verge Marketing Agency can help. We’re experts at developing award-winning content brands for our clients. Check out our content marketing services.