Content remains important to businesses.
From Print, websites and email remain top content marketing formats:
According to a March 2012 report from ContentWise and the Custom Content Council, North American marketers spent $40.2 billion to produce and distribute content marketing last year, up slightly from $40.1 billion in 2010.
That’s a big number. Companies obvious have seen and continue to see the value in creating content as a way to improve business, grow, and make profit.
Print remains the biggest area of content focus. This makes sense. Despite all the talk about digital, many consumers still use print as their main form of communication especially with businesses. There are still a variety of print forms that work to generate interest and response amongst the population.
But the trend is obvious. Folks at businesses are moving online. It’s not a new trend, but is a continuing trend. And now the trend includes video.
From the same article above:
A good portion (35%) of North American companies planned to invest more in website content this year, with an even larger percentage (54%) expecting to do so with video. Email appears to remain a tried-and-true content marketing tactic, and most marketers are already comfortable with their level of investment: just 15% plan to do more with email. The vast majority plan to keep email investment as is.
Companies are investing in their own properties. Websites are being updated with both design and fresh content. Companies are also adding video to their sites in different ways.
As companies move to utilize content and video the question for you becomes – How can my business take advantage of online content?
How to Use Video and Blogging
Blogging has been around for some time now. It’s probably been a mainstream marketing word for the better part of ten years. At its core, though, blogging is really about providing fresh content for a targeted group of consumers. This is something businesses have been doing for decades. A printed newsletter is similar to a blog. Any form of communication with your customers is related to blogging.
The best way you can utilize blogging at your company is to consider what your targeted customer needs in form of information. The next variable is to determine if you have the means to provide that information in a way that is different from anyone else. It doesn’t have to be entirely different, but a little different is good. An example I frequently use involves the fashion industry. Many people want to look good in their clothes. The issue is they might not know what to wear. A company involved in the fashion industry has a team of merchandisers on staff that are up on all the latest trends. This team also knows what looks good on who and how to work an entire outfit. This is the perfect situation for a company blog.
Now, one way companies are differentiating themselves is by using video. Text adds some personality to a topic, but video takes things to another level. With video, companies can put a face and a voice behind their information. People connect with other people and that is why videos have been so popular with consumers.
Look for a need with your targeted customer. Determine if you can fill the information void and really provide something useful. Then see if you have the resources to create video.
People will respond. They will discover your content via search, social, and referral. They will subscribe to your updates (email, social, etc.). From there they will become customers.
That’s basically how blogging and video works.