In the business world of social media, content is of course king. Sharing relevant content or Content Marketing (as it is commonly referred to), whether it be thought leadership, promotions or relevant news is priority #1 for any effective social media presence. Virtually all content can be placed in two buckets; original and shared. Let’s examine the characteristics of each, and which is more important for social media.
Original content is thought leadership; industry, product or service content created by an expert in that field and then shared with the online world. Original blog posts, pod-casts and video-casts are all examples of original content. Highly focused on specific subjects, good original content generally answers a question that is specific to that companies business, and valuable to the business’ target market. Frequent updates will soon create a library of original content, making the business an information source for their clients and prospects.
“Shared” content is just as the name suggests, shared content from the web that is of interest to your businesses target market. By definition it is not original, but created from news publications and industry experts. This type of content is still highly valuable to your target market, but has its limitations. For example, the characteristics of your business such as geographical area, target market and local economic influences may be highly specific, making relevant content difficult or impossible to find.
Now that we have defined the two types of content, which is more valuable to a content marketing strategy? The answer is: both.
Creating original content is more valuable; it can be completely customized and focused on your target market’s needs. It’s limitations are the time it takes to create valuable content, and creating it consistently. Shared content is generally far easier, but less specific and is less effective at promoting your brand as a thought leader.
A combination of original and shared content is generally the most effective strategy for most businesses. The ratio of each will depend on your time and resources, as well as the availability of relevant shared content.
Original content is thought leadership; industry, product or service content created by an expert in that field and then shared with the online world. Original blog posts, pod-casts and video-casts are all examples of original content. Highly focused on specific subjects, good original content generally answers a question that is specific to that companies business, and valuable to the business’ target market. Frequent updates will soon create a library of original content, making the business an information source for their clients and prospects.
“Shared” content is just as the name suggests, shared content from the web that is of interest to your businesses target market. By definition it is not original, but created from news publications and industry experts. This type of content is still highly valuable to your target market, but has its limitations. For example, the characteristics of your business such as geographical area, target market and local economic influences may be highly specific, making relevant content difficult or impossible to find.
Now that we have defined the two types of content, which is more valuable to a content marketing strategy? The answer is: both.
Creating original content is more valuable; it can be completely customized and focused on your target market’s needs. It’s limitations are the time it takes to create valuable content, and creating it consistently. Shared content is generally far easier, but less specific and is less effective at promoting your brand as a thought leader.
A combination of original and shared content is generally the most effective strategy for most businesses. The ratio of each will depend on your time and resources, as well as the availability of relevant shared content.
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