Everywhere you turn you see children on Tiktok, “do you know you have 30 minutes?” and I too am guilty of asking Tiktok the questions, that four years ago, I would run to Google for answers. Tiktok, now providing the user-generated content as evidence and proof when one needs to retrieve immediate answers to those tricky and not so tricky questions at hand. In this digital age, an age where oversharing is barely a thing, an age where your target audience has a voice and the desire to speak on their favorite or not so favorite brands while on their favorite platforms, one must ensure they are a part of the culture, the content culture. In this new age, the key to success is content.
Not Yet Creating?
Despite the awareness of this digital age, there are still small business owners and brands not using content to their advantage. Brands who are not strategically creating effective content marketing goals, have not planned their quarterly, biweekly or weekly scheduled content days nor have they discussed hiring a content creator. If I would ask my baby boomer mother, “Mom, did you get any good content?”, she wouldn’t have the slightest clue of what I was referring to. Even with overwhelming success stories, many small business owners still shy away from content creation and content marketing as a whole. Whether it’s because they don’t know where to start, feel overwhelmed by platforms like TikTok and Instagram, or simply don’t have the time or budget to invest in content creation, it’s a common struggle. There are numerous brands one in the same, without a clue of what content is and how it can help them succeed.
What is Content and Why?
If you ask me, everything is content. Everything is content when made valuable. Content marketing can be defined as a marketing strategy that includes creating and sharing content to engage, attract and keep a target audience. Content can include videos, vlogs, blogs, case studies, infographics, social media content, user-generated content, guides, podcasts and much more. Content marketing works because it gives your audience a sense of connection. Content marketing can help your target audience establish expertise, build and promote brand awareness and keep your brand to the forefront when consumers are ready to purchase. It is through content rather created by the brand or created by their audience that helps build brand equity. Through content creation brands can build relationships at every stage of the sales funnel, from beginning to end. Content creation also helps brands to build trust, boost customer loyalty and increase lead generation.
Brands Crushing Content
Content marketing is not anything new, there are many brands that have been creating content worth talking about for years, even before the term “content creator” gained its popularity.
Over a decade ago, Coca-Cola created one of the most iconic content marketing campaigns with their “share a coke” campaign. I can recall looking for my unpopular name in every store and getting disappointed when I didn’t find it. But after that disappointment quickly left, I rejoiced when I found the names of my best friends, some of which were of the 150 most popular names. You would see people everywhere posting their Coca-Cola beverage on Instagram to be a part of the brilliant campaign. If you didn’t see a Coke television ad, you were sure to see the content being shared by your peers. The campaign was launched in Australia in 2011 and was later imported to the US to increase sales and connect with teenagers. The campaign was a success, leading to increased social media engagement and sales.
Another brand who has successfully used content creation is Chipotle. During the pandemic, Chipotle was able to utilize Tiktok to its full capabilities by starting the #GuacDanceChallenge. Users were encouraged to create a dance video to the viral “Guacamole Song” by children’s musician Dr. Jean. Like most viral moments, they are unexpected and rapid. Chipotle’s user-generated content resulted in record breaking results to celebrate Avocado Day. The challenge resulted in over 240,000 video submissions, 430 million video starts in six days, a 65% increase in guacamole orders, Chipotle’s biggest guacamole day ever, with more than 800,000 sides served, Chipotle’s avocado usage jumping 68% for National Avocado Day and to top it off the hashtag #guacdance having 1.1 billion views according to Forbes. The campaign was TikTok’s highest-performing branded challenge in the U.S. The promotion resulted in Chipotle’s biggest guacamole day ever.
Start Somewhere
What is my advice to small business owners and brands who have not invested in their content? Start somewhere and start now. Content marketing can be as simple as posting a blog every Wednesday that your target audience can look forward to. Or it can be as complex as having an influencer create weekly videos with your brand, no matter the complexity a business and brand that wants to succeed should aim to create content. Step 1: Come up with a simple plan that is easy to maintain. Set clear goals: increasing brand awareness, generating leads, or building customer loyalty. Having clear objectives will shape the rest of your strategy and help measure success. Content Calendar: Create a content calendar to map out when and what content will be posted. This could be weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, depending on your bandwidth. The key here is consistency, make sure it’s sustainable. Platform Selection: Identify which platforms will work best for your brand and audience. Whether it’s Instagram, TikTok, blogs, or YouTube tailor your content to the platform’s strengths and your audience’s preferences. Step 2: Decide what your content topic will be, will it vary every week or will it remain consistent across the board. Step 3: Create the content and flourish.
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