Earlier this year, just five years out from its launch, Uber, a company that connects drivers and passengers through a smartphone application, got a stunning valuation of $18.2 billion. The organization’s almost unfathomable growth should serve as a source of hope for all startups that it is still possible to come up with the next big idea.
But there is also another lesson to be learned from Uber: companies can go from media darlings to magnets for bad publicity in a heartbeat if they make poor decisions. The company first came under scrutiny for its ruthless business tactics, which included poaching drivers from other companies to ignoring local taxi regulations. More recently, Uber has come under fire for violating its passengers’ privacy by tracking their movements and the revelation that one of the organization’s executives had suggested during a meeting that the company invest money to dig up dirt on the media.
It is still unclear how much of an impact these stories will have on Uber’s financial success, but its brand image has already taken a sizable hit. One of the company’s problems is that it was thrust into the limelight—because of its rapid growth and popularity—so quickly that it had little time to get accustomed to dealing with media scrutiny and public attention. As a result, it’s been a struggle for the organization to avoid negative publicity.
Whether your company is a multi-billion dollar giant, a garage startup or a midsized business that’s been around for decades, it’s always helpful to have a branding expert to lean on for advice and guidance. A content strategy vendor helps you develop, deliver and disseminate engaging copy, but it can also look after your public image and messaging to help position you in the best way possible. Content marketers are, at their core, brand advisors. So aside from producing content that helps you onboard and retain customers, they are also only a phone call away if you need advice on anything from redesigning your website to launching a blog or even planning a corporate event.
In the process of researching and writing about your company and industry, a content strategy vendor like Content Boost becomes fully engrossed in your mission and core competencies. The company essentially becomes an arm of your internal marketing team and works with you to achieve all your marketing goals—and even create new ones.
As in any area of business, having an expert to rely on is never a bad thing. In fact, Uber might be wishing it had one right about now.
