Think content marketing is just for B2B companies? Think again. An increasing amount of B2C companies are getting into the content marketing game. In fact, according to the Content Marketing Institute’s “B2C Content Marketing 2014: Benchmarks, Budgets and Trends – North America,” 90 percent of B2C marketers use content marketing, up four percent from 2013.
Here’s the catch, though: not every business is doing it right. In fact, the aforementioned report confirms that only 34 percent of B2C marketers consider themselves to be effective at content marketing, a mere increase of two percent from 2013. The numbers are growing, but there is still a large amount of companies that aren’t sure how to master the content marketing game.
Are you struggling to implement a successful content marketing strategy in your enterprise? Here are three companies that have been revolutionizing this innovative marketing strategy and, as a result, are experiencing wild success on the Web:
Virgin Mobile: Many companies still struggle with the question of where custom content should live. For example, you may find yourself with a multitude of articles and no distribution strategy, which can be particularly overwhelming. One company that has found a great way around this problem is Virgin Mobile, which recently launched Virgin Mobile Live, a social newsroom that publishes breaking news at several points throughout the day. And this is not just text-based material. Virgin’s content includes web memes, videos, music and apps. What’s more, the copy is then dispersed across social media channels such as Buzzfeed, Facebook and Instagram to increase awareness and customer engagement
Just how successful is Virgil Mobile Live? Since launching the platform, the company’s new site has generated over one million unique monthly views, spread by over 50,000 users on Twitter and Facebook.
The California Board of Tourism: You might consider YouTube something to browse during your lunch break or commute, but have you considered its potential for spreading your brand name to millions of unique viewers? As the second largest search engine in the world, YouTube processes nearly three billion searches a month—making marketing gold if used correctly.
Recently, the California State Board of Tourism launched an aggressive marketing push when it promoted a 24-hour channel takeover event designed to capture the interest of potential visitors. The organization posted articles on the hour during its initial launch, and is now in the middle of a continued effort that will last until June. The project, called Dream 360, features video, pictures and text depicting the wide array of activities that the California lifestyle has to offer. For instance, there are videos of surfing, hiking, and relaxing on beaches.
Hosting a YouTube takeover is a great way to organize content and get it out into the mainstream at the same time. The Dream 365 Project, for instance, is expected to reach 400 million people across the globe.
Colgate: Companies in the health and wellness industries should look to Colgate as a great example of how content can serve as fodder for thought leadership, marketing gold and an amazing resource to teach consumers healthy habits at the same time. Just recently, Colgate set up its online Oral and Dental Health Resource Center that contains interactive manuals and videos as well as a selection of over 400 articles for consumers to browse through. The content ranges from the basics of dental care and tooth treatments to tips for brushing and more. The copy is even broken into separate categories, so that readers can find what they need easily without getting lost in an endless sea of un-related content.
As you look for creative ways to distribute your content, don’t lose sight of the larger picture in mind: the effectiveness of content. If you want customers to keep coming back and reading more, it has to offer some sort of value. Make sure the content is strong, and then worry about building a strong home for it to live online.
Edited by
Brooke Neuman
