WEBINAR Introducing Two Types Of Content Marketing Ryan Skinner, Senior Analyst May 18, 2016. Call in at 12:55 p.m. Eastern time

Content marketing: different things to different people

Content: sought out, but no panacea

Customers use content to relate to upcoming, present, and past purchases

Customers use content to relate to the world and each other Image source: eMarketer (http://www.emarketer.com)

Content marketing at a crossroad

Content marketing at a crossroad (cont.)

Content marketing at a crossroad (cont.) “[Content marketing] is overused and underdefined.” (Marc Pritchard, P&G global brand officer) “Content marketing is embedded into everything we do. You could say it’s everything.” (SVP, Americas, Western Union)

Content marketing: de facto destination for many parallel streams The quantum content marketing field Search Social Digital Mobile Ad blocking Native Cord-cutting Marketing automation

Here’s how we define content marketing A marketing strategy is where brands create interest, relevance, and relationships with customers by producing, curating, and sharing content that addresses specific customer needs and delivers visible value.

Here’s how we define content marketing (cont.) Something immediate and enduring A marketing strategy is where brands create interest, relevance, and relationships with customers by producing, curating, and sharing content that addresses specific customer needs and delivers visible value. Centered on the customer and his or her situation Delivers an intrinsic benefit to an audience

Two nations separated by a common language

Two marketing strategies separated by a common name (Media-led) content marketing (Customer-led) content marketing

Two different, but related, things separated by a common name (Media-centric) content marketing (Customer-centric) content marketing Image source: Kraft Recipes (http://www.kraftrecipes.com/)

Two different, but related, things separated by a common name (cont.) (Media-centric) content marketing (Customer-centric) content marketing Evolution of brand advertising Media and creative agencies and PR/comms and social agencies Concerned with impressions/engagements or brand metrics Depends on paid media to succeed “Integrated comms,” “branded content,” and “branded entertainment” Image source: Kraft Recipes (http://www.kraftrecipes.com/)

Two different, but related, things separated by a common name (cont.) (Media-centric) content marketing (Customer-centric) content marketing Evolution of brand advertising Media and creative agencies and PR/comms and social agencies Concerned with impressions/engagements or brand metrics Depends on paid media to succeed “Integrated comms,” “branded content,” and “branded entertainment” Evolution of direct marketing Search/digital agencies, product marketers, and customer experience Concerned with metrics that align with points in the customer life cycle Should not require paid in order to succeed AKA “inbound marketing,” but extends into other disciplines Image source: Kraft Recipes (http://www.kraftrecipes.com/)

Customer-led: content marketing

Media-led: content marketing

Two different, but related, things separated by a common name < (Media-centric) content marketing (Customer-centric) content marketing Image source: Kraft Recipes (http://www.kraftrecipes.com/)

Two different, but related, things separated by a common name (cont.) < (Media-centric) content marketing (Customer-centric) content marketing Customers don’t ask for it. Works well within silos Doesn’t lead to customer-centrism Independent of value (how long is a piece of string?) Leads to accumulation and volume (content factories) “Excited by the possibilities . . . ” Image source: Kraft Recipes (http://www.kraftrecipes.com/)

Two different, but related, things separated by a common name (cont.) < (Media-centric) content marketing (Customer-centric) content marketing Customers don’t want it. Works well within silos Doesn’t lead to customer-centrism Independent of value (how long is a piece of string) Leads to accumulation and volume (content factories) “Excited by the possibilities . . . ” Works only if customers want it Forces painful cross-departmental collaboration Leads to more effective media investments Constrained at all times by its own value generation “In tune with how people buy . . . ” Image source: Kraft Recipes (http://www.kraftrecipes.com/)

Two different, but related, things separated by a common name (cont.) < (Media-centric) content marketing (Customer-centric) content marketing $$$ $$ Image source: Kraft Recipes (http://www.kraftrecipes.com/)

Two different, but related, things separated by a common name (cont.) < (Media-centric) content marketing (Customer-centric) content marketing An entire industry exists to help brands navigate and spend money on this approach. Media-led propositions are easier for traditional advertisers to buy. Professional creators and paid promotion make these visible. The key performance indicators are easy to establish and track. $$$ $$ Image source: Kraft Recipes (http://www.kraftrecipes.com/)

Two different, but related, things separated by a common name (cont.) < (Media-centric) content marketing (Customer-centric) content marketing An entire industry exists to help brands navigate and spend money on this approach. Media-led propositions are easier for traditional advertisers to buy. Professional creators and paid promotion make these visible. The KPIs are easy to establish and track. $$$ Rests on the marketer to grasp the shift and act on it Forces greater collaboration with nonmarketers Is difficult to separate from the product or service itself Is often less visible and less shiny $$ Image source: Kraft Recipes (http://www.kraftrecipes.com/)

Content strategy stems from brand strategy and customer strategy Brand strategy and positioning Customer interests and engagement Content and engagement strategy

Factors guiding media-led versus customer-led content marketing Low consideration High consideration Small assortment Large assortment Very high/low product differentiation Moderate product differentiation Lower channel control Higher channel control Low product/problem complexity High product/problem complexity

Recommendations Weigh the fit between your brand and media-led content marketing. Target your media-led content marketing for maximum opt-in. Analyze the value that customer-led content marketing can deliver for your brand. Focus on high-priority customer moments.

Ryan Skinner rskinner@forrester.com