Take the three most recent pieces of marketing collateral that your business put out into the world, online or offline. Now, cover up the logo. Can you tell that each piece has come from the same company? Are the fonts, imaging and vocabulary similar? Do the same with pieces of content you’ve put out. Do your blogs sound like the way you speak about your brand and work? Content marketing can greatly contribute to your brand identity, but only if you know what you’re doing.
Content Marketing Successes of the Past
While the phrase content marketing seems like a modern phenomenon referring to blogs, social media posts and Facebook ads, it has a storied history. John Deere was one of the first great pioneers of content marketing. This brand created a magazine aimed at farmers, called The Furrow, in 1895. Since then, the magazine has remained a mainstay in the farming industry and connected the brand directly to its target customers. John Deere is just one example of how carefully-curated content can be the base of a brand identity and marketing plan.
What Do You Need to Do?
One of the best ways to build brand identity through content marketing is through storytelling. How can you become a better brand storyteller?
- Create a Brand Voice: Every brand should have a different voice or speaking style in content. Whether it’s a flyer or a Facebook post, the way that your brand sounds should be the same. If you don’t maintain a distinctive voice, your marketing will be disjointed.
- Define Your Value: No, we don’t mean the dollar value of your service, but the value of all that you have to offer. What unique things do you bring to the table? Case studies, blogs and testimonials can all be used to define your value.
- Know Your Audience: Do you know your customers? Knowing audience behavior, priorities and demographics will allow you to cultivate your brand identity. In the John Deere example we mentioned above, identifying its core audience allowed the company to put out a resource that directly appealed to the very people who wanted to purchase its products.
- Use Social Media: Posting a few times a week on various social media platforms will allow you to refine your brand voice and reach out to current and potential customers on a regular basis. If you partner with the right team to create content that is aimed at your audience and written with your brand’s voice, your content marketing will be powerful and effective.
Leave Your Digital Marketing to My Content Co
My Content Co knows how to create fast, engaging and effective websites, just like you know how to grow your small business. We specialize in creating websites, blogs, social media posts and newsletters that are consistent with your brand.
Partner with us to see real growth from your content marketing. Visit us online or contact us today at 410-324-3934 to get started.