As a content marketer I find myself swimming upstream, against endless waves of requests. It’s the nature of the fast-paced, production-based job I signed up for, right? The typical questions I get asked are:
“What pieces of content do you have in the pipeline this quarter?”
“How does our content perform against business objectives?”
“How do you know that our content reaches the right people?”
“How are you going to make our content better?”
Well, to address the last and most important question, I leverage influencer marketing (shocker!). And I’m going to tell you why.
Only 30% of B2B marketers say their organizations are effective at content marketing, down from 38% last year, according to CMI’s 2016 B2B Content Marketing report. It’s clear that marketers are struggling to execute on their content strategies efficiently, to reach the right people. That’s the point of killer content, after all.
Marketers must stand out amongst this sheer volume of information
In today’s age of ubiquitous connectivity we as marketers are challenged to stand out amongst the sheer volume of information confronting our audience.
Web-based technology has opened the gates of self publishing, transforming the production and consumption of media. Historically, it was the news media we turned to for help identifying what we needed to know about. We looked to this outlet for the creation and dissemination of authoritative content that would influence us. With the advent of social tech, the playing field has been leveled. The status quo has been completely upended, and not just with respect to who creates this authoritative content, but how it is disseminated and by whom.
How do brands create meaningful connections and engagement?
When consumers are empowered to create, consume, publish, interact, and transact anytime and anywhere, how do brands break through to create meaningful connections and engagement? With more content being thrown at them than rice at a wedding, people need a filter to cut through the noise.
So how do you filter to cut through the noise?
According to Mark Schaefer, author of The Content Code, authoritative content is content people trust, “If you can inspire people to trust your content, you lower or eliminate the barriers to sharing that content.” As a vehicle for influence, content is one of the most powerful tools to attract, engage, and inspire action. Content is the currency for building relationships that can boost credibility, influence, and commerce.
Investing in a Content and Influencer Marketing Strategy
Incorporating influencers is how you unlock the gateway to new audiences with brand messages that are credible and trusted. Influencer marketing and content marketing cannot exist without one another. Without influence, content stays below the radar and has no influence. Without content, you don’t have a way to participate, and as a result you have no voice to be influential.
3 key reasons to involve influencers in your content marketing:
1. Influencers help you to build awareness
As a marketer you are always trying to grow the awareness of your brand outside your own social channels and extend your message to new audiences. Influencers help you reach people and communities you’re not yet a part of.
2. Influencers help you to assert your authority
By collaborating with influencers who are trusted by their communities, you’ll build authority so that your content becomes authoritative by osmosis. A piece of content moves from little to no awareness to one that gets noticed, commented upon, and acted upon.
3. Influencers help you to achieve relevance within your community
Content and brand strategy is most effective when it’s relevant to your community. Influencers bring you into those conversations that are most relevant and give you the credibility you need to reach that audience.
How to Get Started: 5 Stages of Influencer Relationship Strategy
Awareness, authority, and relevance are all key elements that play out in your marketing strategy. Your influencers are the people who help you grow your reach through their own. A carefully mapped out content strategy will be designed to resonate with their audience. And ultimately, your brand messages and audiences will be relevant to that same audience and your customers.
Ready to step up your content marketing game? It’s time to bid adieu to mediocre content that falls on uninterested ears. Get the process to align your influencer and content strategies so your marketing efforts attract and convert customers. Enroll in the newest course offered by Academy of Influencer Marketing (AIM), Confluence: The Meeting of Content and Influencer Marketing.
In this comprehensive course you will learn to:
- Understand how influencers inform your content planning and strategy
- Explore multiple ways to create relevant and trusted content with your influencers
- Examine how influencers help amplify your content
- Measure the efforts of your work
Are you aligning your content and influence strategies? Take the course.