How to create content that people actually care about: Ever feel like people don’t care about the time you spend developing content marketing? James Andrews dispels the myths of content creation by showing you easy ways to create great looking content. James Andrews, the founder of Social People, specializes in the creation of digital/social technology strategies, online communications, and web content production. His vision for Social People is a strategic communications agency that focuses on helping brands and individuals navigate through social media and online space to build better connections with their audiences.
James Andrews set the stage for this presentation by sharing his story of how he started as a DJ with USTREAM. It was hard for him in the beginning to get gigs and he would even DJ in-flight. Eventually, after grinding through ground control, he landed big gigs as a DJ at South by Southwest (SXSW) and the Grammy’s after party.
So who is James Andrews? Silicon Valley kid turned Columbia Records man. Dotcom survivor and envisioned an online strategic marker that has worked for clients such as Coca-Cola, Ketchum Digital, Procter & Gamble, Nike, Turner, Lexus, Grammy Awards, Actress Jane Fonda and the NBA. He told us of his #beatcancer story that beat a Guinness world breaking the record on social media with 290,771 hashtag mentions. He promoted it through blogworld.com but sold it through creating a meaningful story that touched people’s hearts by raising over $70,000 in the process from its financial sponsors.
James had a profound understanding of social media or what we like to call in the industry as a “Key Influencer.” He defines social media as “the intersection of technology and social interaction to create, share or connect online.” In other words, people online having conversations. Social media is the new main street and it’s always on. Mobile technology increases access to this, but don’t think you control social media. The power to define and control a brand is shifting. Content is the lifeline of the social ecosystem.
So how do you have your content factory drive the momentum with the conversation? Think like a curator. Here is how James has cooked up a recipe for content success:
TOPIC SELECTION
Make the customer be the hero. Mobilize your entire company, take the risk, and be a storyteller. Content is more than just text–gather content from others. Events are a great opportunity to own the conversation. Make an event out of tactical things like the Nike Command Center.
Brain Image Here
CONTENT CONVERSION
Touch points include websites, blogs, external blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and Slideshare. Give thoughts about the “Googleability” of your content. Social media must take on a Marketing/PR role of creating, monitoring, filtering, and participating with consumers. Brands are media companies that should now look to companies like DigiDay as sources for authority, insight, and honesty on digital media and marketing. Don’t forget to keep up to date on emerging tools like Qwiki, Vokle, SocialCam, and SoundCloud.
EDITORIAL CONTENT PLANNING
- Provide relevant information 3x week
- Teach how to do something 2x week
- Start a conversation weekly
- Inspire bi-weekly
- Entertain monthly
You need to be part of the media mix by driving the conversation.
OPERATIONALIZING THE CONTENT
Organize the team and define roles. Your team should consist of someone who scours the Internet, someone who is a wordsmith, and someone who understands the language. Be sure to create or review the social media policy and how to best handle the conversation plan. The Social Media United Nations team has been great at doing this by having consistent platform analysis.
MEASURE SUCCESS
Have a social media policy to measure all this. You have to start with a goal. Define your universe, and mine for diamonds to find your fashionistas. Review and adjust your strategy accordingly.
“Rinse, Watch, Repeat.”
FINAL THOUGHTS:
- Take your clients “behind your scenes.”
- Never Censor Facebook or blog
- Take shackles off your CEO and let them go
- Read and respond to reviews
- Actively solicit feedback
- Introduce your employees/team
- Admit when you screw-up and fix the problem
HOW TO CREATE CONTENT THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT