Marketing Profs

An effective online content strategy, artfully executed, drives action. Organizations that use online content well have a clearly defined goal—to sell products, generate leads, or get people to join a community, vote, or donate money—and they deploy a content strategy that directly contributes to reaching that goal.

Often people ask me, "How do you recommend that I create an effective ____?" (Fill in the blank with blog, podcast, whitepaper, e-book, email newsletter, webinar, etc.)

While the technologies for each form of online content are a little different, the common aspect is that through all of these media your organization can exercise thought leadership rather than simple advertising and product promotion: A well-crafted blog, podcast, e-book, or webinar contributes to an organization's positive reputation by setting it apart in the marketplace of ideas.

This form of content brands a company and the people that work there as experts and as a trusted resource to turn to again and again.

Don't talk about your company at all

OK, so what is thought leadership, and how do I do it?

First, put away your company hat for a moment and think like one of your buyers. The content that you create will be a solution to those people's problems and will not mention your company or products at all!

Imagine for a moment that you are a marketer at a sales force automation (SFA) provider. Rather than just peddling your SFA solution, you might write an e-book or shoot a video about shortening the sales cycle, and then promote it on your site and offer it for free to other organizations (such as industry associations) to put on their sites. Or perhaps one of the salespeople at your company could blog about the trials and tribulations of being a traveling salesperson.

She could post her thoughts from around the world using photos and videos of the hotels she stays in, the coffee shops she meets people at, and the tradeshows she attends. Perhaps there is a humor angle to it (cool title for the blog: Diary of a Road Warrior). Since the target market for your SFA solution is other salespeople, you would build a following of readers of the blog who are also your target market.

The SFA company with a blog like this educates and entertains buyers but does not sell the SFA services directly.