Marketers with a firm understanding of the best practices for content creation grasp that it is important to generate fresh, informative material on a regular basis. Most marketers also understand that it is important to write in a style that reflects the voice of their brand in a way that will strike a chord with customers.
Following content marketing best practices is certainly advisable, but strict adherence to these principles can also lead your organization down a dangerous path—there is a distinct possibility that your audience will get bored.
Frankly, I see this happen much more often than it should. Every brand wants to project a professional image. Every business leader wants to be viewed as a thought leader, the smartest person in the room, the only one that can create a truly educated customer base.
There’s nothing wrong with these goals. But if you follow best practices too closely for too long, your content can become stale, sterile, and, worst of all, forgettable.
It cannot be forgotten that we are, by nature, social animals. We need to debate, engage and laugh. We need to have fun, and we crave unforgettable, unique experiences. Do you really think that at the end of the day, the targets of your content marketing campaigns are discussing your latest blog post around the dinner table?
If you want to make sure that your content gives your audience a truly delightful experience, effort to introduce elements of guerilla marketing into your campaigns. Guerilla marketing is a term first coined by Jay Conrad Levinson in his 1984 book, “Guerilla Marketing”. The idea is to circumvent traditional media channels in favor of unpredictable, entertaining and personable campaigns which leave a lasting imprint that leave individuals yearning to learn more about your brand.
Levinson conceived of guerilla marketing as a way for organizations to establish direct contact with customers, helping marketers with limited budgets compete with larger competitors. However, I believe that businesses of any size can benefit from engaging in a guerilla content marketing campaign.
This is particularly true given the state of today’s marketing landscape. Not only are today’s consumers more educated than at any other point in history, but they’re being bombarded with brand messaging from more directions, more steadily, than ever. Energizing your content with guerilla marketing elements can help you break through to a fatigued audience.
So before you sit down to craft your next piece of content, ask yourself one question: is my audience having fun?
While traditional guerilla marketing suggests that businesses take to the streets to engage their audience, you can do it just as easily sitting in front of your computer. Reach out to customers on social media or email. Welcome them into the process of content production. If you can find a way to make your marketing department’s messaging one of the best parts of their day, it is a distinct possibility that you will have earned their loyalty for life.
To learn more ways to leave a more lasting impression with your content marketing strategy, talk to an experienced content vendor today.
Keith Batter, known as “The Machine” due to his ability to provide quality content on a tight deadline, earned his degree in Creative Writing from Colorado University. Keith’s interest in a multitude of topics imbues his writing with valuable insights that resonate with readers in many fields. His work experience spans industries as diverse as hospitality (Thistledown Inn Bed and Breakfast), insurance (American Income Life Insurance), sales, journalism, publishing and even a brief foray into politics as a community organizer during the 2008 presidential election. In his spare time, Keith is difficult to find. Equipped only with a guitar, notebook and a liter of water, he frequently disappears deep into the forest with his wife and dog to evade civilization and wax poetic about the nature of existence.
