There is no good marketing without good content; content and marketing go hand-in-hand. If your company creates content, whether it’s an infographic, video, blog or white paper, that content is valuable.
It helps define your brand and enables communication with the audience. The digital disruption and the rise of social media has revolutionized the way we consume content.
As a result, the value and definition of content needs reexamination.
Basic marketing is no longer enough to stir up consumer interest in a brand. As more companies turn to digital marketing, a tsunami wave of content has been generated, personalizing customer experience and reflecting its communities and customers interests and needs.
What Makes Great Content?
The difference between good content and great content is the ability to speak directly to your audience—this should come from the chief storyteller.
As long as the target audience has been thoroughly researched, a compelling story that’s relevant to your audience will immediately engage your readers and encourage brand loyalty.
Offer information and value without expecting anything in return, and your audience will likely share your content. Focus on what the audience wants to know, and don’t badger them with gratuitous sales material.
Rethinking Content Leadership
As the demand grows for quality content, so does the need for a content representative at the executive level. Ten, or even five years ago, a Chief Content Officer (CCO), was a relatively unheard of job title.
Fast forward to our current climate. The real estate on content is experiencing an almighty boom, and companies have no other choice but to meet the growing demand for content by hiring a CCO.
Content is now at the top of the senior management agenda, and new content consumption trends constantly fluctuate. Companies are therefore beginning to realize that they do not possess sufficient tools to cater to today’s fluid digital landscape.
Dominant companies acknowledge the value of a CCO, and have created versions of this important position. According to Curata:
In 2017, 51% of companies will have an executive in their organization who is directly responsible for an overall content marketing strategy (e.g., CCO, VP or Director of Content, Curata).
A rising number of high profile brands, like Coca-Cola and Petco, have jumped on trend and hired a CCO. Netflix appointed their CCO Ted Sarandos in the comparative dark ages, well before the content explosion. Time Inc. first hired their Chief Content Exec, Norm Pearlstein in 2013 and have recently replaced him with Fortune editor, Alan Murray. Most recently it was announced that the streaming service Hulu, is actively searching for its own CCO.
Profitable companies are adjusting their budgets to satisfy the growing demand for content. According to a B2B Content Marketing 2017 study by the Content Marketing Institute:
An estimated 39% percent of marketing budgets will be spent on content marketing in the next 12 months. 70% more content is expected to be produced in 2017 compared with 2016.
Is Hiring a CCO a Business Priority?
So if you have a content marketing team and are already producing content, you may be asking yourself, is hiring a CCO a business priority? The short answer: yes.
A valuable CCO will take the lead on your marketing efforts, and be able to create, drive and execute a content strategy. A company cannot consider significant issues like creative strategy, advertising, media planning, or PR, without first mastering the underlying content that underlines all operations. Marketing executives now understand that content is the key to SEO, leads, and creating powerful connections with customers.
A CCO enhances the efficiency of a company. Smaller businesses have mistakenly tried to survive without hiring a CCO for obvious budgeting reasons—but, hiring a CCO saves money and produces results.
Effective content marketing increases brand awareness and diminishes marketing costs.
Content marketing works. Companies using content properly are able to attract new customers and boost the loyalty of existing customers. A new content marketing strategy can also revolutionize and sharpen a company’s mission.
CCOs are indispensable. When executives meet to plan the advance of their company, the CCO—the master storyteller—must get a seat at the table. Company leaders should emphasize the value of good-quality content, and the role it plays in promoting business goals.
As we race into an increasingly digital world, there will be a greater need for an adaptable, digitally savvy executive that can seamlessly make the crossover between the creative and the business.
Taboola is the world’s leading content discovery platform, serving 360B recommendations to over 1B unique visitors each month on the web’s most innovative publisher sites. To learn more about how Taboola can help you A/B test your site content, contact us.