Keeping consumers engaged in a brand and its content considerably increases brand loyalty and business. But creating engaging, interesting content is easier for some than for others. For companies in the fashion or sports industries, fascinating topics come easy. But for other brands that provide run-of-the-mill products or services, it can be a greater challenge.
There are several ways to spruce up brand content:
- Provide helpful information.
- Use simple analogies.
- Interview industry leaders.
- Encourage community interaction.
Provide Helpful Information
Regardless of how exciting a brand’s products or services are, offering advice and addressing the problems and concerns of its target audience will be interesting and useful to that target group. IKEA, a furniture retail company, is a primary example, giving tips on both using their products as well as advice on personal daily struggles that their consumers face. By conducting a phone survey on the behaviors and emotional outcomes of morning routines in the U.S., IKEA found that 72 percent of adults think that a stressful morning affects the rest of their day, and 75 percent responded that they don’t have a regular morning routine. In response to this feedback, IKEA launched the initiative “First :59.” Using their website, Pinterest board and four lifestyle and design bloggers, IKEA publishes tips and tricks on how to make those first 59 minutes of the day as smooth as possible, with focus on bedroom and bathroom improvement. And to help remedy product questions and concerns, IKEA has created “How To Build” assembly videos, acting out step-by-step instructions.
Related Article: 7 Tips for Winning Brand Loyalty
Use Simple Analogies
When covering more specialized, complicated or in-depth subjects, readers can become confused or lose interest. But explaining complex material using analogies or examples can make that information more interesting and easier to digest. For example, one consultant at The Virtualization Practice, an analyst firm concentrating on virtualization and cloud technologies, uses different components of shoveling snow to explain information security.
Interview Industry Leaders
Interviews with specialists or leaders can vitalize content by providing a different perspective as well as insider information on relevant topics. Ask open-ended questions and prod for more information to get the most beneficial material out of the interviews.
Encourage Community Interaction
To increase consumer engagement and interest, create a community for users to feel included in the experience. H&R Block, a tax preparation company, encourages Internet users to get involved both with the company itself and with other visitors in the community. Its “Get Answers” section of their website allows visitors to submit a tax question. And the “The Community” page provides a platform to share stories and connect with others. The brand has experienced a 15 percent increase in business since creating the community.
Rosetta found that engaged consumers make purchases 90 percent more frequently, spend 60 percent more per transaction and are five times more likely to indicate it’s the only brand they would purchase in the future. And maintaining customer engagement is possible for any brand, regardless of how glamorous the products or services are that it provides, if it’s willing to get a little creative.
Author: Phillip Thune is the Chief Executive Officer of Textbroker, which he joined in 2010. Textbroker has grown dramatically as demand for content marketing has increased across the world. Prior to Textbroker, Mr. Thune was the CEO of HireMeNow.com and President of MIVA (previously FindWhat.com), where he helped grow the company from 35 employees and $500,000 in annual revenue to 500 employees and nearly $200 million in five years, raise over $34 million dollars, acquire five businesses for a total of $230 million, and achieve a market capitalization of over $700 million. Mr. Thune also helped lead two different radio broadcasting groups which were among the 25 largest in the U.S.
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