8 Ways to Rock Your Customer’s World with Online Content

8 Ways to Rock Your Customer’s World with Online Content

Is Your Online Content Getting the Job Done?

No pun intended, but our bread and butter is creating online content that organically attracts and engages people in specific target audiences. We take a long term approach, believing that online content wins over time when it’s valuable, audience-relevant, and aligned with best practices. Whether you’re considering outsourcing online content creation to an agency like ours or you’re managing online content in house, you need to understand what type of content you’ll need to effectively attract, engage, motivate and retain your customers.

AOL recently released a new study that analyzed more than 55,000 content interactions in 8 global markets. It’s findings offer clues about what makes consumers respond to online content in the way marketers intended, and honed in on eight specific “content moments” that produce desired outcomes; let’s take a closer look.

8 Types of Online Content that Can Rock Your Customer’s World

8 Types of Online Content that Can Rock Your Customer’s World

20% – Moments that Inspire

Whether your customer is looking for new ideas or a new way to do something, online content that inspires is the content most likely to engage members of your target audience. Think ideas, examples, scenarios, and displays.

Leading Topics:  Fashion, Food
Top Formats: Product pages, photo galleries

19% – Moment that Feel Good

Following closely on inspirational moments are those that make your audience feel good. Feel good moments are those that occur when your online content improves the mood, outlook, or helps your audience feel happier, more relaxed, or some other positive emotion. Think heart-warming, do-good, and affirming.

Leading Topics: Wedding, Family
Top Formats: Social media updates, photo galleries

17% – Moments that Bring Them Up to Speed with Influencers

Sometimes your clients need a break from their whatever – be it work, parenting, or some other time consumer. When your online content helps members of your target audience feel like they’ve gotten back “in the know” about something or someone in the world that matters to them, they engage. Think gossip, news, and trends.

Leading Topics: Celebrity, Sports
Top Formats: Social media updates, articles

15% – Moments that Entertain

Sometimes your audience wants a true escape. When your online content entertains, it gives them an escape or mental break from the too-serious, and takes them into a lighter space. Think cute kittens, roly-poly furry puppies, gaffs and outtakes.

Leading Topics: Comedy, Animals
Top Formats: Videos

9% – Moments of Discovery

When your online content provides the answers or advice your target audience is looking for, not only are these engaging moments, but they can also be valuable educational moments. Think price and feature comparisons, symptoms, problem-solving, and FAQ (frequently asked questions).

Leading Topics: Health, Autos
Top formats: Product pages, listicles

8% – In the Know Moments

Closely related to moments of discovery, “In the know” moments are those that help members of your target markets find new information or covers things that are happening right now. Think studies, reports, research, and opinion.

Leading Topics: Current Events, Politics
Top Formats: Online information, articles, blogs

7% – Moments of Connection

No one wants to feel like they’re going it alone. Online content that creates a feeling of connection and community can engage members of your target audience and give them a specific reason to come back to your site over and over again, as well as refer their colleagues, friends, and other connections to your site as well. Think common causes, conditions, and pain points.

Leading Topics: Science, Comedy
Top Formats: Photo galleries, short videos

6% – Moments of Comfort

Like moments that inspire, make people feel good, and entertain, online content that engages with comfort moments is there for your audience when they are looking for support or insights. Think reassurance, advice, and therapy, like you’re there to be the Dr. Phil of your industry.

Leading Topics: Relationships, Medical
Top Formats: Blogs, product pages

The good news is this: No matter what industry you’re in, you have the ability to generate content that fits any and all of these eight categories. The bad news is this: You have to do it. It requires an investment of time and resources to build a library of content that is relevant and valuable to your audience. When you do, the payoff comes time and again, every time people discover your online content at the right time.

We would love to be part of your story.

Clearly, if the bulk of your company’s online content is sales-oriented, it’s failing to hit any of these top consumer motivations for interacting with brand content. And a content-fail is a marketing fail. If you’re ready for a better strategy, reach out, we would love to be part of your story.

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  1. […] helping you connect with the best candidates or isn’t helping to generate new business, these eight internet marketing tactics might may help you instantly improve your results, especially if you have a good idea of “who” […]

  2. […] helping you connect with the best candidates or isn’t helping to generate new business, these eight digital marketing tactics might may help you instantly improve your results, especially if you have a good idea of “who” […]

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