With the help of our CMI contributors, we’re tackling how to make content more engaging, which was the biggest challenge identified in the new research about B2B Content Marketing.
Over the past four weeks, our contributors answered these questions:
- First things first – what does engaging mean to you?
- How can marketers make content more engaging?
- How do you measure engagement?
- What tools can content marketers use to measure engagement?
This week, we asked our contributors to share your examples of engaging content and explain why it is engaging.
For BT Global Services, we sent 150 Chief Security Officers an iPod Shuffle pre-loaded with great podcast content. Things like ‘Anatomy of a Security Incident’ and a interview with an ex-FBI agent. It was engaging because no one throws out a free iPod — and even these super-senior executives put in the time to listen to the content (we know because it drove them to a microsite). For ShipServ, we did a stop-motion animation with Lego men to tell a simple story about their online directory — not something the shipping industry is used to (surprise is a key part of engagement). For dotMobi, the Internet registry for the .mobi domain name, we created mobiThinking.com, a content-packed site for mobile marketers. It’s engaging because it’s full of something marketers are hungry for right now: advice, insight, best practice and lots of examples showing what good looks like in mobile marketing. A top blog, a mobile site showcase with mobile emulator, video interviews with top mobile innovators, lots of eBooks and papers. To reward return visits, you’ve got to keep feeding the engagement machine. |
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Why does that matter? The best marketers don’t confuse “engagement” with “consumption.” Instead, they look at what the audience did after the tape stopped playing or the post ended or the content was consumed. Your job as a content marketer has two parts: 1) create and distribute compelling content, and then 2) take a hard look to see if the project’s numbers show a correlated uptick on activities and/or conversions. Once you use that definition of engagement, the examples are harder to find but the lessons are more fruitful. |
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Since then, the game has generated over 100 prospects and hundreds of inbound links. People spend an average of more than seven minutes on the page, and more than 90% of people visit other pages on the site. |
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The fascinating aspect of the Bathroom Blogfest is that the bloggers participating come from a wide range of industries and interests. They are experts in marketing, customer experience and service, public relations, library sciences, museums, home and interior design, life, retail, flooring, user experience and healthcare IT/RTLS and each blogger addresses the same subject from a radically different perspective. They are all experts in creating content relevant to their audiences. The learnings are real as they all focus on improving the user experience. The content engages because it addresses a universal reality: that we all need bathrooms. Furthermore, we have all experienced situations ‘stuck in the 60s’ that need re-evaluation. I bet you’re intrigued and considering exploring situations you’ve encountered that are ‘stuck in the 60s’ during the yearly Bathroom Blogfest. It’s worth creating conversation to figure out ways to improve upon them. Be part of Bathroom Blogfest 2010; use it as a means to connect with your audience to improve their experience. Read the press release; immerse yourself in UX, Bathrooms, and Mad Men. Follow the Bathroom Blogfest on Twitter @BathroomBlogfes where you can look for #BathroomEXP. Become a fan on Facebook and visit the Bathroom Blogfest Blog where you can read through the content from past Bathroom Blogfests. Disclaimer: I am the Chief Organization & Inspiration Officer for the Bathroom Blogfest. |
Summary
Engaging content doesn’t come in one format, but it’s often distributed in multiple ways. What other examples do you have of engaging content? Share them in the comments below!
Other posts in this series: