What do marketing guys know about content?
What do marketing guys know about digital content?
They didn't go to J-school. They didn't work on their college newspaper. They probably don't even own an AP Style Guide.
Then why did I leave today's ICSC (Internet Content Syndication Council) Summit thinking, "Sheesh, these marketing guys from IBM and DuPont have a pretty good content strategy."
Take Gary Spangler, e-marketing manager at DuPont.
He sees content as his opportunity to forge a direct relationship with his target audience. He says he's done renting that relationship via pre-roll and banner ad. He's focused on creating content that is compelling, useful and leverages the expertise that his company has to build an ongoing relationship with those users.
He talks in laboratory terms like "testing, measuring, catalysts," but he says his methodical scientific approach to content has paid dividends and it started with a small series of videos called "DuPont Science Stories."
"Advertising is about invitation, not interruption," says Spangler. "We have subject matter experts who can be new voices for DuPont."
And he's talking about spotlighting a dorky guy in a lab coat (of course he used RocketBoom's Amanda Congdon for his first effort). What about us media properties with underused experts like meteorologists, doctors, athletes, financial analysts, columnists, or even staff members who can share their expertise?
You want to stand out, take a page from the marketers. Develop the unique searchable content in your own backyard. It's not easily duplicated by AP or Reuters. And even if it is, it won't be delivered with the style and personality of your local talent.
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