Micheal Brenner, CEO of Marketing Insider Group, recently stopped by to talk with us. Brenner co-authored the best-selling book, The Content Formula. He is recognized for his influential presence on social media and has also been praised for his skills in B2B marketing. From fundamentals to modern trends, Brenner has some tips about personalization with content marketing.
4 Steps for Getting Started in Personalization
Brenner has outlined four trends for companies or entrepreneurs getting their start with personalization in content marketing. The first is specialization, where brands work to define a space they can own. Specializations help brands maintain a strong presence in their industry. The second step is visualization and involves creating different types of content marketing metrics. The third step is humanization, and it involves telling stories to connect with viewers and prospective customers on an emotional level. The final step is personalization. Having the right content for the right person at the right time is vital to personalizing an approach to content marketing.
Must Read: Developing a Content Marketing Strategy
What to Focus on with Content Marketing
Brenner is aware some people view content marketing as difficult, expensive, and overwhelming. He says businesses should focus on having the right answer for the customer during each step of the buying process. He also spoke at length about the topic of modularization. This practice allows companies to take content ideas and use them in various forms. For example, a company can answer a question about a service they provide in a graphic, a blog, and a video.
Implementing a Modular Approach to Content Marketing
Once a person identifies the steps a consumer goes through, they can create content and modularize it accordingly. No matter what phase of the buying process a customer is in, multiple content options will be available. A company’s corporate website is a place Brenner recommends using when it comes to modularization. Different groups ranging from casual customers to investors are likely to find a company’s website. Companies should have personalized content distribution strategies for each type of viewer. Tools like Adobe Target are great for determining who is visiting a site and what they most like to see.
Why You Should Start Out on Familiar Platforms
Brenner prefers using common platforms first before branching out into off-domain options. Facebook is a good example, as it is easy to personalize and run promotions on. Data tools also make it easy to measure reach and obtain analytical information about the scope of a pages success. It is important to have the right content for each stage. Brennen sees plenty of companies with late-game content, but not enough early-game content. Companies should always take the tone of their content into account, as the right approach makes it easier to connect with an audience. Personalization has helped sites like Amazon and YouTube build a dedicated audience. People appreciate seeing content tailored to their needs. While it may seem hard to start out with personalization, companies only need the right strategy. These steps make it easy to stand out, get a viewers attention, and become their first choice.
This article is contributed by Dave Reimherr who is the founder Magnificent Marketing LLC. Magnificent is a full-service digital marketing agency with a specialization in content marketing and social media marketing and advertising. David has 20 years of experience in sales, marketing, strategy & branding.
Must Read: B2B Content Marketing Tips You Should Start Using Today
Vikas Bhatt is the Co-Founder of ONLY B2B, a premium B2B lead generation company that specializes in helping businesses achieve their growth objectives through targeted marketing & sales campaigns. With 10+ years of experience in the industry, Vikas has a deep understanding of the challenges faced by businesses today and has developed a unique approach to lead generation that has helped clients across a range of industries around the globe. As a thought leader in the B2B marketing community, ONLY B2B specializes in demand generation, content syndication, database services and more.
