I recently read a blog likening b2b content marketers to plumbers and persuaders. Plumbers work on the pipes (the crm and automation systems etc) and the persuaders create what goes through the pipes – i.e. the content that moves the audience.
Whilst content marketing relies on both, I agree with the writer’s fundamental point there seems to be an imbalance tipping in favour of the pipes and tools that analyse the flow.
To purposely mix my metaphors, this is not a chicken and egg situation. Content should always come first. I agree, you can’t have one without the other. But it doesn’t matter how good your latest hokey cokey five hundred automation system is, if you put rubbish in, you’ll get rubbish out.
The rather cliched saying is “content is king”, not “automation and measurement is king”. And whilst I’m up here on my soap box, if content is king, then aside him should be a queen called Constance. Content shouldn’t be an after thought and neither should consistency.
Good content moves people. Ever since childhood we’ve been hardwired to tell and listen to stories. But that’s not just limited to fiction.
Branded storytelling has the same ability to stick in our minds like our favourite books or movies do. Please don’t let the proverbial Godzilla of automation kill your content strategy.
There, short and sweet, I think that’s enough analysis paralysis analogies and metaphors for one article.
Barry Richardson is the Founder & Creative Director of BRAVO
: : Creative Marketing Well Done : :