Using content as a hack

The major cornerstone for creating a resonant brand is to hack into the daily lives of your target audience. The word hack used above is not negative but insinuating the measure of work and time that goes into getting in front and holding the attention of that man, woman, and teenager.

To connect with consumers in today's multiscreen environment, companies need much more than an old-fashioned advertisement -- they need supporting content to provide value for the consumer. Companies are working harder and much smarter to connect with their audience through traditional platforms and social media. 

While the brand has a speak and its passion areas on one side; the target audience have their pain points and empathetic areas about the other - the intersection between these two leads to relationship and where content branding features.

Developing brand content that resonates is not like putting on your speedos and diving into the water to get wet - you need a water suit that allows you to dive in, swim around, and take time out in the pool. It is just not about getting wet and towelling off, it is about staying wet as long as your friend is. Developing successful brand content marketing isn't a one-off article or campaign, nor is it jumping into every trending topic and inundating your audience with commentary. 

Brands must be agile - ready to infuse and influence the current news cycle, without becoming the news.

Ann Marinovich, senior vice president of content partnerships and strategy at Forbes Media says, “When you think about the content strategy, it's not just two pieces of content - you need to build that content library.”

Ann Handley adds, "Good content always has an objective, it’s created with intent. It therefore carries triggers to action."

Though reasonable and responsible brands must always err on the side of caution. It is not every item in the news cycle that benefits a brand conversation or outlook.

What brands publish and post must resonate with the target audience and fulfill brand goals to be necessary - if not, just chuck it!