5 Non-Sexy Brands Crushing Content
Anyone with even a passing familiarity of digital marketing has likely heard the phrase “content is king.” When it comes to building an online following, developing a loyal fan base and keeping customers engaged with a brand, content – in all forms: video, written, visual, etc. – is the key. As the mysterious voice in The Field of Dreams so eloquently put it, “if you build it, they will come.” Customers have to be given a real reason to engage with a company online, and more often than not, that falls to a well thought-out content strategy. Here are five companies that are killing it in the content department.
Warby Parker
With nearly 100,000 subscribers on Twitter, 350,000 subscribers on Instagram, over 5 million YouTube views, and an active and engaging blog, Warby Parker knows how to find – and communicate with – its audience. The company’s multimedia platforms, including YouTube and Instagram, allow it to show off its wares, consisting of stylish and modern eyeglass frames and sunglasses. Its blog, meanwhile, gives Warby Parker the ability to keep customers abreast of new store openings, publish a wide range of related lifestyle topics, and even make reading recommendations. Put simply, the content is as hip as the company, and it seems to be making an impact. After all, those numbers don’t lie!
AirBnB
There’s an old saying in business – sell a dream, not a product. For Airbnb, that couldn’t be more true. Airbnb doesn’t sell rental apartments, they sell experiences that are unique and one of a kind. And their online content is built around this idea. Their blog is helpful and informative, while their YouTube channel (with more than 100 million views) inspires. Visit the company’s Instagram feed (2.2 million followers and counting), and you will see beautifully photographed vistas, charming seaside cottages, unbelievably idyllic European apartments, and all manner of other impossibly appealing vacation destinations. Airbnb knows what their customers want, and they deliver. In effect, each photo makes a bold statement to the viewer: This could be you! And surely that’s more exciting than some boring Facebook post announcing 10 percent off.
Amway
For Amway customers and sales representatives alike, the company’s Amway Connections blog is a comprehensive go-to resource for all things product-related. From traditional product reviews to posts detailing inspired ways to put the company’s many health and beauty products to use, readers will find no shortage of helpful information. Amway has built its content strategy around the actual needs and interests of its customers and sales associates. In doing so, the company has created a platform that is part editorial, part customer service, and part educational in nature. This approach of helping and inspiring is carried over on the company’s Instagram account (which counts more than 100,000 followers), where posts cover all manner of topics related to the Amway lifestyle.
Patagonia
Patagonia was founded by Yvon Chouinard as a natural extension of his adventurous lifestyle. As an avid environmentalist, outdoorsman and rock climber, Yvon became uniquely acquainted with the rigors that such activities put on one’s clothing, and set out to create a company that produced the world’s best outdoor clothing. This ethos can be found in all of the company’s branding, marketing, and promotional content. The company’s Instagram feed, which showcases its wares being used around the world in extreme conditions, counts nearly 3 million followers, while Patagonia’s YouTube videos split their attention between product reviews and real world case studies. And for the most devoted of Patagonia customers, there is The Cleanest Line – the company’s official blog and a surprisingly worthy alternative to National Geographic.
GoPro
How do you sell an action camera? By showcasing what it can do, of course! That’s exactly what GoPro does with its YouTube channel, Instagram feed and official blog. And judging by the company’s following, customers like what they see. The company’s Instagram account counts 13 million subscribers, while its YouTube channel has more than 5 million subscribers, with more than 1.5 billion views. As the old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Suffice to say, GoPro is happy to lets its customers’ photos and videos do the talking for them. Not only does GoPro’s content strategy illustrate the effectiveness of curated content, but it also shows that content can take all shapes and sizes. With the Internet, it’s just as easy to market with multimedia content as it is the traditional written word.
