Unit - 3

Content Creation and Sharing

Blogging

Blogging is the process of creating a website or blog to share ideas, experiences, and thoughts
with others. Blogging is the process that implies creating articles, photos, and other forms of
content and publishing them on a website. Its characteristics include informal language, a
laid-back atmosphere, regular updates, lifehacks, tips, and a high level of customer
engagement.

The advantages of blogging are as follows:

 Ranking optimization. Creating useful and informative blog posts allows you to get
a higher ranking. With evergreen articles, your website will rank better on Google and
ultimately drive organic traffic. To ensure improvements in terms of your site’s
performance, don’t forget to update your content regularly.

 Good relationships and communication with your audience. Customer

engagement is crucial when it comes to your brand promotion and sales. That’s why
it’s imperative to connect with your audience. Starting a blog is the best way to do it
since you can let your readers explore your relevant content, leave feedback, and rate
your material. It also enables you to update customers on your company’s latest
products, launches, and news.

 Additional revenue. Successful blogs make significant profits. You can generate
more income not only from selling products but also from blogging itself. If you have
a reliable and popular website, your revenue can come from traffic, affiliate links,
sponsored content, ebooks, webinars, courses, training, etc.

 Extra exposure. If you aim to create buzz around your company and product, making
content related to your industry is the best decision. Leads can come from different
sources to find info about certain industries. This way, your website will obtain more
visitors and drive traffic.

 Online visibility. As of 2021, 4.72 billion people use online networks. In one way or
another, all these users use the internet to find answers to their questions, learn
 something new, or just fill in their free time. By creating interesting blog posts, you
can draw users’ attention to your brand and establish brand recognition. A visible
website enables you to generate new customers faster.

 Higher traffic. Additional pages on your website increase your opportunity to emerge
on a search engine results page and obtain more website readers and prospects.
Hence, every time you write an article for your website, you increase your chances of
ranking high on Google and attaining new readers and customers.

However, like any other business strategy, it has drawbacks as well:

 requires a relatively long time to bring positive results;

 always needs fresh and unique ideas relevant to your target audience;

 brings only a little payoff in the beginning;

 needs additional ways of promotion like email, social media, influencer

marketing, PPC..

How does blogging work?

People who begin their startups buy a domain name and design their websites by themselves,
while established businesses create new landing pages for a blog on their existing websites to
fill them with good content. With simple websites, blogs enable visitors to use them easily
and find the necessary information.

Different bloggers choose different blog themes. Some prefer to talk about marketing and
product reviews, and others discuss fashion, healthy life, cooking, or any other topic.
Bloggers create a series of posts and make them available for reading on their websites.
Articles usually appear in a certain order, starting from the most recent ones. They are also
divided into categories to enable people to navigate them easily. Besides, blog posts have
another unique feature, such as interlinking. This way, bloggers link to other blogs and
promote each other to expand their audiences.

If you are interested in starting your own blog from the very beginning, let’s explore some
steps you need to take to get started.
6 Steps to Start a Blog

With basic computer knowledge and an understanding of what your heart desires, you can
easily create a blog by sticking to our guide.

1. Choose a niche. Firstly, you need to select a niche in which you have a high level of
expertise. Your passion and interest in the chosen industry are essential. Secondly,
once you choose your key topic, make sure that it has a wide audience so that you
have some space to grow your blog. If you don’t have any idea what to blog about,
consider sharing your life experiences. You can start a personal blog and tell about
your daily routine: makeup and cosmetics, style and clothes, traveling, or anything
else. The key is to create quality content that will attract the public.

2. Pick a catchy and easy name for your blog. To make readers recognize your blog,
you need to select an easy-to-remember domain name. It’s your address on the
internet, so it should be unique. Your domain name will enable people to find your
website or social media account easily. Your title should be descriptive so that new
users can catch the main idea of your blog.

3. Select a unique design. You need to have some understanding of your blog and its
design since it needs a face. As an option, you can consider leveraging WordPress
since it has special layouts for blogs. The platform enables you to obtain a layout and
its design just in a few clicks.

4. Write your first blog post. Once you decide on your design, it’s time to create your
first piece of content. Bear in mind that to blog successfully, you need to create
unique, engaging, informative, interesting, and relatively long posts. It’s not an easy
task to always come up with fresh and interesting ideas, but they help attract people,
engage them, and make them loyal to your brand. Besides, don’t forget to add some
photos to create visually appealing blog posts and simplify the way visitors perceive
your content.

5. Promote your blog through different platforms. Now when companies and
bloggers promote products with the help of digital and traditional marketing, you
can’t remain inactive. Use various forms of ads like PPC, native advertising, pre-roll
ads, create email campaigns, and leverage social media channels to popularize your
 blog. More and more bloggers use paid ads that appear on users’ Instagram Stories
and feed. Consider collaborating with other bloggers in your niche, commenting on
other famous pages, communicating with your audience, and posting regularly to
build a follower base and gain your readers’ love and trust.

6. Optimize and update your content. Once your blog post is published, remember to
update it frequently. If you want your blog to rank higher on Google, utilize relevant
keywords, write quality content, add SEO meta tags, optimize images, and reduce
your bounce rate.

How to Promote a Blog

Many great ideas can help you make your blog more popular, although not all of them are
free. In this section, we’ll review the most effective ways to promote a blog.

 Optimize your website. To make everything run smoothly and rank high on Google,
you need to select a reliable web host, optimize the loading time of your blog, put
security measures, and manage external and internal links. Monitor the performance
of your blog with tools like Google Analytics.

 Create an account on social networks. With 3.96 billion social media users, digital
platforms are perfect for promotion. There are plenty of great ways to obtain new
leads, boost traffic to your website, and enhance your audience. You can use
giveaways, paid advertising, influencer marketing, and sponsored content to drive
interest to your blog. Special campaigns, hashtags, reviews, freebies, and referral
programs enable you to create word-of-mouth promotions.

 Find influencers. Influencer marketing is a very powerful tool right now. Perhaps
you should give thought to contacting an opinion leader in your niche to support your
blog and promote it at the same time. An opinion leader can draw the attention of new
readers to your blog and encourage them to participate in your events, webinars, and
courses.

 Send email newsletters. Email campaigns are another effective tool to educate
people about your website. It has a lower cost compared to other methods, but it
doesn’t compromise efficiency. By sending email newsletters, you can reach your
existing audience, deliver targeted messages, and have an immediate impact.
 With SendPulse, you can craft professional emails and set up email send-outs without
any technical knowledge and for free.

 Answer questions on Quora. To enhance the number of your readers, you need to
visit a popular platform where you can communicate with people. Quora is the best
option. You can engage with people that are interested in your blog’s topic. If you
succeed in intriguing them with your blog posts, there’s a great probability that they
will follow your blog updates.

 Reach your audience through web push. With push notifications, you can instantly
deliver your information, educate readers about your blog, and obtain excellent
results. They help inform your blog readers and visitors about your new content,
improve engagement, and increase conversions. SendPulse enables you to create
automatic web push notifications based on your blog’s RSS feed.

You are acquainted with the methods of promotion, so it’s time to review the best platforms
to create an up-to-date website for your blog.

The Best Free Blogging Platforms

You can encounter many platforms that help create wonderful blogs with high engagement.
We’ve prepared the most effective and convenient ones that offer a free plan.

WordPress.com

WordPress makes the creation of blogs easier and enables both beginners and professionals to
create engaging blogs with modern design. The platform offers responsive themes, website
statistics, built-in SEO, social media integration, and sharing features. With WordPress,
bloggers don’t need to worry about complying with clients’ demands. The service helps
create a modern site and customize it with content, features, and branding.

The platform provides its users with hundreds of design options, color schemes, and
advanced design tools, so your blog will definitely satisfy your future readers. Besides, it
offers secure hosting, custom CSS, and 24/7 support.

Wix

Wix offers to build a successful blog with its free plan. The platform allows users to access
designer-made templates and built-in features. The website builder’s features include
integrated SEO tools, blog post scheduling, embed HTML, and adding categories and
hashtags. Besides, it also has an app to provide its services on different devices.

Clients can add writers and editors to a website so that they can help manage blogs, create
content, and share blog posts. Bloggers can leverage Wix’s blog name generator, select a
domain name, obtain reliable web hosting, and use professional templates to have a strong
online presence.

HubSpot

HubSpot is a well-known all-in-one business tool that ranges from an integrated CRM to
marketing, sales, service, and obviously content management system (CMS).
HubSpot’s drag-and-drop website builder offers a free platform to create and manage your
website and blog to build your online presence. It features a drag-and-drop function that
allows you to create a website without any prior coding knowledge on top of plenty of ready-
to-use templates.

On top of using the platform to write and host your blog, HubSpot also provides tools to
optimize your content for SEO and organic traffic along with integrated tools to connect with
your website visitors. You can easily add email marketing, customer service tickets, and sales
pipelines to provide a synchronous customer experience.

Ghost

Ghost is a service that focuses on professional publishing. It allows users to access native
SEO, email newsletters, modern design, and technology. Bloggers can use this editor to
ensure a seamless writing experience. Besides, the platform offers to connect with target
audiences through built-in registration forms, subscriptions, payments, and more.

Users don’t need any additional plugins, extensions, or codes to share their content on social
media. Moreover, bloggers can leverage the automated publication setup to save time.

This platform invites users to check its rich library of new themes. Ghost also doesn’t leave
its clients without a detailed report on their blogs’ performance. That’s why its team
developed native engagement analytics that allows bloggers to monitor which content drives
the most attention and understand their target audience.
Streaming video
Video streaming is watching a video online, allowing for a video file to be viewed without being
downloaded. To most people, video streaming is simply accessing video content online.

As a broadcaster, there are different ways you can stream video online:

 Streaming – This typically means a video was shot, produced, and uploaded to
a video hosting platform.

 Live streaming – This type of streaming is when a video is recorded and

broadcasted in real-time via live streaming platforms.

 VOD – Video-on-demand streaming is when the user chooses what content they
want to watch on-demand. This typically means a video was shot, produced, and
then uploaded to a video hosting platform. Netflix and Hulu are two great
examples.

Benefits of Live Online Streaming

There are some major benefits of streaming live content for your business that just can’t be
ignored.

Real-time engagement

One of the biggest benefits of live online streaming is that it offers you real-time engagement.
That means that your viewers can interact with you in real time.

For example, you could have viewers tweet reactions to the event and read those tweets in
your live broadcast. Or you could run a chat app alongside your livestream. Live streaming
allows you to feel engaged in what is happening.

Good value for your time

Live streaming is a good value for your time. You need to put a little thought into planning
and preparing your live stream; then a live stream requires the actual time to create and
broadcast the content. An hour-long live stream provides you with an hour of content for
people to watch.
In contrast, an in-depth 2,000 – 4,000 word blog post can take 8 hours to create, and only
entertain a viewer for 15-30 minutes. With live streaming, you produce a lot of content in a
short amount of time.

Affordable to produce

At its most basic, a live stream is really easy to produce. If you have a smartphone and a
laptop, you can create a live stream. Although higher-quality video and audio equipment can
elevate your live-streaming experience, it isn’t necessary to get started.

Easy to Niche Down

Live streaming allows you to easily niche down with your content. You can create really
specific content on an affordable budget with live streaming, and connect with a very specific
audience. You can easily target specific niche audiences with your live-streaming content.

Build brand connection

All sorts of OTT media and entertainment businesses are getting involved in live-streaming
videos. In the sports world, companies like DAZN have moved from filming in the stands to
making billion-dollar deals with sports leagues.

How to Stream Video Online

Let’s take a look at the 5 steps for how to stream live video online for your business. These
five steps will allow you to quickly learn how to stream videos.

1. Make a Plan

Planning out your live stream and setting specific goals will help you stay focused throughout
the entire process. Before moving forward, identify the purpose of your stream.

Ask yourself these questions:

 What am I trying to accomplish?

 Who am I trying to reach?

 What message will I share?

 Is generating revenue my goal?

  Where will my target audience be looking for my content?

 What is my budget?

With your answers to these questions in mind, you can come up with an outline of what you
want to achieve with your stream and how you will do it. Having a plan is important for
learning how to do streaming.

2. Choosing a Live Streaming Solution

Next, you’ll need a live streaming solution. These are often referred to as “ Online Video
Platforms” (OVPs).

The dedicated online video streaming service you choose will provide a network of computer
servers that will store your video on their disks. It also provides a robust network connection
so that your viewers can access the videos quickly and easily without any network lag.

Professional video hosting solutions can offer complete live streaming solutions suitable for
business use. These video hosting for business services include the ability to stream from
multiple cameras, stream in HD, generate revenue, and embed live streams on your
website or social media platforms.

3. Invest in the Necessary Streaming Equipment

Streaming video is possible with only a few key pieces of equipment. The higher the
quality of the equipment, the higher the quality of the video.

Online live video requires just a few pieces of live streaming equipment. You’ll need a live
streaming camera, a microphone, an internet connection, and an encoder This is the basic
equipment you need to learn how to stream video online.

You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on this equipment if your business is just
starting with streaming video online. At the most basic level, a smartphone or tablet
can fulfil these requirements in one device. But please note, the quality of this sort of live
stream can suffer. For that reason, higher-quality live streams often are set up using higher-
quality gear:

 A computer
  Multiple stand-alone cameras (Two cameras provide for different angles)

 Multiple microphones (lav, shotgun, and other professional mics will provide
better audio quality)

 High-speed internet connection (a wired connection will provide higher speeds)

4. Configure Your Encoder Settings

An encoder is a software or hardware device that converts videos into a format suitable
for live streaming. Properly configuring your encoder settings will help you produce the best
stream possible. Here are a couple of settings to familiarize yourself with:

 Frame rate – How many rates per second are installed; 30-60 fps is ideal.

 Output resolution – Size of the video frame. Width x Height in pixels. 1080p or
1920 x 1080 is Full HD

 Video Bitrate – How much video data you’re uploading per second. The general
range is 1000-8000 kbps.

Please check out our Encoder Configuration Guide for additional information on the best
encoder settings for live streaming with Dacast.

5. Setup Your Workflow

You can stream live videos with the use of a phone or tablet. But, if you’re serious, look
into professional streaming equipment to stand out.

Setting up an optimal live streaming workflow will help you better prepare for your live
stream. This is something that should be set up and tested well before your event so that there
isn’t any last-minute scrambling to get things together.

Here is an example of a live-streaming workflow that other broadcasters have had success
with.

1. On location, set up your cameras and microphones. We recommend using

tripods for stability.

2. Choose a central location for your encoding/mixing to take place. Set up your
computer at this location. Your engineer should reside here to control the
 broadcast, as well as switch between different camera angles, initiate graphics and
animations, etc.

3. Run cables to connect all your equipment. Now, turn everything on and make sure
it is functioning properly.

4. Choose the correct encoder settings for your broadcast.

5. Connect your encoder to your online video platform via the settings menu. Here
are instructions for the Dacast platform

6. Finally, set up a test live stream, and broadcast it (privately). Ensure that video,
audio, and streaming settings are all correct.

7. Embed your live-stream video player on your website, and anywhere else you
want to broadcast.

Podcasting

Podcasting doesn't have a long history. In fact, the word podcast was introduced in 2004.
While podcasts are a relatively recent invention, they've had a major impact on audiences
across the world. Podcasts are similar to radio shows but offer unique advantages that make
them appealing to audiences and content creators.
A podcast is a digital audio or video file or recording that is available for download over the
internet. Podcasts are usually part of a themed series and can be played on a computer or
mobile phone.

a podcast is a digital medium consisting of audio (or video) episodes that relate to a specific
theme. The hosts of a podcast are referred to as "podcasters." While many forms of media
have barriers to entry, a podcast is simple to create. To get started, podcasters only need basic
equipment, like recording software and a microphone. Since podcasts aren't regulated,
anyone is free to record and share content.

Typically, podcasters will record and edit digital content and share it with an audience. They
can post on YouTube, publish audio files on a podcast hosting service (such as Apple
Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify), or share the podcast episode directly through their
website.
Once a podcast is released, it can attract an audience in several ways. Podcast directories
allow users to discover and subscribe to new podcasts. Since major search engines display
podcast episodes in search results, strong SEO (search engine optimization) can also help a
podcast find listeners.

The purpose of podcasts

Not all podcasts have the same goal, but as a general rule, podcasts are a form of
entertainment. People might listen to a podcast to learn more about a topic, keep up with
current events, or because they want to laugh.
A podcast can also be a powerful marketing tool. Podcasting can be an opportunity
to promote your business, broaden your reach, or market to your existing audience. If you're
able to build a community around a podcast, it can also be a way to build trust.
There are more than 100 million active podcast listeners in the United States, and they're
becoming more popular each year. A podcast has the potential to inform, inspire, or engage
its audience. Ultimately, a podcast is a way to share content. While some enjoy reading
articles, others prefer something they can listen to. Podcasting is flexible, and podcasters can
use the medium in many ways.

Some of the most popular styles of podcasting include:

Conversational
A conversational podcast is essentially a discussion. A podcast host may casually discuss a
topic or interview guests. This format is similar to a traditional radio show.
Monologue
While conversation podcasts usually feature co-hosts or a roundtable discussion, monologue
podcasts have a solo host. It's an unscripted format that can cover a range of topics. Since you
don't have to coordinate with other hosts, this podcast style can be an easy way to grow your
audience.

Non-fiction storytelling
These podcasts present a real-life event in an engaging way. What's an example of a podcast
that uses this format? "This American Life" is a popular radio show and podcast that tells
journalistic human interest stories.
 Theatrical
Many podcasts are non-fiction, but podcasts can also be a format for a fictional story. Some
scripted podcasts tell a story over a few episodes, while others present standalone tales.

Repurposed
It's becoming increasingly common for content creators to repurpose existing content into
podcast episodes. For example, hosts can read blog posts and articles during the podcast. This
allows audiences to engage with content in their preferred format.

Hybrid
Podcasts don't have to stick to a single format. It's not unusual for podcasts to vary in style
across episodes or over time. For example, someone with a monologue podcast might
occasionally invite guests and host a conversational podcast episode.

Audio vs. video podcasting

While podcasting was exclusively an audio medium in its early days, that's no longer the
case. It's common for podcasts to include a video element, such as video footage of the hosts
or images and infographics. Both audio files and videos have benefits and offer different
possibilities.

Audio podcasts are more accessible. While people can listen to a digital audio file anywhere,
videos can only be enjoyed under certain circumstances. An audio podcast also requires less
equipment and can be hosted on various platforms.

On the other hand, video podcasts can help podcasters reach a new audience. People that
don't usually listen to podcasts may watch videos on platforms like YouTube or Twitch.
When you use video footage, you can also share information that would be difficult to convey
via audio content.

When choosing a format for your podcast, it's important to consider your goals, audience, and
resources. Behavioral targeting can help you identify which type of podcast is more appealing
to your target audience.
Reasons for Popularity of Podcasts
1. Podcasts make multitasking easier. One of the biggest reasons podcasts are popular is that
they allow audiences to multitask. Because podcasts come in all lengths, listeners can enjoy
 their favorite episodes that keep them engaged while they perform another activity. Edison
Research, for example, reports that most people listen to podcast episodes while in a car,
walking, or working out. This means that many listeners are doing at least two or three things
while also listening to a podcast. The report also found that other activities listeners do during
a podcast include housework, cooking and baking.
2. Podcasts help listeners stay updated on current news and events. Daily news podcasts are
a growing market in the podcast world, currently dominated by prominent news and media
outlets like The Washington Post, The Guardian, and The New York Times. In fact, the New
York Times’ podcast “The Daily” reaches at least 2 million listeners per day, which is an
impressive but unsurprising feat. Apart from comedy, news is the second most popular
podcast topics that people prefer to listen to.
3. Podcasts are very entertaining. Carrie Ryan at Forbes says it best when she writes, “one
reason podcasts are so popular is that the format is uniquely [suited] to fit into our busy lives.
Any topic you’re interested in? You’ll find a podcast dedicated to it.” Because of the vast
array of podcasts available, listeners are constantly tuning in to their favorite episodes. Along
with learning about new topics and staying updated on current events, listeners also pick
podcasts that entertain them. Whether it’s food, music, relationship advice, or true crime,
there are so many podcasts out there that caters to the interests of every person.
4. Podcasts are simple to create and produce. A special thing about podcasts is that anyone
can do it, as long as they have the motivation and creativity to do so. Most podcasts start out
in basements or kitchens, and with time, grow into highly produced shows. Of course, even
though podcasting is “simple”, you need to understand that it’s an intimate experience. This
means you need to place care and detail into every episode so that your audience enjoys the
topic you’re discussing. And depending on the topic, you’ll need to make sure that you’re
researching correctly by using reliable sources for the information you’re putting out into the
world.
5. Podcasts come in different formats. Numerous podcasts have similar topics but they are
created in varying styles, such as interviews, live conversations, prerecorded story-telling,
and more. It all depends on what each listener likes or what they feel like listening to at the
moment. Because of the variety, podcasts have a higher listening rate. For example,
according to the What’s New in Publishing (WNIP) Insight Report, “data from iTunes’
podcast analytics tool suggests that most podcasts are listened to for at least 90% of their
duration.”
6. Podcast episodes can evolve based on feedback. In order to be a successful podcaster, it’s
important to understand who your audience is. This involves some research, taking into
account the type of content that your audience consumes, asking for their feedback, and
finding a niche for your brand. As your podcast grows, you can implement feedback and
other data found about your audience into newer episodes. You can also invite highly
requested guests or switch your format accordingly, doing this allows listeners to see that
their opinion is valued.
7. Podcasts build community. The most popular podcasts have a loyal fanbase that engage
with them on social media while waiting for new episodes to be released. The type of
engagement that these podcasters receive helps them sell products or merchandise, keep an
active social media presence, and host fun events or groups with their audience. Many
listeners who listen to podcasts are also on social media so it’s easy for them to follow and
share the podcast on their social handles. It also allows listeners to talk and discuss episodes
with others, helping facilitate a community for your podcast. All of these factors boost the
popularity of podcasts, making them highly enticing for all listeners.

Although the podcast industry is still young, it is rising to a whole new level that will bring
many opportunities to brands and audiences alike. In the next few years, we may see newer
pieces of content and innovations that break new grounds along with the technological
advancements set for the future.

Brand Mnemonic
A mnemonic is any learning technique that aids memory. A brand mnemonic is a visual or
audio element that helps consumers recognize and recall a brand. Mnemonics can be used to
create a lasting emotional connection between a brand and its audience. Brand Mnemonics
can be a very useful tool in creating effective brand reminders.

The mnemonic is a part of a brand's DNA that carries with it all characteristics and feelings
that the brand represents.

Types of Mnemonics
The following will help you understand and decide on the right type of Mnemonic that suits
your product,

Music Mnemonics- This could be in the form of jingles, songs, poem, or music that reminds
a customer of the product. Classic examples are the tune (or ring tone, composed by music
director AR Rehman) used in Airtel ad, and the “ting tin t-rin” sound present in the Britannia
biscuits commercial.
Model Mnemonics- Model Mnemonics includes logos, images, signs, mascot, etc. that
remind customers of the ads and the product. Popular ones are the Adidas logo, the Swoosh
of Nike, mascots like utterly butterly girl of Amul, Pilsbury Doughboy of Pilsbury flour,
Ronald McDonalds of McDonalds, and zoozoos of Vodafone. You could have similar
mascots created for your company or products.
Word or expression Mnemonics- Word or expression Mnemonics include short phrases that
convey the trustworthiness, belongingness, service that is associated with the brand. Some
examples are IBM’s punch line ‘On Demand’, ‘because you are worth it’ of L’Oreal, Wipro’s
‘applying thought’, ‘driven by thought, Fiat’ of Fiat motors, ‘The worlds local bank’ of
HSBC, and “Kuchh meetha ho jaye” of Cadbury. A punch line is a means to describe the
commitment associated with the brand. Mr Garg, states “Our company’s punch line is
‘making IT simpler and affordable’, the reason we chose this punch-line is that we wanted to
highlight our business idea of providing quality IT services at an affordable price to our
clients.” You can also develop an attractive punch line for your company depending on the
kind of reputation you want to build among your prospective customers.

A good mnemonic will display at least one of the following characteristics:

1. It will be simple
Blindingly obvious, but no less true for that. The simpler it is, the easier it is to
remember. Just do it. I’m lovin’ it. A five-note jingle.
2. It will be different
There’s no point trying to look and feel the same as your competitors. That’s called
camouflage, and it’s the complete opposite of what you’re trying to do.
3. It will make use of rhythm
Alliteration, tunes and rhymes all stick in our brains better because they create
familiar patterns
 4. It will have visual impact
The Nike swoosh. The golden arches. An apple symbol. No words necessary.
5. It will have emotional resonance
Not always easy to do in isolation, but the mnemonic should make a connection
between the brand and the feeling you want to evoke when your audience recognises
your brand.

Brand storytelling
Skillful brand storytelling is an essential piece of reputation management, but social media is
more than just an avenue to tell your brand’s narrative. It’s a crucial source of information.
Skillful brand storytelling requires using insights about your audience so you can connect
with them, iterate your storytelling and, ultimately, impact your marketing strategy and brand
reputation.

What is brand storytelling?

At its core, brand storytelling establishes emotional connections with people based on the
values you share with them and their needs, desires and aspirations. Innovative brand stories
convey empathy, create experiences and demand urgency.

“Telling a brand’s story begins with finding its truth. Whether in social or broadcast or any
medium in between, consumers will seek out brands that feel authentic to both their values
and what they want from a product or company. Once we’ve mined that truth we then convert
it into an outward-facing message that can be disseminated and interpreted in every channel
to every audience.”
Your brand’s story impacts your entire public relations strategy—from the way your
executives should sound or respond to a crisis to how you build your social media presence.
Your story should be a throughline across channels.

Why do you need a brand story?

There are several benefits of having a brand story. An effective brand story will connect you
to your target consumers, support your social media marketing efforts and inspire your
customers to take action.
A brand story connects you to your customers
Customer care goes beyond fulfilling support inquiries and answering questions before
people make a purchase—it’s about nurturing an emotional connection with customers and
fostering loyalty. A brand story enables you to shed light on these empathetic customer touch
points and merchandizes your brand’s values.

Storytelling is a core element of social media marketing

Brand storytelling is a cornerstone of social media marketing strategy. Every post on
Instagram or video on TikTok or YouTube Shorts ladder up to your brand narrative. For
example, if you were to post a behind-the-scenes look at how your brand sources materials on
social media, that’s a part of your brand story.

Brand stories inspire action

Effective brand storytelling not only evokes an emotional connection, but it ignites your
target audience to interact with your brand. Whether it’s purchasing a new product or
becoming an advocate, authentic brand storytelling can inspire you to take action.

How to create a strong brand story

Where should you start when creating your brand’s story? Here are six steps to follow to help
your story make an impact.

Start with your customer

To craft a brand story that’s compelling, you’ll need to define and consider your target
audience. Use buyer personas or archetypes that embody the traits of your target audience.
Think of your customers as the protagonist of your story. What problems do they face? What
are their wants and needs? What are their behaviors and interests?

Through user surveys and research like social listening, you can uncover more about your
customer and shape a stronger brand story.

Use narrative techniques

People are drawn to stories. The foundation of good brand stories is the same as your favorite
movies, shows and books. Characters. Settings. Conflict. Climax. Resolution. By
incorporating these five essential elements into your brand’s story, you make it possible to
build emotional connections with your audience. And when you emotionally connect with
them, you increase brand recall and transform your audience into brand evangelists.

Have a clear purpose

Your brand’s story needs to have a defined purpose so you can guide the narrative in the right
direction. Try to narrow down the purpose of your story into one or two sentences. What is
your brand trying to accomplish? For example, an organic personal care brand may want to
help people embrace self-care through eco-friendly products.

Lean into authenticity

The most compelling stories glow with authenticity. Avoid creating stories for the sake of
jumping on a trend. Instead, stay true to your brand’s identity when telling your story. Lean
into refining your brand voice and stay true to it. Don’t feel pressured to use colloquial
language or internet slang, unless it makes sense for your brand. Use your brand’s legacy,
aspirations and values as your north star.
Patagonia is a great example of a brand leaning into authenticity. Some of their values
include quality, integrity, justice and environmentalism.

Collaborate with your audience

It’s not just your team that needs to align on your story. Today, brand identities aren’t created
in an incubator. Instead, creators, loyal fans and marketers work together to co-create a
brand’s essence. To tell brand stories that resonate with your audience, you need to get their
perspective. Social media is where you can find it.

Keep brand storytelling consistent

Maintain consistent storytelling to stay connected with your audience. Your audience should
feel like they know what to expect from your brand. If your messaging and brand voice isn’t
cohesive or consistent, your brand story won’t be as strong.

Tell a brand story that resonates

On social media, people tell brands exactly what they want. They share their thoughts,
feelings and opinions about brands, products, current events and more. Listen to them first,
develop your story second.

Why? Because they want to know your brand empathizes with their needs and aligns with
their values. According to The Sprout Social Index™, transparency about business practices
and values is ranked as the second type of content consumers say they don’t see enough of on
social media.
“If you can get a pulse from your audience in the comments section, DMs or via AMA, that
qualitative data can help inform creative and content strategies, your editorial calendar and
even your larger marketing strategy. It’s an awesome focus group at your disposal 24/7 that
can help you refine your brand story on social and beyond.”

– Alex Suazo, VP Digital Marketing & Social at Finn Partners

Let’s dive into the specific aspects of social media that help brands interact with their
audience and uncover voice of customer (VoC) data.

Comments

The easiest way to access your customers’ feedback is by monitoring your comments section
and mentions. They’ll let you know what they love about their experience with you.

For example, Cava posted a response video on TikTok about one of their most commented
menu items: roasted sweet potatoes. In the video, the restaurant chain shares that they brought
back the highly requested menu item and showed how they’re prepared. Cava’s seasonally
sourced ingredients and in-house preparations are a key part of their brand story and customer
experience. Fans were quick to sound off in the comments to share their love for the brand’s
sweet potatoes, among other favorites.

On the other hand, when customers experience a roadblock in their journey with you, they’ll
let you know by mentioning you or commenting on your posts. Whether they have a
customer care concern or disagree with your approach to social media activism, consider
negative feedback a learning opportunity. Use it as data to help shape your future brand
storytelling.
 Polls

When you want to know your audience’s perspective, don’t be afraid to ask. Creating
interactive polls on social platforms is a great way to get hot takes on industry-specific
debates or product preferences. Polls are a low-lift way to build an engaged community that’s
more likely to provide their opinions in the future.

It’s important to note your poll should be appropriate for your followers. Consider what’s in
it for them and why they’d want to participate. For example, could they learn something
about industry best practices? Do they feel like they have a voice in your company’s stance
on an issue?

Monitoring engagement
It’s easy to miss social media engagements, especially when your social team monitors
multiple accounts and channels. It’s further complicated when posts only mention your brand
by a variation of your name or shout out a product rather than reaching out to you
directly. Social media monitoring tools make it easier to catch these instances.
Examples of Brand Storytelling
 Vivo

The smartphone brand used Director Mix to create 550 unique videos from four base
videos. The videos were targeted to users based on their search interests and promoted the
phone's features.

 Swiggy

The food delivery platform's #VoiceOfHunger campaign used Instagram's voice note feature
to encourage users to record their food cravings. This interactive campaign led to a 40%
increase in Swiggy's Instagram following.

 Liberty Shoes

The brand uses Instagram's visual appeal to showcase their footwear through trendy
photoshoots.

 Wingreens Farms

The brand uses Instagram's video capabilities to share informative recipe tutorials.

 Haldiram's
The brand uses interactive quizzes on Facebook, where users can easily participate and share
results with friends.

How social listening can help boost brand storytelling

While monitoring tells you what people are saying, listening tells you why they’re saying it.
With social listening, you can better understand your audience and improve your brand’s
story by accessing the full spectrum of conversations around your industry, brand and
competitors.

You get a window into the candid thoughts and feelings of an audience to illuminate trends,
uncover patterns and gauge emotional response around any topic.

“Listening helps brands stay relevant. Without listening, you have to dig through a sea of
social messages or conduct surveys and focus groups. Listening streamlines that process and
ensures brands can keep up with the speed of the social trend cycle.”

Social Media Storytelling Tips

Let these strategies and expert examples guide your brand’s social media storytelling.

1. Know your brand.

Before you can effectively engage in social media storytelling, you first need to understand your
brand, what it has to offer, how it differs from competitors, and what your audience thinks of it.

“You have to really think about your unique value proposition,” Malik says. “Why do you have
this product and service? How is it surprising, delighting, or enhancing the quality of someone’s
life? Really hone in on that and why it’s so important.”

Armed with this information, you’ll know what you need to communicate about your brand and
highlight about your products or services in your social posts.

2. Understand your audience.

In addition to knowing your brand, you also need to have a deep understanding of your audience
that consumes your social media content. Once you know who your audience is, you’ll be able
to identify ways to capture their attention through social media storytelling.
3. Use a variety of storytelling formats.
Different social media platforms lend themselves to certain types of storytelling. Instagram and
TikTok, for example, rely on visuals, while LinkedIn and Facebook are better fits for longer
text-based posts.

Your brand no doubt has a presence on various social channels, so experiment with ways to tell
its story through text, video, GIFs, and more.

Here at EveryoneSocial, we know we have great blog content (there’s a reason why you read
this far!), but no matter how awesome our content is, we understand that not everyone is going
to click a blog link we post on social media.

That’s why we give our followers a variety of ways to consume our content through social
media storytelling.

For example, we may create tweet threads that highlight the main concepts of a blogs.

4. Share memorable moments.

Studies show that memories connected to emotions are stronger, so take advantage of this.

Identify those moments that are particularly memorable for your brand and share those stories
on social media.

“Stickiness makes your brand story memorable. Experiences that are shocking, heartwarming,
relatable, or unusual help people not only remember your story, but also prompts them to share
it with other people,” says documentary filmmaker Jia Wertz.

Look at the evolution of your brand and find moments that will tap into people’s emotions.

Why? Because people don’t make decisions based on data alone. Research shows that emotions
are a necessary component, which is why storytelling should be an integral part of
communicating your brand.

If you need ideas of what to share, dig into the inspiration behind your brand, the story of your
first customer, a challenge the company faced, a time the CEO failed and what they learned
from that experience, how and why your organization supports a particular cause, and more.
5. Focus on points of change.

Our brains are hardwired to detect change, so make a post about a moment of change or set up
your post to immediately capture a user’s attention by teasing the change to come like Patagonia
does below.

“Good and powerful storytelling whether it’s for a book, article, a website or on social, must
begin with a moment of unexpected change,” says Carolyn Rush Crouse, strategy director of
branding agency Red Antler.

6. Understand the psychology of sharing.

Have you ever asked yourself why you chose to share a certain post to your Instagram Stories or
why you felt compelled to retweet someone?

Odds are, it’s because that content tapped into one of the five reasons we share, according to a
study by The New York Times Customer Insight Group:

 To bring value and entertainment to others

 To define ourselves to others
 To grow and nourish our relationships
 To fulfill ourselves
 To get the word out about causes or brands

When you craft a social media post, ask yourself if the content could accomplish one or more of
these. If not, rethink your strategy.

7. Humanize your brand.

Yes, you’re engaging in social media storytelling on behalf of a brand, but people are interested
in stories about people and making connections with them, so keep this in mind.

“With every social media post, consider a way to humanize what you’re sharing,” says Desiree
Tizon, EveryoneSocial’s senior social media manager.

“Instead of a stock photo, do you have an image of an employee to use instead?,” she says.
“Rather than sharing a link to a job post, can a hiring manager share a video of what they’re
looking for in the role? Each employee at your company has a story to tell, sometimes they just
need a bit of encouragement to participate.”

8. Feature customers and employees.

On that same note, it’s important to give employees and customers the opportunity to advocate
for your brand. After all, they’re part of your story.

Do this by featuring customer stories, such as in the example below, highlighting employees,
and even resharing content from users and employees on your social media channels.

User-generated content and employee-generated content are essential to social media

storytelling.

After all, 92% of consumers trust online content from friends, colleagues, and family above all
other forms of brand messages. Plus, 79% of people say this kind of content highly influences
their purchasing decisions.

Social media ethics

Social media ethics refer to a set of moral principles and guidelines that govern the behavior
of individuals and organizations while using social media platforms. These ethics are
designed to ensure that users of social media platforms conduct themselves in a responsible,
respectful, and ethical manner.

Some of the key principles of social media ethics include:

1. Transparency: Individuals and organizations should be transparent about their

identity, affiliation, and interests while engaging with others on social media
platforms.
2. Respect: Users of social media platforms should respect the privacy, dignity, and
rights of others and should avoid engaging in behavior that is derogatory, abusive, or
offensive.
 3. Responsibility: Users of social media platforms should take responsibility for the
content they share and ensure that it is accurate, truthful, and not misleading.
4. Authenticity: Users of social media platforms should be authentic and avoid engaging
in behavior that is deceitful or manipulative.
5. Accountability: Users of social media platforms should be accountable for their
actions and should be prepared to accept the consequences of their behavior.

Contextualising content
Contextual content is a smart way to offer the right content to the right
audience at the right time. It’s a relevant piece of blog post, ad, video or
even interactive quiz that perfectly fits the user’s need.

Contextual content is a smart way to offer the right content to the right
audience at the right time. It’s a relevant piece of blog post, ad, video or
even interactive quiz that perfectly fits the user’s need.

What is Contextual Content?

Contextual content is marketing content that adapts to the current location, channel,
and needs of the audience.

In short, it gives people the information they’re looking for at the moment, even
if they don’t realize they need it at that time.

Have you ever wondered why you get social media ads for umbrellas when it is
raining or for a particular restaurant when you’re driving in the area?

These are both examples of contextual ads that adapt to specific circumstances of
the user and what they are experiencing in the current moment.

Contextual content is different from traditional marketing in that it works to adapt to

very specific circumstances.

This is in direct contrast to the classical norms of marketing, which only work to
bombard the client with brand recognition on a very broad basis.

For marketers, the end result of contextual content is a better connection to

the needs of your target audience.
This is key, as people are more likely to make a purchase at the exact moment they
need something than later on when they’re trying to remember who offered a specific
product.

Is Personalization the Key to

Contextual Content?
There is one method that makes contextual content even more powerful in
conveying the right message and that’s personalization.

In fact, it is so important that you could easily say it is the absolute must to ensure
the entire process works.

Essentially, the whole concept of contextual content means adjusting the format and
substance of your message to the exact micro needs of a specific user, not the
macro desires of a mass group.

Personalization makes this happen by helping you narrow down the buyer
persona segment you’re most trying to reach.

In the end, this allows them to get the information they need when it most
makes sense.

Need an example?

Let’s say you’ve collected data on people who like widgets.

In response to a survey you sent out, three people prefer red widgets and seven like
blue ones.

You could use personalization in this instance to offer a discount on red widgets to
those three people who like them best and a separate message with a similar
coupon to those who like blue.

This will likely result in shoppers making purchases, which wouldn’t be as likely to
happen if you only had one message sent out to the whole group of ten.

And this is just one example of the power of personalized messaging!

Data behavior and contextual content

Of course, we can’t talk about personalizing content to meet audience needs without
discussing the importance of data behavior, too.
Data behavior is how a particular member of your target market behaves in terms of
how they search for things online, the way they interact with your brand, the choices
they make in terms of product selection, and more.

Think of it as the key that unlocks the door to true marketing personalization.

If you’re currently tracking this type of data, then it becomes incredibly easy to start
using more customized messaging in your contextual content.

By having the critical information necessary for segmenting your groups, you can
help ensure that your targeted buyer persona is getting the messaging necessary for
their needs.

How to Create Contextual Content

To be considered contextual content, the information needs to be timely,
authoritative, and relevant.

When creating your content piece — whether that is an ad, video, interactive quiz, or
whatever else — you’ll want to follow the same process to ensure you’re really
getting the right message out into the world.

Of course, this requires a few steps that are virtually identical, no matter what you’re
trying to market.

Clearly define your audience

One of the most key aspects of contextual content is defining your target market and
creating unique buyer personas.

Before you produce an individual piece, it is essential to understand which persona

specifically you’re talking to and why your message matters to them.

To make this happen, consider segmenting your audience.

For example, you might break it down to those who are in a specific state or area.

Or you could use those who purchased a specific item from your brand or submitted
a request for a particular white paper download.

Choose segments that make the most sense for what you’re trying to achieve.
Decide which channel is best
Using contextual content in your digital marketing campaigns also means deciding
which channel is best to reach your buyer persona.

Are they primarily on Facebook or are you sending out an email blast to certain
subscribers?

Is your audience young and using TikTok or are they professionals who are primarily
on LinkedIn?

You’ll want to know this ahead of time when it comes to creating your
campaigns, as the type of message and format you choose will need to match that
platform.

However, keep in mind that you can sometimes achieve the same result by creating
an identical or similar message with an omnichannel approach if your target buyer is
active on multiple platforms.

Choose a format for your content

The next step in creating contextual content is deciding the format you want to use.

Some buyer personas respond better to blog posts, while others need videos,
quizzes, or other interactive content to stay engaged.

Remember, contextual content is all about getting your message in front of the right
people at the right time.

By deciding on one or two different approaches to the type of contextual

content you’re creating, you can really reach a much wider audience.

Decide on variable elements

Part of what makes contextual content so intriguing is that it is truly tailored to the
exact buyer you’re trying to target.

To make this happen on a wider scale, you can use variable elements within
your messaging.

For example, you might choose to show someone in a location that is typically snowy
in the winter an ad for a snow shovel.
 But you wouldn’t want to advertise that same item to someone in a warmer climate,
like Phoenix, Arizona.

Instead, you could use a variable to show those segmented customers something
along the lines of a patio umbrella.

Create the content

The next step in the process is to actually create the content itself.

While this part will largely depend on your brand’s creative vision and usual method
for creating finished deliverables, the main focus is still the same.

➤ Write the copy or create the media as if you were talking to just that one
buyer persona.

It’s like writing an email message to a coworker versus writing a letter to your
grandma.

You would likely have a different tone, message structure, or even word choice with
one over the other.

This is really a key point in contextual content that a lot of marketers miss, simply
because they’re too preoccupied with reaching a large group of individuals all at
once.

Publish and track results

After the content is completed, the next logical step is simply to release it out into the
world, whether that is:

 Publishing it on your website.

 Sending out an email blast.
 Or just launching an ad campaign.
Once it is out there, you’ll want to ensure you’re tracking the results of the
campaign.

This is super crucial and a step that a lot of teams forget, which is why we’re
including it as part of the contextual content process.

Why is it important?

When you know what works well with a segmented portion of your audience,
you can adjust the same message to try to attract different buyer groups.
Often, contextual content that works well with one group only needs a few minor
changes to be effective with another.

This is the best approach to have if you have a pretty wide target market or are
looking to really save time in the creation of different types of customized content
over the long haul.

Contextual Content Examples

Of course, what would an ultimate guide on contextual content be without a few key
examples?

Here are a few of our favorite approaches to personalized marketing campaigns

and digital advertising.

Contextual content in apps

Is your brand thinking about creating an app for customers or do you already have
one?

This can be an amazing way to utilize contextual content in a super meaningful way.

Think geofences that switch sections of the program to a store map when a
customer enters your retail location.

Or an in-app scanning tool that makes it easy for users to get a discount when
there’s a specific QR code in front of them.

Interactive quizzes
The use of interactive quizzes is another excellent way to utilize contextual content.

Best of all, they even work if you don’t have a lot of personalized data to go off
of.

Start by inviting a general buyer group to your website to take an interactive quiz.
With each branch of the quiz or question they answer, they’re refining the information
that you’re presenting to them.

In the end, the final results provide a highly personalized piece of content that suits
the needs and desires they’ve selected throughout the interaction.

Where these can be especially awesome is eCommerce.

For example, you could use a quiz to refine down a short list of products that the
customer would deem as must-have.

All by simply asking questions about colors, styles, needs, and more.

Geotargeting and Geofencing

Another two linked types of contextual marketing involve the use of geotargeting and
geofencing.

This is where target customers are given specific information based on where
they live or even the current neighborhood they’re in at a specific moment.

A lot of big brands like Walmart, Target, McDonalds, and others use these types of
contextual marketing to captivate shoppers.

Linked with an individual’s smartphone GPS coordinates, the two processes make it
simple to really get in front of those who are nearby a brick-and-mortar location.

Personalized website experiences

Your brand is probably already using contextual content without even realizing it.

For example, if you serve customers in multiple countries, you might already have a
tool on your website that determines the visitor’s country and adjusts the language of
the copy on the page to meet what’s native in their region.

You might also have certain sections of a dashboard or cart that change when a
customer signs into their account on your eCommerce store.

Or you could even have a different page layout with individualized content for those
who are on smartphone devices versus those on a desktop browser.

These are all good examples of how contextual content can be as simple or as
detailed as you really want it to be.

Specific landing pages based on marketing

campaigns
Maybe your audience is really similar in terms of how they find new information,
products, and services.
And that’s okay.

However, you can still use contextual content to your advantage by pairing up
specific landing pages based on individual marketing campaigns.

Here’s an example to consider.

Let’s say you have one campaign that is designed to reach homeowners in New
York who need pest control services.

When they follow a social media ad, they receive a landing page with an opportunity
to fill out a quote form.

You’ve already used targeting to ensure these people live within a specific area
when they saw the initial ad, so you can be pretty confident that they’ll choose to find
out information about services from your field office in their local area.

Likewise, let’s say you’re running an ad for similar services in Arizona.

You can tailor the imagery of the second landing page to include photos of cacti,
scorpions, rattlesnakes, and other desert creatures.

See where this makes sense? This is just another example of a strong contextual
content strategy.

Wrap Up: Captivating your Audience

with Contextual Content
As you can tell, contextual content is an amazing way to offer your audience exactly
what they’re looking for the moment they need it.

In turn, this improves the chances that they’ll buy from or engage with your brand, as
you’re giving them the solution to their needs in a very immediate way.

The true key to creating winning contextual content campaigns really relies on being
able to use customer or target audience data to craft a completely unique brand
experience.

When a marketing team adopts this type of content strategy, they can really
find unique and interesting ways to engage their target market on a much more
granular level.

In turn, this can lead to increased sales, improved customer satisfaction, and a clear
way to really outshine the competition that isn’t using a similar strategy.
Best of all, brands big and small can all find ways to incorporate personalized
content into their marketing campaigns on both major and minor levels.

The 70-20-10- Rule in Digital Marketing and

Content strategy
The 70-20-10 rule is a widely recognized principle in content marketing that helps
brands strike the right balance between delivering valuable content, engaging with
their audience, and promoting their products or services. It is a content creation
strategy that prioritizes value and fosters genuine connections with your audience,
ultimately helping you reach new customers and build brand loyalty.

This rule serves as a guiding principle, allocating different types of content across
three categories: educational (70%), engaging (20%), and promotional (10%). Let’s
dive deeper into each category and explore practical ways to implement them in your
content strategy.

THE POWER OF THE

70%
The foundation of the 70-20-10 rule lies in providing educational content. This
category forms the bulk of your content creation efforts, accounting for 70% of your
overall output. Educational content aims to offer valuable information, solve
problems, and answer questions that your audience may have. It positions you as an
expert in your field and helps build trust among your readers. 70% of your content
should be focused on adding value to your audience’s lives. Here’s how to deliver
high-value content:

 Share the Knowledge:



 Curate informative blog posts, tutorials, or industry reports relevant to
your niche.
 Answer frequently asked questions (FAQs) in clear, concise language,
making you a trusted resource.

 Become a Thought Leader:

 Offer insightful advice or host interactive Q&A sessions. Share your expertise and
position yourself as a leader in your field.

 Spark Conversations:
 Encourage engagement with polls, quizzes, or challenges. This creates a sense
of community and keeps your audience glued to your feed.

Seventy percent of your social

posts should support brand
awareness and image.
 What is your brand doing to make the world a better place?
 Who are your products or services helping?
 What defines your brand?
 What is your team’s culture or driving force?

Nurturing Connections with the 20%

In addition to creating original content, the 70-20-10 Rule The 70-20-10 rule isn’t just
about creating your own content – it’s about curating a well-rounded social media
experience. Allocating 20% of your social media posts to curated content allows you
to diversify your feed and offer varied perspectives to your audience.

Approximately 20% of your social content should be

shared content. This includes industry news shared from
relevant accounts, interviews with experts, or even
relevant or entertaining content from brands with similar
audiences.
Here’s how 20% of your content can add variety:

 Fresh Perspectives:
 Share thought-provoking articles, inspiring quotes, or interesting statistics from
influencers or experts in your field.
 Industry Insights:
 Showcase industry trends and keep things interesting for your followers.
 Demonstrate Expertise:
 By curating valuable content, you show your commitment to providing
comprehensive and informative resources.

10%: A Touch of Self-Promotion

While it may seem counterintuitive, promotional and branded content still has its
place within the 70-20-10 rule. When done tastefully, it reinforces your brand’s
identity and offerings. The remaining 10% of your social media content, according to
the 70-20-10 Rule, can be dedicated to promotional messaging. This is your space
for strategic promotion.

By keeping your promotional content minimal, you maintain the focus on delivering
value and prevent your social media channels from turning into a constant
advertising platform. Remember, moderation is key.

 Highlight Your Offerings:

 Showcase your products, services, or upcoming events, but ensure it
complements your valuable content, not replaces it.
 Special Offers and Contests:
 Run exclusive promotions or contests to incentivize engagement, but keep it
infrequent to avoid feeling sales-y.

Some brands are tempted to make the majority of their social and
website content promotion-based content that always directs
readers to make a purchase. We’ve seen it time and time again.
While it’s important to keep followers up-to-date on your
products and services, they’re not going to be fooled by a
timeline full of promotional content. Sales-heavy copy and
graphics are a turn-off for most followers, so limit what you
promote so that when you do feature promotional content, it’s
timely and relevant.
When it’s time to feature promotional content, what should you
include? Teasers for new products and services, boosted posts
for events, and paid ads are the most effective way to spread the
word.

BUILDING A LOYAL
COMMUNITY WITH THE
70-20-10 RULE
Once you have implemented the 70-20-10 rule in your content creation strategy, it’s
time to focus on building a loyal community. Here are some effective tactics for
cultivating a strong sense of belonging and engagement among your audience.

Connecting with Your Audience on a

Deeper Level
To foster a strong community connection, prioritize building meaningful relationships
with your audience. Here’s how:

 Actively respond to comments, messages, and inquiries from your audience, showing
genuine care and interest.
 Personalize your communication whenever possible, addressing individuals by name
and acknowledging their contributions or concerns.
 Initiate discussions and ask open-ended questions that encourage your audience to
share their thoughts and experiences.
 Show vulnerability and authenticity by sharing personal stories or behind-the-scenes
glimpses of your brand’s journey.
By connecting on a deeper level, you humanize your brand and create a safe space
where individuals feel seen, heard, and valued.
Encouraging User-Generated Content
and Engagement
User-generated content is a powerful tool for community building. It not only
increases engagement but also amplifies your brand’s reach. Here are some
effective strategies:

 Run contests, challenges, or giveaways that incentivize your audience to create and
share content related to your brand.
 Feature user-generated content prominently on your website, social media channels,
or other marketing materials to showcase your community’s creativity and
enthusiasm.
 Highlight and appreciate your community members’ contributions regularly, whether
through shoutouts, testimonials, or awards.
 Foster a culture of collaboration and co-creation by seeking input from your audience
when developing new products, features, or initiatives.
Encouraging user-generated content and engagement empowers your community
members to become brand advocates and ambassadors, strengthening their
connection with your brand.

Leveraging Social Media and

Influencers
Social media platforms present abundant opportunities to build and nurture your
brand’s community. Consider the following tactics:

 Choose the right social media channels that align with your target audience’s
preferences and behaviors.
 Consistently share valuable and engaging content on your social media profiles,
including both curated and original content.
 Participate actively in relevant online communities or groups where your audience
gathers, demonstrating your expertise and adding value to the conversation.
 Collaborate with influencers or micro-influencers who resonate with your audience,
leveraging their reach and credibility to amplify your brand’s message.
Social media platforms and influencers can serve as powerful catalysts
for community growth and engagement when approached strategically.
PUTTING THE 70-20-10
RULE INTO ACTION
Incorporating the 70-20-10 rule into your content strategy empowers you to add
value and build a robust community around your brand. By dedicating 70% of your
efforts to providing educational content, 20% to nurturing connections, and 10% to
promoting your brand creatively, you strike a balance that resonates with your
audience.

Key Takeaways
 Prioritize educational content that solves your audience’s problems and delivers
actionable insights.
 Infuse storytelling elements into your educational content to make it more engaging
and memorable.
 Nurture connections through social engagement, active conversation, and user-
generated content.
 Leverage behind-the-scenes insights and exclusive content to cultivate a sense of
exclusivity.
 Host live events and webinars to facilitate real-time interaction and foster a deeper
connection.

The 50-50- rule

The 50/50 rule in social media marketing is a strategy that involves allocating 50% of your
marketing budget to content creation and 50% to distribution. This rule was developed by
Gary Vaynerchuck, who observed that many people spend most of their budget on
distribution and not enough on content creation.