There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to the term “content marketing.” One of them is the belief that content deployment should be carried out with same approach you would use with a traditional mixed-media campaign.
Although social deployment and content media are indeed entangled in the same marketing fabric, they are not the same thing.
Social deployment is the selection of social media channels based on your goals and objectives, along with the scheduling and selection of media type.
Content marketing is how your goals and objectives translate into various media types that will most likely engage your customer audience. This content can take countless forms, such as pictures, videos, infographics, white papers, podcasting, etc.
Think of social deployment as freight trains delivering coal. Trains on different tracks deliver coal to the good people in different locations. The coal is your content. The tracks carrying the trains represent deployment.
Diving Deeper
There is a popular myth that winning at social marketing means deploying against all popular channels. Nothing could be further from the truth. Without making too many assumptions about your business model and the future direction of your product or service, let’s presume you and the key players in your marketing team have a grasp of the following:
- A precise understanding of your brand and how it differentiates against the competition
- The same rich understanding of all products and services within the brand
- An understanding of both short-term and long-term goals and objectives for the business
- A firm understanding of your audience demographic, and a tertiary understanding of their geographic location
- Something that is seen as a major plus would be a persona development of “the perfect customer” — within that vision, include a rich understanding of their social propensities
Once you have the meat on these bones, the appropriate social media channels will be more evident. That is, of course, unless the campaign calls for a one-channel approach. For example, a photo campaign would be best suited to Instagram, and YouTube is the place for a collection of webisodic video content.
Content Marketing
As stated above, this is where you select the appropriate media type as it pertains to progressive messaging, creative campaign, or conversational engagement type. You need to develop content that your audience will not only respond to, but will also have virality. Additionally, the new-media marketer needs to think about the volume of available content based on the timing of the campaign.
Take, for instance, a live event; it’s not just enough to be tweeting about “what’s happening.” That content needs to play in concert with photography, videos, and inspiring your audience to participate within the channels in a way that creates the perception of spontaneity.
Prior to this event, you may have done two to three weeks of pre-teasing using e-mails, Tweets, and Facebook posts. Perhaps you peppered in some short-form video to build excitement among your attendees. All of these elements are going to make up your “pre, during, and post” campaign strategy.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is a critical error to treat content marketing and social media deployment as one and the same. While they are deeply intertwined, understanding their distinct roles is fundamental to a successful marketing strategy.
Social deployment is the logistical framework—the selection of the right channels to deliver your message, much like trains on a track.
Content marketing, on the other hand, is the message itself—the valuable, engaging material, like the coal being delivered, that is specifically designed to resonate with a well-understood audience. A winning strategy is not about universal presence across all social platforms but about a targeted, deliberate approach.
By first establishing a deep understanding of the brand, audience, and objectives, marketers can then select the most appropriate channels and develop compelling content that engages customers throughout the entire lifecycle of a campaign, from initial teasing to post-event follow-up.
Key Takeaways
- Content and deployment are different: Think of content as the what (the message, video, or post) and social deployment as the how and where (the channels used to share it). They are separate but connected parts of a single strategy.
- Strategy over saturation: Don’t just be on every social media platform. A successful approach requires a deep understanding of your brand, goals, and audience to select the channels where your “perfect customer” is most active.
- Know your foundation: Before choosing channels or creating content, you must have a firm grasp of your brand differentiation, products, business goals, and audience demographics. Make sure to register a domain name that can become the center of everything you are doing.
- Content must be engaging and shareable: The goal is to create content—be it video, images, or text—that your audience will not only enjoy but will also be compelled to share, creating organic virality.
- Plan the full campaign lifecycle: Effective marketing requires a “pre, during, and post” strategy. Build anticipation before an event, create engaging content during it, and continue the conversation afterward to maximize impact.
