We are living in the ever changeable era, and businesses that strive to succeed in such surroundings must be willing to change too. One of the recent revolutionary novelties is the Internet of Things (IoT). The Internet is constantly present and it operates with things that are capable of carrying out functions and thus affect the physical world. Basically, IoT refers to objects that can be connected wirelessly to a computer or smart device, allowing remote control and more efficient usage. However, how does that impact content marketer’s job? Let us see.
Understanding IoT
Businesses are yet racing to understand what IoT is and how exactly it fits into their content strategy. It is important to realize that we are living in a new connected world where there is a need to adapt and transform old ideas and create new ones, based on customers’ desires. There is a strong need for rethinking how we will communicate with customers on these new screens in their homes and how we can still deliver relevant content.
Defining the Experience
A crucial step in creating an effective content marketing strategy is still the one pointed out by Online Marketing Gurus – researching the audience (preferred kind of content, online habits and ways to reach them). What changes, however, is the need to build rich and lived experiences. This means that now, content is populating the network of things and is published in a place where habits and physical space intertwine. Defining the experience means to tap into those habits and realize, should the fridge only have content in the form of recipes, or should it have breaking news alerts.
Enriching Lives
No longer is content marketing, or marketing itself, based simply on selling a product/service or publishing ads. The Internet of Things has brought with it the need for content marketers to provide actual value and enrich readers’ lives. After all, people will not want your ad to pop up on their expensive washing machine. This new approach requires a precise knowledge of when, where and how your brand should “pop up”, which will ensure that you emerge in the most engaging way. Readers will not let you in their homes if you are being aggressive and rude.
Being Innovative
All of this requires a different approach when it comes to understanding your audience. A content marketer needs to know what its audience’s subconscious needs are and how to create something that will satisfy them. There is no actual trick to achieve that. The safest way to go is by putting together a great team of strategic thinkers that will build content based on rigorous customer insights.
Providing Real-Time Information
Customer relationships are built by being trustworthy, solving problems, giving advice and information and being available. The Internet of Things can provide you with data that will ensure you always send correct information, by giving you factors such as weather, location, and product interaction.
The product can also monitor and send data to you, so you can be informed as soon as some malfunction occur. Content marketers can provide public service when they notify users about breaking news and other important announcements, including events in customer’s city, special deals at their shops, etc. Real-time information gives you credibility and builds a customer relationship based on mutual usefulness.
Content Strategy
It is clear by now that this aspect covers all the previous changes and that it will go through more shifts when it comes to IoT revolution. The end goal of a well-planned content strategy is to deliver a real-time, poignant and personalized experience. In order to achieve that, content marketers must have a meaningful insight into its customer base. As previously mentioned, this requires much more than simple market research. Once the results are there, a strategy is built based on what people truly want, instead of what marketers want them to want. The written content and taxonomy design will still make an important part of user experience.
Besides the many challenges, the connected world offers even more possibilities. The changes, adaptations and ways of connecting are providing both marketers and users with great experience and value. The best way to exploit this potential is by hiring a well-trained and skilled team of smart content thinkers.
