Long-form content is everywhere. Whether it’s annual reports, trend forecasts, or quarterly analyses, reports and whitepapers abound. And it’s understandable that the idea of a long-form, data-driven report sounds about as exciting as watching paint dry — especially when so many people are focused on short-form video strategies that capitalise on the trend du jour.
While snackable content has its place (and can be highly effective in gaining top-of-mind brand awareness, when done right), it doesn’t necessarily drive leads the same way that a meaty whitepaper can — and believe it or not, a whitepaper can be plenty exciting on its own.
A couple of weeks ago, as part of a PRCA APAC webinar, Mutant’s head of content chatted with Fiona Choi, the Chief Marketing Officer of beBIT TECH, and Lim Jing Ying, Senior Marketing Manager at Syfinido, for PRCA APAC to discuss all things content.
Here, we’ll explore some key learnings from that webinar and find out how valuable content insights can drive success for your business.
Data-centric content needs to be powered by storytelling
If data is the “head,” or the logical part of the content strategy, then storytelling is the “heart,” according to Jing Ying, whose experience with data-driven white papers informs her insights. Even if you have original, never-before-seen data and insights to present in your content, none of it would be as valuable if not for a compelling storyline. This is because effective communication isn’t just about presenting and reporting facts and figures; it’s about understanding how you would turn marketing insights into action and connecting with your audience on an emotional level.
Even B2B customers, who typically value data above everything else, still rely on emotional and social proof points — which are often presented in the form of a story — before making a decision.
Ultimately, exceptional content marries compelling narratives with data-driven insights. This powerful combination fosters deeper connections with your audience, builds trust, and drives meaningful engagement, ultimately fueling business growth.
Repurposing content across multiple channels increases its longevity
Instead of making your content a one-and-done thing, ensure it lives across all social platforms inhabited by your target audience. There are several ways a brand can go about this:
They can start with a social-first campaign, spotlighting key findings from the content piece in question. Or, they could leverage a PR-first approach and secure media coverage for the content piece before launching a social media strategy, as Fiona recommended. The possibilities are endless!
Strategically repurposing your content, whether through PR or targeted content campaigns, can help maximise its reach and impact, driving better engagement with your audience. This not only boosts brand visibility and awareness but also nurtures leads, builds trust, and eventually contributes to achieving your business objectives.
Avoid using “hard-selling” tactics when it comes to content
At the end of the day, people don’t want to be directly sold to. Therefore, if brands come off as too pushy with their messaging, it might turn customers off entirely.
Jing Ying suggests that brands should rely on employee advocacy and thought leadership to build brand goodwill, indirectly influencing people to engage with their content. Working with trusted content partners is another avenue for brands to continue building momentum with their intended target audience.
Knowing how to tastefully communicate a brand message also depends on how well the business knows its customers and has a keen understanding of what they might like or dislike. Instead of hard-selling tactics, Jing Ying recommends a community-based content approach to social media and suggests using LinkedIn as a guiding tool to interact and connect with people who might be interested in what your brand has to say.
This enables genuine engagement and trust, laying the foundation for lasting relationships and brand loyalty. In the end, building a loyal community through valuable content leads to stronger connections and sustained business growth. That’s the power of content insights in action.
Content Insights for Business Growth
Measuring content metrics effectively is about understanding how your content resonates with your audience, builds relationships, and drives business outcomes. It’s not just about tracking conventional metrics like clicks, engagements, and downloads — there is so much more than that.
For instance, consider looking at the quality of leads (people providing their details to download your ebook) as well as customer acquisition and lifetime value. These metrics can provide valuable content insights, especially for long-form content, which are often designed to generate leads and nurture relationships. By analysing these details, you can refine your content strategy, create more impactful content, and achieve greater success.
If you’re looking for experts in content marketing in Singapore or need help with social media content services, you’ll be in good hands with us: [email protected].