Fads Come And Go, But Content Always Remains King
Posted on Wednesday, April 11th, 2012 | No Comments »
By Steve Kabelowsky
In our technologically advanced society, there are a number of outlets competing for our attention.
The ones that tend to get most of our allocated free time are sites, stations and newsstands that can connect with us because they have content that can draw us in.
News outlets learned long ago that the way to attract and keep an audience is to deliver information people find entertaining or useful, and then do it again, and again, and again. Increasingly, businesses and organizations, even individuals, are finding themselves in the information production business – even if it is just spreading the word on what they have to offer – they can learn some valuable lessons from other information providers.
Yahoo is restructuring after learning some lessons the hard way.
“Our online media presence has long been our company’s clearest competitive advantage,” CEO Scott Thompson wrote in his memo to Yahoo’s staff.
The once giant internet search and email provider has found itself trying to redefine exactly what is necessary to survive. To rebuild its foundation, Yahoo is turning to content. The company will boost its news, sports, finance and entertainment reporting, in an effort to generate enough of the right content to gain and keep its audience.
“Yahoo’s main focus will be its consumer business group, an umbrella for its vast network of news, e-commerce and social sites,” CNN reported after obtaining Thompson’s memo.
Small businesses and organizations can transform their own customers into an audience, and take advantage of the digital space to grow its customer base. But it will take content to keep the people coming back.
A story can be told to your customer on multiple platforms, preferably places where your potential audience already is.
Here’s a quick list of questions that can help guide you in content production and a communications strategy:
• Is my website filled with correct and current information?
• How often is the site updated with new information?
• Are my customers on social media?
• What do my customers do on social media?
• Do I have face-to-face time with my customers?
• Is the story of who I am and what we do delivered in that face-to-face time?
• Do we mail or email our customers on a routine basis?
• What messages are included in the mail and email?
Nervousness Normal With New Vendor
Posted on Thursday, April 5th, 2012 | No Comments »
By Steve Kabelowsky Whenever you switch to someone new to provide goods or a service, it can be nerve-wracking. Cell phone, cable and internet providers, insurance companies, stores, fast-food restaurants … they all are competing for your business. The NFL owners, players – and more importantly the fan base – all were nervously awaiting the [...]
There’s Trouble With Labels On Labels
Posted on Monday, March 26th, 2012 | No Comments »
By Steve Kabelowsky Correct messaging can reinforce a brand. Think about the many successes in our society. As soon as I mention “Oreo” you can visualize what it is, and if you have eaten as many as I have, you can remember the taste and offer a breakdown in the order in which you eat [...]
Information Still Carries Weight
Posted on Friday, March 16th, 2012 | No Comments »
By Steve Kabelowsky It may not be about physical pounds as in the kind you lift, but information, even if it is no longer bound in book form, still carries weight. This week, the publishers of the Encyclopedia Britannica announced that as soon as inventory runs out, they will no longer publish the 32-volume printed [...]
