Tourism Australia’s 8 questions for great content marketing

Arguably one of the best exponents of content and social marketing, Tourism Australia shared its strategy for customer engagement with its brand (Australia) at the Content Marketing World conference in Sydney this week.

Jesse Desjardins, the social media and advocacy manager for Tourism Australia explained the eight questions he asks when devising a content marketing strategy. Here’s a summary of what he said:

1. Can we build a platform that gets bigger over time?

Is your strategy repeatable and scalable? The major platforms for content marketing such as Facebook, Google and Instagram are platforms easily built upon by others. Using platforms that enable others to share and build on content creates greater opportunity for engagement and two-way interaction.

2. Can we do this properly?

Prove all of your content is leading a consumer further down the path to purchase. Make sure you can use each channel properly, maximising its usefulness such as through native content. However native content for Facebook is different to native content for Twitter.

3. Who can we partner with?

Tourism Australia works with many partners to create and curate loads of great content. It engages passionate people to create content on its behalf – taking photos, sharing information and adding a personal touch. Who can you partner with to get great content?

4. Can we make the audience the hero?

Many organisations make their company the hero of content – every article focuses on the organisation and their story. Make your audience the hero of your content, because it’s about them, not you! Desjardins cited an example of a photographer who took an amazing photo of Bondi Beach and then received all the credit on the Facebook page. This builds strong relationships within your industry.

5. Are we giving a story to tell?

No-one is going to share or amplify your message if you’re not providing a good story for them to tell. Create an opportunity for your audience to place their own spin on it, making it relevant and relatable for their networks. Create content that is engaging, emotive and interesting.

6. Can we surf a wave?

Real-time marketing can amplify your reach by increasing the message relevance and tying it to a hot topic. Stay on top of culture – internal, and external. Use opportunities to add your story to an evolving event.

For example, on 21 December 2012 (when the Mayans had predicted the world would end), Tourism Australia jumped on the social media flurry asking Australia if we were alright (other nations had assumed that if anything happened, we would be the first to see it). Quick-thinking Desjardins posted on Australia’s Facebook page, “Yes, we’re alive”. The reaction went viral.

7. How much value are we capturing?

Desjardins noted that while many content marketing resources are focused on pushing content out of the organisation, the most value comes from what’s coming into the organisation as a result of the content. Place a focus on what your organisation is getting in return from content, and maximise this part of your strategy – not the content going out.

8. Are we sharing our work?

Tourism Australia shares its work with anyone interested or related to Australia’s tourism industry, such as hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions or councils. Taking content from these sources means it’s authentic, engages audiences and is diverse. Are you sharing your work?

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