Why Your Content Marketing Strategy Is Bollocks

Why Your Content Marketing Strategy Is Bollocks

Content marketing is an experiment in Australia. Brands are trialling it and seeing how it goes, but according to Ayal Steiner, general manager at Outbrain, two out of three brands don’t reckon they’re doing content marketing well.

“A lot of brands are reporting that they’re involved in content marketing,” Steiner explained to the audience at the Ad:Tech conference currently underway in Sydney. “When you look at a recent ADMA survey in Australia, you notice that despite feeling unsuccessful, more than 80% feel that they’re going to be doing more content marketing, and only 4% feel they’re going to do less of it.

“How come if you feel something isn’t successful, how come you’re going to do more of it? That, to me, is the definition of insanity. Keep doing the same thing and expecting a different result.”

So how can brands having a play in this space move past just dabbling and have a solid foundation and understanding?

Steiner says there are three factors needed to drive successful content marketing. “Getting the audience is easy. Keeping the audience on the page, that’s more difficult.”

1. Driving the right audience to the page

You could have your content on a number of sites that aim to drive traffic back to your landing page, but means nothing if it’s not the right audience.

“Traditional media buying, most of it is a push strategy,” said Steiner. “And that’s fine. But when you talk about content, it’s much more of a pull strategy. When you distribute content you’re actually trying to invite someone to read your content.”

That invitation means that not everyone has to accept it, added Steiner, but it’s a chance for those who are really interested to come to the site. Steiner outlined how headlines and images are key to attracting the right audience. Too generic a headline on display ads will attract more click-throughs, but not as many people will stay on the page. A more niche title won’t garner as many clicks, but then you’ve got the people you want.

“You’ve got to focus on qualifying and finding the right audience to the page,” he said. “Think about titles and images as your ability to target, in a very tight manner, the right audience to invite to your page.”

2. Driving the right behaviour on the page

Use your white space. Too many websites are not utilising the heap of white space that surrounds websites, said Steiner.

“Whatever it is you want to happen on the page, it doesn’t just happen. You have to engineer the page design and AB test and craft the pages on it to drive the right outcome.”

Using the example of Loreal’s Makeup.com in the States, Steiner pointed out how the site has pulled in house-ads to drive traffic to the site. What would be other white space has been filled up with editorial content and straight links to the online shop. makeup.com loreal “Here you have content, they’re bringing people to the content hub, but then shifting them away to drive an outcome. They can actually measure the sales that are created by funnelling people through that content,” he explained.

“They’ve maximised the white space around the page to drive the right outcome.”

3. Driving the right result after the page

In order to drive the right audience to the other areas of your site, be it the online store, the sign-up page or something else, Steiner said brands need to match the audience with a hook that will get them to go to where you want them to go.

“There’s no one template to be used across different audiences. You have the opportunity to segment the audience. Match the call to action on the page with the audience.

“Most of the brands that we see have a single page template and it’s exactly the same for everyone. You need to move beyond the single page template. When you do that, you can find what are the high value actions on the site.”




Please login with linkedin to comment

Advertising Standards Bureau Arty Labs Openpool

Latest News

New BrandStory Format From Bonzai Allows 3x More Ad Space on Mobile
  • Media

New BrandStory Format From Bonzai Allows 3x More Ad Space on Mobile

Creative technology platform Bonzai has announced the launch of BrandStory – a new premium mobile ad format. BrandStory offers triple the ad space and 2.8 times greater time in view than single scroll ad formats, addressing the surging demand from brands worldwide for more real estate to drive real results by seamlessly intertwining awareness, exploration […]

B&T’s Search For Australia’s Greatest Ad Heads To Channel 7
  • Advertising

B&T’s Search For Australia’s Greatest Ad Heads To Channel 7

B&T went through the looking glass this morning, with editor-in-chief David Hovenden (above) appearing on Channel 7’s The Morning Show to get the general public involved in our search for Australia’s Greatest Ad. Hovenden chatted with Kylie Gillies and stand-in host Matt Doran about what makes a great ad and showcasing some of our favourites […]

by B&T Magazine

B&T Magazine
Opinion: The Tall Planner’s Kate Smither On The DBA Dilemma
  • Opinion

Opinion: The Tall Planner’s Kate Smither On The DBA Dilemma

The science is not in question – smarter people than I, with far more data, have codified it. The logic is not up for grabs…it makes sense that creating mental shortcuts to your brand keeps you at the top of your mind. Lead image: Kate Smither – Owner, The Tall Planner I wouldn’t even take […]

Opinion

by B&T Magazine

B&T Magazine
African woman using a cellphone in an office alone
  • Marketing

Ortto & Tall Bob Partner To Deliver Better SMS & MMS For Australian & NZ Businesses

Two Australian-born technology providers have joined forces to bring more power and choice to marketers in Australia and New Zealand with mobile messaging that is more local, cost-effective, and integrated. It’s a partnership that sees two Australian software companies come together to deliver a world-class mobile-first solution for marketers building data-driven, personalised, omnichannel campaigns. While […]

Slew Of New Hires At Snap Inc.
  • Media

Slew Of New Hires At Snap Inc.

Snap Inc. has announced a number of new recruits. B&T unaware if it positively impacted SEEK's share price.

Reddit Gets Playful Brand Refresh
  • Technology

Reddit Gets Playful Brand Refresh

This will be of interest to any Reddit fans, graphic designers or lovers of an orange so bright it burns the retinas.

Zitcha & Broadsign Partner To Drive Global In-Store Retail Media Market
  • Advertising

Zitcha & Broadsign Partner To Drive Global In-Store Retail Media Market

Zitcha and Broadsign have teamed up to integrate the Broadsign out-of-home (OOH) advertising platform with Zitcha’s retail media platform. The collaboration empowers retailers to maximise and monetise in-store digital display networks and enables advertising partners to easily view and book available in-store inventory and review campaign performance alongside the retailer’s other media channels. With the […]

Double Rainbouu & 7-Eleven Launch Exclusive Summer Fashion Label
  • Marketing

Double Rainbouu & 7-Eleven Launch Exclusive Summer Fashion Label

Today, 7-Eleven has announced a one-of-a-kind collaboration with the popular Sydney-based anti-resort wear label Double Rainbouu. Dropping tomorrow, December 1, just in time for summer, this limited-edition capsule will infuse the fashion brand’s rebellious spirit with a distinctly iconic 7-Eleven flavour. The unisex collection features five must-have styles comprising two signature Hawaiian shirts, a peaked cap, a bucket hat […]

realestate.com.au Extends Major Partnership With Sydney Swans
  • Marketing

realestate.com.au Extends Major Partnership With Sydney Swans

Australian property site realestate.com.au has announced the extension of its partnership with the Sydney Swans for two further seasons. Lead image: Tom Harley, Owen Wilson and Tom McCartin realestate.com.au has partnered with the Swans since 2016 and has called the back of the club’s iconic guernsey home since becoming a major partner in 2020. This […]

Avenue C Nabs Paula Lopes From KINESSO
  • Marketing

Avenue C Nabs Paula Lopes From KINESSO

Leading independent media agency, Avenue C, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Paula Lopes as Digital Director. Paula, a seasoned professional with over 17 years experience in the media industry, joins Avenue C from her role as Chief Operations Manager of KINESSO (merger of Reprise, Matterkind, and Kinesso specialities).

oOh!Media Fuses People & Performance At National Annual Revenue & Growth Conference
  • Advertising

oOh!Media Fuses People & Performance At National Annual Revenue & Growth Conference

oOh!media brought together more than 260 of its sales, operations, commercial, marketing, finance and leadership teams last week for its national annual revenue and growth conference. Held over two days at the picturesque Rydges Resort in Hunter Valley, the event ‘Fusing people and performance’ focussed on how to build a high-performance mindset and how it […]