(Repost from 2014)
This is one of my big points in content strategy. Sometimes people think it’s a conflict with creativity.
Great data is as human as you are. It’s an intimate knowledge of your audience that allows you to tell a better story. Tell me you’re not funnier when you tell a joke to a friend – because you know what that person likes and dislikes.
Photo by Quinn Dombrowski.
You are media.
Everyone is media, because everyone is a storyteller.
The photo you shared, the joke you told, the meme you sent on its merry way – all stories from the network of you.
We are all telling stories, every day, and if you come at your brand understanding that, it can help you tell its story.
There has been a fixed idea in the minds of content owners for a very long time now. It’s a “gating” mindset – the user needs to pay to enjoy the content BEFORE they’ve begun to enjoy it.
Gaming already learned this lesson. It’s a lot easier to get someone to pay when they’re already having fun. Of course you want to power-up after you’ve successfully surfed through a medieval castle in space (I made that one up).
In-app monetization changed everything for game models.
This is one reason trusted brands like Disney do better upfront in the gated model. They’re already a proven source of fun.
Asking people to pay before you’ve proven your value is tough. Ask me for money when I’m having fun.
Conversation around brands isn’t any different than conversation at a cocktail party. The most interesting one will have the most conversation and leave the greatest impression. (The trainwreck will leave an impression, too, but it’s not the one you’re looking for.) Would you talk to your mom with that mouth?
Photo by Mo Riza. Creative Commons.