As social media grows in importance the content required to create impact increases must increase in quality and relevance.

1. THE 5 PRINCIPLES OF
CONTENT MARKETING

2. SEYMOUR SLOAN
IDEAS THAT MATTER
HERE’S WHAT WE LEARNED DURING 2014
For years we’ve heard the phrase “content is
king,” the point being that flashy applications,
beautifully shot videos and well-designed
websites are great, but it’s the content that
provides the substance and that will ultimately
garner interest from our audiences.
Fast forward to now that same adage has
given rise to the latest discipline in our
industry: Content Marketing. Companies are
hiring “Chief Content Officers,” even if they’re
not quite sure what that role means. Content
marketing conferences are sprouting up like
zombies on “The Walking Dead.” And here at
Seymour Sloan, we are building our own
Content Marketing Practice.
But what exactly IS content marketing? How
do we describe it to clients, let alone convince
them it’s something they need to consider in
their marketing mix?

3. SEYMOUR SLOAN
IDEAS THAT MATTER
HERE’S WHAT WE LEARNED DURING 2014
At Seymour Sloan, we have settled on the
following definition:
Content marketing is the discipline of
planning, creating and distributing
relevant, meaningful and valuable
content that builds and engages a
clearly-defined and understood
audience to drive valuable customer
action or behaviour.
Essentially, it is about delivering the right
content to the right person at the right time
to drive the right action. It is more than just
campaigns; it is about taking a
programmatic view of content, using it to
drive customer engagement, even when
you do not have media in-market.
To help deliver on this promise for clients
and their audiences (and reap some
benefit for the brand and business) we
follow a few basic principles.
These five principles will help marketers create
and evaluate social media content:
EVERYTHING IS NOT CONTENT
GOOD CONTENT HAS A PURPOSE
VOLUME IS (OFTEN) THE ENEMY OF THE
GOOD
EXECUTION MATTERS
INNOVATION IS AT THE HEART OF CONTENT
CREATION
1
2
3
4
5

4. SEYMOUR SLOAN
IDEAS THAT MATTER
#1
PRINCIPLE

5. SEYMOUR SLOAN
IDEAS THAT MATTER
EVERYTHING IS NOT CONTENT
Content is something that an audience
consumes in either a visual or auditory
fashion that helps influence a change in
attitude or behaviour.
Blogs? Yes. Tweets? Sure. Video case
study? Yup.
iPhone app? Nope.
That is a piece of functionality. But you’ll
likely need to populate that app with content
to make it worthwhile for your audience.
Which takes us to principle #2

6. SEYMOUR SLOAN
IDEAS THAT MATTER
#2
PRINCIPLE

7. SEYMOUR SLOAN
IDEAS THAT MATTER
GOOD CONTENT HAS A PURPOSE
Our clients, particularly our longer standing
ones understand that, for us, the phrase
“content with a purpose” is not new and it
applies to more than just video.
Every piece of content you produce
should have a purpose and, ideally, a
measurable goal attached to it.
Whether its intention is to drive brand
awareness, in which case a volume metric
like views might matter. If it is lead
generation, then you should be more
focused on conversion rates.
The purpose will help you to keep your
content efforts focused and help you to
deliver the right kind of content at the right
time.

8. SEYMOUR SLOAN
IDEAS THAT MATTER
#3
PRINCIPLE

9. SEYMOUR SLOAN
IDEAS THAT MATTER
VOLUME IS (OFTEN) THE ENEMY OF THE GOOD
We once had a client tell us, “we should be
everywhere.” We were happy to point out that it
was not true.
You want to be in all the spaces that are
relevant to your target customers when they
are making the decisions that affect your
brand.
You need spaces where you can deliver
credible, relevant content.
Producing masses of content for the sake of
volume will prove a costly and time-consuming
expenditure with limited return. At best, it will
come across as a bunch of noise with a logo
slapped on it; at worst it will seem disingenuous
and damage the credibility of a brand.

10. SEYMOUR SLOAN
IDEAS THAT MATTER
#4
PRINCIPLE

11. SEYMOUR SLOAN
IDEAS THAT MATTER
EXECUTION MATTERS
This is true in every aspect of our industry, and is
especially true in the area of content. A brand’s
core competency is not creating and distributing
content assets at scale.
You’ll need guidance on how to make the
proposition of content marketing a sustainable
one. The solution can include client-side SME’s,
agency resources, third-party aggregators, etc.
It’s not enough to plan what to produce; you need
to know how to make it happen as efficiently as
possible.
Another essential part of execution is the ability to
make in-flight changes in response to feedback
and market changes. Remaining agile and
responsive in your execution is crucial.

12. SEYMOUR SLOAN
IDEAS THAT MATTER
#5
PRINCIPLE

13. SEYMOUR SLOAN
IDEAS THAT MATTER
DISTRIBUTION IS VITAL
It’s not a field of dreams and just because you
build it, doesn’t mean they will come.
This is one of the big mistakes clients make when
they ask for “viral” content. Success doesn’t just
happen, especially for branded content.
A thoughtful distribution strategy that covers paid,
owned and earned channels and considers
ongoing messaging and outreach is key to
successful content marketing.
It ups the chances that your content will cut
through the clutter and make an impact with your
audience.
They main consideration around virality is that
it often happens for the most unusual reasons,
but what unites all viral content is that, it
remains relevant to the consumer.

14. SEYMOUR SLOAN
IDEAS THAT MATTER
THE REALITY OF CONTENT MARKETING
While great content and virality can often appear to alchemy or the work of genius,
often it is not the case. The reality is that it is a disciplined and focused approach
that delivers the big impact. It is just as important to know what not to do as it
is to know what to do.
Consumers expect brands to produce content beyond advertising and content
marketing efforts can sometimes be the differentiators that drive loyalty and
advocacy for one brand over another. Great content can make your brand relevant
and drive interest that then amplifies your brand presence.
By being selective and purposeful in the planning process, ensuring high-quality
execution and developing a solid distribution strategy, you improve the odds that
you will go beyond a one-off “viral” success and instead deliver a content-driven
engagement model that supports business goals over the long haul.

15. SEYMOUR SLOAN
IDEAS THAT MATTER
TALK
TO US
CONTACT:
Terry Chapendama - Director
terry.chapendama@seymoursloan.com
Read our blog at:
www.seymourthinks.wordpress.com
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@seymoursloanuk
Visit us online www.seymoursloan.com
ABOUT Seymour Sloan
We formed the company in order to do
special things for our clients through the
creative use of new technologies and
techniques.
We help companies understand a
complex and ever-changing technology
landscape, along with changing
customer behaviours, developing
strategies and solutions to maximise the
opportunities available. We operate at
the intersection of digital, strategy and
customer, building a track record of
driving customer growth across our
three core industries.