As you go about executing your content marketing strategy, do you have customer delight in mind? Or, do you just want to create content that is good enough to publish and ticks all the SEO boxes? Be honest now…
Delight-inducing content has the power to turn customers into advocates; you can’t say the same for ‘good enough’ content.
With over 90% of consumers stating they trust the opinions of their peers over other kinds of advertising, you have your reason for trying to make brand advocates of your customers.
The only problem is, driving customer delight with content is notoriously hard. You can create content that solves customers’ current and future problems and still not get the response which suggests they’ve been delighted.
The key is to ensure your content is engaging and “at least a little fun”, according to the Content Marketing Institute.
It then offers up four strategies for carving out content that delights:
1. Delight customers by replying to their comments with content
When the comments inevitably come streaming in underneath your content, a simple “Thanks for the comment” won’t do. To truly delight your customers, you’ve got to go the extra mile.
For example, if a customer poses you a question, instead of just typing out a response, grab a camera and deliver your answer in video form.
Alternatively, answer their question with a relevant article from your blog. Rather than just posting the link, however, extract some snippets from the piece which relate directly to their question.
It’s all about keeping the conversation going – you can pose the questions if necessary.
2. Delight customers by having them drive your content
Sometimes your customers will ask a question in the comments section that you don’t have an answer to – at least not an answer that has been published. Or, perhaps the question requires a longer answer than can be provided in the confines of the comments section.
This is your chance to show your customers that you are listening. Take the time to answer the difficult-to-answer questions in a published piece of content, be it on your blog, social media, forums etc.
Just make sure you mention the customers who sparked your interest in the topic, for they are guaranteed to share your new content if they are given a direct mention.
3. Delight customers by giving them exclusive email content
“Email outreach doesn’t have to be limited to the acquisition phase,” CMI wisely notes. Indeed, given that it costs 25x more to acquire new customers than it does to retain them, according to the Harvard Business Review, you should make every attempt to keep your current customers happy. Not just happy – delighted.
However, a simple newsletter-style email won’t spark delight in your customers. Instead, segment your current customers and deliver unique content via email to them accordingly.
For example: send them special offers based on their customer longevity or total spend; create interactive content consisting of fun quizzes; share your newest content exclusively with your current customers.
4. Delight customers by sharing their content
User-generated content is a crucial part of every content marketing strategy – not just because it shows your brand to be more authentic, but because it shows your customers that they are valued.
In sharing their content, you’re making them a part of your brand’s story. Once they get their initial share, you can often be sure that they will go in search of another share and so on. Who doesn’t love to see their content in somebody else’s social feed?
Like any strong human reaction, delight is infectious. By creating delight in others, your work becomes more enjoyable, which will mean you’re more productive with your time.
After all, time – or a lack of it – is usually the difference between being able to create content that is decent and content that is delightful.
I think that’s enough of the word ‘delight’ for a little while…
