Have you played around with Podcasts yet? I know, it’s not all that appealing because there are no visuals but they’re actually cool again. It’s not all about visual content when you’re trying to attract new audiences.
Podcasts are no longer un-cool content. They’re inspiring, engaging, and great for on-the-go consumption.
Just think about SERIAL and how it gained momentum. If it sounds vaguely familiar but you’re not quite sure what it’s all about, here’s the deal: It was a weekly podcast that was so suspenseful and well done that people got completely hooked on the story and could not wait until the release of the next chapter. Yes, it was a suspense filled podcast, but just because you’re not sharing a suspenseful story, doesn’t mean you can’t share something that will keep people coming back for more.
If you’re interested, you can check out this list created by Who What Wear fashion podcasts, of the most awesome fashion podcasts for your listening pleasure.
The key with using podcasts to build community around your brand, figuring out a way to tell a “story” that makes listeners want to come back for more.
Podcasts allow brands to reach new audiences and build community by:
- Marketing themselves to an audience who wants to learn more about a certain category
- Telling a story through chapters
- Allowing a brand advocate to voice their brand love
- Giving an influencer the keys to speak on the brand’s behalf
- Creating referral traffic back to a site experience to learn more
- Allowing the audience to see a different side of the brand
For most brands, visual content has been key – especially with Instagram, Pinterest, tumblr, Snapchat, so on and so forth. However, it doesn’t mean that ‘on the go’ and ‘easily consumable’ content has to be visual in order to be engaging. There are multiple ways to tell your brands story, and podcasts are another tool for the toolbox.
To check out the full original post, go to Startup Fashion.
The latest news in the battles of the social channels has been that Facebook is going over YouTube’s video domain. Facebook recently tried to “own” the Grammy’s conversation, and now is trying to “own” as many Superbowl related Ad opportunities as possible.
But what does this mean for startups and smaller brands? A lot actually.
As much as large marketing and ad budgets are nice to have, it’s not just about the money. It’s about the content. The key trend here is video. Over the past couple years we’ve noticed Vine, Instagram Video (including hyperlapse), Snapchat and more come into the social video space — joining the ranks of Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Vimeo.
Smaller brands need and should figure out a way to invest in visual content, including video. Especially in the fashion industry where visuals are key to sell products and services.
Video can tell a story that a picture may not be able to portray fully.
- Video can demonstrate how the founder came up with his/her idea for the startup
- Video can show how the piece of clothing started from a piece of fabric
- Video can allow an event to come to life in real-time
- Video can allow consumers to see into your brand
- Video can allow consumers to connect with one another
- Video can allow for more user generated content (UGC)
- Video can demonstrate that your brand is on top of its game
Although some video content can be expensive, there are ways to make video happen without breaking the bank. It’s not just about the ad budget, it’s about the story. Each brand has a story to tell.
The key is finding the story consumers want to hear. So before you go out and make a dozen videos for social, your blog, and your site. Listen first. Do some digital listening research to understand what consumers are talking about, asking for, and actually want from your brand…
- Use free tools like Google trends to understand what people are searching for in regards to your brand and your competitors.
- Topsy is a great tool to see if certain numbers are working and what people are saying in that conversation.
- Look back at your Twitter stream to see what questions your audience was asking. Do they want to know more about your product and service? More about your founder?
- Look to see where your audience engages, and what they engage with. For example on Pinterest – what do they love and repin most?
- Do a poll or survey to see what your audience wants. Sometimes it’s as simple as asking directly.
Does your brand have questions on how to get started with the right video content? Reach out in the comments!
This post was originally written for Startup Fashion.
Creating content is a beast. You heard right. A beast. It can take hours to plan, write, edit, and schedule accordingly. And truthfully most brands have a hard time doing it all themselves.
Some brands need to source out, curate, and/or co-create content in order to supplement the content they create themselves. One way to do this is working with guest bloggers. They can be a real asset as you create your content strategy and calendar
Let’s discuss some of the benefits to your brand and to the guest bloggers who choose to contribute…
Benefits to Your Brand:
- You have more content resources
- You have more time to focus on the content your brand is creating
- You have a new viewpoint that you may not have considered before
- You begin to create a content arsenal
- Depending on your content strategy, fans of your brand may be more likely to trust and see value when a third party is writing about it
- You gain a new audience through the guest blogger’s social amplification
- You become a trusted resource for content and in turn, your fashion line
Benefits to the Blogger:
- Growth of your expertise through reputable sources
- Growth of your personal brand
- Growth of your audience through cross-promotion
- Extra money to continue building your personal brand/ business