13 Content Curation Marketing Creative Ideas From the Pros
How would you like to be able to build content curation marketing creative ideas so interesting that people can’t help but be drawn into reading your subject?
It’s every marketer’s dream – to hit on something that’s both entertaining but also refreshingly honest.
Feelings have a critical role in the way customers are influenced.–David Freemantle
When content says the thing people want or need to hear, magic happens, doesn’t it?
How about a great example? In 2013, H&R Block, with their agency Fallon, responded to something they heard while interviewing consumers. What people seemed to care about most was getting taxes done right and getting every dime they are owed back.
The creative bomb that went off birthed the now famous, “Get Your Billions Back America” campaign, which launched at the start of 2014.
It was a message consumers heard, understood and were instantly captured by. The genius of the campaign lies in what isn’t stated. There’s no reference to Block’s size and the number of locations.
No mention of total refunds they’ve secured for their customers. No detail about their processes, services, prices or the proficiency of their accountants. It was not about selling H&R Block, was it? No noise, interference or distractions.
Sure, these things matter. But every accounting firm markets around the obvious things that make them great. Block took an alternative route and marketed around what people want – a message that gets them what they deserve.
Although very few of us can claim to fulfill such a tall order on a consistent basis, there are companies out there who have completely revolutionized how people see them – so that they’re no longer just another “me too” player in a crowded sphere. Wouldn’t that be great to join that crowd?
You already know that content is important. Smart marketers are using quality content to build brand awareness and drive traffic to their sites. Many content creators dream of their content going viral.
Here are 13 content marketing creative ideas to become the best you can be:
Content curation … customers start here
Before you begin curating, take a moment to identify your target audience. It is difficult to get people to share your content if they don’t care about it, so figure out who your target audience is and cater your content to them.
All you need to do is ask some basic questions.
Who: Are you targeting?
What: What does your target audience need? Create something that will help them.
When: When is your target audience online? Publish with those times in mind.
Where: Where do they live, work, and play?
Why: Why is your audience online?
How: How does your target audience experience the internet?
Can you catch the eye?
Catch the eye
First impressions are essential. It doesn’t matter how good your content is if no one bothers to read it.
There are many different ways to write an engaging headline, but here are a few tips to get you started.
Include a promise in your title
Numbers let your reader know what to expect
Ask questions to stimulate curiosity
The Ever Popular “How To” article
Content curation examples … creatively different
The internet is infinite, so the odds are high that someone else out there has already written about the topic you have chosen.
What can you add to the conversation? Maybe you have a distinct voice, a funny perspective, or a unique example—whatever it is, bring something original to the table.
Don’t worry about length
Don’t believe those people who say that younger generations are lazy and have no attention span.
Younger people value their time and won’t stick around if you waste it, but if you are providing high-quality, engaging content, you can make it long and detailed.
Content marketing creative ideas … aim for emotions
Are you inspiring a deeply emotional reaction? It is the key to evoking emotions with your website blog. When people respond to something emotionally, they are often compelled to share it. Jonah Berger and Katie Milkman co-authored a paper called “What Makes Online Content Go Viral?”
They shared a lot of interesting insights, but the biggest takeaway for me was that content that evokes “high-arousal emotions” is more likely to go viral. The study specifically cited emotions like awe, anger, and anxiety.
Practice storytelling
Put your ideas and messages into a story and use the story to produce the stickiness. When things are on the complex side, stories have a way of helping people understand and remember.
When talking about the story, it acts as a trigger.
The key to social currency? Peer popularity of your thoughts and ideas. People love to talk about the things that make them look good. Give your audience a way to feel special.
When done well, they will spread the word about you along the way. Special care is the heart and soul of word of mouth marketing, the most valuable type of marketing.
Watch trends
Use current trends and recent news events as inspiration when you are creating content.
This makes it easier to think of new ideas, and using trending topics and current events mean that you have a built-in audience who is already interested in your content.
Triggers
Triggers are the daily reminders of ideas and thoughts that shape:
Choices consumers make
Things that people talk about
Products or services customers choose
Want your initiatives to be more successful? It can be as simple as linking your ideas and messages to relevant triggers.
Be visual
People process visual content faster than text. Visual content is also more engaging and more memorable. Smart businesses are incorporating more visual content into their work. Gifs and infographics are increasingly popular.
Twitter added Vine for looping videos. Facebook recently made images bigger.
Provide something useful … what people want
Content that recognizes and solves problems is also more likely to be shared. Although an article about fixing your bathroom sink may not seem very interesting, it is a common problem many people have to deal with.
If someone finds your content helpful, they will share it with others who face the same problem. If you run a business that sells clothes, write a blog post with ideas about how to accessorize an outfit.
Make information easy to scan
There is a LOT of information online. When people are reading online, they skim the page to see if the content they need is there. If a reader doesn’t find what they are looking for at your site, they will move on quickly. Here are a few tips for making information easier to scan:
Use headings and subheadings to clearly identify your topics
Write short paragraphs
Use straightforward language
Use images to illustrate your points
Use white space. Giant blocks of text are intimidating.
Turn needs into content
Answer questions; create tutorial videos, walkthroughs and other types of easily consumable content that provide direct answers and explanations.
Notice how the videos above don’t sell – but entertain. In the same vein, if you can use your content to inform, help, inspire and motivate – the result will be two-fold.
You’ll create brand recognition and credibility along with having a desirable product that matches the customer’s expectations.
Test. Learn. Improve. Repeat.
Mike Schoultz is the founder of Digital Spark Marketing, a digital marketing and customer service agency. With 40 years of business experience, he blogs on topics that relate to improving the performance of your business. Find them on G+, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Digital Spark Marketing will stretch your thinking and your ability to adapt to change. We also provide some fun and inspiration along the way.
More reading on social media design from Digital Spark Marketing’s Library:
