People don't care about your business – they care what your business can do for them. Know your customer. Audience first.
You've heard variations on these themes since the day you got serious about a career in content marketing. That doesn't make them any less true.
But they've gotten harder to apply. People's behavior and preferences are changing quickly as the world changes around them. It's harder than ever to figure out what audiences want.
Sure, we're awash in data. But we struggle to unlock its full potential, as our 2021 Content Management and Strategy Survey showed (see the chart on this page and more findings here).
Slightly more than half (56%) of respondents in the 2021 Content Management and Strategy Survey strongly/somewhat agreed their organization extracts meaningful insights from data and analytics, down from 69% last year.
And the winter of our Netflix (dis)content melted into a hot vax summer faster than anyone predicted.
As many of the speakers at our recent ContentTECH Summit pointed out, audiences aren't waiting around for us to figure out what to offer them. They're going out to find what they want.
So, what are content leaders to do? Get to know your audience – all over again. We've pulled together a whole issue full of ideas and advice to help.
Let me know what you think.
It’s Their World. We're Just Working in It If you ever knew what your audience wanted, you’re probably rethinking it now. And so are they. The only thing to do is work with them.
Ride the Big (Idea) Wave Like the best surfers, the smartest content leaders read the swells. One thing they're telling us – the time for big ideas is now.
Clubhouse and the Audio Revolution Are audio apps a lockdown-driven fad or here to stay? Meg Coffey breaks down what makes them so popular – and whether they deserve a place in your content marketing strategy.
Survey Says: Better Experiences Mean Better Research Results Survey experience is a primary pitfall for original research. A good experience boosts completion and accuracy. Here's how to ensure one.
B2B Content Is Only Boring If You Let It Be Turn "should read" into "must read" and eventually "did read" by making your content the most tempting option in the snack drawer.
Get in Their Heads (in the Right Way) Here’s a look at how to use fundamental truths about human nature (in other words, psychological principles) to attract and grow your audience.
Can Anyone Serve Two (or Three) Bosses? Content marketers have a responsibility to their brands – but also to their audiences and their own ethics. What happens when these interests conflict?
Case (Study) Closed Andrew Davis dishes out unsolicited advice on the perils of gated case studies – and makes the CMO an offer he shouldn't refuse.
• Editor-in-Chief: Kim Moutsos • Creative Director: Joseph Kalinowski • Public Relations & Video Consultant: Amanda Subler • Feedback: cmi_info@informa.com