Continuous Content Consumption

What do we do with our remarkable content?

The success of content marketing programs rests as much on contact strategies as it does on the content itself. In high consideration categories, where the research process is intense and occurs over a period of time, distributing high-value content to high-value contacts requires more than an eblast or a download.

In looking around for a framework on content marketing, I stumbled upon this one from the folks at Merkle.

I like it because it starts with the business objective: What are we trying to achieve? and goes through a structured approach to creating and measuring the impact of how content works.     However, the big boxes along the top seem to be missing a critical component:  Content Distribution or Consumption.

In B2B technology, education, and numerous other categories content consumption is a continuous process as options are considered, needs are crystallized and benefits weighed.  To nurture interest the where, when and with whom of content consumption must be mapped out as much as the other areas of the strategy. The role of content, be it stories or facts and figures, is to help the recipient feel more comfortable about one option over another.  In categories where personal sales ultimately close the deal, content should focus on getting you in the consideration set. 

In the end, the role of a content contact plan is not to help people decide, but rather to help them choose.