On Saturday, I had the pleasure of presenting to a class of MBA students at the University of San Francisco. The class was diverse and many of the students worked in a variety of professions to include tech, healthcare, food services and software. The presentation started off with some basic data about consumers’ expectations and trust. The rest of the presentation revolved around the importance of content in all marketing communications; and that it’s not just about content but … the right content, at the right time, to the right person in the right channel. The presentation could be summed up with the insight that relevant content:
- adds value to the conversation
- positions you as a trusted source of information
- is authentic and believable
- build trust with the community
- happens as a result of listening and acting
- increases the reach of your messages
- increases your “organic” search rankings
I talk in depth about content in Chapter 11 “The Ethical Bribe – Content Does Matter“ in my upcoming book, Smart Business, Social Business: A Playbook for Social Media in Your Organization scheduled to be released in July 2011.
