New year, new viral trend. If you’re like us, you’ve been spending a good amount of time watching TikTokers share what’s in and out for 2024. In the spirit of a new year, here’s our very own in/out list for this content-focused SUM edition:
Before we get too carried away, let’s get on with the good stuff, shall we?
Keep reading to explore:
- How to create quality content at scale
- Why creating exclusivity is the biggest game-changer for your startup
- A roundup of timely 2024 marketing predictions buzzing around the web
As a startup marketer with many to-dos and only so many hours in the day, you may struggle with the all-too-common quality vs. quantity content dilemma. Trust us, we’ve been there. Well, we actually are there…right now.
As people literally in the same boat, we’re here to tell you that producing quality content at scale is possible, and you can do just that by following these four steps.
Step 1: Take Your Existing Content Further
As marketers, working professionals, and humans living in 2024, we’ve all heard the following phrases many times and in many ways:
- Make the most of what you’ve got.
- Do more with less.
When it comes to content marketing, what this translates to is maximizing your existing content. Rather than constantly brainstorming new ideas, focus on repurposing content that has already resonated with your audience.
Have a webinar that wowed your leadership team with the number of leads you generated? Keep riding that wave by creating blog posts, infographics, case studies, and social media snippets. You’ll extend your original content’s lifecycle and diversify its presentation for broader appeal.
Step 2: Give Your Team a Helping Hand(s)
No one knows your brand quite like your own content marketers. But, building a robust content engine often requires more talented writers. Save money and create an abundance of excellent content by outsourcing to freelancers or agencies.
Get your outside talent up to speed on your brand to ensure consistency by providing them with:
- Style guides
- Creative briefs
- Examples of your brand voice
The more information you provide your outside resources at the jump, the less back and forth you’ll have to do when it’s crunch time. By working with outside support, your internal team gets the latitude needed to think creatively and pursue high-impact, strategic work, while external resources can handle the bulk of content production.
Step 3: Don’t Shy Away from AI
Based on how you answer our poll below (❗spoiler alert), you may have some thoughts on this tip. But, whether you’re an AI pro or reluctant to use this technology, it can help you get a lot further with your content. That said, use AI strategically. Your success in using this technology requires you edit your content to make it sound, well, human. We suggest using AI to help with data analysis, topic generation, and even draft creation, but you should always ensure your work reflects your brand’s unique voice and values.
Step 4: Build a Well-Rounded Distribution Strategy
Producing great content is only half the battle; the other half is ensuring it reaches your audience. Develop a comprehensive distribution strategy that uses a variety of vehicles:
- Website
- Social media
- Newsletter
- Email marketing
- Partner marketing
- Paid advertising
Get creative in the ways you distribute your content. Do a LinkedIn Live series, collaborate with industry influencers, or create an impactful and trendy TikTok video. When developing ways to create and distribute your work, make sure your content always layers back to the customer journey so you can turn an unknown prospect into a fierce brand champion.
With these steps in play, you’ll become a pro at creating a ton of really great content that connects with your audience (and gets measurable results). Remember, in content marketing, it’s not just about the quantity you produce but the value each piece brings to your audience.
Does your marketing team use AI in your content strategy and execution? Tell us in the poll below! 👇👇👇👇
From dating apps to academic clubs and beyond, everybody loves being a part of SUMthing one-of-a-kind. Superhuman, a leader in AI-powered email, is a fascinating example of a brand getting results by leaning into the power of exclusivity.
Here’s the inside scoop:
Leaning into the Competitive Spirit: Looking to make a splash with a platform launch, Superhuman initially offered beta access only through referrals. Eager to be “in the know,” users pursued a variety of ways to climb the waitlist, like referring their friends to get a certain allotment of points. Superhuman’s waitlist gamification strategy created a sense of fierce competition, further driving awareness and incentivizing promotion.
The company also strategically invited users to participate, asking them to do so in batches to maintain high anticipation and invite iterative improvement based on beta feedback.
Influencing via Influencers: Besides leaning into the FOMO effect, Superhuman generated major buzz among their target audience by teaming up with tech and productivity influencers. Influencers shared glimpses into the platform’s features and exclusive sneak peeks into targeted social media campaigns.
Throughout their social campaign, Superhuman created an emotional connection with their audience with user testimonials that detailed user challenges.
For Superhuman’s own channels, the brand engaged with waitlist members through email and social media to generate excitement and build community.
The end result? Strong organic interest and media attention.
The Results: Superhuman’s comprehensive strategy and focus on high-performance and a premium price point generated widespread interest and built a robust user base even before launch.
The brand secured 100,000+ waitlist signups and attracted attention from major tech publications, further boosting brand awareness. Even further, Superhuman secured a $400 million valuation during its beta phase, demonstrating the power of its marketing approach.
Marketing in 2024 will look different than it did in 2023. I mean, did you see our in/out list in the intro? On a slightly more serious note, this year will have major trends that will change how we do our jobs and the pace at which we execute.
To help you navigate this influx of changes, here are some changes you should have on your radar:
- Get Personal with AI and Machine Learning: AI will keep getting better at helping us reach our core audiences. With AI, you’ll get that much more targeted and personal content, which is great news. Personalization goes a long way, with 82% of customers saying that they feel more positive about a brand after engaging with personalized content.
- But Don’t Go All in on AI Just Yet: While AI has progressed leaps and bounds in such a short amount of time, it’s not 100% foolproof. As AI becomes more prevalent, marketers report having concerns with AI’s trust, dependability, transparency, and authenticity. Like all things in life, from our screen time to caffeine intake, success in using AI hinges on balance. Marketers will have to continue to explore ways to use these tools while producing content that fosters authenticity and connection with their audience.
- Marketing Products Are Joining Forces: The more tools you have, the more headaches you often have as well. We’re in an age of efficiency, and one way to work faster and more effectively is through consolidating your martech stack. We’ll continue to see more consolidating marketing products in 2024, which is music to our busy marketing ears.
- Three Power Letters: SEO: With the proliferation of AI and an explosion of content, SEO continues to change. Moz shares their predictions for SEO this year and their tips for how to use SEO best practices in this evolving space to get in front of your audience.
- A Tale as Old as Time: Storytelling is Powerful: The more things change, the more that many things stay the same. For content marketers, this rings true in the power of storytelling. Perfecting the art and science of storytelling will be your golden ticket to securing your audience’s attention, according to Ad Age.
Despite what “Curb Your Enthusiasm” says, we hope all of you are having a great start to the new year. The content world will continue to evolve, and we’re excited to keep you up to speed on the latest marketing trends so we can all drive our startup ecosystem forward.
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