In the Beginning, There Was Content

Before your advertisement reaches the eyes of your customer. Before they view your video, like your Facebook post, or double-tap your image on Instagram. Before the designer positions your text, or the copywriter compiles your headlines. At the core of every marketing strategy is one thing: Creative Content.

No one wants to blow their budget on a “state of the art” product only to find it doesn’t perform well in the field. In the competitive outdoor industry, sharing on social media, lifestyle advertising, and demonstrating utility is essential. End users will be particulary concerned with the latter. They want to see a product put to use before committing to a purchase.

Executing a content marketing strategy that aligns with your goals for growth can be a difficult task. Young brands with tight marketing budgets may not know where to start. Here is a great breakdown on how the big brands do it from the Content Marketing Institute.

How can your brand compete with the content marketing machines that dominate the outdoor industry? The answer is simple: build a library of relevant content with help from trusted professionals.

Keeping a library of content will take the guesswork out of social and print media strategies, and enable you to schedule your content to be delivered as you see fit over time. When you have everything you need to create high quality print materials and buy that last-minute entry to a trade show, you’ll be glad you’ve put in the time to collect your images and video.

Your Vision, Your Voice, Your Content

These are the content pieces (aside from traditional advertisements) that we at UrgeMedia recommend our clients have stashed in their brand-building arsenal:

Non-TV Vignettes

Short 60-90 second vignettes are perfect for Non-TV use. Think those popular 60 second documentaries or the recipe videos that have become so popular. This length allows your brand to communicate the utility of your product without losing the attention of your audience. Since these are longer than a traditional commercial, you’ll have more opportunity to explore the features and functions of your products. Whether it be social media, your website, your dealer’s site, or even embedded in an email blast, a great vignette can do wonders for your brand.

 

 

Social Media Clips

Shorter 10-15 second clips are great to share on social media (think Instagram), or to post on your site to show your product in action. What they lack in length, they make up for in audience retention. Just about anyone will stick around to watch 10 seconds of video, and the impact of a video over a still photo is staggering.

 

 

Professional Photos

Think about what the quality of your current photos might say about your business. Are you presenting a professional, polished image that carries your brand message? Do you have enough high quality photos on hand to develop a brochure for that next trade show? Are the photos you post online as appealing as they could be? Organizing and executing a photo shoot might seem daunting, however there are ways to secure professional photos that will offer great results at a fraction of the cost.

Get Outside and Get your own Content!

If you’ve found that your current content library is lacking, consider taking your products out into the field to make your own. Photos and videos of you and your team using your product are not just fun memories. They are branding pieces that you should keep on file for future use! For more on how to maximize the ROI on your team using your product, read Leveraging Company Culture to Create Brand Loyalty and start planning your next group outing.

 

We Can Help

Still overwhelmed with the prospect of developing a library of high quality content for your brand? Chat with us about a creative content package that fits your budget. Our relationships with Outdoor Television producers yield high quality photo and video assets at a reasonable cost. Our relationship with premiere Illinois outfitter Performance Outdoors allows us to offer the perfect place to build your team, enjoy a great hunt, and create some self-generated content.

 

To find out more on how the experienced team at UrgeMedia can benefit your outdoor brand, call us at 970.328.8001.

 

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