Rather than diving straight in and starting to film footage, savvy brands are crafting content plans tailored specifically to YouTube. Successful content will not only meet the goals of the brand, but will also appeal to and engage the target audience. Three simple guidelines offer a starting point for planning.
Map the critical intersection
By delivering truly unique content, it is possible to grab viewers' attention and drive loyalty. The first step is to map the intersection between the passion points of the audience and the value proposition of the brand. In fleshing this out, the brand can start to develop a powerful content territory that's strategically relevant. There are three significant ways to then add value:
- Use inspiring and relatable stories to stir emotional response.
- Provide useful information to educate the audience.
- Surprise viewers, make them laugh and stimulate sharing through entertaining content.
Establish plans for creation and organisation
The planning process should include decisions about how the content first will be generated and then will be structured. Three possible routes forward exist:
- Create and use your own content.
- Create content in collaboration with others.
- Act as a curator of existing content.
Many brands have found success by organising their offering to include three complementary areas of content:
- Hygiene content addresses what the target audience is already actively seeking every day. Always-on programming of this type might include product tutorials, how-to videos and perpetually relevant industry information.
- Hub content is generated regularly throughout the year to provide fresh stimulation for the viewership's passions.
- Hero content is made up of spectacular videos that aim catch the eye of the biggest, broadest audience. These often feature important moments _ think product launches or tent-pole events.
Define the distribution
It's critical to hatch a strategy for exposing the content to the audience. Three considerations make this straightforward.
- A brand will need a central place to store and organise content in such a way that it can be accessed at any time by viewers anywhere. A YouTube channel linked to the brand's online properties provides a convenient hub.
- Creating an editorial calendar aligned with the brand's marketing calendar helps establish a consistent presence throughout the year.
- A solid activation and promotion strategy ensures that great content makes its way to the intended audience. It's helpful to match the activation approach to the content type. For example, a massive promotional campaign running on multiple channels is appropriate for promoting hero content, while activating hub content merits a more targeted approach.
For more YouTube content creation tips, check out the Creator PlayBook for Brands.
