Breaking Through the Content Clutter
In case you hadn’t noticed, the World Wide Web has turned into quite a crowded and confusing place. According to Google CEO Eric Schmidt, we now create as much information every two days as we did from the dawn of civilization up until 2003.
That’s a lot of web content, blog posts, white papers and tweets.
Numerous easy-to-use online platforms have brought the world of publishing to every desktop, laptop and mobile device on the planet.
And many of us are taking advantage of the opportunity to share ideas, insights and random thoughts with anyone willing to pay attention. In total, more than 27 million pieces of content are shared daily, according to research conducted by AOL and Nielsen.
Which means, of course, that it’s increasingly challenging to break through the online content clutter.
The social web has opened up seemingly limitless options for strengthening an organization's connections with current and future customers/supporters.
As many firms have discovered, however, just because a platform is “free” to use doesn’t mean it is free to use effectively. Content has to be conceived, created and leveraged, which requires a thoughtful strategy and adequate resources to implement and measure the efforts.
It’s hardly as simple as choosing a platform and figuring out how to fit off-the-shelf content within it. Instead, the process should begin by honing in on the individuals and organizations you wish to engage, and connecting with them in the online and offline venues where they typically congregate.
Often that requires researching and hanging out in those places for a while – either as a lurker or an active participant – to experience first-hand the conversations that are taking place. The goal is to identify content synergies – or ideally, a noticeable gap – where the expertise and perspectives of your business might logically fit.
The more effort you take to identify the online platforms and communities that best align with your organization (and vice versa), the more likely your content will connect with its optimal online audience.