Context, Relevancy, and Connection are signs you are in the right direction.
This article is letter (L) of our “Value My Content" series where we write an article for each letter of the phrase. “Value My Content" showcases the value individuals can receive from their content . Find links to more articles in the series below.
Three of the best added value processes for your content are context, relevancy, and connection empathy. These methods are shown to humanize your brand, creating trust and credibility.
Ephemeral feelings like trust are invaluable because it cannot be bought and must be earned. Using lifestyle marketing as a framework for presenting your content is the gateway to these benefits.
Context
When presented as a lifestyle, your products and services are put into context. And as we have seen before, placing your content in the appropriate context helps your audience make sense of the avalanches of content that already exist in the world today including your brand.
In regards to your specific brand, providing a lifestyle helps your audience make sense how your wares (product or service) can fit into their life. Or if your brand is a good fit for their life at all explain your expertise.
For example, there are a lot of clothing boutiques and online shops including preppy. Many times people shop, not for a specific article of clothing, but for the type of life they want to lead. Someone who buys Versace socks aspires to lead a very different life than someone who buys a pair of jeans from Walmart. Some look at Pinterest. What is the relevancy of each view or selection. You need to consider all these factors.
Relevancy
Be extremely clear about who your target audience is and the problem you are helping them solve in the context of their life. Doing so makes your content relevant to your audience’s life.
Entrepreneur brings up Puma, who “has shifted its content focus from functionality of soccer shoes to lifestyle qualities such as self-expression and leisure. Puma lets its audience experience the branded lifestyle.”
Audiences are spoiled for choice for content they choose to consume. If content doesn’t apply to your life, why bother? A stay-at-home mom has little to no interest in content about surviving your first year of military bootcamp.
Your job is to focus on lifestyle qualities, like self-expression and leisure. Not product functions.
Connection & Empathy
Lifestyle marketing is a form of storytelling. Sure, you’re still selling the same products and services you always have. But now you are presenting the story and message behind those products. Storytelling creates connection and empathy with your audience.
Understand your audience’s values. Then align your brand with your customer’s values to become an extension of those values. Your audience will get to know the brand better and come to see you as a trusted friend and relatable mentor.
We tend to trust people who share the same values and are like us in some way. This is where strong relationships are formed. Your content will connect more effectively because people are more likely to listen to a friend than a stranger telling them what to do.
Word Up:
Lifestyle marketing is more art than science. It’s similar to how forming a relationship is more intuitive, not logical. As a result, the benefits of lifestyle marketing are the ever elusive and extremely valuable gift of trust. It is possible to gain a special connection with your audience based on relevant, contextual, and empathetic content.
The Lifestyle we support is the Content Lifestyle – where a person receives the value of their online content in their day-to-day life. We believe everyone deserves to receive value for their content.
sources: entrepreneur pixlee gmrmarketing fashionista pinterest
This article is part of our “Value My Content” series where we write an article for each letter of the phrase. “Value My Content showcases the value individuals can receive from their content.
Click below to read more articles in the “Value My Content” series:
(V) Everything You Wanted To Know About The (V)alue Of Your Content
(A) How Sharing With (A)udiences Creates Value For Your Content
(L) How You Know You're Doing (L)ifestyle Content Marketing The Right Way
(U)tilizing Content For Beginners
(E)Business Vs. eCommerce And Amazon’s Aggressive Expansion
(M) 10 Best Quotes Around The Web On (M)ultichannel Marketing
(Y)our Words Still Have Worth In A Digital World
(C)reate A Customer-Centric Culture For Retention And Success
(O) What Does (O)pen Content Mean For You?
(N) What Will A (N)omadic Future Look Like For You?
(T) The Pro’s And Con’s Of (T)ech’s Effect On Our Humanity
(E)thics And AI: Do They Know Right From Wrong?
