If you have anything to do with marketing planning and implementation you’ve likely heard of the owned, earned, social and paid media pillars. While all are important, owned media should be the foundation and driving force behind how these different pieces of your marketing mix interact. Without owned media, how do you get attention from journalists, share your content and information on social media, push consumers to your site through paid social ads, or keep potential consumers in your funnel through your e-mail program? The answer is, you don’t. Or at least you won’t do it well and you’ll spend extra money and reduce ROI.
So, consider the marketing funnel and what you’re trying to achieve at varying locations throughout it. Your owned media program can support each or specific levels in the funnel to improve your overall marketing strategy.
Using the Marketing Funnel to Develop Your Owned Media Strategy
As always, the first thing you want to do is understand your marketing and communications goals and what you need your owned media program to do for you. Maybe you’re focused on one level of the funnel. For example, you have achieved great awareness about your brand and offerings but struggle to convert consumers. Or, maybe your content program needs to support each level throughout the funnel. Depending on what you determine you need to impact, you’ll focus on content in these areas:
Awareness/Interest – When you’re trying to create awareness and interest, you’ll want to stick to broad topics that help your potential consumers understand the industry and view you as an industry expert and leader. An example of this could be breaking down challenges consumers in the industry experience and providing a list of resources available. While they may not make a purchase immediately, it should be enough that they remember you when they’re ready to make a move. Talk to your team about the questions your current customers are asking and look at insights to determine what users are currently searching to connect with your brand.
Consideration/Preference– Once a potential consumer has an understanding of the industry, your next step is to connect with them and help them understand that you have a solution to their problem or that you can make their life better or easier. Here you’ll start introducing them to your business and your offerings, communicating that you understand them and share similar qualities and desires with them, and connecting how these things fit into their life and improve it.
Purchase – This is where you tell your story and share why you are better than your competitors, why you do what you do, why your company represents and connects with your consumers, and what your existing customers love about you. Share success stories about how you’ve become a business or service your consumers rely on as well as how you’ve solved problems and created a better life for those you work with.
Some Next Steps to Get You Moving
- Create content maps (check back soon; we’ll be sharing a video about this process) and content calendar to ensure your efforts are strategic and ongoing.
- Distribute owned media via your social channels to create awareness about your brand.
- Share your owned media with journalists to amplify earned media opportunities and increase your reach.
- Include links to your owned content in e-newsletters and targeted e-mail programs to remain connected with potential consumers.
- Boost your owned content to drive social media users to your site.
- Utilize owned content in your digital advertising program to secure new leads.
Once you start to consider and implement owned media, the foundation of earned, social and paid media, you’ll likely see greater awareness, improved reach, increased leads and a higher conversion rate. If you’re interested in discussing your owned media strategy with LŪM Studio, please reach out at any time.
Check Out These Posts Too:
How to Get Started with Owned Media
Your Web Site: The Easiest Place to Own Your Content
Understand How Your Customer’s Buying Journey Fits into the Marketing Funnel to Increase ROI