Why Custom Content Creation Is A Must For The Wedding Industry
Image by: Jackie Averill
Custom Content. What does that mean and why do you need it? Let me tell you. Content, in general, is anything you publish on your website, blog, emails, and social media pages. From the written word to images, videos, infographics, and audio, content is designed for consumption. It engages the consumer by offering informative, valuable or entertaining information to elicit an emotional response and inspire an action. Custom content is original, well thought out content that has a specific purpose targeted to a niche audience. It not only does all of the above, but it also goes one step further. It provides an experience. That experience is what will connect the viewer on a deeper level and stay with them longer, bringing them closer to your brand, product or services. It is more important than ever to strike a chord with your buyers and create an emotional connection and sense of community that will breed loyalty, referrals and positive reviews. This is especially important in the world of weddings because they are such a personal experience. As we know, the wedding market is ever-growing and the competition is fierce. Anyone can get into the game, throw up a website and start a Facebook and Instagram page. The difference in the level of success is how well you do it. You have to stand out, be original and make a statement to get noticed and get business. Using stock photography and sharing generic articles and images or content from other pages is worthless. Having a brand voice, creating a vision and telling a story through original custom content is the key to separating yourself from the pack. Ready to get the ball rolling?
Best Forms of Original Content:
Video - Videos have high engagement and drive significant traffic. On social media, video generates 1,200 percent more shares than images and text, according to Brightcove.
Photos – Content without images is boring. Photos are the ultimate asset in telling a story, evoking emotion and providing inspiration.
Tips & Advice – Shortlists that pack a powerful punch are more easily consumed by today’s fast-paced digital-savvy consumer. They inspire the audience to learn more and dig deeper into your brand.
Where to Start
Curate content from real weddings. Reach out to the event photographers and request the use of images for your website and social pages. This gives you the opportunity to showcase real couples and real weddings that you were a part of.
Plan a styled photoshoot. Partner with industry vendors to plan, design and produce a shoot that speaks to your market and demographic. This gives you a bank of cohesive professional images that highlight your brand that you can pull from for content creation.
Plan and budget for video content. Videos can showcase everything from an inspirational styled shoot to a day in the life of a catering manager, client testimonials, behind the scenes on wedding day as well as featuring your facilities and staff.
How to Use Custom Content:
Blog – It all starts with the blog. The blog is the first stop on the content marketing train as it provides a permanent home for your content to live. Once the content has a home, you can drive traffic to it. Posting content right to social isn’t doing much for you. While it may drive engagement, the goal is to get people to your website where they can consume more information and connect. With the majority of today’s content consumption and research being done online, having valuable and purposeful articles that tie back to your brand are more important than ever.
Social Media - Social Posts are created to drive engagement, likes, and shares as well as drive traffic back to your website. Social posts should mirror the content on your blog or website and provide clients with access to company news, happenings, and offerings. Social also gives you the paid options to create a call to action button and target specific audiences who are looking for your type of content.
Newsletters - Email marketing continues to be one of the strongest forms of lead generation and is a great way to inspire your customers to purchase. Weekly, monthly or quarterly newsletters let your audience know what is going on with your company and in your area, while also introducing them to the valuable content you have been posting on your blog and social channels. It’s the perfect call to action to inspire a consumer to click through to and spend some time on your website.
PR - Now that you’ve got all of this great content living on your website and social channels, it’s time to promote it through affiliate companies and earned media placements. Industry partners are appreciative of companies who call out their products and services in content features and are likely to share with their audience furthering your compani’s reach while building a symbiotic relationship with that brand. Industry-related magazines, blogs, websites, and social media channels are always looking for great content for their readership. Identify those companies and pitch your content as a possible feature on their pages.
If this seems like a lot, and well… it is. Creating a successful brand voice and identity along with the original content you need to tell your story and attract the right client is a full-time job that requires a team of experts to execute successfully. I would love to help make that happen for you. Drop me a line for a free consultation and Q&A session to review how custom content creation can grow your brand awareness, increase lead gen and inspire conversions.
