In today’s digital age, every company, no matter its industry, size, or niche, must create and distribute valuable content to establish thought leadership, build a brand, and connect with its target audience. Companies, small businesses, and entrepreneurs need to adopt a media mindset and think of themselves as media companies to market themselves effectively. In this article, we will explore why every company is now a media company and how to become a successful one.
Why Every Company is a Media Company
The concept of every company being a media company was first introduced by John Battelle, co-founder of Wired magazine and The Industry Standard. He defined a media company as “any company that creates content and has an audience.” This definition has evolved to include any company that produces content to attract, engage, and retain customers.
In today’s digital age, the proliferation of social media platforms, content marketing, and search engine optimisation have made it possible for any company to create and distribute content at a low cost. According to the Content Marketing Institute, 91% of B2B marketers use content marketing to reach customers. This highlights the importance of content marketing in today’s business landscape.
If you are interested in finding out more about generating effective media for your business, check out our related articles. These include being a social media expert, considering a social media marketing agency for strategy Or considering social media training to help stand out from the crowd. We are often asked how to post on social media for business or optimise social media for your business.
Building a Media Company around Your Brand
To build a media company around your brand, you need to start by identifying your target audience and creating content that speaks directly to them. This content should be valuable, relevant, and useful to your audience. It can include blog posts, social media updates, podcasts, videos, infographics, and more.
Creating a content strategy that aligns with your business goals is also crucial. This ensures that your content is focused and effective in achieving your desired outcomes. Your content strategy should guide the creation, distribution, and measurement of your content.
Being a Media Company
Becoming a media company requires a shift in mindset. You need to think like a media company and not just a business. This means investing in the right tools, resources, and talent to create high-quality content consistently. You need to establish a content creation process that involves planning, creation, distribution, and measurement.
Social media is an essential part of being a media company. It provides a platform for companies, small businesses, and entrepreneurs to distribute their content and engage with their target audience. According to a study by Sprout Social, 86% of consumers prefer to engage with brands on social media, and 70% of consumers have purchased a product after seeing it on social media.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is also vital in being a media company. It ensures that your content is visible to your target audience and ranks high in search engine results. This increases the chances of your target audience finding your content and engaging with your brand. Ideally, you will identify types of content creation that you enjoy. For example, if you may like creating videos – then a platform for video is best for you. If you are a writer – then a website and platforms such as LinkedIn may be best. Here are the core types of content to consider:
Blogging: Blogging is a popular form of content marketing that involves writing articles on topics related to your industry, niche, or target audience. By creating high-quality blog posts, you can attract visitors to your website, establish thought leadership, and drive conversions.
Social media: Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and TikTok provide an excellent opportunity to engage with your target audience and promote your brand. By creating and sharing engaging social media posts, you can increase your brand’s visibility, reach new audiences, and build a community of loyal followers.
Podcasting: Podcasting is a relatively new form of content marketing that involves creating audio content on topics related to your industry, niche, or target audience. By creating high-quality podcasts, you can attract listeners, establish thought leadership, and promote your brand.
Video marketing: Video marketing involves creating video content to promote your brand and engage with your target audience. Video content can include product demos, how-to videos, explainer videos, and more. Video content is highly engaging, and it can help to establish a more personal connection with your audience.
Infographics: Infographics are visual representations of data, information, or knowledge that are designed to be easily understood and shared. Infographics are highly shareable, and they can be used to promote your brand, increase your brand’s visibility, and establish thought leadership. If you are a designer – this might be a great type of content for you to create – which leads nicely into platforms such as Pinterest.
Whitepapers or Ebooks: Whitepapers are long-form pieces of content that provide in-depth information on a specific topic related to your industry, niche, or target audience. By creating high-quality whitepapers, you can establish thought leadership, attract leads, and drive conversions. Books or ebooks are another forms you could write content and reach a new audience.
Conclusion
Every company is now a media company. The ability to create and distribute valuable content consistently is essential to building a successful brand in today’s digital age. To achieve this, companies, small businesses, and entrepreneurs need to think of themselves as media companies and adopt a media mindset. This means creating a content strategy, investing in the right tools and resources, and involving everyone in the content creation process. By doing so, they can establish thought leadership, build a personal brand, and connect with their audience on a personal level.
