Are you content with your content?
The latest instalment in Bladonmore’s series of breakfast events had everyone talking about content – and how to make an impact.
Bladonmore’s Managing Partner, Richard Carpenter, was joined on our panel by Sophie Ramsay, Head of Brand and Content Strategy (EMEA) at Goldman Sachs and Anne McCormack, Group Head of Internal Communications at William Hill.
Same game, different rules
For all our panellists, the overarching content objectives remained the same – to drive home a message and add your voice to the conversation. But differing business models provided an interesting point of comparison. Primarily opting for an ‘always on’ approach, Ramsay explored the importance Goldman Sachs placed on research, testing and learning when defining a channel strategy, looking to consistently engage those with an ‘outsized impact’ on the public conversation.
In contrast, McCormack explained how the cycle of business development impacted the wider composition of the comms function (for her, part of the wider HR department), and discussed how to overcome the challenges posed by an international audience with less access to social channels through campaign focused strategies.
From broadsheets to tweets
Despite separate challenges, there was broad agreement around how the changing media landscape had given rise to a new wave of influencers. By no means were traditional platforms seen as no longer relevant, but it was important to recognise that the ‘conversation’ had now moved on. Listening to your audience and understanding how they engage with content is now a real essential.
Making sure that your messages really land isn’t an easy task… but it’s a darn sight better when you have the support of senior leadership. For our panellists, this was a key part of delivering a strong message. As the public face of the business, these people often make for excellent ambassadors, with strong independent profiles that help ensure your content packs a punch.
Who you gonna call…?
Drawing to a close, one of the final questions from the audience met with a broad murmur of agreement – “How best can I identify the key strategic messages of an organisation?” The consistent answer was that this was often a real challenge… but that looking to your leadership team should be the first port of call.
