Different association types, different content marketing strategies
Associations come in all shapes and sizes. Common elements are (1) the organisational structure of associations with members, a board and volunteer or professional executives, which is different to a regular business structure when it comes to planning and executing communication activities in general and (2) the fact that all associations represent interests of their members.
Aside from the common elements, we also identified that different association types have different needs, objectives and challenges when it comes to developing a modern content marketing strategy. For example developing a content programme to create member value for members of an association for individual professionals differs from developing content to establish value for company members of a trade association. From a strategic point of view, content marketing is a completely different approach when the Assocation’s focus is mainly directed towards individual benefits for its members in comparison to associations with a primary strategic focus on external representation and member advocacy.
The key take-away from this topic is that content marketing can only be effective when it is perfectly aligned with the association’s strategy and profile.
Red alert: THE member doesn’t exist anymore in today’s media landscape.
In spite of all our sincere intentions, association management often seems to become trapped in ‘one size fit all’ execution for communication and content marketing. Although our members share a common interest along which they are ‘associated’, they also have different content needs and communication habits. Communication technologies made it difficult or costly to create more tailor made communication and content concepts.
Today’s technology enables us much more to cater to individual needs. More importantly, communication behaviour and expectations of members have changed. Content is widely available all around us and may be provided to your members by new sources. Content-consumers are becoming more critical to quality of both the content itself and of its delivery concept. While traditional member audiences may still accept that your content concept is based on technical possibilities of the past, next generation members will be much more demanding in this respect. The threat for associations is that their content may not be unique or may not offer the best user experience resulting in a decrease of member value perception. The opportunity that arises is that you can reach out to your individual members on a 24/7 basis, cater to their specific needs and increase the relevance and value of your association’s content resources.
We need to accept that most of our current content efforts are conceptualised on old technologies. Linear development of current concepts is not an option. In order to turn the technology shift from a threat into a great opportunity we need to go back to the drawing board and develop news concepts from scratch.
The key take-away from this topic is that we have to take a few steps back to redefine the full picture. It’s no evolution, it is no revolution: it’s re-engineering
Other topics
During the session we also addressed other issues related to developing a content marketing strategy for associations. For example that a good content governance model is essential to be able to act with the speed needed in the media world of today, the importance of choosing the right technology framework and the fact that we are in a period of transition where we have to service members we more traditional needs and members with more advanced needs.
The theme that came through across all the topics that we discussed is that content marketing should not be seen as a project, but as a process. It is a continuous effort and not just a box to check off. This demands full backing of the organisation and a clear mind-set on how content is key to defining your association’s relevance. Content marketing is definitely a long-term key topic for association management and will certainly be on the agenda on next year’s conference.
Social Media are useless without content
Just imagine a conference without speakers and a debate. Just think of a meeting where no one is saying anything. That is exactly what Social Media are without content.
Social Media are a great opportunity for associations to engage with existing members and to reach out to new members or stakeholder audiences. The key to success however, is the quality of the content. Content may be provided by the associations’ staff or experts or by members. It can be your own content or curated content from external sources. Whichever ingredients you use to create your content stream, the relevance of the content and its usability in terms of format and concept determines to which extend you can harvest from the social media opportunity. Content is the currency that will define your association’s authority, its potential to realise your associations’ goals and thus directly or indirectly its relevance for your members
It’s essential to focus on content before you focus on social media. A holistic approach, where content is the binding element, will enable you to integrate social media as one of the channels that you can use. An integrated content marketing strategy delivers the greatest output from all your media –options whether they are owned, earned or paid and whether they are in print, online of face-to-face.
The key take-away from this may be best formulated by the American Social media expert Jay Baer. He says”Social media is fire, content is petrol”
Bert van Loon
Consultant
MostlyMedia.nl
Renew and enhance your Association’s Relevance in a Content Driven World. This presentation is designed to (1) put Content Marketing in perspective, (2) relate it to your organisation’s strategy and (3) to show how you can develop a Content Marketing strategy to enhance your organisation’s relevance.