While the global pandemic has had a profound impact on business, a shared focus has emerged across industries. For many, focusing on digital transformation is now at the very top of the agenda. In fact, according to Econsultancy and Marketing Week’s Marketing in a Crisis research, 96% of enterprise leaders are prioritising digital transformation.
Is that the case for you?
From the implementation of remote working models, to seeking new ways to reach and engage with customers, COVID-19 has both tested and transformed business operations. When the world went into lockdown, digitisation of core operations proved to be a key success factor – the difference for many businesses between floundering and flourishing.
We’ve talked before on here about our own experiences at GSD – we saw a sharp increase in focus around digital content and communication strategy, but many businesses simply weren’t prepared or equipped for the seismic shift in attention to digital.
Operating in this crisis has no doubt put financial strain on businesses. However, according to PwC’s recent CFO Pulse survey, while 52% of companies plan to cut or defer investments as a result of COVID-19, just 9% of those surveyed will make those cuts in digital transformation.
What does it mean to digitally transform a business, and why should content be at the journey’s epicentre?
All aboard the digital transformation train
Digital transformation entails a total shift in mentality from the top down. Digital integration affects every facet of the business, from systems and supply chains, to employees and customer interactions. Successful digital transformation links to the very core of the business.
But the speed at which technology changes means there’s a necessity for it to be an ever-evolving process.
In a world where everything is on-demand, customers expect instant gratification in terms of information and answers and, what’s more, they expect it in a format of their choosing – be it via phone, tablet, smart watch or virtual assistant. It has never been more challenging to keep up with consumer need and demand and, fundamental to this, is ensuring a flawless customer experience.
It’s worth pointing out too that B2B is in the same boat here as B2C.
Is your content accessible, credible and convincing?
So, if user experience is central to digital transformation then content becomes a huge contributing factor. Not content for content’s sake but High Performing Content – content that both delivers value to the brand and is intrinsically linked to, and help achieve, the key objectives of the business. Read more about how we frame High Performing Content in our recent article.
The way in which content is utilised can make or break a customer experience. Ask yourself, is your content accessible, credible and convincing? Are you segmenting your audience and targeting each specific customer profile? Are you reaching customers on the platforms they spend time on and above all, are you fulfilling a real need?
Fulfilling customer need
Content is only relevant when driven by your customers’ ‘need state’ – the state of mind at the point they connect with your brand. Customer state of need, if you can articulate it, is one of the key factors impacting whether your content hits the mark and truly impacts or is completely ignored.
According to the Content Marketing Institute, only 48% of B2B marketers frequently craft content based on the specific stages of the customer journey.
However, from the top performers, 74% do. In the same vein, only 66% of B2B marketers frequently prioritise their audience need over their own sales messages when creating content.
Of the most successful content marketers, 88% do.
When utilised in the right way, content has the power to nurture leads, build loyalty and generate sales. When this is happening by design, it’s a key indicator that your digital transformation is operating successfully.
Integrating content into digital transformation
Connecting content to the vision and values of the business, as well as your audience need, is an ongoing process – and one that we are constantly talking to our clients about and supporting them to achieve.
But, content cannot be changed over-night. Its benefits are accumulative and a long-term strategy is required – one that is flexible and reactive to the changing landscape.
So, then comes the how.
If digital transformation is part of your plan, and you want to understand how content can support your strategy, we’re here to help…
To ensure that content remains a central part of the transformation process, we recommend taking a three-stage approach: Explore, Reflect and Discover.
An Explore Session is an open conversation that looks at your organisation’s existing digital strategy, the wider objectives of the business and its goals and priorities moving forwards.
From this you start to unearth the strengths, note the challenges and establish exactly where the business is striving to get to in the short and long-term.
Then it’s essential to go away and Reflect on your findings, regrouping to report back with our observations, suggestions and solutions on how we can help and support with content.
Discovery is an in-depth content planning session, deep-diving into the visions and values of the business and taking an in-depth look at how these do or don’t feed into the current content strategy. We encourage our clients to take a step back, break down the building blocks and then rebuild together from the foundations up.
Get in touch today by emailing the team at info@goldsanddigital.com or calling us on 020 7287 9233.