Edelman's approach to content marketing, which I developed for the Digital and Tech teams at Edelman London. How to reach people and make an impact in the post-advertising age.

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CONTENT MARKETING
Reaching people and exerting influence
in the post-advertising age

2. Edelman Content Marketing 1.9
CONTENTS
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How we bring together intelligence, content, delivery and analytics to
change what people think, feel and do.
PART TWO – THE EDELMAN APPROACH
How content marketing can scale and adapt to meet any challenge and
budget.
PART THREE – OPTIONS AND APPROACHES
How three key trends are changing the way brands can reach people.
PART ONE – THE CRITICAL JUNCTION

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PART ONE
INTRODUCTION: THE CRITICAL JUNCTION

4. Edelman Content Marketing 1.9Edelman Content Marketing 1.9
The intersection of three trends is
fundamentally changing the way
companies can reach their
customers.

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Purchasers are spending longer online
before contacting vendors
Media experiences are determined by search
and social algorithms
The effectiveness of display advertising
is being reduced
RISE OF THE
PERSONAL WEB
CUSTOMER
INDEPENDENCE
AUDIENCE
TECHNOLOGY

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CUSTOMER INDEPENDENCE
6
MIXED MEDIA
AWARENESS
Vendor messages are no
longer the likely first
exposure to a product or
service. Potential
customers gain ambient
awareness from others.
SEARCH
CONSIDERATIO
N
On average, buyers are
doing 12 searches before
engaging on a specific
brand’s site.
(Google/Milward Brown)
SOCIAL FORUMS
INTENT
Detailed information on
the desirability and
effectiveness of a product
or service is available from
previous users.
VENDOR SITE
DECISION
Today’s buyers might be
anywhere from two thirds
to 90% of the way through
their journey before they
reach out to a seller
(Gartner)
DIRECT CONTACT
ACTION
Customers broadcast
stories of their purchase
experiences if they have a
high emotional valence
(positive or negative)
THE PURCHASE FUNNEL IS CHANGING.

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THE RISE OF THE PERSONAL WEB
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Our media experiences are unique. Where we go and what we see is
determined by our search behaviour and the people we are connected to
through our social networks. This is the Personal Web.
What appears in our Personal Web is determined by algorithms.
THERE IS NO ONE INTERNET.
SEARCH
The content you
see is driven by
your intent
SOCIAL
The content you see is
driven by the behavior
of your contacts

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IN A SINGLE MINUTE
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MIND CORE
72 hours of YouTube
video uploaded
204m emails sent
26,380 Yelp reviews
2.4m new shares on Facebook
216,000 Instagram photos posted
8,333 vine videos shared
48,000 apps downloaded from
Apple App store
Tinder users swipe 416,667 times
347,222 photos shared on WhatsApp
$83,000 in online
sales for Amazon
Pandora users listen to 61,141 hours of music
23,000 Skype
connections
4m Google searches
277,000 Tweets posted
216,000 Instagram photos posted

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AUDIENCETECHNOLOGY
YOUR AUDIENCE IS BLOCKING ADS.
Attention is finite and jealously guarded – as proven
by the rise of adblocking software. This is the
Personal Web in action: increasingly, people
recognize the scarcity of their attention and want to
see only content that is specifically valuable to them.
With the introduction of adblock capability on iOS9,
the stakes are rising even further.
This raises the bar for communicators. It means
traditional display ads, with low CPM and broad
reach, are losing effectiveness.
We must work harder to create and deliver content –
valuable, interesting, engaging content, not ads –
that captures the emotion and imagination of the
people we need to reach.
9
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
Jan-10 Jan-11 Jan-12 Jan-13 Jan-14 Jan-15
People using Adblocking software, millions

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THE CRITICAL JUNCTION
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What your customers are seeing
online is a function of unique
search and social algorithms.
RISE OF THE PERSONAL WEB
Your customers are protecting
their finite attention with
increasingly sophisticated
technology.
AUDIENCE TECHNOLOGY
Your customers are informing
themselves before they come to you.
CUSTOMER INDEPENDENCE

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In the era of abundant content and finite
attention, how can we ensure that your
content appears in the Personal Web of
the people you need to see it?

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The convergence of paid, owned and
earned media has blurred the
distinction between each.
You don’t need to design ads that
look like editorial content.
Great content is your ad.
Richard Edelman
President & CEO
CONTENT ISTHE ANSWER.

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PARTTWO
CONTENT MARKETING: THE EDELMAN APPROACH

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EDELMAN ADOPTS A FOUR-STAGE APPROACHTO CONTENT MARKETING
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4
1
2
3
Identify targets and approaches
INTELLIGENCE
Create messages that will
resonate with targets
CONTENT
Monitor content performance and
reaction, adjust and iterate
ANALYTICS
Ensure content penetrates
targets’ Personal Web
DELIVERY

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WHAT DOWE KNOWABOUTTHE PEOPLEWE ARETRYINGTO REACH?
INFLUENCE
Who leads discussion
among our target
communities?
SENTIMENT
What emotional
attitudes does the
language convey?
LANGUAGE
What terms and
language are they using?
CONTENT
What types of content are
they creating or sharing on
these channels?
CHANNELS
What online and offline
channels are they using
to communicate?
IDENTITY
Who is talking about
topics of interest to us?
!
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SEEK
INFORMATION
MEASURE
IMPACT
OBTAIN
INSIGHT
HOWWILLWE GATHER INSIGHT?
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Directly engaging with our
targets through surveys focus
groups, creating data, capturing
opinions, needs, attitudes,
expectations, behaviours etc.
PRIMARY RESEARCH
Using existing sources of data
(whether paid, owned, earned,
academic…) and capturing
conversations, influence, topics,
trends etc.
SECONDARY RESEARCH
Analysing a variety of existing
and owned data, including
owned data from social media,
mobile and web traffic, search
and paid media analytics
DIGITAL ANALYTICS

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GOODCONTENT IS BUILT ON GOOD INTELLIGENCE
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TIMELY
Ideal
Content
Audience
Interests
Brand
Priorities
Conversation
Trends
RESONANTRELEVANT
Good content is built on intelligence.
Understanding thoroughly what the target
audience is discussing means we can create
content that works.
Good content is relevant to brand values,
business goals and communication goals.
But this is useless unless it also resonates
with audience interests.
Finally, to really cut through, good content is
timely, adding value to a conversation of
immediate salience.

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WE CHOOSETHE RIGHT MEDIUM FORTHE MESSAGE & AUDIENCE
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Text Audio Photography Illustration Video Interactivity
Nothing explains
complex thoughts
like good writing.
The power of
human voices
discussing matters
of interest to you.
Instantly captures
attention and draws
audiences into a
story.
Instantly captures
attention with
visualizations of
complexity.
Unbeatable
emotional impact,
mass appeal and
storytelling.
Unique in its power
to engross and
explain the function
of complex systems.

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WE ADAPT CONTENTTO MATCH DISTRIBUTION METHODS
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SHORT SOCIAL
POSTS
Links and quick-
reaction content
Culturally-attuned
content incl. memes
optimized for target
public
VISUAL POSTS
PRESS
MATERIALS
Socially relevant,
optimized for search
Including
visualizations,
explainers, mind-maps
and data visualizations
GRAPHICS &
IMAGES
VIDEO
character-led content
with a strong story,
launched socially,
primed for search.
Search-optimized for
enthusiasts &
specialists.
INTERACTIVE
&THOUGHT
LEADERSHIP
Simpler, Faster Complex, slower
Measure once, cut many times: we create multiple pieces across the Content
Spectrum, from simple and quick to slow and complex. Each piece is optimized
for distribution across a different channel.
This allows us to distribute the same message in multiple formats wherever it
will be most effective.

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THE IMPORTANCEOF EMOTION
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CUSTOMERS ARE EMOTION-DRIVEN – EVEN IN B2B.
Emotion usually drives decision-making. The conscious, rational ‘rider’ can try to rein in the
elephant of emotion, but often simply post-rationalizes emotional decisions.
Customers of B2B brands report an
even stronger emotional connection
with their suppliers than those of
B2C brands.
When career development and
personal prestige rests on a purchase
decision, the emotional stakes are
high indeed.
This makes powerful, resonant
content all the more important.

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DELIVERY: USINGWHATEVER CHANNEL MIX IS MOST EFFECTIVE
Paid, Earned, Owned and Social each have a role to play in
reaching the people we need to reach effectively.
Earned coverage was once the mainstay of PR. It remains valuable, as
it capitalizes on the established reputation and audience of popular
media operations.
Owned channels are central to effective communications. We use
digital publishing technology to break brands and organizations’
dependence on media operations.
Social media activity – both on owned channels and among online
influencers – extends the reach of that content into authentic social
conversations.
Paid activity drives content further, boosting it intelligently into the
feeds of your target public by matching their search behaviour and
penetrating their social media networks.
When all four or these are properly integrated and deployed, the
result is that the people you need to reach see your content every
time they go online, authentically embedded in their online
experience.
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SocialPaid
Owned
Earned

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EARNED COVERAGE
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Getting earned coverage from
individuals on social media can
reach target audiences very
effectively.
INFLUENCERS
Edelman’s global reach and local
connections mean we can always
find the most relevant partner in
any market.
AROUND THE WORLD
Magnifying your message through
Edelman’s long experience with
media organizations, online and
also in meatspace
PROFESSIONAL MEDIA
Web-native operations like Vice
and Mashable offer excellent
opportunities for coverage and
content partnerships.
NEW ORGANIZATIONS

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OWNED CHANNEL DISTRIBUTION
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Putting your digital presence on
the right footing, including
platform, CMS & CRM consultancy
TECHNICAL STRATEGY
Breaking the mold with drones,
3D printing and whatever is next
around the corner
CREATIVE TECH
Making sure your content appears
top of search with SEO and search
engine marketing
SEARCH
WEBSITE DESIGN & BUILD
USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN
MOBILE DEVELOPMENT
Creating world-class websites to
position your message effectively
Designing interactivity that
encourages desired user
behaviours
Including strategy, optimization
design & build

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SOCIAL MEDIA DISTRIBUTION
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Starting and engaging in valuable,
authentic conversations in online
communities.
COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT
Creating content optimized for
the channel and the community.
CONTENT CREATION
Making sure complex global social
networks are playing together
nicely.
GLOBAL PAGES MANAGEMENT
Using the latest functionality to
reach the right communities.
CHANNEL STRATEGY
Multiplying your message’s reach
through intelligent partnering.
INFLUENCER STRATEGY
Targeting specific people with
precision paid support.
PAID SOCIAL

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PAID DISTRIBUTION
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PAID ACTIVITY
Paid search targets people at the
moment of interest. It is consistently
one of the most effective ways to
reach engaged consumers and helps
extend the lifecycle of owned content
and earned coverage.
Content Partnerships build on our
heritage as great content creators.
This means we can place the right
story, with the right partner at the
right time, and our editorial
relationships mean we have access to
best-in-class writers in every sector.
Paid social helps elevate your content to
the top of social feeds and grow your
audience in a targeted fashion.
Content Syndication places your content
in a native editorial context on partner
media sites, where your target audience is
engaging with topically related pieces of
content, extending reach and access.
PAID SEARCH
CONTENT PARTNERSHIPS
PAID SOCIAL
CONTENT SYNDICATION

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THIS IS JUSTTHE BEGINNING
With more than 5,500 employees in 65
cities, as well as affiliates in more than
40 cities, Edelman can bring a vast array
of specialized technical, creative, and
consulting expertise to bear on any
communications or business challenge.
DEEP EXPERTISE
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ANALYTICS
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OWNED WEBSOCIAL MEDIA
We can track in great detail
who sees and interacts with
our content, allowing us to
refine and optimize content
and our approach.
PAID MEDIA LIVE RESEARCH
Being able to accurately track and measure how our content is performing is vital for two reasons. First it allows us to report effectively on the
success of our campaigns and ensure our clients are receiving tangible benefit. Second and just as important is responsiveness; the ability to learn
from content performance and optimize further iterations as a campaign progresses. Our analytical abilities are spread acrossfour main areas:
Paid media support adds
another layer of complexity.
Detailed analytics are an
essential component of any
paid media activity.
We deploy website analytics
to track referrals, bounce
rates and interaction paths,
to make sure that content is
being deployed effectively.
Ongoing primary research,
including questionnaires
and interviews, to track the
propagation of message and
sentiment.

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PARTTHREE
OPTIONS AND APPROACHES

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We pick the right tool for the job.

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A SCALABLE METHODOLOGY
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Each of the four stages of the cycle can be scaled according to
client requirements. A full-strength deployment across all four
phases can be remarkably powerful, but is not always
necessary (or even recommended) for every communications
challenge.
Intelligence – Some level of intelligence gathering is always
necessary before engaging in a communications campaign.
The most straightforward cases involve a client who already
possesses fully developed intelligence, but Edelman is
equipped to carry out secondary research on target media
habits and insights, and even fully customizable original
research including in surveys, face-to-face and qualitative
stakeholder research and analytics.
Content – Edelman is equipped to scope, produce and deliver
content of any complexity, from copy and graphics through
video production up to fully interactive implementations such
as interactive infographics and video games.
Delivery – In addition to preparing a delivery strategy to
ensure the content reaches its targets effectively Edelman can
operate and manage delivery channels across full spectrum of
Paid, Earned, Owned and Social space. This includes
management of corporate websites and blogs through to
social media channels, media relations, and of course paid
media support online.
Analytics – For tracking success and refining longer-term
campaigns, analytics are indispensable. Edelman can track
campaign progress to the most minute detail using dedicated
software and an experienced team of expert analysts.

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OPTIONSAT EACH STAGE
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Intelligence Content Delivery Analytics
MorecomplexLesscomplex
In-depth primary
research
Primary research
Secondary research
Existing client data
Multiple content types
Complex content
Simple content
Strategy only
Paid media
Community
management
Publishing
Strategy only
Integrated interactive
newsroom
Custom dashboards
Native monitoring
Client analytics

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BASIC (STRATEGY-ONLY)APPROACH
32
Intelligence Content Delivery Analytics
MorecomplexLesscomplex
In-depth primary
research
Primary research
Secondary research
Existing client data
Multiple content types
Complex content
Simple content
Strategy only
Paid media
Community
management
Publishing
Strategy only
Integrated interactive
newsroom
Custom dashboards
Native monitoring
Client analytics

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ONE-OFFCAMPAIGNAPPROACH
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Intelligence Content Delivery Analytics
MorecomplexLesscomplex
In-depth primary
research
Primary research
Secondary research
Existing client data
Multiple content types
Complex content
Simple content
Strategy only
Paid media
Community
management
Publishing
Strategy only
Integrated interactive
newsroom
Custom dashboards
Native monitoring
Client analytics

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TEXT-BASEDTHOUGHT LEADERSHIPCAMPAIGN
34
Intelligence Content Delivery Analytics
MorecomplexLesscomplex
In-depth primary
research
Primary research
Secondary research
Existing client data
Multiple content types
Complex content
Simple content
Strategy only
Paid media
Community
management
Publishing
Strategy only
Integrated interactive
newsroom
Custom dashboards
Native monitoring
Client analytics

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MAJOR BRAND LAUNCH
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Intelligence Content Delivery Analytics
MorecomplexLesscomplex
In-depth primary
research
Primary research
Secondary research
Existing client data
Multiple content types
Complex content
Simple content
Strategy only
Paid media
Community
management
Publishing
Strategy only
Integrated interactive
newsroom
Custom dashboards
Native monitoring
Client analytics

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PART FOUR
CASE STUDIES

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THANKYOU
QUESTIONS?
@trippenbach /in/trippenbach philip.trippenbach@edelman.com Moxidas