Making the Case for Quality Content: P&G Micro-site is 4x More Effective Than Equal Priced TV Advertisement
By Tom Chandler on Apr 25, 2008 in Business of Freelancing, Copywriting, Engagement Marketing
I’ve repeatedly highlighted the marketing benefits of quality content, and believe engagement marketing gigs (blogs, e-newsletters, etc) offer copywriters a shot at excellent long-term (and profitable) projects.
Next time you’re pitching a content project, don’t forget to roll out this excellent example from a Direct Magazine article by Joe Pulizzi:
Being Girl, sponsored by P&G brands Tampax and Always, is a microsite and social community dedicated to young women’s questions about PMS, dating, and other issues. Forrester Research analyst Josh Bernoff has reported that Being Girl is four times more effective than a similarly priced TV advertising program.
Phrases like "4 times more effective" make marketing directors sit up a little straighter — especially when you’re referring to a project run by a huge packaged goods company.
Need more ammunition?
Keynote tracked respondents’ behavior on three separate automotive microsites. Its research showed the more time visitors spent on a microsite the more likely they were to make a purchase. Even if the prospect initially was thought to be a poor candidate for buying anything, that probability soared after just a few minutes on the site.
There are a couple of important points to note here. First, relevant and valuable online information significantly affects a purchase. Second, a prospect who isn’t necessarily ready to buy can be positively influenced by Web content.
To many writers, "content marketing" means cheaply produced articles, written by the dozen, and yet it doesn’t have to be that way.
Proctor & Gamble — and many others (including niche companies like Pyramyd Air — have demonstrated the excellent returns delivered by high quality content.
Great Post!
Although I have never heard of Being Girl before, the Alli weight-loss pill has what sounds to be a similar website. Not only is it full of (crafted, targeted) information, but it is also a forum for all Alli users to discuss their issues and concerns with the product and weight loss in general.
I’m not sure how moderated it is (I’m assuming *heavily* moderated…) but still it is a great example of a uniquely Internet-based marketing strategy.
Plus, you have what are likely your champions at your finger tips at all times. Incredible!
But yes, in order to pull this off, you can’t just have your typical set of 500-word SEO articles dashed off in an hour each. However I do think that it is within reach of smaller companies too — and likely with an equally great ROI, depending on the product.
~Graham
Graham Strong | Apr 25, 2008 | Reply
Graham; You’ve hit it on the head — and arrived at some of the major reasons I pitch engagement marketing projects to key clients.
I linked to Pyramyd Air late in the post; they’re hardly a giant, yet they’re leveraging high-quality engagement content up the wazoo.
And yes, they’re #1, and growing far faster than the industry.
The ability to bind consumers to brands via shared passions and values — typically via Web 2.0 media channels — is only beginning to be understood.
I think it’s a great market — or skill set — for copywriters, especially those newer writers looking for longevity in their clients and projects.
Tom Chandler | Apr 25, 2008 | Reply
website won’t succeed in today’s rapidly changing online marketing environment if it’s simply a static display of information….
emarketed | Apr 25, 2008 | Reply
Tom…thanks for continuing to carry the flag. Creating and distributing valuable, relevant and compelling content isn’t just something nice to have anymore for businesses - it’s mandatory. Those that do it well with be rewarded with profits from customers that rely on the information they produce.
Keep up the great work!
Joe
Joe Pulizzi | Apr 25, 2008 | Reply
Joe;
Thanks for the appearance.
It’s clear a sustained flow of quality content pays dividends, though remarkably few businesses have fully grasped that reality — or seem willing to make the commitment.
Marketing for engagement (as opposed to marketing to interrupt) still has some distance to travel.
Tom Chandler | Apr 27, 2008 | Reply