As content marketing continues to grow and develop, startups and more established entrepreneurs are always looking for new ways to deliver content to their target audiences. One such tool is Medium, a story-based content sharing platform.
From the perspective of an individual, a blogging platform like Medium is a place to discover content related to interests and hobbies. From the perspective of marketers, Medium serves as a way to share content with people in your niche market.
But what is it exactly? As Atlantic writer, Alexis Madrigal explains, “Medium is a place to read articles on the Internet. Medium is a blogging platform, like WordPress or Blogger. Medium is the new project from the guys who brought you Twitter.”
Curated Content Platforms
When you publish a piece of content on Medium’s blogging platform, it is organized into a collection of similar stories. Medium allows users to write content directly on its interface or to paste in prewritten content.
In terms of discovering stories, Medium users follow particular content collections. The site employs an algorithm and content curators to determine how content is categorized and how prominent it will be on-site. Quality content that receives positive feedback and high readership will be featured, while pieces that are deemed to be of lower quality won’t gain as much exposure.
Medium features analytic tools that offer bloggers insight about the way in which people engage with their content. These analytics measure the number of views, actual reads and the number of recommendations a blog post receives. Also, it offers a “read ratio” that measures the percentage of the content that a user actually read. This analytic data is calculated using Medium’s algorithm, making it very apparent how a piece of content is performing.
Curated Content Discovery Trends
Blogging platforms like Medium are a part of a trend toward curated content discovery sites. Rather than owning content on your company blog, some experts suggest the future lies in “content retailers” where every brand’s content sits on the same virtual shelf. Everyone from independent bloggers to big brand marketers will submit content to the same place and compete on a level playing field for readership.
What this means for marketers who create content for blogging platforms and online magazine’s, alike, is that the quality of content and its ability to standout is now more important than ever. In order to stay ahead of the curve and succeed content creators must adapt and make changes to their current content marketing strategies.
Brand Storytelling Strategies
Brand storytelling is an element that will grow in importance as blogging platforms such as Medium become more popular. Companies will need to create genuine, inspiring and useful content that readers can relate to and value.
An example of one organization that is ahead of the curve in this regard is Hydroworx, a world leader in aquatic therapy equipment for sports and healthcare. They managed to evoke strong emotions and demonstrate the impact of their products by telling the story of NFL player Adrian Peterson’s recovery. The Pro Bowl running back tore his ACL, and with the help of Hydroworx aquatic therapy pool he was able to rehabilitate and capture the NFL’s MVP award the very next season.
This type of brand story content exemplifies the ways in which companies can bridge the gap between their products or services and human emotions. The best way to accomplish this is by telling stories that will capture reader attention and get them thinking about your brand in a positive way.
Long-Form Content Strategies
Another way to boost the quality of your content marketing is to create long-form content. These content pieces are much more substantial than typical blog posts and serve as informative resources for readers.
Not only does long-form content tend to perform well online, because of its value to readers, it also has the ability to establish your company as an industry thought leader. Detailed lists, how-to guides, and multimedia stories are just a few examples of long-form content that your company can produce.
Embracing the New Content Landscape
As new blogging platforms emerge, companies not only need to reconsider the way in which they produce content, but also adapt and give some of them a shot. Sticking to a traditional content strategy in which you solely publish to your own company blog and promote on your own social media will only get you so far.
As “one-stop-shop” style content sites emerge, any small business that doesn’t embrace the change will inevitably miss out on valuable exposure and conversations. The introduction of content curation sites like Medium represents a new era in the world of digital content. For content marketers, it is important to recognize the content curation trend and start considering how your brand can take advantage of it.
Savannah Flynn is a public relations specialist for WebpageFX, a full-service Internet marketing, web design and web development agency offering integrated web solutions for medium to large sized businesses across the globe. She has a passion for online marketing and PR.
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