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I came across an article from 2017: “How Content Marketing is Like a First Date“.

Intrigued, I read on.

The author uses the analogy to highlight the importance of two-way communication and a focus on your love interest (the customer) instead of heavy self-promotion.

And he’s right. Nobody wants to continue a relationship with a self-absorbed narcissist, but it got me thinking. Content marketing is really more like a 50-year-long marriage. At least that’s how brands should be thinking about it.

Look at the key characteristics of long-standing marriages: open communication, commitment, kindness, acceptance, love, trust, emotion and vulnerability head to the top of the list.

Like any successful long-term relationship, your content marketing strategy must foster open communication. Your company talks a little bit— and then listens. It focuses on the customer’s needs and provides valuable insight, knowledge, and products in return.

Great content is the key to communication and content marketing is a form of communication crafted with users in mind. In the same way a successful relationship is built on open discussions of important topics, content strategies must also include open discussions about topics of importance.

But in order to maintain a line of communication, brands need to be consistent and make a commitment to the strategy. Any long term relationship is founded on a partnership based on passion and discipline. It’s the notion that putting in the hard work will return something more rewarding later on (like a loyal following and customer base). Many companies want to “blog,” for instance, but can’t see to remain dedicated (or find the time and resources) to maintain consistency. If you want to hold a relationship with users or potential customers, the way to do this is by being consistent and becoming a reliable source of information for them. It’s important to become the “rock” on the customer’s journey, a solid and consistent authority full of information that will help them every step of the way. Being inconsistent and flakey is cause for the relationship to crumble, just as it is in any personal relationship.

By being committed, brands are able to build trust. It’s rare that we trust others immediately upon introduction. It takes time. We need to see that they are reliable and of their word. Trust is considered to be one of the cornerstones of relationships and developing trust among users requires consistency, openness, and socialization. As mentioned above, creating content consistently will help others understand what you do, how you do it, and how you can help, and by providing content that’s selfless — meaning it isn’t tied to self-promotion but genuinely aims to assist the user in some way (for example, entertaining, solutions-based, or about other issues he or she may encounter that are related to your company) — you indicate that you’re in it for the long haul and not just intending to push a product or service on them and leave them out to dry. Building trust also involves being forthcoming about your products and services so that users know exactly what to expect.

Over the course of building this relationship, brands need to become vulnerable and emotional. Vulnerability is the key to close relationships. As humans, we have a drive to connect with others. Appealing to this human quality will propel your brand and raise awareness. People need to see the raw, human side of things. What does this mean for your content strategy? For starters, it means incorporating content that dives into the “why” and “who” of things. Why does this product work? Why do people need it? What emotion is it playing on? Who are the users? Explore them and get to know them. What do they go through? When your product or service relates to worldly challenges, highlight them.

Also, bring your company to life by showing the faces behind it. We see a lot of companies highlight their company happenings on their social media feeds. While it’s encouraged to be human, only talking about your company and not providing anything else for the user, isn’t necessarily the best strategy. Find the balance.

Be accepting of your users. In order to give them what they need and want, you want to truly understand them. Sometimes what your company thinks it should be doing and what the data shows the users are actually asking for do not align. As with any long-term relationship understanding and acceptance is key to a successful content marketing strategy. Another form of acceptance includes accepting others into your life as well. No couple wants to live in isolation, so it may be a good idea to begin incorporating social influencers into your strategy.

Acceptance is also linked to kindness, which goes a long way in any relationship. Relationships require us to be genuine and to apply a true interest in a partner, even if we don’t find the topic at hand all that interesting. This means we must listen, respect, and give of ourselves. The same thing applies to your content strategy. Just as mentioned above, when we discuss trust and the ability to offer other valuable information, even without the direct benefit, we apply kindness. What can you give or do to show users that they are appreciated? Aside from valuable content in the form of a blog, implement white papers, videos, webinars, social contests, quizzes, and other interactivity so that everyone is enjoying themselves. Maybe even implement a giveaway. In that case, not only are you giving, but you’re also receiving some leads and registrants.

So, while the idea that content marketing is like a first date may be valid at the onset, companies should approach it as a long-term relationship. Let’s face it, the idea is valid, but it’s also two years old, which is like an eternity in marketing time.

One piece of content won’t change anyone’s life, but consistently offering value while being kind, accepting, and vulnerable,  might just build up a loyal herd of brand followers that trust your company and perceive it as a go-to source for information and products.

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