Content marketing has been touted as the marketing strategy of the future. The quantity of content marketing guides available online bears testimony to the popularity of this strategy, and it shows no signs of waning in the near future. Many globally established brands have been quick to align their marketing strategies with quality content that focuses mainly on educating customers, and less on selling to them, consequently garnering positive results all around.
In this article, we take a look at five of the best content marketing brands with the best content marketing websites, which have taken digital content marketing to a whole new plane.
The team here at ThunderQuote, decided to put this article together to help inspire younger brands out there to dip their toes in content marketing because we truly believe that it will ignite your brand and take it to heights you could never imagine!
-
Microsoft – the master storyteller
Technology giant Microsoft’s digital content marketing strategy appeals to human nature and their love for stories, whether it be listening, or telling tell them. Microsoft Story Labs is a recent initiative that features write-ups of people and their pursuits, experiences and accomplishments, packaged in a way that tells a good story. Microsoft Story Labs’ winning formula lies in the fact that the content they publish focuses on people and their lives, with the element of technology delicately weaved into the storyline instead of being the main focus. Microsoft understands that humble yet effective storytelling has a greater ability to draw readers in and capture their attention than a dry report on the specifics of a particular software. \
A study by Berkeley scientists found that the body produces oxytocin when exposed to character-driven stories, a finding that Microsoft has evidently put to good use. By harnessing the power of stories and how they influence and connect people, Microsoft is able to advertise their brand of software in an understated yet effective manner. Stories that focus on people are relatable, easily creating a bond between the storyteller – in this case, Microsoft – and the reader.
It’s also a tremendous help that the design of their website looks like it could well be a strong contender for the best content marketing website title. It frames each story with eye-catching graphics and colour tones that are subtle yet attractive, and pulls the reader in with a simple layout, preferring to let the content do the talking. With Microsoft Story Labs, Microsoft has really proven itself to be an institution, and one of the best content marketing brands of today.
-
Lush – genuine, not made up
Speaking about best content marketing brands today, Lush is definitely a strong contender. The cosmetics company prides itself on offering fresh, handmade cosmetics that are ethical and responsible. The landing page of their website is designed in such a way that the human eye is automatically drawn to the key message in the centre of the screen – “All are welcome. Always.”. The tagline makes an instant connection with the person reading it, and definitely makes them feel… well, welcome! People love it when they are made to feel special and wanted, and Lush has definitely got that part right.
They effectively differentiate themselves from other makeup brands, focusing on giving their customers a “warm and fuzzy” feeling about their brand, instead of constantly pushing product sales. They appeal to their customers’ values and principles by advocating ethical buying methods, and consistently market the fact that their products are handmade. Most people associate handmade products with quality and safety, and this has been a big plus point for Lush.
The best content marketing brands also value social and corporate responsibility, and Lush has been consistent in embodying the image of a caring company, instead of one that emphasises extravagance and indulgence. Their branding is simple and sincere, and with best content marketing website practices, they are set to stick around for a long time.
-
Whole Foods – a whole new grocery experience
Coming in at No. 181 on the Fortune 500 list this year, Whole Foods Market is one of the biggest superstore chains in existence today. This forward-thinking grocer has definitely earned its ranking, and continues to be one of the brands with the best content marketing websites around, featuring one of the best content marketing branding efforts ever. The enterprising grocery embraces technology to a T, integrating tech-savvy marketing and branding approaches with traditional business best practices.
Their website, along with Its proprietary app, the Whole Foods Market app, offers customers a fresh grocery-shopping experience both online and off, trumping most content marketing guides in terms of strategy. They appeal to a large customer base that is concerned with living a greener lifestyle, having removed the use of plastic bags in 2008, and graciously shares recipes, cooking tips and other useful content on their website and apps. Their customers certainly find them relevant and helpful, and this has effectively broadened their influence and naturally, upped their sales revenues.
-
McDonald’s – providing the truth about fast food
The fast food behemoth has been getting plenty of bad press lately, a fact compounded by the push towards a healthier lifestyle advocated by health ministries and fitness authorities globally. As a result, its sales figures have plummeted considerably in recent years, pushing it to realise that a change in its marketing strategy is imminent. Taking a leaf out of the best content marketing brands around, as well as the best content marketing websites available, McDonald’s successfully revamped its image through effective content marketing efforts that appeal to the health conscious. For example, McDonald’s Canada has taken to answering customer questions about the food, in an effort to clear the air on the origins of their ingredients, cooking methods, and food nutrition.
How did McDonald’s provide an answer to this comment: “I am told your fries aren’t from real potatoes.”? By giving a detailed and clear explanation of the origins of their potatoes and how they came to be part of your value meal, of course! McDonald’s endeavored to answer all the food questions it received – good or bad – thereby successfully portraying themselves as an honest and transparent corporation that puts their customers first. It took on the challenge of reviewing 450 questions per day, and answered more than 10,000 questions in total on their website. Talk about putting your money where your mouth is! This is definitely digital content marketing put to good use!
-
IBM – Being technical and authoritative, not boring
IBM is such an institution in the world of technology you’d be hard pressed to find one person that hasn’t heard of them. A big part of how they managed to become so pervasive, and retained their position as one of the best content marketing brands ever, is through its powerful content strategy. To be seen as a market leader in technology, it needs to convince customers that it is the authority on the technicalities of… well, technology!
It does so by producing authoritative content at an expert level on its various blogs such as the IBM Software Blog, the Social Business Insights Blog, and the IBM Impact Blog, to name a few. The content of those blogs cover the whole gamut of industries of which IBM is a part, all centred in a library of resources. Among the content published includes analyst papers, case studies, education and training resources, data sheets, FAQs, white papers, consultant reports and various other technical documentation. With these blogs, IBM has really taken digital content marketing to the next level with authoritative, trustworthy content.
ThunderQuote is the most comprehensive business services portal in Singapore, Australia and ASEAN , where hundreds of thousands of dollars of procurement contracts are sourced every month by major companies like Singapore Press Holdings, National Trade Union Congress and more.