Yes, I know.
This is the first time I’ve mentioned “content marketing.” Nevertheless, this will be a new topic of discussion around here.
“What,” you ask, “is content marketing?”
That’s a fair question, and it is new (relatively) to the world of businesses, especially small businesses.
While content marketing is not social media marketing, it is very closely aligned with the use of social media marketing. Actually, it transcends social media marketing. Social media marketing is a part of the overall picture of content marketing.
So, more about content marketing in the future. In the mean time, simply peruse my stack at Delicious.com on Content Marketing.
In a simplistic manner, content marketing leverages the art of story, and the telling of the story, via various channels with the purpose of attracting customers. This is done via blogging, videos, social media channels and more.
On to the article.
The movie Joe Dirt is an intriguing movie about a guy, named Joe Dirt, who searches for his parents from the time he is found alone at 8 years age until adulthood. He is a hybrid of redneck, a mullet loving rock music fan, and a guy who is simply “without a clue.”
He meets all kinds of people on his journey, including his love, Brandy. In spite of those who look out for him, and care for him, he feels lost, with a void from the loss, or absence, of his parents.
Dirt gains a following after listeners of a radio station hear his story from the radio host (Dennis Miller). Each time he has a setback, he remains optimistic while continuing his search for his parents.
So, here are the three things we can learn from Joe Dirt about Content Marketing.
1. Everyone has a story to tell
Everyone has a story to tell, even if they seem to be the most insignificant person. Dirt seemed to be the most insignificant person at the radio station. Joe Dirt was the janitor. Once attention was given to Joe, everyone became captivated by his story, and wanted to know more about his journey.
2. People become engaged with the story
In the movie, the radio listeners became engaged in the story of Joe Dirt. The radio host had him back night after night. Listeners tuned in to hear what happened next. In the end, when Joe finally found his parents, he had an audience of media and fans traveling with him. The crowd wanted to be involved in the story. The story moved the crowd to engage Joe, and ultimately the radio station, in his story.
3. The story was shareable
In the movie, the story of Joe Dirt spread. Joe became a host on a Hollywood entertainment show. Everybody knew Joe’s story. If the story is good, people will share. The methods of sharing are great right now with the emergence of social media and mobile platforms. Companies can help their fans share the story by taking advantage of these options.
Simply put, if there is a story, and people are engaged in the story they, they will share.