Audit

The first and most critical step is our Content+ Audit. We first take a look through your entire communications stream. Everything you write and everything you visualise. This isn’t just your outward facing content; this is also your internal communications and business documentation. No one piece of communication is too small, or insignificant. Without seeing absolutely everything, we cannot assess or contextualise your content, tone and messaging.

Our years of experience tell us that most companies suffer from something we call ‘Content Noise’. In simple terms, this is usually a case of lots of different ‘stories’ being told at the same time. This is especially true of businesses that have scaled or grown too quickly. It becomes a scenario of new content being added to old content, and when this is repeated, quickly results in a very disconnected message.

Conversely, there are those businesses that have too little content. For some businesses this may be a deliberate decision, although it’s usually a case of ‘time versus skillset’. Developing meaningful and purposeful content takes time and experience – If only there was a business that could manage this!

Once we have captured all of your content, we then assess everything under 2 main categories.

1.Relatable – Is what you are saying, relevant and connected to your company or brand story (philosophy, culture, people and values)?

2.Purposeful – Have you developed your content for all relevant ‘touch-points’ of your business / brand (methodology, services, products, campaigns, etc)?

Plan

Once we have assessed all of your content, we can then develop a comprehensive strategy for your content’s usage. In many cases, our team will identify any mixed-messages or obvious gaps and most importantly, any missing opportunities. Naturally, depending on the size of business (and honestly speaking, the ambitions of the business), we will always recommend what content we believe is necessary. Our clients have the opportunity to take as much or as little as they want – sufficed to say, we will always rationalise any recommendations that support the need for proper alignment of all communications – truly speaking, that’s the real brilliance of Content+

We have developed a simple mapping exercise that enables us to place all content in a format that shows how one piece of content connects (or conflicts) with another piece. It’s here, both parties (you and me. team) will usually gain the most clarity. This allows for some content to be disregarded or amplified, and thereby qualifying where the gaps are.

Create

We’ve identified what you already have, and by definition, what you need. We’ve even established how to prioritise your content, and exactly who comes in contact with it. So now let’s develop it – this is the exciting bit.

As with all rich communications, it should always be a fusion of visual, written and audible content. Getting the balance right across your entire content set will help the creativity to flow, and ultimately, enable you to gain the most traction from all audiences. The me. team of expert designers, story tellers, video imaginators and musicians will create content that is only built for you. Your tone, your messaging, your expression, your story – your way.

Whether we are building a business report, a press release for a new product launch, or maybe even a showreel of your business culture, everything is aligned, purposeful and very deliberate. When you see everything coming together, it’s captivating and incredibly powerful.

In this moment, your content will feel like a billion dollars – wait until you share it!

Activate

With all of your content re-established, you’re now ready to engage. Depending on your business strategy, it’s likely you will be using this newly aligned content for marketing activity or for internal communications (or logically, both). Of course, if this is something you can do within your company (or through associated partner agencies), then you have everything you need to make this happen. Naturally, if you need assistance in your marketing outreach, the me. team are perfectly able to assist (after all, we have developed this with you). If you are looking at delivering a more refined internal communications strategy, then our sister agency (Brand Elect – be.) can work with you to ensure this is delivered with maximum effect.

Aligned activation is always something we promote. This comes back to the notion of having unified messaging and the ability for everyone that connects with your content to know what you look like, what you sound like and above all, what you feel like.