The Importance of Inclusivity in Content Marketing

In today's rapidly evolving social landscape, the concept of inclusivity has emerged as a cornerstone of conversations across multiple spheres of influence. Whether scrolling through social media platforms or navigating the complexities of higher education, the imperative of inclusivity reverberates with resounding significance.

The ubiquity of inclusivity discussions is unmistakable, permeating diverse realms of society. Take, for instance, the dynamic realm of social media, where platforms like TikTok have become fertile ground for discourse on inclusivity. Influencers, armed with immense reach and influence, use their platforms to showcase trends and advocate for societal change. 

Recently, discussions around size inclusivity in clothing have gained momentum, with influencers leveraging their voices to challenge conventional beauty standards and promote body positivity. Through candid conversations and empowering content, they strive to foster an environment where individuals of all shapes and sizes feel seen, valued, and celebrated.

Why Should My Content Marketing Be Inclusive?

When considering inclusivity in your content marketing, consider the wider implications of having an inclusive identity; when customers feel comfortable and included, this can mean improvements in:

1. Audience Engagement and Loyalty: Embracing inclusivity in content marketing can lead to deeper connections with a wider audience base

2. Brand Reputation and Perception: A commitment to inclusivity can positively impact your reputation and perception in the eyes of consumers

3. Market Opportunity and Growth: By growing diversity in your marketing approach, you are able to tap into new audiences by reflecting and respecting diverse perspectives and identities

Why Does Inclusivity in Content Marketing Matter?

Customers appreciate authenticity, period. Customers crave authenticity in their interactions with brands–they yearn for narratives that reflect their lived experiences, values, and identities, and they are quick to discern when content feels contrived or insincere. In this context, inclusivity emerges as a powerful tool for cultivating authenticity, allowing brands to demonstrate a genuine commitment to understanding and serving the needs of their diverse consumer base.

When brands embrace inclusivity in their content marketing efforts, they signal to consumers that they value diversity and are attuned to the myriad perspectives that exist within society. By representing a wide range of voices, identities, and lived experiences, brands can create content that resonates with individuals from different backgrounds, fostering a sense of belonging and affinity that transcends traditional marketing tactics.

Let’s consider some recent brands that have been deemed “inauthentic.” Brands can be perceived as inauthentic when their actions or messaging are inconsistent with their values or fail to align with consumer expectations. In an era when consumers are increasingly skeptical of corporate messaging and demand transparency and accountability from brands, maintaining authenticity is essential for building and preserving trust.

How Can My Content Marketing Be More Inclusive?

A brand that comes to mind when we think “inclusive” is Snag Tights. They’re a size-inclusive, affordable, fashionable tights brand that captures many elements of inclusivity on their site and social media. They use models of all body sizes to show their products

In recent years, they’ve expanded to include swimwear, clothing, and socks and frequently drop new tights and colors–this speaks to their success at being inclusive and showing customers that they really mean what they say. 

Indeed, the pervasiveness of inclusivity discourse underscores its status as a defining issue of our time. It transcends boundaries of age, race, gender, and geography, resonating with individuals everywhere. As societal norms continue evolving, so does the dialogue surrounding inclusivity, evolving from mere rhetoric to actionable initiatives that drive meaningful change. In embracing inclusivity as a guiding principle, we pave the way for a more equitable and inclusive future where diversity is celebrated, voices are amplified, and barriers are dismantled.

Scribe & Script can help you craft inclusive, engaging content

Inclusivity in content marketing is not merely a matter of ticking boxes or meeting diversity quotas; it is about authentically reflecting the world as it truly is. In an increasingly interconnected global community, consumers are drawn to brands that acknowledge and celebrate the rich tapestry of human diversity. By featuring diverse individuals in their content and amplifying marginalized voices, brands can position themselves as champions of inclusivity, thereby earning the trust and loyalty of a diverse customer base.

Inclusivity in content marketing matters because it enables brands to authentically connect with their audience, foster a sense of belonging, and drive positive social impact. By embracing diversity and representation in their content strategies, brands can stay relevant in an increasingly diverse marketplace and play a meaningful role in shaping a more inclusive future for all.

Ready to learn more about how to create welcoming, vibrant, inviting content? Reach out to Scribe & Script today!

the Top ways to maximize holidays for your marketing calendar

The holiday season presents an excellent opportunity to expand your marketing outreach. From New Year's and Fourth of July to Christmas, Labor Day, and even spring break, there are numerous occasions to integrate into your marketing strategy. Here are several effective methods to leverage holidays throughout the year and capitalize on your marketing efforts:

Plan Ahead for top results

Identify key holidays and events relevant to your audience well in advance. Conduct thorough research to identify the major holidays and lesser-known events that may resonate with your audience. Holiday marketing campaigns tailored for certain demographics should resonate with their interests, preferences, and digital behaviors–this allows for thorough planning and ensures you don't miss out on any opportunities. 

Tailor your upcoming Content

Create content specific to each holiday or event, ensuring it resonates with your audience while aligning with your brand's messaging and values. You can align your marketing campaigns with these occasions, tailoring your content to suit the specific themes, sentiments, and traditions associated with each event

Utilize Seasonal Themes

Incorporate seasonal themes into your marketing campaigns to evoke emotion and connect with your audience on a deeper level. It's all about tapping into the feelings and vibes that each season brings. Think cozy warmth and family time for winter or fresh beginnings and outdoor fun for spring.

Offer Promotions and Discounts

Take advantage of holidays to offer special promotions, discounts, or limited-time offers to incentivize sales and engagement. For example, consider leveraging unique holidays like Pi Day on March 14th to offer creative promotions that align with the day's theme. Offering a 3.14% discount sale not only ties in perfectly with the mathematical significance of Pi but also adds a fun and memorable twist to your promotion. 

This type of creative discount grabs attention and generates buzz and excitement among your audience, driving engagement and increasing the likelihood of sales. There are countless other holidays that present opportunities for creative promotions.

For instance, you could offer a "spring cleaning" sale around the first day of spring, a "back-to-school" discount in the fall, or a "new year, new you" promotion at the start of the year. Want something a bit more out of the box? What about a promotion on National Donut Day or International Talk Like a Pirate Day?

Engage on Social Media 

Leverage social media platforms to engage with your audience in real time during holidays. Encourage user-generated content, run contests, and interact with followers to increase brand visibility and engagement. Rather than simply pushing out promotional content, it's about fostering interactive conversations and building genuine connections with your followers.

This involves inviting your audience to share their own photos, videos, or stories related to the holiday, using a specific hashtag or tagging your brand. By showcasing user-generated content on your social media channels, you amplify your brand's reach and create a sense of community and belonging among your audience.

leverage Email Marketing

Implement targeted email campaigns tailored to specific holidays, offering subscribers exclusive deals, content, or information. Personalization is a critical element of targeted holiday email campaigns. Target users based on subscriber preferences, purchase history, or demographics, tailoring the content and messaging to resonate with the audience. 

Collaborate with Influencers

Partner with influencers or industry experts to amplify your holiday marketing efforts and reach a wider audience through their networks. One way to partner with influencers is through sponsored content or influencer marketing campaigns. You can partner with influencers to create content that showcases your brand.

Whether it's through sponsored posts, product reviews, or social media takeovers, influencers can help generate buzz and excitement around your holiday promotions and drive traffic to your website. By involving influencers in your holiday marketing activities, you benefit from their reach and influence and create opportunities for authentic and engaging interactions with their followers.

Optimize for Mobile

Ensuring that all your holiday marketing materials are optimized for mobile devices is crucial in today's digital landscape, where most consumers engage with content through smartphones and tablets. Mobile optimization involves more than just responsive design; it requires considering factors like load times, navigation, and user interface elements to provide a seamless and intuitive experience for users on smaller screens.

By implementing mobile-friendly features and functionalities, such as streamlined navigation, mobile-friendly payment options, and social sharing buttons, brands can enhance the mobile experience and drive engagement

Measure and Analyze

Tracking the performance of holiday marketing campaigns using relevant metrics and analytics tools is vital for understanding their effectiveness and informing future strategies. By monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) such as website traffic, conversion rates, engagement metrics, and sales revenue, you can gain valuable insights into campaign impact and audience behavior.

Evaluating what worked well and what could be improved for future seasons involves analyzing successful tactics, channels, and messaging and identifying areas for optimization based on quantitative data and qualitative feedback. This iterative approach allows you to refine their strategies, drive better results, and stay competitive in the dynamic landscape of holiday marketing.

A Look at 2024's Top Content Marketing Trends

It seems as though, every time we get our heads wrapped around a new shift in the content landscape, the whole thing changes yet again. After all, nobody said being a content marketer would be easy, right? Between adjusting strategies to account for artificial intelligence to rethinking our general approach to social media, there’s always a new task or problem to solve. Staying current with the latest content trends can help you streamline your work and develop smarter approaches to your marketing. 

Now that the year is well underway, it’s a better time than ever to look at the up-and-coming content trends that are influencing the industry. From the greater inclusion of AI in everyday content practices, to a need for more human-centric and social-forward creativity, here’s a look at Scribe & Script’s top content trends of 2024. 

Trend #1: It’s Time to Return to Basics

Is it possible to have content that’s too SEO-friendly? Overly marketed? Unnatural? The answer is: Absolutely. Over the past few years, the increased prevalence of visible on-page SEO has made the search landscape more competitive than ever. It’s also pushed our collective content toward the uncanny valley, where marketers write nearly identical content in the hopes of hitting keywords or phrases to boost rankings. 

It doesn’t read well and it can turn off the audience. One of the biggest content trends this year has in store is a return to basics. The basics being quality, human-oriented writing that has a clear voice and point of view. The difficulty with many AI tools and SEO efforts is that they eschew quality for speed, convenience, and marketing buzzwords. 

Consumers are more media-savvy than ever. Many don’t want to feel like they’re being aggressively marketed to or sold to. As a result, writing natural, personable content can help you stand out in a sea of “SEO-friendly” articles. 

Trend #2: Marketers Will Better Leverage AI for Human-Centric Content

AI has become a powerful tool in the content marketer's toolkit, but it's important to remember that it's just a tool. It's not a replacement for human creativity and judgment. In fact, AI can be used to create more human-focused content that resonates with audiences on a deeper level.

1. Use AI to understand your audience. AI can be used to analyze data about your audience, such as their demographics, interests, and behavior. By streamlining data collection, you can target your content to better meet your audience’s needs. 

2. Use AI to generate ideas. AI can also be used to generate ideas for new content. This can be helpful when you're feeling stuck or uninspired. AI can also be used to identify trends and patterns in your data, which can help you to develop new content strategies.

3. Use AI to create more engaging content. AI can create more engaging content by adding interactivity, personalization, and multimedia elements. Some platforms can even recommend content, images, or videos based on AI algorithms. 

By using AI in these ways, content marketers can create more human-focused content that resonates with audiences on a deeper level. This shift in strategy can lead to more site traffic, audience engagement, and even conversions.

Of course, it's important to use AI responsibly. If you’re using AI, let your audience know. Also, rigorously fact-check any AI-created content for inaccuracies, falsehoods, or harmful language. 

Trend #3: Search Continues to Move Toward Social Media

Despite the current discussions around a possible TikTok ban, it’s impossible to overstate the platform’s impact on modern search. In fact, younger searchers are trending further and further away from the SERPs and heading to their preferred social media platforms to pose queries and get answers. 

Many younger searchers view TikTok and Reddit as more reliable ways to get information that isn’t clearly SEO-stuffed to reach the first page. Taking advantage of social media-based search activities can give your brand the leverage it needs to reach a new audience or refine your existing messaging. 

Trend #4: AI Will Influence Visual Content, Including Video

AI is rapidly changing the landscape of visual content and video. From creating realistic images and videos to automating the editing process, AI has a significant impact on how we create and consume visual content.

In addition to creating and editing visual content, AI is also being used to analyze and understand it. AI-powered tools can now be used to track the performance of visual content, identify trends, and even predict what content will be popular in the future.

AI is having a major impact on visual content and video, and this impact is only going to grow in the years to come. Here are some of the ways that AI is expected to impact visual content and video in the future:

• AI-generated content will become more prevalent. AI-generated images, videos, and other visual content will become increasingly common as AI technology continues to improve. This will make it easier for businesses and individuals to create high-quality visual content without the need for expensive production costs.

• AI will be used to create more personalized experiences. AI can be used to create personalized visual experiences for each individual viewer. This could include things like recommending videos based on a viewer's browsing history. 

• AI will be used to create more immersive experiences. Using artificial intelligence, visual martketers can craft more immersive experiences that blend with existing technology such as virtual reality or augmented reality.

AI is only going to continue to saturate visual content markets in the years to come. It’s necessary to use digital replication and creation tools responsibly and in a way that doesn’t mislead the consumer. 

Scribe & Script can help you stay ahead of the content curve. 

Ready to reshape your content strategy and get ahead of the curve? We’re here to help. Scribe & Script stays ahead of the newest developments in content, marketing, and SEO so your brand is always at the cutting edge. Reach out to us today if you’re ready to learn more!

Spring Clean Your social Media Approach

While social media can absolutely be one of the most powerful tools in your metaphorical belt, it can also become easily disorganized and dry and have no engagement power behind it. This happens to the best of us when we’re focused on campaigns, building new strategies, and pushing for new and exciting initiatives on a weekly basis. 

That’s why this time of year might be the best head start you can give yourself for the rest of 2024. So, if you’re ready to say goodbye to some old habits, it’s time to clear the dust and revive your social media routine.

The Start of Your Clean-Up Era

Now that you’re taking the first step to cleaning up your social media (and maybe even some of your archives) take a minute to breathe and come into it with a clear head. This part is usually the worst bit since we all know how hard it is to clean our closets out, for instance. We’re not judging; we’re just saying that this might be a little more of a challenge, which is fine! 

So what exactly does it look like when doing this reassessing? It’s all about decluttering and purposefully organizing your online space. This will go deeper into things like thinking of a new bio for the company, reviewing site permissions, or updating your banner and backgrounds. 

Companies will inevitably evolve, and even if it’s been a year, there’s going to be room to create slightly new aesthetics that will match the business's branding. Everything should run smoothly together and connect to the tone that the rest of your channels present. So, if the website has changed colors, that’s a great way to adjust each social media page to carry the branding over. Remember, you want people to recognize who you are as a company, even if that means you’re changing up some things to refresh your overall voice.

What other things should I focus on?

Well, it depends, but we can help narrow it down! You want to take steps when cleaning up your socials, and this is true across all of your channels. Also, remember that you’re cleaning up not only front-facing content but also everything that goes on at the backend of your operations. So let’s start with: 

DeletE old, irrelevant posts or comments 

But what does that look like exactly? This means that your feed might be clogged with content that might have been useful at the moment but doesn’t serve your presence in the present. It’s important to note that if your content isn’t either evergreen (or relatable year after year) or doesn’t help your audience understand what you have to offer, then it most likely needs to be archived or refurbished to fit the rest of the aesthetic you want to maintain. 

Review your posts and ensure old photos of employees who no longer work for you are removed. If you have old contests, advertisements, or promotions, you can remove them for new, up-to-date information you want your audience to review readily. 

Check those links! 

Whether you have many channels or operate in just one or two, you need to ensure potential buyers and clients can get to the landing page you’ve set up for them, regardless of whether it’s a scheduling link, homepage link, or something of the like. When your links aren’t consistently checked, you can lose out on people trusting your online presence, and it can ultimately reduce your foot traffic because you can be seen as a company that doesn’t know what they’re doing. 

Make sure you're in alignment with other accounts.

Has it been over a few years since you first followed an account that you thought would benefit or be influential for your organization? While not the most significant issue you may face when cleaning up your social media strategy, it still may be helpful to unfollow accounts that don’t align with your values in the present day. You may not see the content you want to follow, which could unintentionally clog your feed. So, while your social media marketing may not be highly affected by this item, it still bears repeating that you may want to revisit this step over several weeks

Reassess that you're using the right analytical tools. 

Not only are you trying to help others with your services and what you can offer, but you’re also trying to run your business and keep your social media relevant, present, and engaging for your audiences. But how do you go about doing that while you’re organizing everything else? Tracking your analytics and ensuring that your tools are set up correctly will help you steer clear of any significant (or additional) social media cleanups in your future and save you quite a bit of time. 

Consider all the napping—we mean work—you and your team can do! You’ll be able to forecast how to pivot your strategy a little better and understand how your content is performing rather than trying to guess what might or might not be the problem. This also gives you insight into whether you need to immediately remove something from your feed, especially after testing it and finding that it underperformed compared to other posts you’ve created. 

Are you ready to learn more about how to align your social media and content strategies for maximum effect? Reach out to Scribe & Script today! Our team can’t wait to help you find the ideal digital marketing solutions to make your brand thrive. 

Do You need a content Marketing platform?

This marketing era seems to change even faster than it did a few years ago, if that’s even possible. And we get it; it’s hard to know what your business might need, especially regarding available content marketing software. But the real question is, is it worth searching high and low for a platform in the first place? 

This ultimately comes down to a few things that are true about what your company needs: the volume, complexity, and maturity of your content marketing program. And It’s important first to note that depending on the complexity and maturity of your content marketing program, you may need something completely different than what others might already work with, and that’s perfectly normal. 

Organizations like the Content Marketing Institute and X have found that at least 77% of B2B marketers already have a content marketing strategy. However, as we know, it can be difficult to maintain all the content needed weekly and even monthly. So, where does one start to figure out what kind of software they need? Let’s back up first and determine:

What is a Content Marketing Platform? 

Content marketing software is the best solution for organizing the finer logistical pieces of your business to meet the demands of company growth and create smooth workflows. While even the most skilled content creators can build solid processes, they still need the assistance of a good Content Marketing Platform (CMP) to optimize their workflows and ensure deliverables are consistently met. 

By utilizing a CMP, your teams are enabled to collaborate across different digital silos and can organize themselves much more quickly. Teams can also build content creation and again target much more synced delivery times so that projects always meet their deadlines and ensure customer satisfaction. 

How Does a Content Marketing Platform Work? 

Several tools exist today, and with the ever-changing marketing landscape, it’s best to start with the basics of Content Marketing Software (CMS) and a Content Marketing Platform (CMP). It can be easy to confuse the two, and understanding the differences can help you refocus and realign your goals. 

A CMP is a specialized marketing tool designed to help marketing teams plan, create, and distribute content more efficiently. Its primary function is to support editorial planning and content calendar building and streamline the end-to-end content process. Contently is one option people may use to get the full range of options for a more in-depth experience. It also gives people complete control over how a campaign will be designed. 

A CMS is a foundational tool for helping teams build and manage websites. In this case, the primary function of this software is to help create, edit, and publish content in a user-friendly interface and customize the site design's appearance. WordPress, for example, is a great CMS used to maintain most of their website's backend organization and management. 

How to Start the Search For a CMP

There are several things that you should keep in mind even before you begin your search for the best CMP for your team:

• What is the goal I am trying to accomplish?

• What sort of budget am I working with? 

• Am I working with a smaller team and, therefore, a smaller content output? 

• What are the short-term and long-term goals that I want to maintain with my content? 

• What gaps am I trying to fill that are the most pressing currently and will be in the future?

Once you have an idea of what is most important and will be your focus, you can begin to consider your market options. 

So, Overall, Is a CMP Right For My Organization?

Once you’ve reviewed the above questions, it’s time to consider a few things. If you have a decent-sized team of content developers who post more than once a week, that will be one of the first indicators that you should look into the right Content Marketing Platform for everyone. 

Next, you’ll want to determine if that growth continues steadily when posting content, and if so, a CMP will help manage things effectively. Start looking into your data and determining if you can identify your content marketing ROI. If you are having trouble tracking this information, a CMP can help you understand how your content is performing to better plan for future campaigns and test new strategies for more engagement later. 

CMPs are also meant to help with developing content ideas by utilizing things like social data to identify new topics that can be used for your organization. Further, your team can explore those big questions again and help shed light on the proper functions you may need from your Content Marketing Platform. 

There’s never a need to rush when adding an important platform such as this to your organization, so it’s best to do the proper research, check out the options, and make decisions based on your intentions for what goals you want to achieve. Once these are considered, you can decide and move on to the next step in your process. Remember, marketing platforms and marketing demands will constantly change and evolve. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have the opportunity to take your time going through your options before making a decision. 

At Scribe and Script, we are dedicated to advising our clients with information that will empower them to succeed at their marketing goals with clear direction and guidance. For additional consultation or support in maintaining your content, you can contact us today to truly reach new potential in the way your business approaches its marketing.

The Impact of AI on Content Marketing

It wasn’t Skynet. It wasn’t I, Robot. Instead, it was AI-enhanced content marketing platforms and open-access tools like ChatGPT. Artificial intelligence greatly influences the world as we know it. From self-driving cars to facial recognition software, AI has far-reaching impacts that we often don’t notice in our daily lives. 

That might not ring quite as true professionally, however. In fact, content marketing faces some of the steepest challenges resulting from AI. With careful prompting, proofing, and patience, even an inexperienced content marketer can quickly churn out articles at a higher rate than normal. 

Let’s explore how AI can benefit content marketers, why you should be selective when integrating AI tools, and how to skirt around some of the current limitations of existing AI platforms. 

How Can You Use AI in Content Marketing?

AI is being used in a variety of ways to create, distribute, and measure content marketing campaigns. Here are some of the most common uses:

• Content creation: AI can be used to generate new content ideas, write blog posts, and create social media posts. This can save content marketers a lot of time and effort.

• Content distribution: AI can be used to distribute content to the right audience at the right time. This can help content marketers reach more people and get better results from their campaigns.

• Content measurement: AI can be used to track the performance of content marketing campaigns and measure the results. This can help content marketers identify what's working and what's not, so they can make adjustments accordingly.

The Benefits of Using AI in Content Marketing

There are several benefits to using AI in content marketing. For starters, there’s the potential for increased efficiency. AI can help content marketers save time and effort by automating content generation, distribution, and measurement tasks. You may also see increased reach, because AI can help content marketers connect with a wider audience and get better campaign results. Speaking of better results, certain tools can also provide better insights: AI can help content marketers gain insights into their audience and their content, so they can make better decisions about their marketing strategy.

The Drawbacks of Using AI in Content Marketing

As you’ve likely heard, current AI content iterations have…limitations. Some models don’t have data from recent years and many AI content tools use predictive algorithms to best determine which words should come next in a sentence. Naturally, this leads to content that loses the human touch and can disconnect your brand from your audience. 

In addition, even if you opt to use an AI tool, you still need to rigorously proofread and fact-check your final content pieces. Existing tools have a bad habit of regurgitating incorrect or outdated information, which can harm your credibility. 

Tips for Content Marketers Interested in AI

If you're a content marketer, there are a few things you can do to start using AI to enhance your natural skills. Here are a few tips:

• Start small: Don't try to do too much too soon. Start using AI for simple tasks, such as generating content ideas or writing paragraphs. While AI is a fascinating content tool, it can only craft pitch-perfect blogs, newsletters, or e-mail content with significant proofing, fact-checking, and editing.

• Choose the right AI tools: Several AI tools are available for content marketers. Do some research to find the right ones for your needs. Each AI content assistant has differing strengths and weaknesses, from open-source platforms to proprietary tools. Consider these before committing to a service contract or a platform fee.

• Get training: Several resources are available to help content marketers learn how to use AI. Take some time to learn about AI and how it can be used in content marketing.

• Experiment: The best way to learn how to use AI in content marketing is to experiment. Try different things and see what works best for you.

Naturally, how you deploy any AI tools within your business will vary, so don’t be afraid to experiment with free models before committing to any singular platform. Or, work with high-quality content marketers that can take the guesswork out of your marketing strategy. 

What is the Future of AI in Content Marketing?

AI is still a relatively new technology, but it's already significantly impacting the content marketing industry. As AI continues to develop, we can expect to see even more innovative and creative uses of AI in content marketing.

• AI can contribute to more personalized content: AI can gather data about individual customers and create content tailored to their specific needs and interests.

• AI will continue to automate content marketing tasks, such as content creation, distribution, and measurement. This will free content marketers to focus on more strategic positioning, evergreen updates, and continued calendar development.

Scribe & Script helps you enhance your content strategy.

If you’re looking for the best way to connect with your audience, Scribe & Script can help. Whether you want to learn more about introducing AI into your workflow or you’d like to invest in high-quality, authoritative copy, we’re here to help. Contact us today to set up a free consultation to discuss your business needs.