Saying that communications is a two-way street is one thing, but
actually practicing it is another. A brand's ROI is no longer about
return on investment, but rather, return on influence. While media
impressions were once the benchmarks of a successful campaign, those
figures have been surpassed in significance by Klout scores, Twitter
followers and links back to your Website. For a communications strategy
to be truly impactful, each component must be put through the prism of
relevance and resonance with your audience. Companies must listen to
what their stakeholders want and then deliver.
Relevance is what keeps people reading your white paper, press release or magazine interview. Brands are built upon ownable content. What can you say that nobody else can? Relevance opens the door for your audience to learn more about what your brand stands for and what they can gain from staying connected to you.
Beyond the message, consider the medium. The content you develop for an audience that consumes the majority of their information on phones and tablets will be completely different than what will be relevant to those who read newspapers and trade publications. Your message is only as relevant as the outlet in which it appears.
Resonance isn't simply how well your message sticks with those you are trying to reach, but rather, what they do with the information. What makes content impactful isn't how it's consumed by the individual, but the life that it takes on once read or viewed. Even the basic press release has transformed into social collateral, with more multimedia content, links to supporting information and share buttons now the norm.
Both your relevance and resonance will be fueled by the apps your audience uses. News apps like Flipboard and Zite, along with the popular video apps Showyou, Shelby.TV and Squrl allow the user to see exactly the content that is most relevant to them, and with a single click share it to their social circles. With great content comes great shareability, so consider what content your viewers are most likely to pass along.
Identifying the relevance and resonance of your content requires you to listen. Where is your audience spending their time gathering information, and what do they want from you as a brand? Once you know where your audience is and how they are sharing information, you can most effectively develop content that feeds their appetites.