These days, every brand is implementing some form of content marketing into their brand promotion strategy. From multinational corporations to microbusinesses, most brands connect with their audience on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, a YouTube channel or blog. It’s obvious that content marketing is the way to communicate with your customers. But the question is, with all that content out there, how do you make your brand stand out? If all of your competitors also have blogs, YouTube channels, and podcasts, how can you use content to bring potential customers to your site or story instead of theirs? You need to go a step beyond the ordinary. If you want to leave your mark, you need to create lifestyle content that customers can relate to.
What Is Lifestyle Content? Lifestyle content is about more than selling a single product or solving a single problem. It’s designed to promote an entire way of life and cater to the people who either live that life or aspire to it. Lifestyle branding is very much focused on personality, and the content created under that brand has personality and voice that can’t be mistaken.
For instance, say you own a chain of movie theaters. An ordinary marketing strategy might revolve around offering ticket discounts, or a coupon for free popcorn to anyone who follows you on social media. But you’d rather develop your theaters into a lifestyle brand, targeting die hard movie fans who want to hang there. With people like them. So what do you do?
- You could start by posting reviews of current movies on your site.
- Then expand into think or opinion pieces, analyzing the philosophy of one movie or the underlying message of another.
- You could post lists of the greatest movies of all time, most memorable movie quotes, most undeserved Oscars, etc.
- Or, ask for opinions and content from those movie junkies who want to change your theater into their hang by hosting a public forum.
Now, suddenly, you’re much more than just a chain of movie theaters. You’re a trusted source of film knowledge, discussion and critique. When people think of films, and where they want to see them, they think of your brand. After all, your theaters are where real movie affciandos want to be seen. And that in turn succeeds in driving people through the doors, much more effectively than a coupon for free popcorn. That’s lifestyle content in action!
Examples of Lifestyle Content.
One of the most immediately recognizable lifestyle brands is Nike. Their image is carefully crafted around sports, and creates images of striving for excellence and pushing towards the finish line. Everything, from their slogan, “Just Do It,” to their very name (Nike was the Greek goddess who personified Victory), is geared towards the sports lifestyle.
Their content reflects this same principle. If you go to their Twitter page, you’ll find all sorts of inspirational quotes from prominent sports figures, images and videos of the latest champions, and much more. Rarely will you see any tweets about the products they have available or why they’re worth buying. They don’t need to post about that. Their lifestyle brand is so ingrained on the public psyche that Nike IS sports, and sports are Nike.
Red Bull has a similarly themed lifestyle message, only instead of dedicated athletes, they create lifestyle content focused on adrenaline junkies. Much more than just a purveyor of energy drinks, they’ve created a whole media empire around extreme sports and other high octane activities. They’ve made feature-length documentaries about skiers and snowboarders in action. They take action photography in vivid, gorgeous landscapes all around the world. And they even publish a monthly magazine called The Red Bulletin, which highlights a variety of extreme activities. And all of that’s just the tip of the iceberg. If you have any interest in extreme sports, crazy stunts, or high adrenaline activities, chances are Red Bull has some branded lifestyle content just for you.
Finally, let’s look at a non-sports-related lifestyle brand: Whole Foods grocery stores is renowned for providing healthy, organic products with all natural ingredients. Therefore, their lifestyle content is all about staying healthy. Their site features resources for accommodating all sorts of special diets, from vegetarian and vegan to gluten free and dairy free to low fat and low sugar. They also feature content that focuses on keeping the planet healthy by going green, such as videos about alternative energy sources. The Whole Foods lifestyle is dedicated to clean, healthy, and happier living all around. And every piece of content they release reflects that.
To create lifestyle content that builds a specific image around your brand takes a bit more time and effort than a regular content marketing campaign. It take dedication. Vision. And a true north on your brand compass that doesn’t waver..
However, it can be much more effective in the long run. It’s a great way to make yourself stand out among other brands and show your customers not just what you do, but who you are and what you believe, every minute of the day..