Cracking the code to full funnel content marketing

Content creation and consumption, are at an all-time high. So much so that we’re overloaded with different forms of content on different channels daily. From short-video content to texts to blogs, the challenge for today’s marketers is to break through the clutter and create content that attracts the right audience and resonates with them.

But how does one do that? To understand how marketers leverage content and break through the online clutter, afaqs! recently partnered with Quora to host a panel discussion on 'Cracking the Content Marketing Code'.

Leaders from the marketing world shed light on important topics such as achieving content marketing goals on Quora, preparing content marketing arsenal for 2023, and how to adapt to evolving consumption patterns of users.

Moderated by Venkata Susmita Biswas, executive editor, afaqs!, the panellists included Deepak Saluja, head of marketing, ICICI Securities; Manu Kumar, head of marketing, Hero Electric Vehicles; Anita Nayyar, COO - media branding & communication, Patanjali; and Mukesh Ghuraiya, chief marketing officer, Modi Naturals.

To start with, there was a brief session by Neha Chimmbulkar, head of marketing, APAC and MEA, Quora. She talked about the six pillars of content and shed light on content distribution strategies.

Moving forward, the panellists talked about how brands use, and perceive, content. "The whole journey of content creation, has evolved over the last few years. Post-COVID, we’ve seen a surge, in terms of content consumption," shared Saluja of ICICI Securities.

"From a brand's perspective, we’re making ourselves available at all the points where the users can find us. Whether it’s video format, byte format, written format or a podcast, we have to be present across the journey and ensure that we’re relevant to the users."

Kumar of Hero Electric Vehicles said, "Automobiles are primarily an offline product. But during the pandemic, the online medium started to pick up for the auto sector. Every company rushed to start online bookings."

He added that there have been a lot of myths around EVs. "Customers have a lot of concerns about batteries. So, content becomes important. One of the challenges, is how to provide seamless experience – both online and offline."

"In a country like India, it's important to put out regional content. People buy different kinds of products in different areas of the country. So, we’re looking at regional content that works well for us."

Patanjali’s Nayyar chimed in, "For FMCG, it's more challenging than any other category, because your content strategy totally depends on the objective."

"There’s not too much education, but what you display, in terms of content, matters a lot. It's important to create the right kind of engagement with the consumers."

As per Ghuraiya of Modi Naturals, content marketing is largely used for driving top funnel play.

"For a brand like us, it’s important to spread the knowledge about oil. We’re trying to break various myths in the market. We’re trying to use content marketing to build trust about the brand. Content marketing can give full funnel play for brands, depending on their funds."

So, how does a platform like Quora assist these brands in influencing consumer decisions?

"Earlier, we never had something like Quora, to raise questions over the Internet. Now, with Quora, brand/category searches have become easier. You have access to a lot of reviews. Through Quora, the information is directly coming from the consumers, which was missing before," said Nayyar.

Added Ghuraiya, "Quora can be used by a marketer in multiple ways - be it establishing authority on individual thought leadership or driving traffic to your website. Even for our olive oil category, a lot of people still don't know how it should be used. It was extensive discussions on Quora that helped us decide on how to address this, as a brand."

Saluja said, "From banking to investments to mutual funds, in the finance and investment category, we see many queries on a regular basis. We’ve invested a lot on Quora."

Kumar concluded, by saying, "Through this platform, you get to connect or engage with your consumers, which helps in building credibility."

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