Building a Content Strategy for the IoT Future

The Internet of Things (IoT) is making our world a more connected place. Incredibly, experts predict that there will be nearly 21 billion connected â€Å"things† in use by the year 2020. For content strategists, it’s no surprise to see that IoT is having a huge impact on the way people find and consume content. Where websites, social media and videos were once the stars of the content marketing show, they may soon be playing a more supporting role. Already we’re seeing everything from fridges and washing machines to watches and eye-glasses with the capability to serve up relevant content when we want it. IoT has been described as â€Å"a complex, adaptive performance of ideas and information – content – perfectly choreographed with our behaviors.† It’s about delivering the right content, when consumers want it, where they want it and on whatever device they want. In this article, we’ll look at how content strategists can prepare for the IoT future. Define the Experience The first step to creating an IoT content strategy is defining the experience you want to provide consumers. As the Internet of Things becomes broader and more complex, content strategists will find themselves working closely with experience designers. These teams won’t just be developing a network of content–they’ll be designing rich, connected experiences that blend technology, human behavior and physical spaces. With that in mind, it’s makes sense that it is important to clearly define what this experience should look like before diving into the content.This approach is known as â€Å"experience-first† thinking, and it’s likely to drive the development of many systems in the connected world of the IoT. Consider the Context If you’re planning content for an IoT world, you need to think about creating personalized and contextually relevant experience. In this case, personalization doesn’t just mean using peoples’ names, but refers to leveraging customer data in order to provide relevant and valuable experiences. You may be asking,â€Å"how do you figure out what is contextually relevant to a user?†The short answer is: data. Brands need to have the tools and systems in place that allow them to use real-time customers data and distribute content based on signals. Context is key– where a user is and what they’re doing is going to determine what types of content are valuable in that moment. The challenge for marketers is create robust and comprehensive taxonomy that allows you to tag and categorize your content, and then deliver relevant and personalized snippets based on behavioral signals. Over time, companies can look for â€Å"experience patterns† and predict the barriers or questions customers have ahead of time and then serve up the right content at exactly the right time. Understand the Audience If you’re unsure what the IoT will mean for your brand, you’re not alone. Traditional marketing techniques aren’t going to work in connected spaces– brands will need extensive consumer insights to figure out exactly when, where and how their content should appear.For example, users aren’t going to want ads popping up on their â€Å"smart† refrigerators, but they might appreciate a relevant recipe or a coupon for ingredients. Designing a content strategy that works for the Internet of Things is a tall order– you’ll need to offer your audience the right content delivered to the right devices at the right time.However, the opportunities to connect with audiences in new and creative ways are endless.What will be the key to success in an IoT future?The answer is simple: insights.If you base your content strategy on what audiences actually need and want in a particular context, you’ll be able to build valuable, connected experiences that redefine the concept of content marketing.