Hook your audience with serialized stories 🎧
Marketing Powerups #89: Ian Faison, Founder of Caspian Studios, shares his serialized content framework.
Hello, and welcome to Marketing Powerups! 👋🏽
Today's powerups include:
Top AI image generator tools for marketers.
Competitive matrix for content.
Ian Faison's serialized content framework.
Ready? Let’s go!
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💥 Create serialized content like Marve Studios
People love serialized content—from TV shows like Friends and The X Files to podcasts like Dirty John and movies like the Marvel movies. B2B companies can tap into this obsession by creating serialized content.
Today, Ian Faison, Founder of Caspian Studios, shares his Serialized Content Framework.
He's worked on creative B2B podcast series like Murder in HR with Gympass featuring Kate Mara (House of Cards, Fantastic Four) and The Hacker Chronicles with Tenable featuring Michael C. Hall (Dexter, Six Feet Under).
Today, he shares the 6 components of remarkable B2B series:
1. Audience focus 👀
Aim to provide insights, knowledge, or entertainment that establishes your brand as an industry authority.
"You've got to provide a ton of value to the audience and a spotlight to the person that you're talking to. Help them help you, and then it ends up being this great relationship where you both win."
Motivate guests to share their expertise, promote their businesses, and reach a wider audience. Tailor your content to be both informative and engaging for your audience.
2. Format and structure 🎧
Offer your series in audio, video, blog, and short video formats. Organize it into episodes and seasons, each covering specific topics, industry trends, or guest interviews. Keep episodes substantial but concise (20-60 minutes), and include segments like introductions, discussions, Q&A sessions, and closing remarks for a smooth flow.
"You've got to focus on what the consumer wants. People want to consume content in the way that's comfortable for them. So, you want to have it in different ways: video, short video, blog posts, and long-form audio."
For example, the success of the podcast "Murder in HR" lies with it's compelling format and premise. It highlights the challenges of HR professionals in a murder mystery story.
3. Experience 😍
Prioritize high-quality audio and video production for a professional feel. Interact with your guests in a conversational and informative way.
Ian brings up how effective late-night talk shows are:
"Bringing late-night talk show entertainment concepts to B2B is really getting hot right now. It's a really good way to think about how to have fun and also how to make business and entrepreneurs more approachable and more real."
4. Distribution 📢
Host your podcast on platforms like Apple, Spotify, and Google. Use social media to share teaser clips, behind-the-scenes content, and episode announcements. Embed video episodes on your website to boost reach and SEO.
5. Marketing ⭐️
Promote your podcast through social media, newsletters, and your website. Encourage guests to share episodes with their followers to leverage their networks.
"The future of marketing is going to be centered around the content, the words, and the contribution of that content. Undergird that with the relationships of this person's following, that person's following, and that person's following."
6. Attribution 📊
Utilize podcast analytics tools to track demographics, engagement, and episode performance. Seek audience feedback to improve future episodes. Properly credit and promote your guests to acknowledge their contributions.
In the latest Marketing Powerups episode, Ian shares more in-depth how to create B2B serialized content.
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcast and Spotify now, or watch it on YouTube.
✨ Mini powerups
Fun-sized tools, links, and blurbs to boost your marketing.
📸 7 of the best AI image generators for marketers: (tools)
Tried and tested: These AI image generators consistently delivered the best results. Here's a look at how they work, how much they cost, and how they handle a specific prompt.
📢 Content planning for social media in 8 steps [2024 Guide]: (guide)
Content planning is more than scheduling. Run your accounts like a well-oiled machine with a strategic social media content plan. Michelle Martin and Colleen Christison from Hootsuite share their 8 steps to creating a content plan for social media.
🥊 Competitive matrix: what it is + how to make one (with templates): (article)
Use this strategic tool to compare your company‘s offerings against competitors in a visual format. In this Semrush article, Ravi Pandya shares exactly what it is and how to make one.
That’s all for now, friends!
Have a powered-up day,
Ramli John