Mia sat on the couch watching her favorite Sunday afternoon soap opera. She clung to every word, biting her nails in anticipation of how this episode would wrap up the tragic love story between Esteban and Maria. Suddenly, To Be Continued… popped up on her TV screen. “I can’t possibly wait another week to find out if Maria takes Esteban back!” Mia exclaimed.
Mia isn’t the only one who has ever felt this way. We have all been in a place where we are left wanting more, whether it be from a TV series, book, or any other type of content. This cliff hanger content is called episodic content and it has become very popular with marketers. In short, episodic content is content that leaves the viewer or reader wanting more. It is giving just enough information to keep the viewer happy and interested, but it also isn’t giving it all away. This creates a want for more, and keeps the individual coming back.
That cliffhanger was intense. Mia thought to herself. Almost as intense as the last blog I wrote for one of my clients! I wonder if I could use this tactic in other marketing strategies…
Episodic content can be used in a variety of different ways, including blogs, videos, social media posts, infographics, and more. It’s all about setting your brand apart from your competitors, which is never an easy task. Here are five ways to create the best episodic content for your brand:
- Creating a storyline – You do not want your episodic content to seem like you are trying a new sales gimmick. Instead, you want to create an engaging storyline that would be interesting to your target audience & will keep them engaged.
- The anticipation factor – As stated earlier, TV shows leave you wanting more. That’s exacting what your episodic content should do: give just enough to keep them engaged, but don’t give the whole story right away. Instead, make them continue to come back for more.
- Always think about your target audience – You could create some of the best episodic content, but if it doesn’t connect with your target audience, it won’t be worth it. Make sure you have relatable characters that your audience can relate to.
- Humanized approach – Odds are your target audience is human, and the best way to connect with them would be to have real content that doesn’t seem forced or scripted. Episodic content is great for giving your brand a face to recognize and, if possible, a behind-the-scenes look at your brand.
- Audience interaction – If you can, use some kind of call to action to get your content more engagement, and encourage the viewer to interact with the content.
When it comes to episodic content, there are many advantages. Episodic content is different from many other content strategies, which creates very distinct advantages for brands. This kind of content can encourage more likes, subscribers, and sign-ups because people don’t want to miss any new information. Since the audience is coming back with each new “episode”, it creates a familiar face with your brand. This creates trust in your brand, and they may feel better about working with you instead of your competitor.
As you can see, there are many different ways to use episodic content for developing your marketing story. It leaves your audience with a cliffhanger, making them crave more. “I’ve never been more grateful for Netflix!” Mia said as she grabbed the remote and clicked Next Episode.
Our content creation staff here at Cutwing Marketing has experience with creating episodic content that keeps the audience coming back for more. For more information on what we offer in terms of content marketing, visit our website or give us a call at (262) 248-0288. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn for more marketing tips and industry news!
