Content Marketing

5 Content Marketing Ideas for February 2017

February 2017 could be a good month for content marketers, thanks to events, holidays, and history.

Content marketing is the act of creating, publishing, and distributing content like articles and videos with the specific goal of attracting, engaging, and retaining customers.

When done well, content marketing provides real value to your shoppers. But content marketing can also be something of a challenge, since some businesses find it hard to know what to write about.

What follows are five, February-inspired content marketing ideas.

1. Super Bowl Articles Related to Your Industry

Super Bowl 51 will be played February 5, 2017. The event attracts lots of interest and is an opportunity for content marketers.

Super Bowl 51 will be played February 5, 2017. The event attracts lots of interest and is an opportunity for content marketers.

For the 51st time, the American Football Conference winner will play the National Football Conference winner to decide the league champion. This game, the Super Bowl, will be held on February 5, 2017, at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. It could be the most watched sporting event in the United States this year.

The Super Bowl will also elicit millions of searches online as fans consider nearly every aspect of the game. All of these searches are an opportunity for content marketers to provide interesting insights about the Super Bowl as it relates to the industry a business serves.

As an example, imagine you run an online store that sells wall art, including old maps, documents, and architectural drawings. Your customers might be interested to learn about NRG Stadium’s architectural history.

NRG Stadium is home to the NFL's Houston Texans and several rodeos.

NRG Stadium is home to the NFL’s Houston Texans and several rodeos.

The content you create, say an article, could mention that HOK Sports, which is now Populous, designed the structure to house both football games and rodeos. This required a significant amount of flexibility.

Your article about NRG Stadium might also compare aspects of NRG’s design with other Populous projects, including Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Emirates Stadium in London, or Eden Park in Auckland. How was transparency used in each of these stadiums? What about shapes? How did Populous manage seating and luxury boxes?

2. Valentine’s Day How-to

February 14, Valentine’s Day, is the month’s most recognizable holiday. It could be odd not to include it in your content marketing for the month.

Valentine's Day is February's most recognizable holiday.

Valentine’s Day is February’s most recognizable holiday.

In years past, I’ve suggested telling love stories or developing gift guides for your store’s Valentine’s Day content. While these are still valid for your 2017 content, you might also try creating Valentine’s Day how-to articles or videos.

How-to content aimed at helping your audience solve a problem or complete a task is really the highest form of content marketing. Here are a few possible article titles for your Valentine’s Day how-to content.

  • “How to Pick the Proper Flowers for Your Valentine”
  • “How to Make Chocolate-covered Strawberries for Valentine’s Day”
  • “How to Be Romantic for Valentine’s Day in 5 Easy Steps”
  • “How to Decorate Your Girlfriend’s Car for Valentine’s Success”
  • “How to Choose the Perfect Wine for Your Valentine’s Dinner Out”
  • “How to Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a Vegan”

3. Predictions about the Internet of Things

On February 20 and 21, 2017, attendees at the Industry of Things World USA event in San Diego, Calif., will consider how the so-called Internet of Things (IoT) will impact, well, industry.

How will the Internet of Things impact manufacturing and industry? Attendees and speakers at the Industry of Things Worldwide USA will discuss just that topic.

How will the Internet of Things impact manufacturing and industry? Attendees and speakers at the Industry of Things Worldwide USA will discuss just that topic.

How will manufacturing and industrial businesses integrate networked robotics, the blockchain database, or even ecommerce? The answers to these questions and some of the discussions at Industry of Things World USA could significantly impact products and services the world over.

With this event as an inspiration, why not speculate how the IoT — interconnected physical devices, vehicles, robots, smart devices, and even buildings — could impact the industry segment your business serves?

Consider the products you sell, or even how your customers think new interconnections could change your products.

4. Paper Money or Just Money

Although you might take paper money for granted, printed bills are just over three hundred years old in North America.

In 1689, the British government closed the mint in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, shrinking the supply of Pine Tree Shillings and similar coins. So in February 1690, when the colonial government wanted to fight the French in Canada there were simply not enough coins to pay the troops.

To solve the problem, the colony issued soldiers bills of credit that were effectively the first paper money in the region.

Articles or videos about money, especially about how your audience can make the most of their money, may attract new readers to your content in February.

Articles or videos about money, especially about how your audience can make the most of their money, may attract new readers to your content in February.

For your February 2017 content marketing, consider taking up money as a topic. Your business might write about the first paper money described above or create content to help your audience better earn, manage, or keep money.

5. Daytona 500

Sporting events, or events generally, can be good for content marketing. These real world activities give marketers a common ground or common interest to share with an audience of potential customers.

This section of a painting from Boris, http://boriscarart.com/, is an example of something a business might write about in February.

This section of a painting from Boris Car Art is an example of something a business might write about in February.

The Daytona 500, held Sunday, February 26, 2017, will not be a perfect content marketing opportunity for every business or every marketer. But for some, it can be an inspiration.

  • Sell auto related products? Write about the race history, drivers, and cars.
  • Sell artwork? Create articles about Daytona 500 related art, like Boris Car Art’s 2016 painting of the Toyota pace car.
  • Sell camping equipment? Write a post about the best coolers and camp chairs for tailgating at the race.
  • Sell cooking utensils or appliances? Offer recipes for Daytona 500 parties at home.
Armando Roggio
Armando Roggio
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