“Surround sound” your market using content - with Sam Kuehnle
Jun 20, 2024
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Sam Kuehnle, VP of Marketing at Loxo, leads innovative marketing in a competitive talent intelligence space. He shares his '95% content' philosophy, focusing on building buyer trust through informative content rather than traditional ads. Discover how Loxo's unique LinkedIn strategy and their podcasting approach have driven record growth. Sam also discusses the importance of authentic leadership on social media and adapting to consumer behavior, offering insights on measuring content success and the power of a well-structured content ecosystem.
Sam Kuehnle emphasizes the importance of targeting the '95%' of potential buyers to establish trust before they enter the market.
Creating a diverse content ecosystem, including podcasts, videos, and social media, is crucial for engaging audiences throughout their buyer's journey.
Effective measurement of content strategy success relies on key performance indicators like pipeline growth, revenue, and listener engagement metrics.
Deep dives
Engaging the 95% of Buyers
The discussion emphasizes the necessity to target the majority of potential buyers who are currently out of the market, often referred to as the '95%.' This approach stems from the understanding that direct competition with established companies, heavily funded and marketing-driven, is not sustainable. Instead, the objective is to create visibility, trust, and authority among these buyers before they begin their purchasing journey. By establishing a relationship with this 95%, brands can position themselves as the preferred choice when these potential buyers finally enter the market.
Building a Content Ecosystem
The podcast outlines a strategy that involves creating a comprehensive content ecosystem to effectively engage the target audience. The hosts advocate for focusing on high-quality, consumable content that educates rather than pushes for immediate conversion. They emphasize the importance of utilizing various content formats, such as podcasts, videos, and social media, to reach buyers at different touchpoints in their buyer's journey. This multi-faceted approach not only enhances brand visibility but also allows for a deeper connection with the audience.
The Role of Effective Marketing Channels
The effectiveness of organic social media, particularly on platforms like LinkedIn, is discussed as a critical component of the content strategy. By sharing insights, micro-content, and engaging posts, the brand can reach potential customers effectively without coming across as overtly promotional. The use of personal profiles, particularly that of the CEO, is highlighted as a way to amplify reach and engagement. The synergy between the podcast and social content creates a unified message across channels, making it easier to build brand trust and recognition.
Leveraging Video and YouTube
YouTube is positioned as a vital platform for distributing content, particularly through shorts and long-form videos. The discussion highlights how leveraging educational content can increase visibility, especially since people often turn to YouTube for quick answers. Specific examples demonstrate how well-crafted video titles can lead to high search rankings on Google. The strategy includes repurposing podcast content into shorter clips, effectively utilizing the platform's potential to improve reach and engagement.
Measuring Success and Ongoing Growth
To gauge the effectiveness of their content strategy, the discussion focuses on key performance indicators such as pipeline growth and revenue. Tracking listener engagement and analyzing which types of episodes resonate most with the audience helps refine the content approach. Anecdotal feedback from leads and internal teams further corroborates the effectiveness of the strategy, with many expressing familiarity with the brand through organic channels. This consistent growth and engagement indicate that the brand is successfully positioning itself as a trusted resource within its industry.
Sam Kuehnle is the VP of Marketing at Loxo, a talent intelligence platform that competes with hundreds of well funded competitors who are all spending millions of dollars bidding on Google search terms.
Sam knew he could win with a different approach - by creating content that builds awareness, trust, and affinity with buyers before they ever went to Google.
In this episode hosted by Erik Jacobson (CEO of Hatch), Sam shares their organic social, podcast, and video playbook that has powered Loxo to 8 consecutive record-breaking quarters of revenue and pipeline growth.
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Here’s what we covered:
(4:17) Sam’s 95% content philosophy (11:58) Sam’s podcast engine playbook (24:30) Loxo’s 3 phase LinkedIn strategy (34:54) How to power your Founder’s social content (42:32) Loxo’s YouTube and video learnings (49:29) How Sam measures the success of content (55:00) The company Sam is studying for social and content right now
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Hatch is a video-first content production agency that helps B2B marketing teams create video podcasts, video series, and short-form video content so they can run an efficient content engine, and be seen as experts in their industry.