It probably doesn’t seem very apparent at first, but there’s much businesses can learn from the world of video games when it comes to content marketing.
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| Mario: the ultimate video game success story |
More games are now sold in the UK than DVDs and music, and the reasons behind their appeal can provide some great insights for companies looking to make their online content just as compelling – and not just because games are a form of content in themselves.
Here’s what I think makes for a great video game, and how businesses should follow suit with their own content marketing strategies.
Excellent graphics = Savvy web design
Anyone in the business of developing games today is pretty lucky; the advanced capabilities of consoles like the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 – along with the PC platform – offer lots of opportunities to create some fantastic graphics. Even the less technically able Wii boasts some beautiful games that suck the player in with their arresting graphics.
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| Crysis attracted much praise for its realistic graphics on its release in 2007 |
Similarly, website design plays a key role in content marketing. First impressions count, and a badly designed site will make visitors click on the ‘back’ button no matter how engaging and interesting the actual content is.
Of course, this works the other way too; the prettiest game in the world will be universally panned if it doesn’t offer anything that will keep players’ interest after the initial novelty of the graphics has worn off - Rise of the Robots, anyone?
It’s a story all too common in the online world, where businesses enthusiastically plough most of their budget into a flashy website and fail to invest in the most crucial component – the content – before wondering why their ROI is so low. Which brings us on to…
Great gameplay = Engaging content
Continues @ http://blog.contentplus.co.uk
