Where To Find Irresistible Stories For Your Content Marketing

Most marketers already understand the value of content marketing. When surveyed 78% of Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) said that they thought custom content is the future of marketing.

But, while most marketers are convinced of the benefits of content marketing, finding content that audiences connect with is much more challenging. One frequently overlooked source for these stories are the Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS) and charity partnerships that companies’ are involved with.

When CSR Meets Content Marketing

From Odysseus to Rocky Balboa, since the birth of storytelling people have been telling tales of people overcoming fantastic odds. As the writer Joseph Campbell pointed out, the hero myth of someone who needs to undertake a difficult task or journey to reach a goal or reward can be found across all cultures.

It seems humans are in some way innately “hardwired” to identify with people who have overcome hardship in order to improve their lives. After all, we all know what it is like to struggle and then finally achieve something. CSR initiatives are full of real life stories of people who have beat the odds to make a positive change in their lives. By tapping into this universal narrative, brands can instantly connect with an audience, perfect for the attention scarce, social media driven world of online content.

Helping Charities Achieve Their Goals

A key challenge faced by charities is gaining exposure for the good work that they do. But this also presents an opportunity. Businesses can work with a charity to create a win-win for both organizations by sharing their beneficiary’s stories. Producing high quality video or written content is often beyond the budget of the charity itself. This is where businesses – working with a creative agency – can help. Potential benefits for the charity are greater awareness, increased contributions and volunteers. For the business it is a chance to gain recognition for the valuable work that they are doing in society.

Attracting Top Talent

CSR initiatives are a fantastic resource for employers who want to retain top talent. According to Kellie McElhaney, director at the Center for Responsible Business, University of Berkley:

“For today’s ‘millennial’ entering the workforce engagement in sustainability is a must-have, not a nice-to-have”

This statement is supported by a study titled “The 2020 Workplace” by Cone Millennial Cause Group which surveyed 1,800 millennial. 80% of respondents said that they wanted to work for a company that cares about how it impacts and contributes to society. The stories produced by the CSR initiative demonstrate to prospective employees the positive impact that company is having on society. Recording how current employees are engaged with the company’s charity work is another great source of shareable content.

Content People Can Empathize And Be Inspired

Content marketers understand how demanding it can be to produce a steady stream of interesting content. CSR and other charitable initiatives offer a virtually endless resource for compelling content. Stories people can emphasize with and be inspired by.