Connect your staff: use internal content marketing

Why to care

In many companies and organisations communication activities are focused on creating connection and developing relations with customers and external stakeholders. In the rush of fighting for their attention, we forget to treat the employees in a way to keep them pleased and proud of their workplace.

We should think about internal communications as branding that is aimed towards employees. They are also humans, they are also target audience and they should be properly treated. Employees should be educated and entertained like any other target group. Use intranet as a platform to inspire co-workers and make them excited about their job. For the good of the organization, staff should support and share the values the organization stands for. Not only with their mind, but with their heart.

How can the principles of content marketing help in internal communications? 

According to a classic definition of content marketing, given by Content Marketing Institute, “content marketing is the marketing and business process for creating and distributing relevant and valuable content to attract, acquire and engage a clearly, defined  and understood target audience – with the objective of driving profitable customer action“. In the case of internal communications, we can skip the last part of the definition “with the objective of driving profitable customer action” and focus on the rest: relevancy and value of content that attract, acquire and engage employees (as our clearly defined target).

Think and use

• Use different channels. Intranet is the central platform for engagement but don’t forget such channels as newsletter and also Facebook groups where your co-workers interact. Although corporate press sounds old-fashioned it can still become a channel for internal communications if you make it feel like 2016.
• Give your employees opportunity to comment under posts or any other open way to leave feedback.
• Think as them. You are an employee, so what would be interesting for you to find and read on the intranet? What types of text would inspire and motivate you? What kind of content would make you wait for the next newsletter? What would make your colleague smile?
• Involve them. Ask your staff to send you articles that they find relevant and interesting for the organization. Ask them to publish fresh content on LinkedIn and company’s blog. By making such a contribution, people feel that they are heard, that their opinion is important. It makes them feel good about themselves, their work environment and be proud to be a part of it.

It’s all actually very simple. The happier your employees feel about their work, the more motivated they become. The more motivated and inspired they are, the more productive and effective they get.