We’ve all heard of the popular TV series Game of Thrones. Whether you love it/hate it or couldn’t care less there’s no escaping the phenomenon which has spread around the world. With an average of 1.6 million UK viewers hooked with every episode its ratings never fail to disappoint. So what drives this popularity? Gripping storylines, epic sets and eye-watering budgets aside there is another contributing factor to this success, their content marketing strategy. The team behind Game of Thrones are the experts in showing exactly how it’s done.
Social Media
It’s not just the show that has its audience gripped, engaged and entertained with every season but also its social media platforms. Across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Game of Thrones has amassed an enormous following totalling 17.1 million. So what are they doing that their competitors aren’t? Well, the content marketing team understand their audience. This can separate those who do it right and those who don’t. Regular, relevant and exciting content is provided at every opportunity giving them the best chance to convert more visitors into viewers. Converting these viewers into customers because the money-making engine that is Game Of Thrones has a lot of merchandise to sell.
Visual Marketing
The use of visuals is another outstanding feature of the Game Of Thrones content strategy. They combine graphics and quotes to great effect, encouraging sharing and engagement on social media. They also encourage fan creation and interaction. Their emphasis on custom visual content, combined with the popularity of the show, makes for extremely shareable content. Images included within social media marketing have proven to increase the number of total views by 94%. Their teams content is designed to elicit an instant emotional connection with their audience. Such a connection drives the audience, not only to watch Game of Thrones but to discover more. To seek out the meaning behind the teaser images and discuss the characters involved and above all continually consume more content.
Keeping It Going
Game of Thrones social media content doesn’t just stop when the season ends either! The content marketing team is continuously posting all year round. Their social media content calendar is full to the brim, feeding their followers’ Game of Thrones habit all year round. Think they would get bored? Think again. The content marketing team ensure that their platforms are filled with a variety of high quality and engaging content that will keep the followers wanting more. This brand consistency helps maintain the current, popular and euphoric vibe that drives much of the hype around the show. When one season ends the build-up is on. Creating and manipulating the cliff-hangers of the previous finale to never let the consumer forget what it is they are waiting for. They also give their followers an exclusive inside look into the production of Game of Thrones. Behind the scenes footage or stills give their audience something to cling to, something different to consume and all the while adding to the mystique of the show.
Final Curtain
It is clear that content is indeed key as proven by the extremely successful Game of Thrones content marketing team. They have developed a perfect blend of content and social. Continuously maintaining good engagement with their followers and driving them to watch the show. This has resulted in increased ratings and continuing success. We can learn from Game of Thrones that consistent, relevant, exciting and well-managed content marketing will certainly help you win the marketing throne.
