Thursday, September 12, 2013

Monrovia GETS Content Marketing

Effective content marketing informs and entertains the reader. True. But effective content also bonds the reader to the storyteller and creates an "I really like you" feeling.

 If you don't believe that's possible, check out Monrovia's Facebook page. Lush and colorful, this horticultural giant has created a Facebook presence you simply must look at—or maybe "like it" or, even better, "Pin It" (I found cactus cupcakes I couldn't resist pinning to OurFoodNews).

"Our vision is to unleash the passion for plants that exists in each of us," says the company's tagline. With 35,470 likes, this Facebook page appears to be accomplishing that goal.

And their newsletter ain't bad either.

On August 16, Monrovia's "plant savvy®" newsletter made animals part of their horticultural story. Titled "Dog Days of Summer: Pets in the Garden," the 188-word lead article told readers how to make the yard a friendly place for pets. The content was simple stuff (watch out for toxic products, know which plants are poisonous, etc.) But it was fun to look at and fun to read.

Three shorter articles featured clever titles like "bark up the right tree," "tail-waggin' plants," "positive planting" (pet-friendly plant and flower choices), and "keep 'em, keep 'em out" (hedges).

Every marketer knows readers can't resist animal photos and Monrovia hit it out of the garden with this one.

Sign up for Monrovia's newsletter here. This is content marketing at its best. (And, no, I don't work for Monrovia.)

-- scrubbed by MarketingBrillo