4 Aussie tech startups killing the content marketing game

The complex nature of tech services makes content development a powerful marketing strategy. Content marketing can help software companies communicate their service or product offering more clearly, engage better with their customers, create a brand community and position themselves as industry leaders.

To inspire our tech clients, we've rounded up some of Australia’s most content savvy tech startups. These firms prove you do not need to be big to be brilliant. You also don’t need to be a large and long standing company to be content superstars.

From tutorials to case studies, ebooks to webinars, these content strategies are paving the way for other tech startups.

Canva

Canva is a graphic design platform that allows users to design beautiful graphics for a range of purposes. It is a leader in the content marketing game, going above and beyond to serve the needs of its audience.

Canva’s content strategy encompasses the company’s DIY focus. With its extensive Design School, Canva offers users free articles, teaching materials and design courses. Packed with tips, guides and interactive tutorials, Canva helps its customers get the most out of the platform. The topics covered are specifically targeted towards the needs of its different users, for business and personal activities. On top of this, Canva’s social media strategy is also a winner. Canva’s #MyDesignStory campaign tells the stories of businesses and individuals who have used Canva to make their dreams a reality.

Canva’s content strategy complements its organisational goals, empowering every day people to create beautiful things.

Lesson – help your audience succeed.

Bugcrowd

Bugcrowd is a comprehensive crowdsourced cybersecurity platform. Bugcrowd uses content marketing to translate its complex software into engaging content.

Bugcrowd's blog keeps its customers informed and updated on the cybersecurity industry and the Bugcrowd platform. Its content arsenal also includes helpful webinars, case studies and reports. The content is targeted towards the audience of businesses and researchers, helping them learn and improve. Some of the content is gated, allowing Bugcrowd to access more information from its audience before handing over content.

Bugcrowd’s content strategy communicates the complex service in an engaging way and establishes it as an industry leader.

Lesson – position your company as an industry leader.

Local Measure

Local Measure is a location-based software company that streams customer social posts in real time. Local Measure’s content is interesting and stimulating with a strategic combination of visual and written content. The website content combines clear and concise copy with colourful visual aids to explain the Local Measure software.

Local Measure further helps customers with articles, insights and case studies, from which users can download free ebooks and checklists. The content is focused on helping businesses leverage customer data to gain valuable insights.

Local Measure’s content strategy hits the mark with an ideal balance of informative content and interesting visuals.

Lesson – complement copy with visuals.

Envato

Envato is a global marketplace for designers around the world to sell digital assets. Envato’s content marketing strategy aims to connect its global customer base through its content.

Envato’s blog is full of helpful articles targeted towards its users with a predominant business focus. But what makes Envato’s content activities unique is its community building. Envato facilitates a user forum, and a community blog. Together they connect everyday users with experts and create conversations around the company.

Envato’s digital community culture is entrenched in its content strategy.

Lesson – build a brand community.

Which startups top your list of tech companies doing content marketing right? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. 

The secret to turning complex concepts into winning content - writing in plain English

What's the difference between awesome and average copy? For most IT and technology businesses, it's writing in plain English. 

What is plain English? Plain English is just that: PLAIN.

By writing in plain English, you minimise the fluff, the complicated words (that just deter your readers!) and get straight to the point. It’s communication at it’s finest if you ask us.

So, forget about those big words you need to look up in the dictionary to fully understand their meaning. Those sentences that baffle you and those paragraphs that seem to go on and on forever. Plain English is where it’s at.

Using direct, conversational language, rather than baffling readers with jargon is what we are aiming for here.

Why is writing in plain English so crucial?

If you're like us, you want your message to be understood the first time. Remember that everyone receives written, oral and verbal communication differently.  

What might be crystal clear for one person can make absolutely no sense for another.

By using plain English, you will save your reader time. They don't need to spend ages deciphering your fancy words. If done well, it will even minimise the time you spend re-clarifying your points via email or phone later on.

Time is money! Ain’t nobody got any to waste!

Ask yourself, what do you want the most from your communication streams? A greater reach to the wider population? BINGO.

Ensuring you write clearly, in simple terms will achieve this. Keep it smooth and you will avoid misunderstandings and get everyone on the same page, stat.

Top tips for writing in plain English

• Ensure your message follows a logical path
• Remember who your audience is - do they respond to formal tones or slightly relaxed lingo?
• Talk to the reader using easy conversational style sentences
• Short, concise sentences without repetition is key
• Don't use jargon – you’ll alienate readers if you’re too heavy handed with complicated industry terms

Do you know that one of the biggest projects we’ve worked on here at Mint Content has been helping the Northern Territory Government rewrite all department websites into plain English? Yes, it’s true.

Its websites were informative but residents spent too much time deciphering the government lingo. We waved our magic plain English wands and voila!, people are powering through everything from licence renewals to grant applications with limited questions. Winning!

Interestingly, even an AI robot has taken instructions in plain English to learn How to play one of the toughest Atari video games. It goes to show that humans and robots alike respond more positively to simple communication.

We’re proud to say, we’ve built our business using this very methodology. We turn complex concepts into winning content.

Less is best!

Get the latest from Mint Content delivered to your inbox every week. Subscribe to our mailing list. 

What we've read, shared and published this month - July 2017

What we've been reading

20 lesser-known tools for smart content creators – Content Marketing Institute
Keeping up with the constant changes in marketing software is no easy feat. But when it could save you time, money and effort… maybe you should do a little light reading. The Content Marketing Institute has found every tool that even the least tech savvy marketer can use to help with their content. From content idea generators, to infographic builders and search engine ranking analysers, CMI have got you covered.

3 brands making comebacks through content marketing - Newscred
Even dated brands can benefit from content marketing. With the right strategy, content marketing can help brands get their groove back, and win over a loyal following.
Newscred shows how Pepsi, Polaroid and Lego renewed their brands by creating nostalgic, fun and entertaining content.

The formula to calculate content marketing ROI – Convince and Convert
Although we are all self-confessed content marketing lovers around here, we know that proving ROI on your content can be a nightmare. You want maintain and improve your content marketing budget, but if you can’t prove to your big bosses that its paying off, you can kiss those resources goodbye. You might be a little better equipped with Convince and Convert’s handy formula – don’t worry, it’s not as hard as it sounds!

How to create a social media marketing plan in 6 steps – HootSuite
The benefits of a robust social media strategy are endless, but many marketers don’t have the time, budget or knowledge to keep up. Maintaining a coherent, consistent and targeted social media presence does not need to take up all of your resources if you have a killer strategy. From objectives to evaluation, HootSuite’s six step plan is a perfect place to start. Whether you’re a social media rookie or expert, you can learn a lot from this article.

Beat writer’s block: 5 tips for writing your best - Grammarly
Whether its writing a social media post, an article or an important email – every one suffer’s from writer’s block. Sadly, you can’t always be on a roll with your writing, instead ending up writing one sentence per hour. Grammarly thinks there are ways to get around this, and to push through writer’s block. Next time you’re struggling at your keyboard, try exercising instead, or work on something else and come back to it. Grammarly’s tips even helped me write this blog post!

New from us

• 7 best practice tips for copyediting your own writing
• How to streamline your marketing with a content calendar
• How to pitch and write an article submission that actually gets published

For daily copywriting insights and content marketing curation, follow Mint Content on Facebook or Twitter.

What have you been reading this month? Let us know in the comments!