Genuine communication is the key to connecting with audiences. But you can only communicate authentically if you know who you really are. What does your brand value? Why do you exist? These answers form the core of your culture and influence everything from the way you treat customers to the way you communicate online. In this ebook, you’ll learn why culture is so vital and how it can enhance every piece of content you create.

2. THE ELEMENTS OF
O R G A N I Z AT I O N A L C U LT U R E
HOW CULTURE
A F F E C T S C O N T E N T
BETTER CONTENT
M A K E S A B E T T E R W O R L D
HOW TO CREATE
B E T T E R C O N T E N T
C H
C H
C H
C H
0 1
0 2
0 3
0 4
3 – 4
C O N T E N T S
5 – 6
7 – 8
9 – 1 2

3. 3
EVERY COMPANY IS BUILT
BY HUMANS—GROUPS OF PEOPLE
WHO GATHER EVERY DAY
IN PURSUIT OF
A PARTICULAR GOAL.
OVER TIME, EACH COMPANY
DEVELOPS ITS OWN ORGANIZATIONAL
CULTURE, WHICH INFLUENCES
THE WAY EVERYONE FROM THE CEO
TO THE NEWEST INTERN THINKS,
ACTS, AND COMMUNICATES.
AS BRANDED CONTENT HAS BECOME
A POWERFUL CONDUIT FOR
COMMUNICATION, IT IS MORE CRUCIAL
THAN EVER TO HAVE
A SOLID UNDERSTANDING OF
YOUR COMPANY CULTURE.
TH E E LE M E NTS O F
O R G A N I Z AT I O N A L C U LT U R E
C H 0 1

4. 4
WHY ARE YOU DOING
WHAT YOU’RE DOING?
THIS IS YOUR MOST POWERFUL
PURPOSE.
HOW ARE YOU GOING
TO FULFILL YOUR VISION?
THIS IS YOUR UNFAIR ADVANTAGE
AND DEEPEST EXPERTISE.
WHO ARE YOU BEING
AS YOU GO ABOUT THIS WORK?
THIS GUIDES YOUR BEHAVIOR AND
INTERACTIONS AS A TEAM.
V I S I O N M I S S I O N V A L U E S
YOUR CULTURE IS SHAPED BY YOUR FOUNDATIONAL THINKING,
WHICH INCLUDES YOUR VISION, MISSION, AND VALUES.
THESE THREE QUESTIONS HOLD THE KEY TO EACH:
TH E E LE M E NTS O F
O R G A N I Z AT I O N A L C U LT U R E
C H 0 1

5. 5
WHEN YOUR CONTENT COMES FROM A STRONG CORE,
YOU EXPRESS YOUR BRAND’S DEPTH IN WAYS NO ONE ELSE CAN.
YOUR VISION, MISSION, AND VALUES DON’T NEED TO BE EXPLICITY STATED
IN YOUR CONTENT MARKETING, BUT KEEPING THEM IN MIND AS YOU IDEATE
ENSURES YOUR CONTENT ALIGNS TO WHAT MATTERS
MOST TO YOUR TEAM.
H OW CU LTU R E
A F F E C T S C O N T E N T
C H 0 3

6. 6
THERE ARE MANY WAYS
TO TELL YOUR ORGANIZATION’S STORY:
EACH CAN BE INFLUENCED
BY YOUR CULTURE.
ARTICLE/BLOGS
E-BOOKS
VIDEOS
DATA VISUALIZATIONS
INTERACTIVE INFOGRAPHICS
SLIDESHOWS
PHOTOS
MOTION GRAPHICS
INFOGRAPHICS
H OW CU LTU R E
A F F E C T S C O N T E N T
C H 0 3

7. 7
TO HELP YOU EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF USING EVEN A PORTION
OF YOUR CULTURAL TREASURE CHEST IN YOUR CONTENT, HERE’S AN EXPERIMENT:
GATHER THE CURRENT ARTICULATION
OF YOUR BRAND’S VISION, MISSION, AND VALUES.
DO A QUICK ASSESSMENT:
WHAT RESONATES WITH YOU? WHAT NEEDS WORK
(OR IS MISSING ALTOGETHER)?
CHOOSE ONE OF THE STRONGEST PIECES
OF THIS FOUNDATION, EVEN IF IT IS JUST
ONE OF YOUR VALUES.
CHOOSE ONE OF YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER PROFILES
AS YOUR INTENDED AUDIENCE.
WITHOUT EDITING YOURSELF, TAKE 10 MINUTES TO
WRITE DOWN AS MANY IDEAS AS POSSIBLE THAT USE EITHER
THAT VALUE STATEMENT EXPLICITLY, SYNONYMS OF THE VALUE,
OR RELATED CREATIVE IDEAS SURROUNDING THAT VALUE.
H OW CU LTU R E
A F F E C T S C O N T E N T
CH 03
1 2
3 4
5

8. 8
FOUNDATION AUDIENCE IDEAS
YOUR YOUR YOUR
SA M PLE I D E ATI O N
F R A M E W O R K
CH 03
VISION Q&A WITH LEADERS
CLIENT GIFT
DECK
BLOG SERIES
E-BOOK, INFOGRAPHIC
INTERNAL
EXTERNAL
EXTERNAL
GENERAL
NICHE
EMPLOYEES
CONSUMERS
CLIENTS
INDUSTRY
SPECIFIC PARTNERS
MISSION
VALUES

9. 9
YOU CA N ’T FA KE TH I S !
B ET TE R CO NTE NT
M A K E S A B E T T E R W O R L D
C H 0 4
YOUR AUDIENCE SENSES WHEN THE STORIES YOU TELL THROUGH CONTENT AREN’T GENUINE.
TO THRIVE, YOU MUST CONNECT TO YOUR CUSTOMERS’ HEARTS WITH AUTHENTIC AND MEANINGFUL COMMUNICATION.
THIS MEANS MORE THAN JUST HAVING A CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TEAM.
IT MEANS THE CEO LISTENS TO THE CSR TEAM, AND THE DIGITAL-MARKETING EFFORT IS AT LEAST IN PART FUELED
BY STORIES ABOUT WHAT YOUR COMPANY IS COMMITTED TO CREATING IN THE WORLD.

10. 10
UNDERSTANDING YOUR CORE PURPOSE
HELPS YOU CREATE AUTHENTIC AND
MEANINGFUL CONTENT THAT SHOWCASES
YOUR BRAND’S HUMANITY.
THIS IS VITAL TO THE WORLD.
THE MORE HUMAN A COMPANY,
THE BETTER DECISIONS
IT’LL MAKE FOR HUMANITY.
B ET TE R CO NTE NT
M A K E S A B E T T E R W O R L D
C H 0 4

11. 11
B R A N D C O N T E N T
I S F I R S T A N D F O R E M O S T
A B O U T
B U I L D I N G T R U S T .
S E T H G O D I N
H OW TO CR E ATE
B E T T E R C O N T E N T
C H 0 4

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