Just the facts:
ALLCAPS Content is a new business-sector-focused content agency
We create content for brands and do white label work for media outlets
We bring a journalism mindset and approach to everything we do
We work with journalists who know the sectors you’re in
Companies have an opportunity to take a more holistic approach to content
We have a team of business journalists, podcast and video producers, and web and magazine designers.
Let’s talk content: bryan@allcapscontent.com
I have something to share: I’m officially starting my own custom content agency, ALLCAPS Content. We’re a business-sector focused company – we work with firms in the investment, accounting and technology industries, among other sectors – and we are run by journalists and people who have experience in the publishing industry. We also take a journalism-first approach to content, which as you’ll see as you read on, is important.
I’ve been involved in the custom content world for more than a decade now, well before most companies were creating content on their own. I got my first taste of custom content, which is often called content marketing and branded content, but I like to think of it as original stories published by companies, at UR Magazine, a Rogers-owned glossy that was half technology and half music. It was a dream publication for a music writer, and I was one back then – I edited the whole music section and got paid magazine rates to do it.
I knew right away this kind of content was going to be big – and I wanted to be a part of it. The work was fascinating – I was interviewing experts, telling stories, digging into new ideas – even if it wasn't the traditional kind of journalism. It also seemed like the only part of the industry that was growing, which is still true today.
Over the next several years I made this a big part of my business. Content agencies, many of which were started by marketing people, needed good journalists to do the work. I’ve edited magazines for KPMG, HSBC and Investors Group, worked on major U.S. campaigns with the New York Times’ T Brand Studio, run editorial websites for Investors Group and GE and created podcasts, videos, infographics and more.
The more I do this, though, the more I see companies missing the mark. Sure, it may seem like everyone’s talking about content these days, though many companies still aren’t, but one-off articles or a couple of LinkedIn posts a year is not enough. Businesses are also wasting money on “stories” that aren’t accurate, have no sources and are essentially brochures passed off as articles.
With so much content out there – that includes work produced by traditional publishing companies – corporations must do better if they want to stand out. (And content marketing works, by the way. A 2017 poll from Ipsos Connect and Polar found that brand awareness increased by 69% after potential consumers engaged with branded content, while intent to purchase jumped by 51%.) People want to be informed, but they don’t want the hard sell.
To me, engaging content is best done by experienced journalists. We spend our days telling stories, thinking about how to package articles, videos, infographics and other media, giving readers information they’ll care about – and we do it all accurately and ethically. While many agencies and companies do value good journalism, many others don’t think enough about it. If clients are used to reading the New York Times or Buzzfeed, then branded content should be of the same quality.
That’s what ALLCAPS brings to the table. We’re a journalist-run organization and we only hire people who have experience working in media. We want to bring a journalistic approach to company created content, whether it’s podcasts, videos, articles and more, and that will help businesses tell their stories better.
We also want companies to think more holistically about their content. Instead of a one-off article, why not film the person you interviewed for an accompanying video? Got a podcast? Create a Q&A article of the interview and send it out in a newsletter to people who won’t be tuning in. Your content must have purpose, context and it needs to connect with audiences – your clients – just like any magazine, newspaper or radio show would.
Ultimately, companies need to think more like publishers. To do that, they'll need an editorial director to guide the content process – and that’s us. We come in, look at all your content, develop a plan and then create the pieces you need to help meet your marketing objectives. And we do it all through a journalism lens.
So get in touch – we’re here to help.