Enhance your content marketing using behavioural insights
Hey there! Welcome to the first of a 5 part blog series on strategic content marketing using EAST Theory. Today we’re going with the basics. So, let’s start right at the beginning, shall we?
What is EAST Theory?
EAST has been around for a while now. It’s sometimes called Nudge Theory, or just Nudge for short (cute, right?). At its core, EAST is a theory around the key principles that encourage behaviour. EAST was originally developed to give people a gentle nudge in the right direction when it comes to social policies such as making healthier lifestyle choices (hence the cute nickname). However, it can as easily be applied to consumer behaviour – which in turn can be hugely beneficial to the way that we approach content marketing.
Basically, it’s a way of utilising simple strategies to turn your desired outcome into the consumer’s first choice, in a way that feels natural, easy, and isn’t heavy-handed. It’s sales and marketing – but then, as I will argue with anyone who asks me (or doesn’t): everything is sales and marketing.
What does EAST stand for?
I’m so glad you asked! EAST stands for the 4 aspects of a policy (or in this case, a content marketing campaign) that, according to this theory, are most influential when it comes to changing behaviour and decision making. They are:
- Easy
- Attractive
- Social
- Timely
And that, right there, is the beauty of EAST – the theory itself is so simple, I could almost make this a 1 part blog… almost.
Why is a nudge better than a shove in content marketing?
In 25 words or less? The era of the hard sell is over. Nobody likes the stereotypical used car salesman, shoving the sale down your metaphorical throat. Consumers have been there, done that, bought the T-shirt.
Now, that does not mean that you shouldn’t have a call to action, ask your consumers to do something, or advertise your products or services. Of course you should!
But – this is a new world, you guys. Consumers want to interact with their brands, they want to consume organically through the process of being involved with the brand story. Most of all, they want to feel like the act of consumption is their own choice. Content marketing should not be heavy-handed. Your brand needs to implement strategic, creative marketing methods. To be successful, you need to make your target audience feel like a part of something bigger, while at the same time convincing them that it was their idea in the first place.
Easy. Attractive. Social. Timely.
That’s your basic overview of EAST! In the next 4 posts, I’ll be talking about each of the elements of EAST in more depth, with a focus on the ways that you can (and should) implement these elements into your content marketing strategy.
Of course, if you don’t have a strategy and you’re not sure where to start, that’s something that we can talk about too – nudge nudge, wink wink 😉
