So the final Twilight film has finally launched and I think the way they have spread their brand across half a decade is pretty impressive. Based on four books the film company saw the ROI they were getting each time a new film arrived so they even split the last one into two (final Harry Potter ring any bells?). The film industry have been doing their trilogies and sagas for years now and us content creators can certainly take a leaf from their book and apply the same thinking to what we do.
Here are some key takeaways from the best blockbusters…
1. Lord of the Rings – lots of content to cram in
If you read the Lord of the Rings books or sat through the epic films, you’ll know that these guys had a lot of storyline to get across. The same applies for if you’ve got a blog that is rather long or a guide that represents War and Peace. Don’t feel you have to cram it all into one piece of content, you can split it out into your own series and then you can even add a bit more detail in to really add value to your reader.
2. Star Wars – show the back story
These guys were great at taking us back to the beginning, right at the end. It gave us more depth and helped us to understand where the characters had come from and what made them who they were. This helps to get your reader engaged all over again and they will connect with your brand more if you can explain not just what you have now but the steps of how you got there. I’ve seen blogs showing the development process from start to finish when releasing a new product and it was really well responded to because people could peak behind the scenes.
3. Superman – appealing to a whole new generation
Your parents remember the first Superman film and you remember the last, there’s even a newer version coming out that your kids or younger friends will enjoy. Each time they add to their series they do it with a fresh face and tweaked storyline which appeals through the ages. You probably have content that in its day was great but may now be out of date or not quite accurate. Bring it out, dust it off and give it a new lease of life – it’s much easier than having to start from scratch each time.
Hopefully you’re feeling inspired by some of these blockbusters, you may even be digging out an old boxset somewhere to relive them. Even better you may be digging out some of your own website content blockbusters…
