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Invision is a platform that provides "intuitive tools for prototyping, task management and version control." It helps companies deliver the best designs and user experiences.
But how did Invision stand out from the wide array of tools available for designers and developers? How did it become one of the main tools used by people in the industry? In part, through great content that caters specifically to its target audience.
1. Establishes Relationships with Contributors to Scale Its Content Marketing
How did you hear about Invision?
I bet you've heard of the platform through their blog.
Invision publishes seven to 12 pieces of contributed content every week, it chooses a few out of the many submissions it gets from the design community. However, compared to most publications it creates relationships with its network of contributors.
“We kick off every contributor relationship with a 15 minute call about expectations: what we will publish, what we won't and how to go about getting it done. This gets everyone on the same page early on.” said Clair Bryd, Invision's Head of Content in an interview.
Invision's team of writers and editors provide collaborative editing sessions, where an editor can edit a contributor's piece in real-time. They're also hands-on when it comes to the visuals in each blog post. If a picture isn't up to par, then it will be replaced or the team will help in the selection of new images. As a result, the brand's contributors do not only learn from the process, but are also encouraged to continuously contribute to the platform.
According to Byrd, "I've always been inspired by the collective knowledge of the world. Our contributed content program is based on the notion that quality education can be crowdsourced and the best marketing for your products or services is dictated by your target market."
By making an effort to establish a relationship with its contributors, Invision is able to scale its content marketing and become one of the best online resources in the industry.
Read next: 7 Ways to Achieve Content Marketing Breakthroughs, According To Experts
2. Promotes its Products on Dribble
Invision has its own Facebook and Twitter pages.
But the platform that generates the best results for the brand is Dribble—an online community dedicated to designers. It makes sense given that the brand creates tools for them.
And it really puts an effort into posting great content. In the image below, you'll see that Invision regularly posts gifs and images of its new app features, inspiration and UI kits. Their profile has amassed an audience of 36,500 designers, which is no small feat.
Their posts get more attention on Dribble, as compared to Twitter and Facebook. This shows that its best to maximize online platforms used specifically by your target consumers.
3. Creates Easy-to-Follow Video Tutorials
As we've mentioned previously, Invision is a platform that improves design, communication and collaboration. It has a ton of features that enable remote designers and developers to work together. But the company understood that in order for their customers to take advantage of their platform’s features, they have to learn about it first.
As a result, Invision regularly creates tutorial videos. There's a video titled, "How to Build an interactive prototype with Invision," where customers can learn the ins and outs of prototyping on the app.
There are Sketch tutorials, like "Getting Crazy with Rotate Copies in Sketch," "How to Make the Perfect Drop Shadow in Sketch," among many others.
If you're in the software industry, easy to follow tutorials are a great way to get consumers onboard, and to convince them to buy your product. It certainly takes time and effort to make them, but the ROI will be worth it.
4. Uses High-Value Newsletters to Condition People to Check Out Its Content
Every week, Invision sends out a newsletter featuring a roundup of their best blog content. The beautiful images, great copy, simple design and clear CTAs prove that its an effective email.
Right away you can tell that the content is curated for Invision's audience of designers and developers.
Check out this example of Invision's email from ReallyGoodEmails:
By distributing its valuable content on a weekly basis, Invision not only improves the professional and personal lives of its customers, but it also conditions them to regularly return to its website.
Here’s a recap of what we’ve learned from Invision’s success:
- Condition customers to read content through newsletters
- Create easy-to-follow video tutorials
- Utilize an online platform that specifically caters to your target market
- Establish relationships with contributors to scale content marketing