Are you on Tinder? Uh yeah - me neither, but chances are you’ve heard of it and how users swipe left to expel someone from their dating pool or they swipe right if they want to know someone better.

Swiping right is a good thing.

After five minutes of swiping left on profile after profile that did nothing to inspire a rightward flick of my thumb, I began listing all the things wrong with each profile and realized it sounded a lot like critiquing content marketing. It got me thinking about how the rules of Tinder apply to content marketers too. What do you think?

Rule # 1 More Than A Pretty Face

Tinder is all about the pics, so why so many fuzzy, random or scary images? Swipe left!

How often in our haste to get something out the door, do we as content marketers slap an image on an email or webpage with little thought to the content, quality or audience? It’s a picture of our product, that’s good enough, right? Swipe left!

Images are used to inspire a specific audience to continue engaging with you, to want more. So images must be optimized for the medium in which it is being used and should show images targeted to what your audience wants (men with puppies). Swipe right!

Yet many Tinder profiles excel where advertisers and content marketers don’t, showing what life is like if they choose your option. “In a world where you chose me, this is what your life is like”.  Swipe right!

Rule #2 Just The Facts

While Tinder profiles are mostly images, you can add a compelling, clever, leave ‘em wanting more summary of who you are and what you want. Good profiles are clear and concise and many often have a call to action. Swipe right!

Content marketers know that the sooner content is delivered in a relationship with a target, the shorter to keep the text. As we spend more time together, the more we’ll learn about each other’s habits and preferences so we can send them more in-depth content, longer conversations. But when you’re first starting out, like on Tinder, keep your text clear and concise. Swipe right!

Rule #3 Do You Come Here Often

Someone swipes right on your profile and you can send the ever-important first message. In content marketing terms, someone clicks on a social post or PPC ad. What do you say to get them from bouncing away into the arms of another? This Tinder How-To summarizes it pretty well for content marketers; Don’t be dull, personalize the message, keep it simple. Swipe right!

Content marketing is a process, not a Ronco 4000 so don’t be afraid to take it slow, especially in B2B marketing. Fulfill the promise of your content or ad and leave your audience with enough questions to continue their engagement with your brand and eventually take the plunge. Swipe right!

What do you think? Of Tinder or content marketing? Swipe left or right 🙂

Posted by April Lisonbee
April is a marketing consultant who has been helping small and medium sized companies develop and execute integrated marketing strategies for almost a decade. April career started with crafting compelling stories that were used to enhance Fortune 500 B2B sales teams. Since then, April has developed a passion for using digital media to build brands and support sales. Her work with start-ups and small businesses focused on building, managing and growing their influence and tying their marketing with sales. Now, April helps clients which range from established leaders in manufacturing looking to defend their market share, to e-commerce companies expanding their digital product line. April graduated from IE Business School in Madrid Spain with an International MBA. She is an active runner and resides in Atlanta. www.eggmarketingpr.com 

Image: www.apptentive.com