The Game Of Thrones was, in the beginning, a modestly popular fantasy book written by author George RR Martin. But once David Benioff and D. B. Weiss turned the books into a TV series, it sent everyone into a frenzy (even those who taught they did not like fantasy).
How do the Starks, Baratheons, Lannisters and all the other characters manage to change our world and why are we so drawn to the series’ gasp-inducing plot twists and bloody murders?
There is no doubt that Game of Thrones has become an amazing brand, from which we have so much to learn. If your content marketing would be as gripping as this, you will know all the secrets to a flawless content writing strategy.
But what exactly are the content writing and marketing strategy secrets that were tested on Game of Thrones and which really worked?
The Plot
What makes everyone drawn to the plot of Game of Thrones? Of course, it has all the sword fights, intrigue, twists of plot and all the elements we need to escape from reality. But is this all?
No, the show runs much deeper than this. It manages somehow to hit us and many other levels, asking us to get intimately acquainted with the main characters their motivations and histories, at the same time, continuously reminding us that we have no idea how the plot will turn on or what is going on at all.
Season 7 is released, and we have more questions than we had after season one. What is Arya’s next move? Was it really Ed Sheeran I just saw there? What gift will give Euron to Cersei? Is Ser Jorah Mormont back? This delightful manipulation is what makes people want more and wait breathlessly for the next episode.
Without any doubt, Game of Thrones is one of the most nuanced and smartest TV series, in both language and plot. In a world where we are surrounded by boring TV series, dramas and sit-coms, our brains crave for the lyrical dialogues, twists and turns of the plot, humor and complicated moral questions that Game of Thrones has habituated us to.
Heroes
We are drawn to the complexity of the characters, they are human and flawed, and this is what makes people become emotionally invested in them. The good characters such as Catelyn Stark and Both Eddard are so awful at politics, and this brings their end, while less sympathetic characters such as the Hound still have moments of heroism and scraps of goodness in them.
The characters are psychologically complex, and their actions are so unpredictable that we no longer try to figure out who is the good guy and who is the bad one. In fact, the viewer no longer tried to make a difference between good and bad.
The focus shifts to how the two dimensions interact. The archetypes are presented, destroyed and then rebuilt. The show has several classic archetypes, such as the ruthless king, the conniving queen or the valiant knight, and plays them in intricate and clever ways in the mythic storytelling, by subverting and altering them. It is this experimentation with the classic archetypes what makes Game of Thrones a piece of art.
For example, Tyrion, known in the beginning as The Imp or The Half Man, is very intelligent and has a quick, biting wit. He might represent the Trickster archetype, a fool at first glance, who is mocked by everyone. But Tyrion uses mockery and jokes to expose others’ lies, pretensions, hypocrisies, and shortcomings.
Methods of the success
Intriguing characters and plot are the salt and pepper for the success of Games of Thrones, but what are the things that we have to remember, when it comes to strategies to attract an audience and make people ask for more?
Do not rest on your success
In content marketing, thinking that you are safe is a big mistake. Game of Thrones‘ social media channels rally some enormous numbers, and this is not a coincidence. Its content is so engaging that it reached 17.1 million in the audience, surpassing Breaking Bad which has 12 million and Mad Men with .8 million. What is the secret? Engaging content.
Keep the visual game strong
Game of Thrones‘ content team knows everything about visual marketing. The visuals are captivating, with high-resolution photos and quotes that are continuously shared on social media. But Game of Thrones managed to take it to the next level combining quotes and photos resulting in an irresistibly shareable custom visual content.
Cover everything
The game of content marketing is extremely challenging. So if you want a piece of it, you have to come with something innovative and even give traditional methods a new form. Commercials, outdoor ads, and print can be a viable option if used smartly. Game of Thrones‘ dragon ad from New York Times back in 2013 is the living proof of native content with a brilliant twist.
Keep your audience informed and entertained
It’s not enough to show up, even if you have in front of you an enormously passionate audience to speak to. Game of Thrones‘ content marketing calendar has a variety of content types aimed at keeping audiences engaged, even when a season is over. This is what companies should do even between bigger campaigns or big seasonal sales pushes.
An inside look
People want something of value and giving people what seems to be unfettered access to the GoT’s production processes is priceless. A behind-the-scenes look is a cost-effective way to give your audience something meaningful to them.
Planning and strategizing
No matter how much power you have or how successful you are, if you do things without having a solid plan and a backup too, you will inevitably fail. Just like the characters of Game of Thrones, always strategize.
Conclusion
Now you will not see Game of Thrones only as a series with an amazing story line and a stellar cast, but also as a priceless source of content marketing lessons.
Are you ready to step up your game?
