62% of content marketers think their content strategy is ineffective.

Why do consumers interact? Why do they watch/read/listen to your content?

To answer these questions, AOL conducted a major global study (32,000 online consumers, exploring over 55,000 consumer interactions with online content) that spanned multiple countries, including Canada (both French and English markets, as we all know they are two very different solitudes).

They came to one fascinating discovery: they uncovered eight universal motivations or Content Moments.

Anytime a consumer engages with content, they fall into one of these eight moments. They are mutually exclusive and span the entire scope of needs and motivations your audience members have.

Here they are, in no specific order:

• Inspire: look for fresh ideas or try something new
• Be in the Know: stay updated or find relevant ideas
• Find: seek answers or advice
• Comfort: seek support or insight
• Connect: learn something new or be part of a community
• Feel Good: improve mood or feel relaxed
• Entertain: look for an escape or a mental break
• Update Socially: stay updated or take a mental break

When reading them for the first time, you might think that they overlap, but try it. You will fall into one single moment when consuming content (but note that two different people can fall into different moments for the same piece of content).

Each moment stems from different motivations, and each has a different outcome. For example, after having been in the Entertain moment, one in five people shared the experience in person or online.

And this is where it becomes interesting. When building your content strategy, keep in mind the moment that you are aiming for, taking into account the mindset of your audience at that exact moment.

And knowing your audience will help. The research found that at any given time, French Canadians are more likely to be in a Find, Entertain and Feel Good Moment, while English Canadians are more likely to be in a Comfort, Update Socially and Connect Moment.

Also, no brand should focus on one single moment for all their content. All content strategies should include a varied portfolio of moments they target for their audiences to interact with.

I invite you to visit AOL’s microsite, it contains multiple interesting insights from this massive global study.