Introduction
Metis Communications works with diverse clients on integrated programs that include public relations, marketing, content, social media, and design services. In 2017, Metis Communications undertook a project to transform some of its own content into a digital, interactive format.
We interviewed Rachel Sullivan, the director of marketing at Metis, to hear about what the team achieved by using Foleon.
“We can see when people start reading our eBook, where they stop, how long they spend on each page, how often they come back, and more. Before, we had no insight — once someone downloaded a content asset, the PDF was in their hands and we had no sense of whether they actually opened it and read it, or if we lost them.”
Rachel Sullivan
Director of Marketing at Metis
What's your background?
I’m the director of marketing at Metis where I lead our marketing initiatives and help clients implement compelling marketing campaigns that drive leads and create brand awareness. I got my start working in PR, then shifted into content and digital marketing roles.
The challenge
As a digital agency, how important is content to your own marketing efforts?
Content has always been at the center of our marketing efforts because of how successful it’s been in attracting new visitors and engaging our target audience.
What challenges were you facing?
Because content is so important to us, we wanted to start implementing more interactive content, with three main goals:
- Better engage our readers
- Gain more insight into what performs well
- Accomplish this without investing considerably more resources into our content marketing department
The solution
Why did you decide Foleon was the answer?
A digital publication made sense for us, as it allowed us to migrate our existing PDF eBook to a similar — yet new and improved — format, as well as explore new formats and opportunities for future marketing content. Plus, our readers would have a better experience and we would gain access to new, actionable insights.
How did Foleon help you with the production of your eBook?
The Foleon team made it incredibly easy for us. They very quickly transformed our PDF eBook into a beautifully designed digital publication, matched our creative look and feel, and set up our domain and analytics tracking. They worked with us to make sure it functioned correctly with our website setup and lead capture workflows.
How do you handle distribution?
Our distribution is mainly based on creating additional supporting content pieces, social media, and email marketing. Our team also uses pieces like this eBook to support our clients and in conversations with prospects.
The results
What improvements have you seen after adopting Foleon?
The biggest benefit to our marketing team is being able to see content engagement metrics that we never had access to before. Because our eBook is interactive, every page is tracked. We can see when people start reading, where they stop, how long they spend on each page, how often they come back, and more. Before, we had no insight — once someone downloaded a content asset, the PDF was in their hands and we had no sense of whether they actually opened it and read it, or if we lost them.
For instance, we can see that almost 70 percent of readers who open the eBook read it to the last page. We can see which pages keep people reading the longest, and on which page readers are most likely to bounce. None of this was possible with a static eBook.
What are your plans for the future? Do you plan on creating more interactive content?
Yes, we’d love to create more interactive content. This piece showed us how valuable and engaging it can be.
How have people reacted to the interactive eBook?
We’ve gotten great feedback on the look, feel, and readability of the eBook. It’s different than the format of most eBooks out there, so it helps our content stand out.
Do you have any tips for other Foleon users?
The best advice for Foleon users is to listen to what your readers are telling you. Gather these insights and use them to inform your content strategy, from improving already-created content to ideating future pieces.
