A POOLE-based business owner took to the stage to present at one of marketing’s biggest global events in the US.

Mark Masters, from content marketing agency the ID Group, was part of three days of workshops, lessons, stories and inspiration at Content Marketing World 2017, which attracted more than 4,000 people to Cleveland, Ohio.

Speakers included film star Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

He said the opportunities and challenges for businesses today are no different across the Atlantic, when it comes to finding a company voice, standing for something and growing an audience.

“There were two keys themes coming through,” he said.

“The first was the focus on building an audience.

“Whilst Facebook and Google are looking to lure us to spend money with them, businesses have the ability to create media properties and content platforms, that they have ownership of. For instance, Amazon was once recognised as just selling books. They could be showing Premier League football next season. A media property is something that aligns with what you do.

“We are seeing companies within Dorset becoming committed to content platforms. For instance, Dorset Police have their regular cyber crime videos to advise and inform.”

The second key theme was the generation of revenue from an “addressable audience.”

“Businesses have been looking to target the masses for generations. We live in a world of advice overload. It is easier than ever to do commodity work. We obsess over gaming systems and sell to anybody and everybody,” he said.

“Today is not about stealing attention from someone else, but by being recognised as providing value to others. In turn, people will be prepared to exchange their information (their email address) for an ongoing interaction and connect on a much deeper level.”

Mr Masters added: “Addressable audiences are the new forms of measurement. It is up to businesses to make markets. A subscriber is key to any company today.

“It is time to look at audiences as an asset and not people to relentlessly broadcast to.”

The themes of audience, content and ownership will be part of the You Are The Media Conference, backed by the Daily Echo, at Shelley Theatre, in Boscombe, on May 24, 2018, with international speakers including Mark Schaefer. Visit youarethemedia.co.uk