4 Ways DJ Skrillex Dominates At Content Marketing | Inc.com 	http://www.inc.com/john-boitnott/4-ways-dj-skrillex-dominates-... 

4 Ways DJ Skrillex Dominates At Content Marketing 

JOURNAL 13

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4 Ways DJ Skrillex Dominates At 
Content Marketing 	BY JOHN BOITNOTT @JBOITNOTT 
Skrillex is not only one of the most famous DJs in the world but also 
one of the most effective content marketers today, especially with millennials. Even though you might not know him, here's what he's doing that your business probably isn't. 

You may know him as a six-time Grammy Award-winning musician, or the guy with the 
weird haircut that your kids are into. Or maybe you don't know him at all. No matter what 

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you knowof Skrillexand his work, there's one thinghe does betterthan almost anyone else and 
it's worth your attention. Simply put, Skrillex is flat out killing it at content marketing. 

With over 18 million Facebook fans, nearly 4 million twitter followers, and a loyal fan base all 
over the world, the DJ whose parents know himas Sonny Moore has an audience that most business owners can only dream of. So what makes Skrillex so good at content marketing, 
especially when he claims he doesn't spend any money on it? Hereare four reasons why 
Skrillex's content strategy is close tounbeatable, and why brands and businesses, both large and small, should study his online presence to improve their own marketing plans and tap into larger markets. 

1 .) H e ' s Re l a t a b l e 

At its core, marketing is all about building relationships with consumers, and that's exactly 
what Skrillex has done through his content. If you take aquick look at his social media pages 
or his website/blog, you'll notice that he's not just sharing products that he's trying to sell. 
He's sharing the things that are interesting to him as a person as well. While there's plenty of 
content focused on things like record releases and tour dates, he also takes the time to share 
other artist's music, funny videos, interesting articles, and other things that make him relatable to his audience. 

The idea of sharing other peoples'content and making it a part of your own channel is just too 
counterintuitive for manybrands. Consequently, that's where they fail, especially in the eyes 
of millennial consumers. In order to get true user engagement, you have to present your 
business as something that consumers can relate to. This is especially important on social 
media, where it's all about interaction and a sense of community. It's ok to be human, even if 
you're a major brand, and in fact, that's what will help you drive more engagement, build relationships with customers, and drive more success through your content. 

2 .) H e ' s J a w - D r o p p i n g l y C r e a t i v e 

Ask anybody in the music world and they're likely to tell you Skrillex is one of the most 
creative artists around. From helping to pioneer the electronic dance music sound that he's become synonymous with, to collaborating with a handful of clothing companies, Skrillex seems to have his hand in countless cookie jars. But his involvement in so many different markets is what keeps his fans constantly coming back for more. 

Perhaps the most recent example of Skrillex's content marketing genius came in the form of 
his first studio album release "Recess." Before the record's debut,Skrillex and his team 
released a mobile app disguised as a video game, and after a certain amount of time spent 

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playing, the app started to reveal songs off of theupcoming LP. Releasing an album this way 
was not only exciting for his fans, but it was something that had never been done before and instantly received loads of media attention. This marketing strategy ultimately helped hype his album enough to help it go straight to the top of the charts. 

By giving his fans something unexpected, fun, engaging, and free, Skrillex was able to boost 
his overall sales and have one of the most successful releases and tours of the year. 

3 .) H e ' s D i v e r s e 

All to often, businesses rely on the same types of content to expand their brand awareness. 
However, being diverse is the name of the game in 2014. Now, successful content marketing 
is all about being creative and reaching consumers across various platforms and through different types of content. 

Skrillex may beknown mostly for his music, but he also operates a massive YouTube channel 
with nearly two billion total views, a heavily-traveledblog with a regular readership, and one 
of the most well known and successful record labels in the dance music world. That's a lot of 
sites to be responsible for and requires him and his team to be constantly creating and 
sharing of different types of content. However, because he's constantly writing blog posts, sharing new music, uploading show recap videos, and more, he's able to keep his fan base constantly engaging with him and his handful of brands on a daily basis. 

Having different types of content released across various platforms keeps the user experience 
fresh, interesting, and engaging, and is something that brands should strive for as much as possible. 

4.) He Gives More Than He Takes 

One of the quickest ways to turn off potential customers, especially millennials, is always 
trying to sell them something, and Skrillex knows that. He is regularly sharing free content, 
be it music or videos, and actually encourages fans who cannot afford to buy his music to 
pirate it. Why would he do that if his music is his livelihood? Because he wants people to hear 
the music, experience it, and share it with their friends. Even though he may not make 
money from his digital releases, he knows that he'll make that money back through 
othermeans, be it through touring, merchandise, a subscription to his Nest HQ site where he gives away exclusive content, meet and greet opportunities and more. 

While it's perfectly understandable that most businesses won't be able to give their products away for free, giving your fans access to exclusive opportunities, deals, or swag will certainly 

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drive interest and engagement. Content marketing should offer a beneficial experience to 
everyone involved. You should be adding value to your customers' online experience and not 
always trying to sell them something. Customers are much more likely to come back and make a purchase from you if they enjoy what you gave them for free. 

Content marketing is a tricky game, but if you approach it with the right mindset and a solid 
strategy, you too can amass a fan base of Skrillex proportions. As long as you stay relatable, 
creative and offer a valuable experience to your fans and followers, you can craft a successful content strategy and maximize the return on your hard work. 

IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK 	LAST UPDATED:: AUG 113,, 20114 LAST UPDATED AUG 3 20 4 

JOHN BOITNOTT | Columnist 
A journalist and digital consultant, John Boitnott has worked at TV, newspaper, radio, 
and Internet companies in California for 20 years. 

@JBOITNOTT 

The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com. 

Which of the four things do you think has benefitted Skrillex the most? Why? How can you use the four things combined with the resources you have here and at home to promote yourself as a brand? Give specific examples. What other things could be on this list? Write 5-7 sentences.

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