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Building a Content Dream Team: Leaders' Strategies for Conquering New Markets

Expanding into a new market is an exciting venture for any company, but it comes with unique challenges. One of the most crucial steps to success is building a content team that can effectively connect with your new target audience.
But how do you find and hire the right people who understand the cultural nuances, language preferences, and specific needs of this new market?
We asked experienced leaders across various industries to share their insights on building a winning content team for global expansion.

Their advice offers valuable guidance on navigating the complexities of international hiring, fostering cross-cultural collaboration, and creating content that resonates with diverse audiences.

Read on!

Ben McInerney
Certified Arborist & Founder, GoTreeQuotes

As the founder of GoTreeQuotes.com.au, Australia’s leading online platform for arboriculture services, I’ve learned that creating content for new markets is like planting trees in unfamiliar soil. My journey from a local Sydney tree service to a nationwide digital enterprise has taught me valuable lessons about adapting content strategies to thrive in new environments.

When hiring a content creation team for a new market, my advice is this: Prioritize local expertise and cultural understanding over pure content creation skills.

Just as different tree species thrive in specific climates, content must be tailored to resonate with local audiences.

When we expanded GoTreeQuotes from Sydney to other Australian regions, we initially stumbled by using a one-size-fits-all approach.

Our content, while technically sound, failed to connect with audiences in tropical Queensland or arid Western Australia. The turning point came when we recruited local arborists as content consultants.

These local experts helped us understand regional nuances – from prevalent tree species to colloquial terms for common tree issues. For instance, what Sydneysiders call “tree lopping” is often referred to as “tree topping” in Perth. This local insight allowed us to create content that truly spoke to each region’s unique needs and challenges.

By prioritizing local expertise, we saw a 40% increase in engagement rates and a 25% boost in conversion rates across our new markets. More importantly, we built trust with local communities, establishing GoTreeQuotes as a familiar, reliable resource rather than an outsider.

Remember, in content creation, as in arboriculture, understanding the local ecosystem is key to growth and sustainability.

Dan Ben-Nun
CEO & Founder, Adspace

Prioritizing cultural intelligence and local knowledge goes beyond just language fluency; your content team needs to understand your target market’s behaviors, nuances and preferences.

You need content that resonates with the local audience to succeed in a new market. Even a technically perfect design will fall flat if your content creators lack local context.

For instance, a simple visual element or slogan that works perfectly in one country might carry unintended connotations elsewhere.

Ensure your content creation team has local insights and is better equipped to create culturally relevant and more engaging content.

For example, if you are expanding into the Asian market, where collectivist values are emphasized, you will want your content to reflect community-centric messaging. You may want to focus more on group harmony rather than individual achievements.

This approach is critical to ensuring that the content not only reaches the target audience but does so in a way that aligns with their values and norms.

Dev Chandra
Chief Executive Optimizer, The Process Hacker

My advice to businesses hiring a content team for a new market begins with understanding the differences in market dynamics.

Rather than replicating the strategies used in their existing markets, they should focus on localizing their content to resonate with the new audience. Having native members who understand the market’s unique culture, language, and norms can give a competitive edge.

Secondly, encouraging creativity can help develop content that stands out and engages the new audience.

Most importantly, employing data-driven decision making and process automation in content creation can streamline the operation, helping businesses adapt, iterate and innovate faster according to the feedback received from the new market endeavors.

Fundamentally, my mantra is: Understand the market, localize content, foster creativity, and leverage automation for efficient content production.

Sarah Mitchell
Marketing Director, Relyir

As a marketing director who has extended a brand’s reach into over 50 countries, my key advice for businesses hiring a content creation team for a new market is to prioritize cultural fluency and audience-centric approach.

It’s crucial for the team to understand the culture, language nuances, and consumer behaviors specific to the new market they are catering to.

For instance, at Relyir, during our expansion into the Asian market, we hired content creators well-versed in regional languages and cultural traditions. This allowed our content to resonate more effectively with our target audience, driving customer engagement and brand loyalty.

Moreover, ensure the team is adept in adapting the company’s core messaging to align with the local market, without losing brand consistency.

A successful content team can communicate your brand’s values in a way that feels personal and relevant to the new audience, laying the groundwork for sustainable market growth.

Andrew Pierce
CEO, LLC Attorney

Entering a new market is a colossal task, and your content strategy will play a crucial role in connecting with your audience. My advice to businesses venturing into new markets would revolve around three main aspects: research, local adaptation, and authenticity.

Firstly, thorough market research is mandatory before curating content. Understanding local culture, customer behaviors and needs will help your team create compelling and personalized content.

Secondly, local adaptation of your content is pivotal. Translating your brand’s message to satisfy the local audience, not just linguistically, but also culturally, is an aspect that businesses often overlook.

Lastly, ensure the authenticity of your content. Your brand should exude a genuine desire to serve and connect with the local audience. Authenticity forms trust, and trust translates into business.

Remember, good content is more than just facts and figures- it’s the values, experiences, and stories that align with your audience preferences. Make sure your content creation team is fully-equipped to resonate with the new market.

Kira Chesalina
Creative Director, AAA Agency

As a Creative Director of an international influencer marketing agency, my key advice would be to define your KPIs by mapping out value-inspired trajectories and equipping them with measurable endpoints.

If your strategy is niche-focused, with specific platform goals and a limited budget, think about partnering with managers who can offer specialized expertise, flexibility, and direct communication.

However, for a broader, multi-channel campaign that requires in-depth analytics, long-term strategy, and risk management, consider hiring an external marketing agency.

Agencies provide comprehensive support, including advanced tech solutions and creative projects.

Your choice should align with the specific campaign needs, budget, and the level of strategic guidance you require to succeed in the new market.

Sam Jacobs
Head of Marketing, Ammo

My advice would be to start with your business goals.

How do you want to measure success in penetrating the new market? Is it through clicks, views, or engagement?

It is a very important step in determining the exact skillset of content creators you need.

If your success is best measured through clicks, you will need articles, which means hiring writers. If your success is best measured through views, you will need video creators to film and edit. If you need a mix, you will need a sure way to structure your content team.

Then, once you put a content team together, hire a content lead to manage the KPIs.

When hiring, consider finding someone through reference, someone who has done what you need and done it effectively.

Jonathan Goldberg
Founder & CEO, Kimberfire

When it comes to hiring a content creation team for a new market, my advice is to focus on ensuring that the team possesses a deep understanding of the local culture and consumer behavior.

As Founder & CEO of Kimberfire, a company that bridges the gap between online and offline diamond jewelry retail, I’ve seen firsthand how crucial it is to align content with local values and expectations.

The content team should not only be skilled in creating compelling narratives but also be equipped with the cultural intelligence necessary to adapt those narratives to resonate with the local audience.

This often involves hiring local experts or team members who have an intimate understanding of the market’s language, customs, and trends.

The ability to craft content that feels authentic and relevant to the target market is what ultimately drives engagement and builds brand loyalty.

For businesses looking to make an impact in a new market, this blend of content expertise and cultural insight is essential.

Tony King
Manager, JobSpace

When hiring a content creation team to thrive in a new market, the most crucial piece of advice is to clearly define your content strategy and objectives.

Before bringing a team on board, it’s essential to have a well-articulated plan that outlines the type of content needed, the target audience, and the goals you aim to achieve. This clarity ensures that the content creators understand the brand’s vision and can align their efforts accordingly.

A well-defined strategy also helps in selecting the right talent whose skills and expertise match the specific needs of the project. By setting clear expectations and objectives from the outset, you can foster a productive collaboration that drives engagement and growth in the new market.

This strategic alignment is key to maximizing the impact of your content efforts and ensuring that your brand message resonates with the intended audience.

Allie Wickam
Owner, Allie of All Trades

Businesses looking to hire a content creation team for a new market should seek out a team that provides market research and relevant, valuable content, as opposed to teams that offer large quantities of content.

Consumers are exposed to so much content each day that posting low-value content for the sake of posting will quickly be forgotten.

Businesses that stay up-to-date on trends find it easier to expand their audience while also providing relatable and personable posts to encourage the conversion of likes to sales.

The best content creation team a business can find is one that is committed to continually learning and adapting to keep up with algorithm changes and consumer trends.

Abhi Madan
Co-Founder & Creative Director, Amarra

When venturing into a new market with a content creation team, understanding the audience is crucial. From my experience in fashion, where the stylistic preferences of consumers can vary significantly from one location to another, I recognize the importance of local perspectives.

My advice is to hire local talent or consultants who deeply understand the cultural norms, local trends, and language nuances of the new market. They add authentic voices and attract local consumers more effectively. For instance, when Amarra expanded into the Middle East, we collaborated with local fashion influencers who understood the region’s specific aesthetics. This led to content that resonated strongly with our target audience, effectively enhancing our brand visibility in the region.

The HR Spotlight team thanks these industry leaders for offering their expertise and experience and sharing their insights.

Do you wish to contribute to the next HR Spotlight article? Or is there an insight or idea you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

Write to us at connect@HRSpotlight.com, and our team will help you share your insights.

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