• by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer @lauriesullivan, November 29, 2013

The personal touch works when it comes to creating content. Consumers want to know the brand, what it stands for and how it is made. Creating quality content requires brands to know their audience, create compelling messages, rely on cross-channel media, and open up to share personal experiences that can help consumers learn more about the brand.

Some brands have begun to latch on to the concept, while others put one foot on the line, wondering why their content strategy doesn't work.

Iconic brands like Lucchese, a company with a 130-year history, have begun to understand the importance of creating great content and making it available to view on mobile devices. The company recently launched a new Web site. Along with the site, it followed the road toward becoming a master content creator -- not just images of its boot, but complete with a digital magazine highlighting art and design, destinations, events, music, news, and the process of making really soft handmade boots.

Rather than just a blog on the Web site, a section in the digital magazine called "The Last Word" highlights the company's culture. A 2:05 minute shareable video housed on Vimeo demonstrates how its artisans craft boots. The video not only shows you how the company makes boots, but the inside of its workshop and introduces prospective and existing customers to the artisans who make them.

The brand -- made in America, but born in Italy -- follows the traditions of European artisan shoemakers. Some of the boots are hand-tooled. Lucchese opened the first shop in Texas in 1983, and now claims the human hand touches each boot about 300 times. One thing to note -- you can find some of their boots made in Mexico, but I'm not sure if they sell them on their Web site anymore.

The new site that spurs fans to follow on Facebook demonstrates the power of sharing brand-related information with consumers. Until mid-November, the chart line identifying people talking about the brands and new likes per week remains dormant. Weekly spikes in Likes from readers on their page began around Nov. 10.

I have been a fan of the brand for about five years because of the workmanship and soft leather. In southern California, you can find the boots -- mostly machine made -- at local Western wear boot stores like Boot Barn, but the good stuff needs to come directly from the manufacturer.