It’s been a year since I wrote my original content marketing lies post. There was no shortage of dubious ‘expert’ advice available then, and the flood has continued unabated over the past year. That said, there have been many great blog posts, articles, e-books, and presentations. There has also been an enormous volume of hype, exaggeration and outright B.S. thrown around. I love the enthusiasm, but sometimes the flood gets frothy, and even well intentioned advice can spawn inaccuracies, half-truths or worse. I think that part of this relates to confusion about its definition, and the fact that some conflate …
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You have diligently read this column and heeded my advice about crafting compelling content. You have noted the challenges of getting attention for content – and used all of the tricks and techniques that I have shared to boost the odds that yours will rise above the noise. It is aligned with customer interests, optimized, colorized and multi-screen sized. In short, you have that YouTube video, blog post, article, whatever, crafted that is sure to set your audience on fire – and now want to get some results from the %@|^& thing. What do you do next? What are some …
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Shame on you if you’re seriously looking for my advice on this matter. I am a social media user who , as fellow LinkedIn author Viveka Von Rosen would say, is a “promiscuous networker.” I virtually meet and connect with a lot of other people in the world. It is a virtual connection to establish potential that I have been talking about ever since I published my first Windmill Networking book in September of 2009. Over the years, with the advent of open networking platforms like Twitter and Google Plus, many of us are much more promiscuous online than we …
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A flip side of the social media revolution is that now anyone can be a publisher. This means that you need to compete with all kinds of bloggers, online media, Twitter and other social network chatter to get your content and postings noticed. It is a harsh reality, one that puts pressure on social marketing teams to be on top of their games. Content curation can help. it is the practice of using OPC (other people’s content) to generate a steady stream of high quality, relevant materials. Curation typically employs a mix of tech, process and skills, and should be …
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There is a tremendous amount of innovation in content and social media marketing these days, and this can be both a blessing and a curse; a blessing because of the wealth of technology coming onto the market; a curse, because navigating the field and picking the best solutions can be a challenge. E.g., I am sure most have had the experience of jumping eagerly into a new project – one that takes us out of our comfort zones, and requires new tools – only to get frustrated by the range of options. Or, just when we think we have it …
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My worlds are finally colliding. This week, as I prepared to write this post, one of my local friends and Facebook contacts asked a question about Google+. Specifically, she wondered if the platform was worth her time as a homeschool podcaster since she noticed a lot of active groups in her niche. I answered with a resounding yes! And I’m willing to bet there are more dyed in the wool Facebook users just like her that will be making the switch over to Google Plus in the coming months. As marketers, we need to be prepared to write for and …
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Last January I wrote about the challenges of capturing the consumer’s attention. The problem is that your customer is a moving target – both literally and figuratively. It has been a little over a year and in that short time technology has been on a forward march, and content consumption habits have evolved. While many of the challenges I described then still relate, new obstacles are emerging. Things that haven’t changed are the need to be relevant and interesting. But this is not enough – the sheer amount of info and media choices continues to frustrate both users and content …
read moreIt’s the Engagement, Stupid: 6 Keys to Building a Blog to Strengthen Your Nonprofit’s Supporter Base
“Newspapers are just blogs that get ink on your fingers.” Stephen Colbert Blogs are media. They’re also social. They aren’t rocket science. You can build a great blog. But why would you want to? Aha! That’s the question too many nonprofits fail to ask. So ask. Seriously. Take a moment. I’ll wait. “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.” Lewis Carroll Nonprofit blogs may not be rocket science, but they should be rockets. Where do you want to go? If you’re being honest, my hunch is you’ll want your blog to strengthen your …
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When I was eleven, I wrote a mystery story and sold it for a quarter a copy on the playground. Even back then I knew that writing didn’t happen in a vacuum. I used my classmate’s names as characters, and cleared about $9.50 before the recess monitor cut it short. I knew my audience, and played to them. The work I do as a content marketer is no different. There’s an audience involved, and I have to play to the audience. You do too because that audience has even more power these days. Social media has transformed web writing – …
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A number of challenges can stand in the way of great content marketing results, especially for newcomers, and small-to-mid size businesses that don’t have the budgets or resources of big brands. There is no shortage of advice, or content about content marketing, yet some might find it confusing or contradictory. There doesn’t even seem to be a consensus about what it is, as I explained in my last column. The technology can be confusing, too. Probably the single biggest challenge is the burgeoning growth of content. How does one stay ahead and rise above the noise? So, it can be …
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We all know the top traffic generating social media networks (Facebook, Twitter etc.), but there are so many other social networks out there that are sometimes better targeted and can bring in huge amounts of traffic to your website. These social networks may have much less users than Facebook, for example, and that’s why many of them are usually forgotten by marketers, so I wanted to highlight a couple of the best smaller sites and explain why I think they are such great traffic generating tools. As I’ve said earlier, some of the smaller social networks are much better targeted …
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In previous months, we’ve taken a look at general tips for different platforms, and gone over Twitter 101 writing strategies. Now it’s Facebook’s turn to come under the microscope. With a longer character length, photo sharing capabilities and more, Facebook offers a lot of opportunities for brands to reach out and connect with their audience members. Here’s how to write updates with impact. Keep Your Tone Friendly and Positive – Or Not? We all know that social media is a friendly marketing medium – but does sentiment really effect engagement? Turns out it does! According to Dan Zarella’s social media …
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For my final column of 2012, I thought that I would explore the state of content marketing, try to clear up some confusion about the field, and also take a look at trends to watch in the coming year. Content marketing’s star has risen, and I have seen much interest and excitement about the field. But I also encounter lots of questions; so I’d like to chime in with my two cents, and try to clear up some of the confusion. The misunderstanding can start with the label itself, as the phrase “content marketing” does not seem to be very …
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There are certain benefits to getting involved with social media, and becoming an avid content creator. This is true, especially if you want to stay well informed about your pet topics – which in my case spans content marketing (e.g., this monthly column), public relations, social media, and tech marketing. By actively engaging and keeping an ear to the social media ground, you meet some great people, and discover invaluable content. It works the other way too – people find you (especially if you are good at what you do, and prolific and consistent enough to, heaven forbid, become an …
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As we enter the final weeks of the U.S. presidential race, I thought it might be interesting and fun to set our content marketing sights on the world of politics. Political campaigns spend vast sums on marketing, and are amongst the most innovative and aggressive users of social media. They rely on a wide range of content to get their messages across – and tend to be very smart when it comes to using words and images to inform and persuade. So, perhaps other marketers can learn a thing or two from them. I will cite examples, share tips and …
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When it comes to content marketing tools, iPhone Apps don’t often rank highly on the list. Most content marketers would consider blogs, white papers or videos as the biggest items in their content marketing toolbox. But when you look at the modern landscape of online users and potential prospects, the impact of mobile devices is hard to ignore. So many people are using iPhones and other smartphone devices to find information. Shouldn’t you be providing mobile app content to meet their needs? Consider this food for thought. 82% of U.S. adults are active cell phone users, and 42 percent …
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Hangouts are almost without a doubt the most touted feature of Google Plus, especially when it comes to business use of the platform. So if you follow my Google+ for Business column here, you might be wondering why it’s taken me so long to write about them. I’ve had two reasons for holding off until now: I wanted to bring you vital tips and information that you won’t find everywhere and anywhere, and I was convinced that many improvements and new features that I’d want to include were yet to come for Hangouts. Well, “yet to come” is now here: …
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Content Marketing World 2012 took place two weeks ago in Columbus, Ohio. Given its importance, I thought I’d be remiss if I did not cover it in this column. Although I unfortunately did not go, and thus could not file live updates from the event, there are some benefits to not being the first out of the gate with a story (see this page, which references and links to the many good posts about CMW); the extra time gave me the chance to track down and interview Joe Pulizzi and get his thoughts on the event, on where the …
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I have written about ways to rise above the noise and get attention for your content (see my post Winning the Attention Game in Content Marketing). An important part of this involves tuning into the voice of your customer. After all, it is hard to get them to care if your info is not relevant to their concerns and needs. The ultimate in relevancy is to be able to connect with consumers based on their interests at the moment. While it is difficult to target down to the individual user, you can take some cues from online behavior such as …
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Content marketing is more important than ever, and some would argue that it’s the most efficient way to boost your SEO these days. Content is also an excellent engagement vehicle. Furthermore, creating good content for your website, blog, and newsletter is key if you want to continue to attract customers to your digital assets. How so? It’s because if you have something worth reading, it’s worth spreading and your readers and customers will be the ones bringing people to your site. Plus, amazing content makes your site more valuable to them and they’ll return to it time and again – …
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