James Anderson says, “For many B2B marketers video content is the biggest step in a content marketing plan, the one thing that is tackled last because it takes more resources to produce. That mode of thinking is changing, however, as more marketers lean on video content as an effective way to cut through the crowded content marketing landscape. In a recent CMI / Marketing Profs study, 76% of B2B marketers said that they plan to use video as a content marketing tactic in 2015. Creating video and hosting it on your company site or sending it out on social media is a way to show that your brand... [...]

James Carson says, “What comes first: the distribution or the content? I’ve been turning this question over practically in the last year through running my own publishing startup, but the answer remains strangely elusive: if you invest in content, the answer to that content doing well seems to be in its distribution to the largest audience possible. If you invest in forming distribution networks, you need good content to make those networks effective. This is a catch 22 situation. You need both, but not every company will want to invest in both simultaneously. So how can we best tackle... [...]

Dan Smith says, “I’m slightly ashamed to admit I’m a little late to the IFTTT party. I first heard about the web-based tool not long after its 2011 debut, but it’s only been in the past couple of weeks that I was reintroduced to it and have been blown away. I’m guessing I’m not the only newbie to IFTTT – an online platform that stands for “If This Then That.” Once you register for an account, you pick your applications (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Dropbox) to discover “recipes” that allow one product to connect with another product or app. Once you connect the... [...]

Mitch Duckler says, “Ever since Google introduced the Panda and Penguin updates, companies have been clamoring to publish content in hopes to improve ranking and engagement with customers. It is impossible to navigate the internet today without being hit by ‘to do lists’, ‘how-to’s, and ‘top 10 lists’. But are brands simply creating a digital landfill of content that no one is reading? The answer depends on how you go about the creation of digital content in the first place. Before creating digital content, you must answer three quick questions: 1. Do you have a digital content... [...]

Sandra Gudat says, “If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times: Content is king. But why? Simple: because value-added content has the power to influence consumer behavior—without overt sales tactics. Value-added content (AKA custom content and custom publishing) addresses consumer needs and lifestyle interests connected to your products and services, offering an educational benefit to readers. Engaging in such content marketing can help establish your company as a trusted resource—keeping you top-of-mind when it’s decision-making time. Furthermore, value-added... [...]

Evan Prokop says, “This week’s forecast calls for heavy rain. Not from the sky, but from the stage at Authority Rainmaker 2015, hosted by CopyBlogger. The conference got off to a bang with an electrifying keynote from Daniel Pink, speaker and author of To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others. According to Daniel, the buying experience has changed more in the last ten years than in the previous 100, due in large part to the unprecedented access to information that the average consumer has today. However, many companies’ sales processes have yet to catch up to the meteoric... [...]

Lisa Toner says, “Content marketing is nothing new to marketers all over the world. Many of us know it’s the fuel that drives many of the key inbound marketing techniques across web, search, social, and email marketing. But because content has become a well-established part of global companies’ overall marketing strategies, the online content space is becoming more and more competitive. To get ahead and stand out, the key is knowing where in your content strategy to invest. The question is, how? And how can you tell whether you’re behind the curve or on the cutting... [...]

Graham Charlton says, “First coined by Robin Sloan, stock and flow is a useful way to talk about different content types and how you can use them in your marketing.  Here I’ll look at what stock and flow is, some examples, and how it can be used effectively. The stock and flow model is also mentioned in our Implementing Content Strategy best practice guide, written by Dr Mike Baxter. When talking to Mike, he used the metaphor of fireworks and bonfires“. What is stock and flow content and how should you use it? ‘Econsultancy’ Blog  [...]

Michael Brenner says, “I have a secret to share with marketers who are struggling to build their content marketing plan. My secret starts with the realization that many of the marketing activities brands produce today are highly ineffective. Direct mail? Thrown away. Cold calls? Ignored. Television ads? Skipped. Banners? Blocked and ignored. It’s no wonder that so many of us in marketing are being asked to prove content marketing ROI before we even get started“. The Content Marketing Road Map – How to Build Your Own Content Marketing Plan Content Marketing Institute  [...]

Natalie King says, “I’ve got a confession to make. As a content writer for a number of B2B clients I’ve been coasting – cruising through e-books, white papers, and infographics with the same tone of voice. This hasn’t been due to writer’s block, laziness, or even my own choosing. Rather, it’s been what the client has wanted … Safe. Clean. Boring. And, as you know, the client gets what the client wants. There’s nothing wrong with safe, clean copy. It serves a purpose. In marketing, clarity and simplicity of message are paramount – but I just can’t help thinking there’s... [...]