Mark Walker says, “In the latest Content Marketing Institute research, there was a clear conclusion: Those who document their strategy are more successful in the long run. However, only 21% said they were able to effectively track ROI (rising to 35% for those who had a documented strategy).A huge number of marketers still guess about their success. Yet more and more content marketing activity is taking place, budgets are rising, and the world only gets more complex. With an average of 13 content marketing initiatives being used by each marketer across a dizzying array of channels – both... [...]

Demian Farnworth says, “Welcome to the year of adaptive content. The choose-your-own-adventure era of content marketing. The age of the customized customer experience.We’ve already tipped our hand by publishing two podcasts on the topic: Adaptive Content: A Trend to Pay Attention to in 2015 and Behind the Scenes: 2014 in Review and the Road Ahead.And 16 Stats That Explain Why Adaptive Content Matters Right Now is a foundational blog post that briefs you on the subject.At this point, it’s only natural that we jump right in to the heart of adaptive content”.13 Simple Questions... [...]

Ryan Skinner says, “Last year we announced in our report about tools and technology for content marketing that:Marketers must mix service providers and software solutions to serve their needs . . . vendors bifurcate into service partners and software solutions.Increasingly, we’re seeing those two camps – the service providers, usually agencies, and software tools – merge in the market. Last year, WPP took a small, strategic stake in Percolate to “strengthen its capabilities in fast-growing sectors.” Then, yesterday, Havas Media announced a strategic partnershipwith Newscred thus:NewsCred’s... [...]

Siobhán McGinty says, “In June of last year, Facebook announced a new ad format called “multi-product ads” that caught the attention of many Facebook advertisers. This new format was designed to do three things: generate more website visitors, drive better conversion rates, and improve remarketing results.Quick movers were able to make the most of the new ad format using the Facebook Ads API, but others had to wait for Facebook to fully incorporate the format into its advertising product.Last week, Facebook started to do just that, making multi-product ads easily available... [...]

Jessica  Plunkett says, “You’ve heard the expression “don’t reinvent the wheel.” The same is true for content – don’t reinvent it, repurpose it.Start with a white paper, guide or ebook that you’ve written to support a product or service that you sell. With this one piece of content, you can easily repurpose content five times through different channels. Here’s how!1) Break it out Into Multiple Blog PostsTake sections of content from the white paper and set them up as individual blog posts. You’ll build a library of valuable content assets and work toward SEO ranking... [...]

Sandra Stewart says, “B2B marketers consistently cite creating content that engages as a top challenge of content marketing. That is a genuine hurdle, but making it harder to overcome are the preconceptions that marketing team members likely bring to the effort.Getting content marketing right is both more complex than its most fervent promoters claim… and easier than doubters fear. Carrying beliefs on either end of the spectrum into a content program will hamper its effectiveness.The first step toward success? Getting real.With that in mind, this article busts six content marketing... [...]

Eric Murphy says, “The content marketing struggle is real; every marketer knows the difficulty of serving up the right content to the right audience at the right time. Unfortunately, it won’t be getting easier any time soon. The Content Marketing Institute’s 2015 Reports show that 69% of B2C and 70% ofB2B marketers are creating more content this year than last year.Consumers are already inundated with content everywhere they go, and in an age of increasing adoption and production, brands are reeling in the wake of wasted content investments.It’s no secret any more that content and... [...]

Ann Smarty says, “A good introduction hooks a reader’s interest. The content of a blog post keeps them interested as you present the information or entertainment they came for. Most bloggers are focusing very much on these two specific parts of the whole, and they are leaving one out: the conclusion. Since it is ending the blog post, it is easy to discount how important that conclusion really is.When you are trying to create the ultimate content, it is crucial that you get the sign off right. It might not be what is keeping the reader engrossed, but it may very well be the line that gets... [...]

Alex Braun says, “Just 13 years ago, Steven Spielberg’sMinority Report envisioned the year 2054 as one in which marketing and advertising are so invasive that holograms make frenzied, customized sales pitches to people as they walk through the mall.In an unnerving scene, protagonist John Anderton’s eyes flashed as retina scanners identified him from a customer database and pushy holograms pitched him items based on his previous purchases, personal attributes, and preferences.We still have almost 40 years to go until the film’s setting, but it’s already pretty obvious what the screenwriters... [...]

Jami Oetting says, “You’re a pro at creating content.And because of this, a coveted client has just signed on with your agency.You’ve got to get to work, but you’re at a loss. The client is in a niche industry — one that you have little experience with. And the brand has done little in terms of content creation, so the team is unsure what types of content they need and how best to engage the audience.In this situation, it’s best to go back to the basics. You need to follow a proven formula to uncover the goals for creating and publishing content. Then,... [...]