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... [...]

Baer says, “Did you know Convince & Convert‘s content plan includes publishing 8 to 10 blog postsevery single week? I’ll speak for the rest of us: holy moly! For a team of only 3 people involved in the content planning process at Convince & Convert, that’s a massive amount of content that they: Review Optimize for keywords Create graphics for Edit Share with social media and email”. How to Rock an Awesome Content Plan Jay Baer’s ‘Convince & Convert’ Blog  [...]

Isla McKetta says, “If you’ve ever achieved the holy grail of content marketing success—true virality—you know the rush of endorphins as you watch the share count climb. You’ve smiled the enormous grin when one of your friends shares that piece on Facebook without any idea that you helped create it. Maybe you’ve even felt the skin-chilling prickle when Buzzfeed picks up your content. Then you’ve undoubtedly experienced the heart-stopping numbness when the traffic finally stalls. Where did all the people go? Was it real? Can you do it again? What happens next depends... [...]

Sonia Simone says, “Marketers tend to get very caught up in thinking about how to persuade people to buy a product or service. Which makes sense … but it’s often jumping the gun. Because it’s quite common (and perhaps increasingly so) that we have to market our ideas — and connect our beliefs with those of our audience — before we can do any business. Which is why, for my money, one of the greatest content marketers working today is astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. You think your product or service is a hard sell? Try astrophysics. (So many science, so many math.)“. 5... [...]

Graeme Parton says, “Diving into data to find content opportunities can certainly seem overwhelming at times but the rewards can be substantial once you know where to look and how to interpret it.  The success of your marketing depends on your ability to highlight and capitalise on untapped opportunities. This applies across all areas of digital marketing, but it’s especially true in content. If you’re going to write something worth reading – and boost traffic to your site as a result – you’ll need to find gaps. What hasn’t been said already? Or, if it’s been said a hundred... [...]

Markelle Harden says, “As social channels gain traction in search marketing, the need to create content that peoplewant to share becomes crucial to an inbound campaign. A 2014 study from Social Media Examiner found that 92% of respondents identified social media as “important to business.” Then why are brands still sharing unoriginal, dull content? It’s easy, that’s why. Too many brands think it’s better to share something than to leave social channels to the sound of birds chirping. As brands gain momentum with social media marketing, they must deliver fresh, share-worthy content... [...]