Sujan Patel says, “Who’s responsible for creating your company’s most valuable content? Your marketing team? An agency? You? How about your customers? Customers are generating quality content for companies all over the world around the clock. In my experience, however, few companies have picked up on that fact – let alone realized how valuable this user-generated content can be. In fact, user-generated content can be more effective at driving sales than the content you create. That’s because prospects are more likely to take their peers’ word at face value. To them, user-generated... [...]

Amy Gesenhues says, “In a move to help YouTube creators connect with brands and create more branded content opportunities, Google announced yesterday it was acquiring Famebit. Billing itself as the leading self-service marketplace in the branded video space, Famebit serves both sides of the influencer marketing relationship between creators and brands. According toFamebit’s announcement on the acquisition, more than 25,000 branded videos have been created via the platform. Today, we’re excited to announce that Google has acquired FameBit — a technology platform company that helps creators... [...]

Andrew Raso says, “Content creation can be a slow and arduous process. Among marketers, the agile are primed for creating and delivering content at lightning speed. Here are some ways your organization can benefit from leveraging daily customs of those who excel in the field. 1. Align content with user stories. The user story template should be clear. One user story describes the needs and wants of one persona. This extremely narrow focus serves a purpose. It reduces meandering, mitigates excess and encourages simplicity in customer engagement. Creating content quickly means doing one... [...]

Sujan Patel says, “Q: How can an online publication startup create trust with its users? A: We’re creating more content than ever these days and with the rise of companies getting smart on content marketing the volume is just going to go up. There’s so much content out there from bloggers, companies and online publications, so how do you stand out from the crowd? How do you build an audience and how do you earn their trust? These are some of the most common questions I get asked when it comes to content and the answer is always the same: be unique, entertaining and memorable. Let me... [...]

Tom Whatley says, “As a marketer, you likely have a comprehensive marketing stack at your disposal — tools to help create compelling content, promote it, etc. But which tools help you understand the challenges of your audience? Companies that focus on their customers are 60% more profitable than “non-customer-centric” companies according to Deloitte. Similar results can apply to customer-centric content. These three tactics will help yield information from your customers. You’ll understand their needs, challenges, and what they want to learn about. Then you can take that insight... [...]

Tommy Wyher says, “Many freelance writers find themselves in the position of having a client that is extremely niche or a bit difficult due to a lack of experience with the topic. Some writers completely avoid this while others charge a bit more per word when creating website copy and blog content. As a freelancer, you will have to take on clients that might not be quite as interesting as others. This does not mean it is impossible to write quality content on a consistent basis for this client, you might just need a little help. The following are a few hacks to get that writing done for... [...]

Jeremy Goldman says, “I see it time and time again: Stellar content marketers spend so much time developing great content for their brands that they don’t spend enough time thinking of their own brand. While Instagram, Snapchat, and many others are great platforms, LinkedIn is the single best tool you have at your disposal to build your own brand. (highlight to tweet) I want to shed light on LinkedIn’s top personal brand-building features: 1. Comment on Your LinkedIn Feed Your connections are posting articles, commenting on the activity of others, and starting group discussions—and... [...]

Ann Smarty says, “Being a writer today has its ups and downs. On one hand, we have a very different process involved in becoming well known for our works; and a great deal of the PR efforts that once would have gone to an official publishing house now rests on our shoulders. On the other, we have an infinite number of tools, publishing platforms, and increased global visibility at our fingertips. Our success is entirely within our own hands, and that is an empowering aspect of writing today that only increases as the years pass and the rules change. Another benefit is the ability to collaborate.... [...]

Yoav Vilner says, “If we take a quick glimpse into the crystal ball, we see a future of content marketing less about the impact of words and more about the experiencescreated for the consumer. Traditional content has flooded the Internet and is starting to feel stale. Admit it – how often do you find yourself briefly skimming an article only to move on within seconds to something new? Brands are coming to terms with this reality, fostering tools that engage their audiences in an activity – answering quizzes, watching clips, or exploring scenarios. It’s the perfect way to capture the... [...]

Ben Davis says, “If one of your team is new to content writing, what are the potential pitfalls? I’ve been writing articles for Econsultancy for a few years and although I certainly don’t profess to be an expert, there are a few things I look out for. In fact, I still get caught out, which is why creating a list like this is a good way to encourage vigilance. 1. Beware common grammatical errors Know when to use ‘less than’ and when to use ‘fewer than’. Here’s a guide. Remember that ‘Coca-Cola is launching a campaign’ (a brand is singular). Check... [...]