How to Rock Content Marketing
in the Age of ‘Content Shock’
Omaha IABC Communicators Camp October 16, 2014
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Holy cats! Can you say
branded content’?!
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“A strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience—and ultimately drive profitable customer action.”
~ Content Marketing Institute
What is content marketing?
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Content marketing 5 years ago…
Image: Randy Chiu, Creative Commons 2.0
Content marketing now Image: Randy Chiu, Creative Commons 2.0
86% of B2B companies are using content marketing.
2015 B2B Content Marketing Trends—Content Marketing Institute & MarketingProfs
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77% of B2C companies are using content marketing.
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2015 B2B Content Marketing Trends—Content Marketing Institute & MarketingProfs
70% of B2B companies are creating more content
than a year ago.
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2015 B2B Content Marketing Trends—Content Marketing Institute & MarketingProfs
69% of B2C companies are creating more content
than a year ago.
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2015 B2B Content Marketing Trends—Content Marketing Institute & MarketingProfs
55% of B2B marketers plan to spend more on content marketing in the next 12 months.
2015 B2B Content Marketing Trends—Content Marketing Institute & MarketingProfs
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59% of B2C marketers plan to spend more on content marketing in the next 12 months.
2015 B2B Content Marketing Trends—Content Marketing Institute & MarketingProfs
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Gartner Digital Marketing Hype Cycle Content marketing: ascending the “Peak of Inflated Expectations”
Trough of disillusionment
Technology trigger
Peak of inflated expectations
Slope of enlightenment
Plateau of productivity
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Mark Schaefer
Content Shock: The emerging marketing epoch defined when exponentially increasing volumes of content intersect our limited human capacity to consume it.
http://www.businessesgrow.com/2014/01/06/content-shock/
http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2014/01/content-shock-trend-content-marketing-myth/
http://www.thesaleslion.com/problem-content-shock-marketing/
http://www.copyblogger.com/content-shock/
http://www.christopherspenn.com/2012/11/how-to-fix-the-sad-state-of-content-marketing/
“While there is certainly buzzworthy content out there, some of which is even snackable, I do think content in general could be more relevant, more bite-size, and make a stronger brand impression with trending keywords and a more responsive design…”
This is not exactly new.
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Doug Kessler called it back in 2013…
@carmenhill | #commcamp You can find the rest of Doug’s slideshare here.
More content is not the answer
~ Michael Brenner, “Is Content Marketing a Sustainable Marketing Strategy?”
• On the average website 0.5% of the content drives more than 50% of the traffic.
• Studies suggest that as much as 70% of marketing content goes completely unused.
• The real problem is volume and poor quality (in other words, too much crappy content).
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So what are we going to do about it?
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Spend more & work harder?
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Spend & work smarter
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Spend & work smarter • Be first
• Be different • Be strategic ""
@carmenhill | #commcamp
Spend & work smarter • Be first
• Be different • Be strategic "
@carmenhill | #commcamp
Spend & work smarter • Be first
• Be different • Be strategic "
@carmenhill | #commcamp
Be first
Early adopters earn the advantage.
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Be first
In content marketing, there’s no such thing as “fashionably late.”
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Early to online advertising
Today? It would be more like 0.1%
1994: AT&T runs the first banner ad and gets a 44% click rate!
http://mashable.com/2013/08/09/first-banner-ad/
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Early to blogging: River Pools
It takes time to build an audience. River Pools got the jump on competitors.
Early to the event ebook…
Early to mobile content
#6secondscience #lowesfixinsix
“The unexpected nature of something completely new breaks through the filters.
~ Eric Wittlake
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“By the time something is broadly recognized as the next great opportunity, it’s really just table stakes.”
~ Eric Wittlake
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“The investor of today does not profit from yesterday's growth.”
~ Warren Buffett
Be different
Stand out from the stream. @carmenhill | #commcamp
“Your content has to be fun, be funny, look great... You’ve got to stand out and aesthetics are critical.”
~ Lee Odden, Author, Optimize
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Words matter (a lot), but they’re not enough
• Consumers are 44% more likely to engage with brands if they post pictures than any other media.
• Visual content increases impact. o Whitepaper: 8,000 views o SlideShare: 350,000+
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“One of the biggest misconceptions in B2B marketing is that you have to take yourself so seriously all the time and not have any fun.”
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Funny: #shipmypants
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Funny: yes, even in B2B
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1xKpm0nURk @carmenhill | #commcamp
“Even if you sell technology or toasters or apartments or apps, your story is about people.”
~ Ann Handley, Author, Content Rules and Everybody Writes
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What’s your hook?
Image: Chaukar, Creative Commons 2.0
Case study: Xerox ‘Get Optimistic’ Business is an act of optimism.
Integrated content strategy
Interactive infographic
Be strategic
Focus. Filter. Find your edge.
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The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.
~ Michael Porter
Who’s your audience?
“It’s not about finding the right lure. It’s about finding the right pond.”
~ Tom Webster, Edison Research
Who does your audience listen to?
Extend your reach by engaging and earning the trust of relevant influencers.
Leverage 1: the action of a lever or the "mechanical advantage gained by it
2: power, effectiveness, e.g., trying to gain more political leverage
~ Merriam Webster
Case Study: Illumina
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Fast forward…
Illumina webinar: Starring Dr. Jennifer Gardy
Be awesome
First. Different. Strategic.
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“Your rival for online attention isn't your competition. It’s everything.” ~ Jay Baer, Author, Youtility
Not i
nter
estin
g
Not useful Useful
Credit: Andy Crestodina of Orbit Media and Content Marketing Institute
Inte
rest
ing
Good for social media. Bad for SEO.
Good for SEO Bad for social media.
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Credit: Andy Crestodina of Orbit Media and Content Marketing Institute
Useful and
interesting
Not i
nter
estin
g
Not useful Useful
Inte
rest
ing
@carmenhill | #commcamp
Credit: Andy Crestodina of Orbit Media and Content Marketing Institute
Not i
nter
estin
g
Not useful Useful
Inte
rest
ing
Goal: 80%
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Don’t be afraid to take (intelligent) risks
Safe bread & bu+er
Innova0ng on what works
Risky
80
Coca Cola Company’s 70/20/10 rule
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“The ones who thrive in this new world of chaos will be those who make their own rules.”
Photo: Cleveland.com
~ Kevin Spacey
Tools, templates & tips to make your job easier
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Content Marketing Institute
Kapost
Hubspot
Marketo
Uberflip
Copyblogger
6 go-to sources for tools, templates & tips
Uberflip: 400 (!) free visuals
Uberflip free visuals Resource Library
Lean Content Marketing eBook
Marketo: eBooks, guides & how-tos
Resource Library
Free content audit tool
Kapost: content auditor tool (& more!)
Resource Library
Content Marketing Books
Thank you!
You can find me:
@carmenhill linkedin.com/in/carmenhillpdx slideshare.net/carmenhill