GH techniques

Content writing & management

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Dr. Tomislav Rozman, BICERO Ltd.for: enGaging project, www.engaging-project.eu

Content is the king

Good content marketing makes a person stop…read… think… behave… differently

… but ...

Source and more great quotes: http://www.slideshare.net/NewsCred/quotes-about-content-marketing

What is content marketing?

Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and

distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a

clearly-defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.

Source: http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/what-is-content-marketing/

What’s the purpose of content writing?

The purpose of content writing is:

• to establish yourself as a trustful

company / person with the expertise in

your field,

• to educate (or entertain) potential

customers.

Write great content

More readers

More customers

More trust

Content marketing is not new

https://youtu.be/9O

HgMMpGLzk

Great content converts visitors to evangelists…… if you have a great

product / service, of

course.

Source: http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/what-is-content-marketing/

Quality content is the core of the marketing

• Social media marketing: Content marketing strategy comes before your social

media strategy.

• SEO: Search engines reward businesses that publish quality, consistent content.

• PR: Successful PR strategies address issues readers care about, not their business.

• PPC: For PPC* to work, you need great content behind it.

• Inbound marketing: Content is key to driving inbound traffic and leads.

• Content strategy: Content strategy is part of most content marketing strategies.

Source: http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/what-is-content-marketing/

* Pay per click

Where will you post your content?

Usual way of content publishing

1. Publish it on your primary content management system (webpage / blog /

youtube / LinkedIn articles… ).

2. Share it through social media networks.

Blogging/website platforms

Source& more: http://makeawebsitehub.com/choose-right-blogging-platform/

Web page / own CMS

1. The quickstart: Wordpress, Wix, Google Sites, … there are

plenty of platforms for quick and HTML-free start of your

website.

A quick hack: Register your own domain and associate with your site

above. It will look more professional:

mysite.wordpress.com → mysite.com

2. Old school: Your own custom built HTML website on a dedicated

web server (ANYONE still uses it?).

3. Most advanced: Your own custom developed dynamic web

application.

You can focus on content right from the start.

LinkedIn articlesPros:

● Appropriate for

business related short

articles

● Tightly integrated into

your LinkedIn profile

● Analytics

● B2B community

Cons:

● Limited editing

capability

● Platform lock-in

Platforms for presentation publishing

SlideShare

Google Presentations

Prezi

Emaze

Infographics

Infographics is a great way to show summarized,

easy digestible content.

← See full growth hacking infographics here:

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/277157

Video

● Video is a great & effective channel,

but also the costliest and can not

update them.

● It’s perfect for telling stories.

● It’s easily shared.

● People will consume more and

more video content.

● It can convince people to buy

something.

Source: https://retargeting.biz/blog/the-future-is-video-content

Video source: https://www.facebook.com/bernhard.manufaktura/videos/1059799364037825/?video_source=pages_finch_trailer

See the video. Would you buy it?

An assignment

Share with us:

● Which platform are you currently using for professional content?

● Which platform are you currently using for private content?

● What are the pros and cons?

What are you going to tell?

What are you going to blog about?

1. Listicles

2. How-tos

3. Politics

4. Bacon

5. Recipes

6. Beginner guides

7. Ultimate guides

Source:N. Patel, https://www.quicksprout.com/2016/08/31/top-35-blogging-ideas-that-are-guaranteed-to-be-popular/

8. Frequently asked

questions

9. Interviews

10. Personal stories

11. Charity and activism

12. People features

13. Product reviews

This is a listicle (short article with

list of items)

What are you going to blog about?

14. Sourced news

15. Gifs and memes

16. Myth-debunking

17. Virtual reality

18. Internet of things

19. Automation

20. Troubleshooting

guides

Source:N. Patel, https://www.quicksprout.com/2016/08/31/top-35-blogging-ideas-that-are-guaranteed-to-be-popular/

21. Contests

22. Advice

23. Productivity tips

24. Travel

25. History

26. Funny stories

27. Parenting tips

What are you going to blog about?

30. Upcoming events

31. Internet stars

32. Tech support

33. Gift ideas

34. Best-ofs

35. Respond to readers

Source:N. Patel, https://www.quicksprout.com/2016/08/31/top-35-blogging-ideas-that-are-guaranteed-to-be-popular/

Short assignment:

Select the type of your next blog post

from this list!

How to write a great piece of content

Once upon a time...

Hack #1 of of content writing: Master the art of great first sentences

Hack #2 of of content writing: Teach yourself how to write short stories

You have to earn it, learn it, and practice it.

Hack #1: Great first sentences

Raising interest/curiosity: “When Hugh was in the fifth grade, his class took a field trip

to an Ethiopian slaughterhouse.”

A question: “If I could show you a way to slash your health insurance costs by 40% --

and still get top-quality care…would you be interested?”

Direct: “Here's what the experts say: ……. ”

A rapport: “If you're like I am, before you make a big decision you make sure you have

all the facts ……. ”

Source: http://www.businessknowhow.com/directmail/salesletters/leadin.htmhttp://www.mobiloitte.com/blog/content-writing-course/?utm_campaign=Submission&utm_medium=Community&utm_source=GrowthHackers.com

Hack #1: Great first sentences

48 more great openers: http://www.targetmarketingmag.com/article/48-idea-starters-direct-mail-letter-email-openers/all/

Hack #2: Teach yourself how to write short stories

How do you start?

Hack #3: All you have to do is write one true sen-tence (paragraph). Write the

truest sen-tence you know.

“Maybe you built a successful business that was taken down by someone else’s

stupid mistake. Maybe you bent over backwards to hold your marriage or dating

relationship together, and it still fell apart.”

Source: http://www.mobiloitte.com/blog/content-writing-course/?utm_campaign=Submission&utm_medium=Community&utm_source=GrowthHackers.com

Surprise assignment: Are you a new Hemingway? Check now.

Assignment instructions part 1

Instructions:

1. Go ahead and write a great first sentence.

a. Browse & review a list of great first sentences. Which one could fit to your circumstances?

b. Find the hook. What really draws people? Sex? Violence? Strange circumstances?

Bizarre people? Surprising statements? Controversial positions? You must find out what works for your audience.

c. Just write this go***mn sentence already.d. Test it: Exchange with your colleague(s). e. Reviewers: don’t be polite and say:”It’s good.”

i. If it doesn’t attract you immediately, tell it.

Source: http://www.mobiloitte.com/blog/content-writing-course/?utm_campaign=Submission&utm_medium=Community&utm_source=GrowthHackers.com

Assignment instructions part 2

Instructions:

1. Go ahead and write a great one true paragraph (e.g. about the problem your

business solves)a. Just write this go***mn paragraph already.b. Test it: Exchange with your colleague(s). c. Reviewers: don’t be polite and say:”It’s good.”

i. If it doesn’t raise your interest, tell it.

Source: http://www.mobiloitte.com/blog/content-writing-course/?utm_campaign=Submission&utm_medium=Community&utm_source=GrowthHackers.com

Timing

Timing is everything (besides the content)

Tools that help you with content writing

Tools for better writing

#1. Hemingway Editor

(for more readable texts)

#2. Google Docs (especially for team editing)

Source: https://www.bforblogging.com/content-writing-tools-to-write-a-blog-post

Tools for better writing

#3. Grammarly

(Yes, there is a better spell checker as

MsOffice’s out there)

Source: https://www.bforblogging.com/content-writing-tools-to-write-a-blog-post

Tools for better writing

+ 17 more tools for idea generation:

https://econsultancy.com/blog/66187-17-fantastically-useful-tools-for-cont

ent-writers-and-bloggers/

Source: https://econsultancy.com/blog/66187-17-fantastically-useful-tools-for-content-writers-and-bloggers/

Hidden assignment: Go and try some of

them. Right now.

Does my headline suck?

http://coschedule.com/headline-analyzer#

Bonus content writing hacks

Moar hacks!

17 Content Hacks Every Marketer Should Know to Boost Blog Engagement Rates

Yet another hidden

assignment: Go and try some of

them. Right now.

Thanks for your attention!

Are you interested in this project (enGAGING)?

1. Visit: www.engaging-project.eu or FB: https://www.facebook.com/EnGagingProject or Twitter https://twitter.com/engagingproject

2. Subscribe to the newsletter on the project web page (now we have your contact and we’ll spam you. Just kidding.)

3. Occasionally receive project newsletters (pretty boring, right?)4. Wait for the invitation for self-assessment test (a little better, right?)5. Wait for the online course about Gamification and Growth hacking (awesome,

right?)6. Become gamifier and growth-hacker (mind blowing, right?)

yes? no

Continue with pointless browsing :)

About the author (Tomislav Rozman)

E-mail: tomislav.rozman@bicero.com

Web: www.bicero.com

LinkedIn: http://si.linkedin.com/in/tomislavrozman/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tomirozman

FB: https://www.facebook.com/bicero

Slideshare: http://www.slideshare.net/tomirozman

Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tomislav_Rozman

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