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Business communicators have been doing content marketing, in one way or another, since we’ve been doing marketing. But digital technologies and social media have changed the game. We’re now under pressure to produce, distribute and measure more content, more often on more platforms than ever before. Our content isn’t just vying for attention with the other guy’s white paper; it’s competing with cute kittens and screaming goats. And even though businesses are dedicating about a third of their marketing budgets to content, most of us still don’t have enough time or resources to keep up. In this presentation for the Omaha, Nebraska IABC Communicators Camp, Carmen Hill shares the latest content marketing trends, along with ideas for focusing your content strategy and standing out in the stream. Content marketing may be at the peak of the hype cycle, but it’s never too late to learn a few new tricks.
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How to Rock Content Marketing
in the Age of ‘Content Shock’
Omaha IABC Communicators Camp October 16, 2014
@carmenhill #commcamp
@carmenhill | #commcamp
Holy cats! Can you say
branded content’?!
@carmenhill | #commcamp
“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?
@carmenhill | #commcamp
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
@carmenhill | #commcamp
77% of B2C companies are using content marketing.
@carmenhill | #commcamp
2015 B2B Content Marketing Trends—Content Marketing Institute & MarketingProfs
70% of B2B companies are creating more content
than a year ago.
@carmenhill | #commcamp
2015 B2B Content Marketing Trends—Content Marketing Institute & MarketingProfs
69% of B2C companies are creating more content
than a year ago.
@carmenhill | #commcamp
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
@carmenhill | #commcamp
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
@carmenhill | #commcamp
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.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.
@carmenhill | #commcamp
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.
@carmenhill | #commcamp
Be first
In content marketing, there’s no such thing as “fashionably late.”
@carmenhill | #commcamp
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/
@carmenhill | #commcamp
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
@carmenhill | #commcamp
“By the time something is broadly recognized as the next great opportunity, it’s really just table stakes.”
~ Eric Wittlake
@carmenhill | #commcamp
“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
@carmenhill | #commcamp
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+
@carmenhill | #commcamp
@carmenhill | #commcamp
@carmenhill | #commcamp
“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
@carmenhill | #commcamp
What’s your hook?
Image: Chaukar, Creative Commons 2.0
Case study: Xerox ‘Get Optimistic’ Business is an act of optimism.
Integrated content strategy
Be strategic
Focus. Filter. Find your edge.
@carmenhill | #commcamp
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
@carmenhill | #commcamp
@carmenhill | #commcamp
@carmenhill | #commcamp
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.
@carmenhill | #commcamp
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%
@carmenhill | #commcamp
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
