Content Chat

#ContentChat is a weekly twitter chat that brings together content creators and content marketers to share their challenges and best practices for solving them.

I took over hosting duties from Lucy Rendler-Kaplan on June 13, 2016. The chat was originated by Jenise Stout Fryatt of Smarter Shift who built up the community over three years.

Check out these recaps from recent chats and join us on Mondays at 12 noon Pacific/ 3:00 p.m. Eastern to join in the conversation.

September 19, 2022 Content Chat Recap: How To Create Customer-First Content For Tech Companies

September 21, 2022 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

Most technology companies have a content problem.

Despite a potential wealth of engaging customer stories and meaningful ways that the technology is helping humans, tech company content is often filled with jargon, overfocuses on the tech itself, and is simply boring. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

In this #ContentChat recap, Lakshmi Padmanaban (@Lakshmi_Writes), an engineer-turned-writer who specializes in long-form B2B content, and the community explain how to create customer-first content for tech companies. Read the full recap below to learn:

Common reasons that tech company content fails to resonate with readers
How to amplify your customer voice in an authentic way
Ways to turn tech-heavy announcements into engaging content

Q1: What makes so much tech company content irrelevant, inaccessible, or simply boring? Share your least-favorite and too common worst practices and pitfalls.

There are many reasons that people do not like tech company content. For starters, B2B tech company content often focuses on the product and product features, not the customer’s needs…

A1: Content marketing needs to be about your community, not your product. This is why too often, I see #B2B tech startup content that isn’t getting results. You need to be useful and show you understand your customer’s needs BEFORE talking about product features. #ContentChat https://t.co/DUneUYDovg
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) September 19, 2022

A1. Too often, tech content is what is what I like to call “NBC (nobody cares) content,” leading with inside-out, down-in-the-weeds sales points, rather than focusing on what customers need/want to know. #contentchat
— Carmen Hill (@carmenhill) September 19, 2022

Can’t agree more. Tech companies make it about themselves (mainly product features) instead of how they can benefit their target users #ContentChat
— Masooma | Content Writer (@inkandcopy) September 19, 2022

A1 Too much tech-company content is about the tech itself, rather than what the tech makes possible. #contentchat
— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) September 19, 2022

Which is why tech content can and should feature examples of how others have used it. Tell stories that let future customers/clients see themselves in others’ shoes. #contentchat
— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) September 19, 2022

Yes! People want to hear about the happy end results (for them, in their job and life) of being your customer. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) September 19, 2022

At the risk of re-using a cliche, you need to focus on the why (should I care) and not the how (it works). #contentchat
— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) September 19, 2022

I’m biased since I was one of the ghostwriters, but the team @SlackHQ truly excels at this. The customer stories they’ve shared often surface brand new use cases for the technology, that made a significant impact on the companies sharing their stories.#ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) September 19, 2022

Buries the lede or over-explains a topic to fulfill SEO needs…

A1 The most useless and boring content is the one that buries the lead. Close contender:
Articles that over explain things until they mean something else so that they comply with their SEO plugin.
#ContentChat
— HAGGLETHIS.COM (@hagglethis) September 19, 2022

I’ve definitely seen some clickbait headlines or fantastic headlines that 100% did not relate to the actual content way too many times. And then I never click again! 🙂#ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) September 19, 2022

Fails to adequately address the reader’s needs and questions…

A1: It’s incomplete. It’s often difficult to find everything you want to know about on a topic on a tech site even with the site’s search bc the company only focuses ROI-driven content#ContentChat
— Sweepsify (@Sweepsify_) September 19, 2022

So true! A tech company has got to own the space it’s supposed to be an expert in. #Contentchat
— Lakshmi Padmanaban (@Lakshmi_writes) September 19, 2022

Is packaged in an outdated format or design…

A1: Outdated, depressing design and focusing on overly technical copy that doesn’t explain WHY people need to buy what you’re selling. #ContentChat
— Melissa Chiou (@melissaC_says) September 19, 2022

This seems to be the common theme of problem in most tech company content. They lack the focus on customer and keep talking about that piece of tech.#contentchat
— Lakshmi Padmanaban (@Lakshmi_writes) September 19, 2022

Lacks a unique voice and is too often filled with jargon…

A1. What’s makes tech content boring:
• The voice. It’s dull, dry, lacks any storytelling
• The vocabulary. It uses big words to show people behind it are smart
• The salesy approach. Instead of focusing on value, it focuses on selling #ContentChat
— Masooma | Content Writer (@inkandcopy) September 19, 2022

A1: The right kind of content would seem interesting and informational to the right type of audience. But so often, brands write generic, crowd pleasers that lose out in front of the *actual* audience — and end up being boring.#ContentChat
— Lakshmi Padmanaban (@Lakshmi_writes) September 19, 2022

“Borrowing” your competitor’s content strategy, and writing dry, SEO-focused content at the expense of connecting with your ideal customer is an all too frequent occurrence. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) September 19, 2022

I’ve worked with dozens of tech companies as clients, and have only found a documented brand voice for one or two of them in place before they started working with us.#ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) September 19, 2022

I’ve found few smallish or early stage companies have a:
Defined brand voice
Style guide
Messaging framework
It makes all communications (content planning & writing, advertising, emails…) extremely inefficient and inconsistent.
#contentchat
— Tod Cordill (@todcordill) September 19, 2022

Fails to provide a complete journey for the reader…

A1. Content problems I too often encounter with #B2B startups:
Too much reliance on SEO keyword research.
Disorganized websites with dead ends.
Too much about what they do.
For the last one, do an analysis on “me” words vs “you” and “they” words. #contentchat
— Tod Cordill (@todcordill) September 19, 2022

This is one of my favorite “tricks.” Flipping the script from “we” to “you” changes the whole feel and relevance of your content. #ContentChat
— Carmen Hill (@carmenhill) September 19, 2022

And tries to drive a sale without providing value to the reader.

A1. Tech company content can often be very salesy without making it engaging. #Contentchat
— Shruti Deshpande (@shruti12d) September 19, 2022

Q2: What audience or persona details are helpful to know when crafting customer-focused content?

August 29, 2022 Content Chat Recap: Content Marketing World 2022 Pre-Party

August 29, 2022 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

Content Marketing World 2022 is almost here! In this #ContentChat recap, we spotlight some of our most anticipated sessions and share tips to help you get the most out of your experience, whether you’re joining online or in-person. If you still need to grab your conference tickets, use code HEALD100 for $100 off.

Don’t miss our #ContentChat meetup on Thursday, Sept. 15 between 10:25 and 11:25 a.m. in Hall C (the first break of the day)—we’ll grab a table for everyone to casually stop by for some long-overdue IRL networking.

Read through all of our advice below, and tweet us your questions or advice by tagging @ErikaHeald and using #ContentChat. We hope to see you in Cleveland from Sept. 13-16!

Q1: Many members of the Content Chat community are presenting at this year’s CMworld. If you’re presenting, give us a preview of what we will learn in your session.

Erika will teach you how to create a more effective, proactive thought leadership program.

A1: I’ll be sharing my process + a TON of useful templates to create a more effective, proactive thought leadership program as part of your content marketing program.#ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 29, 2022

A1b: I’m in the final block of breakout sessions on Thursday, right before the closing keynote.#ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 29, 2022

Michelle will demonstrate how to get more visibility for your content by repurposing it.

A1: A sneak preview of my talk – which is on 9/15 at 2:20 pm – here goes:
Get more visibility for your content by repurposing it as earned media – or how to turn owned media into earned media – which you can then plug into shared media (& paid, if you like). #ContentChat
— Michelle Garrett (she/her) (@PRisUs) August 29, 2022

I should also mention that I’ll be the guest on the #CMWorld chat on 9/6: Gaining Visibility for Your Content with Michelle Garrett – so we’ll talking more about what I’ll be talking about. 😂 #contentchat
— Michelle Garrett (she/her) (@PRisUs) August 29, 2022

Love it! You’re basically running a 20-minute master class in creative reuse for PESO model content.#ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 29, 2022

Carmen will show you how to build a better content on-ramp for your customer’s buying journey. Her session is on Friday at 8:30 a.m., so please join if you can.

A1. My #CMWorld talk is about building a better content on-ramp for your customer’s buying journey—funnel-based, format-centric formulas don’t account for the different needs of your audience and your business. #contentchat https://t.co/uV58f5fmQr
— Carmen Hill (@carmenhill) August 29, 2022

Oh! And by the way, my talk is at 8:30 am Friday, 9/16—so stick around if you can! #CMWorld #ContentChat
— Carmen Hill (@carmenhill) August 29, 2022

Monica will share lessons for building and nurturing your content marketing team.

#ContentChat A1: I’m presenting (my first time at #CMWorld!) on “How to Build & Nurture Kick-Ass Content Marketing Teams.” To make the tips easy to remember and apply… they’re all tied to conventional wisdom & best practices you already know from work and life!
— Monica Norton (@monicalnorton) August 29, 2022

Mike will teach techniques to create 10x better content 10x faster through streamlined workflows and processes.

A1 I will be teaching techniques to create 10x better content 10x faster! It combines streamlined workflows and processes, along with stronger insight into content tactics. #ContentChat https://t.co/ymKjuLkHq3
— Mike Allton (@mike_allton) August 29, 2022

And check out our blog post that highlights CMworld 2022 sessions from friends of the #ContentChat community.

In case it’s helpful, we created this post highlighting the #CMworld sessions from our #ContentChat friends. It’s ordered by day and time so you can plan ahead.😊
And thank you to everyone who has already shared this since it was posted.❤️https://t.co/SMTBTyuI5u
— Alek Irvin (@AlekIrvin) August 29, 2022

Q2: What are your tips for maximizing the value you gain from the conference experience?

August 22, 2022 Content Chat Recap: How Content Marketers Can Use the CPoP Method

August 29, 2022 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

After interviewing more than 500 thought leaders, global credibility expert Mitchell Levy noticed a common mistake—when brand communicators start their elevator pitch or explain their value proposition, they often focus on the brand-centric “I” and “We.” But shouldn’t your customer and their needs be your focus?

In this #ContentChat, Mitchell (@HappyAbout) joins Erika and our community on Twitter Spaces to discuss how content marketers can use the ‘customer point of possibilities‘ (CPoP) method to better attract and serve their customers. At its core, CPoP is all about helping you communicate who you serve and what you serve for them. This helps you build credibility, which is seen as the quality in which are you are trusted, known, and liked.

Listen to the full conversation with Mitchell and Erika, and check out a few tweets with external resources from the conversation below. By listening in, you’ll learn:

Common mistakes that brand communicators make when discussing their value proposition
How the CPoP method strengthens your branding and better engages your community
Ways to put your CPoP front-and-center in your brand communications

What is the most often overlooked area when it comes to business professionals and their personal branding?

Too often, business professionals fail to clearly address how they can help their ideal buyer.

#ContentChat A1: We try to be all things to all people and shout to the rooftops how great you are. No one wants this!
Check out Mitchell’s TedX on this topic here: https://t.co/FRTIc5hpYp
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 22, 2022

A1: Some professionals often focus on their achievements and highlight their strengths instead of identifying the needs of their audience. #ContentChat
— Pavel Stepanov (@pavelStepanov77) August 22, 2022

A1. I do think it is how they can problem solve. Most seem to have decent soft skills but that’s not what will get them the business alone! #ContentChat
— Shruti Deshpande 🇮🇳🇬🇧 (@shruti12d) August 22, 2022

A1: Aesthetic. How do you create a “blank canvas” for a new personal brand?#ContentChat
— Sweepsify (@Sweepsify_) August 22, 2022

They look their business from a revenue perspective whereas there are may underlying factors that needs to be taken into account including buyer’s journey, strategies, networking etc.,
— Kowshika. Freelance Writer (@thatsociallady) August 23, 2022

There are so many elements that go into building your brand and nurturing those business relationships, totally agree. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 23, 2022

What are the potential issues that arise from not having clarity around the customers you serve and their unique needs?

August 15, 2022 Content Chat Recap: How To Grow Your Social Media Community

August 22, 2022 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

Social media can feel very lonely when you’re getting started, but it’s crucial that you grow your channels by providing authentic, engaging, and unique content—not by buying followers or copying your competitor’s strategy.

In this #ContentChat, we’re joined by Justin Wise (@JustinWise), an executive consultant and business and social growth coach, to discuss how to grow your social media following. Read the full recap below to learn:

How to ID the best social media channel(s) for your brand
What an ideal social media content posting schedule looks like
Tips for using DMs to engage your community

Q1: What are some common mistakes that content marketers make when trying to grow their social media followings?

There are many mistakes that content marketers make when trying to grow their social media followings, including trying to be all things to all people…

A1: Biggest mistake I’ve made personally is trying to be all things to all people.
At some point, you gotta choose.
Who are you FOR?
Who are you NOT FOR?
It can feel restrictive. But the growth is in constraints.#ContentChat
— Justin Wise (@JustinWise) August 15, 2022

“Who are you not for” is the question I’ve focusing on for my LinkedIn content #ContentChat
— Masooma | Content Writer (@inkandcopy) August 15, 2022

YES!!!
B/C if your content is aimed at everyone it’s going to connect with no one. Love this.
#ContentChat https://t.co/W1Wfym5cmC
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 15, 2022

Not understanding your social media community and why they follow you/what they are looking for…

A1: A big mistake I see when marketers have a goal of growing their social followings is a lack of understanding their existing audience. If you don’t know why people are following you, you don’t know where to invest your resources to reach more of the right people. #ContentChat https://t.co/NyTDMTGRNV
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 15, 2022

Niche down – it is scary, but is useful in the longer run! Your messaging needs to be relevant and so make sure you know who are talking to and hence know what their needs are! #ContentChat
— Shruti Deshpande 🇮🇳🇬🇧 (@shruti12d) August 15, 2022

Inadequate research#Contentchat
— Dorcas (@Dorcas_Agbedeyi) August 15, 2022

Focusing strictly on follower count as a marker of success…

A1: Focusing strictly on numbers is also a big mistake I’ve made. Sure, you can grow. But do you have the RIGHT people in your audience?
The reality is anyone can go a buy numbers.#ContentChat
— Justin Wise (@JustinWise) August 15, 2022

I am so with you on this. A focus on increasing the numbers led so many well-intentioned people to buy followers in the early days of Twitter. Not only will that not translate into engagement (the real gold), it tanks your metrics!#ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 15, 2022

Yes to this! So many people join social with the dream of growing a huge following.
But it’s really about the 1-to-1 connections and trust you can build + the quality of people your content and engagement attracts #ContentChat
— Masooma | Content Writer (@inkandcopy) August 15, 2022

It is ALL about relationships!#ContentChat
— Kathryn Lang – hopesmith and dream ignitor (@Kathrynclang) August 15, 2022

And only on reality TV programs are serious relationships forged in a day…#ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 15, 2022

Failing to share valuable content and resources (and instead sharing links to a website homepage)…

A1: Not giving their followers content on TWITTER to engage with… Ppl don’t want to automatically visit your site if they don’t know you or aren’t familiar with your brand.#ContentChat
— Sweepsify (@Sweepsify_) August 15, 2022

Using social media as a one-way blast of information…

A1
Spamming their feeds with blog post links.
Not engaging with the audience in the comment section.
Social media is not a one-way channel.
Sharing only success stories.#ContentChat
— Amna Aslam (@amnaaslam20) August 15, 2022

Posting but not engaging. #ContentChat
— Aimen Arshad (@Aimencreates) August 16, 2022

Inconsistent branding…

A1. Mistakes marketers make when growing their social following:
• Scheduled content with little to no engagement
• Selling before they can build a community/following
• Forgetting they’ve to start with building trust first of all
• Inconsistent branding #ContentChat
— Masooma | Content Writer (@inkandcopy) August 15, 2022

And relying on copy-and-paste templates.

A1:
1. Putting numbers over quality
2. Lack of authenticity
3. Inconsistency#contentChat
— Rosemary Egbo (@rosemary_egbo) August 15, 2022

Number 2!
So so many people just copy-paste templates of content doing well on a certain platform.
Which means zero authenticity and their personality + voice rarely shows #ContentChat
— Masooma | Content Writer (@inkandcopy) August 15, 2022

Absolute cut, copy, paste! Doesn’t work #ContentChat
Instead;
👉Know your customer
👉Problem Solve
👉Be consistent pic.twitter.com/11J44XNkbJ
— Shruti Deshpande 🇮🇳🇬🇧 (@shruti12d) August 15, 2022

Agreed! Plus don’t be afraid to write in your voice #ContentChat
— Masooma | Content Writer (@inkandcopy) August 15, 2022

Q2: How can you identify the best social media channels to prioritize?

August 8, 2022 Content Chat Recap: How To Drive Leads from Social Media

August 16, 2022 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

Social media channels can be powerful for building brand awareness and capturing new leads, but you cannot expect to use the same lead generation strategies across your brand accounts. In this #ContentChat, we’re joined by Chris Smith (@Chris_Smth), author of The Conversion Code, to discuss how to drive leads from social media and the unique features that will accelerate your success. Read the full recap below to learn:

Channel-specific tips for Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn
Ways to use video content to attract leads
Strategies for finding new communities on social media

Q1: How can social media channels provide valuable lead generation opportunities for brands?

Social media channels can attract high-quality leads if you regularly share engaging and helpful content.

A1: The keyword there is valuable. To attract high-quality leads you need high-quality content.
It has to be content that can create awareness and sales simultaneously.
Invest in the creation the distribution is much easier to insource. #ContentChat https://t.co/UiTYtZ47rS
— Chris Smith (@Chris_Smth) August 8, 2022

A1: Brand awareness with info about upcoming webinars or events for email capture. #contentchat
— Melissa Chiou (@melissaC_says) August 8, 2022

Networking on social media can connect you to potential brand customers or partners.

A1: Social Media channels provide valuable lead gen opportunities for brands by networking and connecting! There are so many ways to share content and connect as a way to create opportunities. #contentchat ~Jenna
— Nimble (@Nimble) August 8, 2022

And social media is a goldmine of information on your ideal customers. Listen to see who is expressing a need for a product/service/solution that you offer, and engage them in casual conversation if appropriate.

A1 When you listen/pay attention to social channels (not just monitor for mentions), you’ll see who is organically expressing a need for the product/service/solution you offer. You can engage in casual conversation then transition to more formal dialogue. #contentchat
— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) August 8, 2022

A1: Social media makes it possible to identify audience sentiment which helps you find opportunities instead of just leads. #ContentChat
— Sweepsify (@Sweepsify_) August 8, 2022

Q2: Many marketers are finding Twitter engagement rates to be mercurial so far this year. How can content marketers best reach prospective customers on the platform?

August 1, 2022 Content Chat Recap: How To Identify And Partner With Industry Peers to Create Compelling Content

August 8, 2022 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

Your content marketing team shouldn’t limit itself to working with only internal thought leaders when creating content. Often, there are plenty of brand partners and viable industry experts that are ready to create engaging content with you—that is, of course, if you know how to find, invite, and effectively work with them.

In this #ContentChat, we’re joined by Dennis Shiao (@DShiao), founder of Attention Retention, to discuss how to identify and partner with industry peers to create compelling content. Read the full recap below to learn:

How to find and assess potential content partners
Ways to invite people to create content with you
The many types of content that are ripe for partnership!

Q1: Why can it be beneficial to partner with an industry partner or peer to create content?

There are many benefits of creating content with an industry partner or peer. A partner can add perspectives and insights that complement your own…

A1: A partner can add perspectives and insights that complement your own.
Also, as @crestodina often says, “a partner in creation is a partner in promotion.” #ContentChat https://t.co/4r08QBoCTT
— Dennis Shiao (he/him) ✍️ (@dshiao) August 1, 2022

Promote the content with their audience (expanding your potential reach)…

A1b: Also, a partner can promote the content to their audience, which may not have much overlap with your own (i.e., whole new audiences). #ContentChat
— Dennis Shiao (he/him) ✍️ (@dshiao) August 1, 2022

So true! Too often, content creators spend all their resources on content creation and forget about/run out of budget for the distribution. Partnership helps a bit with that aspect. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 1, 2022

This gives you + your content a “warm introduction” to potential new community members. That’s something paid distribution can’t do.#ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 1, 2022

A1: Industry/ peer benefits of creating content is reaching a larger audience with similar target audiences. It’s also great to have other voices on your platform that support your brand! #contentchat ~Jenna
— Nimble (@Nimble) August 1, 2022

Give your content added authority…

A1: Collaborating with industry thought leaders gives your content added authority and a wider range of perspectives and experience than working just with subject matter experts within your own organization.#ContentChat https://t.co/wK7S6CvI0x
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 1, 2022

A1: Creating content with a reputable industry peer or partner can help you…
– Lend credibility to your ideas
– Infuse diverse perspectives into your content
– Reach more people (assuming your partner promotes the content, too)#ContentChat
— Alek Irvin (@AlekIrvin) August 1, 2022

A1: Working with a partner for content marketing allows you to leverage their authority and tap into new audiences #ContentChat
— Sweepsify (@Sweepsify_) August 1, 2022

And connect you with other content partners.

A1: Partnerships can create new opportunities, introduce new audiences, or provide additional partnerships introductions.#ContentChat https://t.co/YwThkYoWqj
— Kathryn Lang – hopesmith and dream ignitor (@Kathrynclang) August 1, 2022

Q2: Where can content marketers find viable partners or peers to create content with?