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.

March 23, 2020 Content Chat Recap: Staying Creative And Productive While Working From Home

March 25, 2020 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

Countless marketing professionals have started working from home in response to COVID-19, and for many this is the first time that their house is now their office. While having a minute-long commute, no official dress code, and access to all your usual comforts are notable perks of working from home, staying productive can present unique challenges that even a decades-long office tenure could not prepare you for.

In this #ContentChat, we share our top tips for staying creative and productive while working from home, including what to keep at your desk, the tools you need, and the playlists that are keeping us motivated.

Q1: First things first. Right now, how motivated and productive are you feeling when it comes to working from home? On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being “OMG so productive” and 1 being “I am watching Netflix in my jammies”.

Even those who are used to working from home are less productive because of the pandemic. This is due to the severity of the emergency, the economic uncertainty, and because more people are working from home or staying home than usual.

A1. Since I’m a remote worker since before the pandemic, I’m productive enough. Let’s say that’s 8 out of 10 these days. -2 for the anxiety that’s coming from the news. #ContentChat
— Masooma | Content Writer (@inkandcopy) March 23, 2020

A1: I am about a 6. I normally work from home, so my routine hasn’t been disrupted very much. But the economic fallout from the crisis is impacting my project load adversely. OTOH I am using the extra time to work on my passion project which motivates me. #ContentChat https://t.co/0OVb8drMFJ
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Expert (@SFerika) March 23, 2020

A1: Some days my work-from-home-during-the-coronavirus motivation is a 9. Some days are a 5 or lower. And it fluctuates throughout the day.#ContentChat
— Darcy De Leon 👩🏻‍💻 Blog Editor (@darcydeleon) March 23, 2020

A1: It’s not the WFH that’s effected my productivity but the added anxiety and adjustment to *waves* everything. But today, I’m about a 6. I get the 9-5 work done but my own projects have stalled. #ContentChat
— Berrak 👩🏻‍💻| MissQuello on ACNH (@BerrakBiz) March 23, 2020

Going with an 8/10. WFH is the norm here, but there are added distractions and stressors (more “coworkers” at home and general anxiety around the daily headlines). #ContentChat
— WriterGirl (@WriterGirlAssoc) March 23, 2020

That said, many of our community members are able to stay productive at home during these trying times.

A1. 8. I think the 7-8 range is ideal because 10 isn’t sustainable and 6 or below is underperforming. #ContentChat
— GreenRope (@GreenRope) March 23, 2020

A1.
On the scale I am at 7.
2 hours of work and 10-15 mins of rest or other activities.#ContentChat
— ⚡ Vraj Shah 📸 (@vrajshahspeaks) March 23, 2020

I’m about an 8. Quite productive and being kinder to myself and my mental health at home. But seeing things that need to be done around here… and resisting the urge to do them during the work hours.
— Erin Schroeder (@erinbschroeder) March 23, 2020

A1: I’m an online tutor and do content strategy as well, so the productivity is interesting.
– Willingness to do work w/ students & grade assignments? ➡️ 9
– Their willingness to submit assignments? ➡️ 2
– Content work ➡️ 6#ContentChat
— Rachel Wendte (@rkwendte) March 23, 2020

A1) I would say around a 6 or 7. Lucky to even have the opportunity to work remotely, so that’s keeping my spirits up. Just really trying to configure systems/routines for that work-life balance now that it’s all in the same place. #contentchat
— OnePitch (@onepitchsaas) March 23, 2020

A1.
I have to say – I’ve been a strong 9.
I’ve enjoyed time to connect with others online and having time to write. And, I love working from my home office. I love traveling for work but get so much more done than when I’m on the road or in a hotel.#ContentChat.
— Bruce Mayhew (@BMCtrainercoach) March 23, 2020

A1: On a scale of 1-10, I would be at an 8. I’m still getting up at the normal time, showering and getting ready like I usually would and then walking down to the home office. Trying to stick to a routine. #ContentChat https://t.co/D8R2Ek2LEU
— Bernie Fussenegger #Digital360Chat (@B2the7) March 23, 2020

A1: I’m a steady 7 or 8, but WFH is my normal. Only thing interrupting it is occasionally wandering in to talk to my daughter, who is of course home from school. #ContentChat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) March 23, 2020

Evaluate your campaigns and assess if they are still relevant/appropriate. If you’ve found your pipeline has come to a halt, consider activities that are valuable during a crisis, such as developing/implementing a business continuity plan.

A1. I’ve been at a 10 for motivation, because I’ve been helping a client plan and create a business continuity content hub (along with a lot of the content). Feels urgent and meaningful. #ContentChat
— Carmen Hill (@carmenhill) March 23, 2020

10 for sure. I’ve been a machine trying to figure out who still needs advertisement and wants to engage in this new online economy. #ContentChat https://t.co/gkXbGFWpHS
— DiKayo Data (@dikayodata) March 23, 2020

March 16, 2020 Content Chat Recap: Content Marketing During Times of Crisis

March 18, 2020 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

In times of crisis, business as usual is no longer an option. Whether it’s a contained internal incident, a local emergency, or even a global pandemic like we see with COVID-19, any crisis scenario means that brands must reassess their strategy and place heightened importance on their customer needs.

In this #ContentChat, we discuss ways to manage content marketing during times of crisis, including when to shift your editorial calendar, how to handle paid social advertising, best practices for caring for your audience during trying times, and how marketers can support their local communities.

Check out the recap below, and if you have further questions or are looking for support during this time, please comment below or message Erika and we will do whatever we can to help.

Q1: Where are you tuning in to #ContentChat from this week?

A majority of our members joined #ContentChat from home, and we can expect more people to work from home soon.

Q1: Where are you tuning in to #ContentChat from this week?
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Expert (@SFerika) March 16, 2020

March 2, 2020 Content Chat Recap: How To Make Content Marketing Work In Highly Regulated Industries

March 13, 2020 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

Highly regulated industries like healthcare, financial services, and pharmaceuticals are notorious in the communications space for stifling creativity, requiring professionals to prioritize legal compliance over a compelling narrative in their content. But despite the perceived challenges, marketers in these industries have a prime opportunity to create valuable content that both engages their audience and further differentiates their brand.

In this #ContentChat, Ahava Leibtag (@AhavaL), founder and president of Aha Media, shares how you can make content marketing work in highly regulated industries, including tips for partnering with legal and compliance, recommendations on the type of content you can create in a regulated industry, and ways to encourage employee brand advocacy.

Check out the recap of our conversation below, and if you’d like to learn more on the topic, read the takeaways from our past chat on creating interesting content for conservative industries.

Q1(a): Certain industries have significant regulations around their communications with the public, including healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and financial services. Does that mean content marketing is impossible for those industries?

Content marketing is possible for any industry given that one of its core purposes is to build relationships with an audience.

Absolutely not. In fact, the goal of #contentmarketing is to build relationships with audiences through education. Those industries sell complex ideas and products. They need to educate their audiences about what they provide and why it’s important.#contentchat
— Ahava Leibtag (@ahaval) March 2, 2020

Marketers in regulated industries have additional considerations to navigate, including the need to closely partner with legal and compliance teams.

A1: Having been the one in charge of creating a content strategy in both financial services and healthcare organizations, I can safely say that there are a TON of things you can do from a content marketing perspective. You just need legal and compliance buy-in. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Expert (@SFerika) March 2, 2020

A1: It’s certainly difficult, but not impossible. Marketers just need to know the ins and outs of the regulations so they can still inform their audience while adhering to communication standards.#ContentChat
— Dr. Donald Hecht (@realDocHecht) March 2, 2020

A1: Definitely not! It just means that writers need to be creative, cognizant of limitations, and be prepared to edit campaigns that don’t fall in the lines. #ContentChat
— Rachel Wendte (@rkwendte) March 2, 2020

A1: Not impossible but you are needing to be more aware of what you are creating and what the regulations are and that legal needs to be your friend. #ContentChat
— Bernie Fussenegger #Digital360Chat (@B2the7) March 2, 2020

Remember that all companies in these industries are bound by the same regulations, so marketers have to get creative and be flexible to stay ahead of the competition.

A1: Another way to look at it: the issue is not the restrictions and challenges with regulations, but whether you can outperform the competition, all of whom share the same challenges.
— Open Road Digital (@openroaddigital) March 2, 2020

A1. Not at all! In fact, a great #contentmarketing strategy can really help companies like this stand out.
Just avoid jargon, outdated design, and boring copy — all common errors within those industries. #ContentChat
— Liz Willits (@lizwillits) March 2, 2020

A1: Regulated industries can be difficult to work with from a content marketing stand point, but not impossible. It requires much more organization and patience, and the lack of competition will generate better rewards for your client(s). #ContentChat
— Derek Pillie (@derekpillie) March 2, 2020

A1: Absolutely not. Many industries are heavily regulated, it doesn’t mean you can’t provide content for them, in fact, they need it more. Especially from knowledgable writers. #ContentChat
— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) March 2, 2020

A1: OMG. So creative with the limitations. It also means you have to really focus on what will move the needle, because you need more time to create. #ContentChat https://t.co/yLQeYtmyNg
— Jen Brass Jenkins (@chrliechaz) March 2, 2020

February 24, 2020 Content Chat Recap: Tips For Creating Unique Blog Visuals Your Audience Will Love

February 28, 2020 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

Even the most well-written blog posts will have a difficult time gaining traction without compelling visuals. Whether it’s your blog header image or a chart that dissects an important concept, each graphic you include is a chance to further engage your audience, provide value to them, and solidify your brand recognition. Yet, so many blogs include generic stock images that leave audiences unintrigued and uninterested in reading your content.

In this #ContentChat, Orana Velarde (@OranaCreative), social media and community manager for Visme, and our community discuss the importance of a blog post’s header image, the elements of an effective blog visual, and the tools you need to make the process a breeze.

Q1: What is the role that a blog post’s header image should play?

A blog post’s header image is vital in helping someone decide if they want to read the post. The header image should be inviting, related to the blog’s content, and reflective of your company’s branding.

A1.a
The blog post header is the visual welcome mat to your blog post.
It should be:
– inviting
– attractive
– recognizable as your brand
– tell a visual story of what the blog post is about
#ContentChat
— Orana Velarde (@OranaCreative) February 24, 2020

A1: Your blog’s header image should provide an emotional hook, concept illustration, or other imagery that gives the reader a sense of what to expect from investing the time in reading your post—and it’s got to be something folks would want to share! #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) February 24, 2020

A1: The blog header image should be…
– Professional quality
– Consistent theme of blog content
– Compliment the headline#ContentChat
— Bernie Fussenegger #Digital360Chat (@B2the7) February 24, 2020

A1) #contentchat
– act as a visual introduction to the piece
– be a relevant visual que as to the subject of the piece
– intrigue the reader
– entertain the reader
— Diana Richardson🍷 (@DianaRich013) February 24, 2020

#ContentChat A1
The header image actually carries a lot of pressure on its back. It should:
⚡️Help illustrate the topic of the post
⚡️Capture attention and intrigue
⚡️Help anchor your reader to the post
⚡️Properly represent your brand
⚡️Serve as an excellent thumbnail on soc
— Kayla | Branding + Content + Creative + Culture (@KaylaNaab) February 24, 2020

Keep social media in mind when setting up your header image. Select the header image as the post’s featured image and also include it in your metadata to maximize its inclusion in social posts. Orana shares some tools that can help in this process.

A1.b
The blog post header is also your featured image so it needs to be well formatted in your CMS. On WordPress, it should be added as your featured image at the right size.
Check your theme!#ContentChat
— Orana Velarde (@OranaCreative) February 24, 2020

A1.c
Your blog header / featured image must be added to your metadata so social shares will pull that image. @YoastSeo can do it for you in a flash. It will automatically add the image to FB posts and Twitter cards.
#ContentChat
— Orana Velarde (@OranaCreative) February 24, 2020

A1.d
Remember that your blog header and other visuals will be shared on social!
They need to be optimized and branded for that eventuality! #ContentChat
— Orana Velarde (@OranaCreative) February 24, 2020

This means if the words get cut off or the image isn’t especially interesting—or, worse yet, is actively disengaging—it’s a lot less likely to get shared and reshared on social. #ContentChat https://t.co/ds0BHtn2ih
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) February 24, 2020

Another great tool to solve this is the Facebook debugger. Sometimes even our best intentions aren’t enough and the image being pulled is the wrong one. https://t.co/bWCLeXshQP #ContentChat
— Orana Velarde (@OranaCreative) February 24, 2020

February 10, 2020 Content Chat Recap: Turbocharging Your Social Media Content Curation and Promotion

February 13, 2020 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

When curating social media content, many marketers know to use the 80/20 rule: Just 20% of your content should be promotional, while the remaining 80% should engage your audience by helping them do their jobs better or providing information relevant to their interests. The process of finding and selecting relevant content to highlight is more important than you may think, though, especially since the content you share can be a direct reflection of your brand’s credibility.

In this #ContentChat, longtime community member Paula Kiger (@BigGreenPen), editor of the SmartBrief newsletter, took the hotseat to share tips for finding the best sources for content curation, including how to identify influencers in your space, ways to optimize content for different channels, and the tools you need to work efficiently.

Q1: If you’re just starting out with curating content for a new topic or publication, how can you identify the best sources for curatable content?

Before looking for sources for curatable content, you need to understand your audience, their interests, and where your brand overlaps with those interests. Ideally, you should have a list of keywords and topics that are relevant for your audience that you can then use as the foundation of your search.

A1: there are a few things to keep in mind – who is your audience and what is the brand known for.
Figure out all the keywords around that and then start googling news articles around it. I also find looking for accounts talking about it on Twitter to help. #ContentChat https://t.co/ngPqkxt4VB
— 🎙JMatt (@JMattMke) February 10, 2020

Find experts or thought leaders on those topic(s) that your audience is interested in, and explore the content that they are creating, sharing, or linking to.

A1. It’s a combination of not overlooking the obvious BUT not assuming it’s going to be easy to find what you’re looking for. Look for the experts in the topic and dig around for their sources. 1/2 #ContentChat
— Paula Kiger (@biggreenpen) February 10, 2020

A1. For example, for the @nasw newsletter fm @smartbrief, I look at the #MacroSW thread via @OfficialMacroSW & get their newsletter. Great ideas there. Keep peeling the onion of what they’re all discussing. 2/2 #ContentChat pic.twitter.com/RIBUMJwXrU
— Paula Kiger (@biggreenpen) February 10, 2020

A1: Like to scout our existing friends and ambassadors for content to find the best sources…it helps build community if you are going to people you already know first! #contentchat https://t.co/ojGfLZIOG8
— Agorapulse (@Agorapulse) February 10, 2020

A1: I like to identify self proclaimed influencers in any area with social search on platforms & specific keywords. Than I research to see if their methods, followers, & tools have merit. #ContentChat
— Rachel Wendte (@rkwendte) February 10, 2020

A1. I identify the thought leaders in your field and follow them religiously. See what they’re doing and what they’re not. This way you can see what consistently works and where you have room to experiment. #ContentChat
— GreenRope (@GreenRope) February 10, 2020

One way to find these experts is by looking for trade or niche publications that regularly discuss these topics of interest.

A1: I try to find specialist publications and then follow the authors in those publications. Kind of a “six degrees” strategy. #ContentChat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) February 10, 2020

Tools like BuzzSumo, SEMrush, and Right Relevance can identify widely shared content or most-searched topics for you to then explore relevant publications or experts.

A1: I usually start my research by using @buzzsumo to see what the most socially-shared content on my topic was and where it was published. Then, I use @semrush to understand the most popular sites that are similar to them. #ContentChat https://t.co/YHPf84HQnL
— Erika Heald | Content Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) February 10, 2020

A1) #ContentChat @semrush ‘s Topic Research tool is very consistent with pulling content based on subject as well as providing content on related topics.
— Diana Richardson (@DianaRich013) February 10, 2020

A1: There are a few different tools we like to tap into, including @buzzsumo, @healthhashtags and @semrush. @hashtagify is also a great resource for influencers, who can lead you to some good content. We also take advantage of industry newsletters! #contentchat
— WriterGirl (@WriterGirlAssoc) February 10, 2020

A1 (b) Another option is to find a good tool to discover influential folks or on-topic content before it starts trending. There are lots of good tools you can pay for. @RightRelevance is a great free option if you are on a tight budget! #ContentChat
— Derek Pillie (@derekpillie) February 10, 2020

LinkedIn, especially with its Pulse articles, is another place to find experts, as well as a few of the highly regarded outlets and companies that Vraj identified.

A1: LinkedIn is a great resource for finding experts and the top sources in different industries. Find influencers and top voices in different areas of expertise and connect with them.#ContentChat
— Dr. Donald Hecht (@realDocHecht) February 10, 2020

A1.
Best sources for curable #content:
1. Blogs:
+ @CMIContent
+ @SMExaminer
+ @socialmedia2day
+ @hootsuite
+ @Crowdfire
2. eBooks
3. Infographics
4. Webinar and Podcasts
5. #TwitterChats 🌟#ContentChat
— ⚡ Vraj Shah 📸 (@vrajshahspeaks) February 10, 2020

A1
*Blogs by industry leaders
*Twitter Chats
*LinkedIn
*Listly
*Google Trends to see what people are most interested in.#ContentChat https://t.co/plzaN51FGh
— Kahill Insights (@Kahillinsights) February 10, 2020

View this process as a journey, not a one-and-done exercise. After you identify your initial list of content sources, create lists or follow experts on Twitter, subscribe to newsletters, and sign up for Google Alerts so that you are constantly being fed new potential sources.

A1:
That takes a combination of active discovery (intently looking for relevant content) and passive discovery (taking note of valuable/relevant content as you read newsletters, article digests, etc.#ContentChat https://t.co/KBU0KZ0NQs
— ChipBot🚀📈 (@getchipbot) February 10, 2020

February 3, 2020 Content Chat Recap: How To Use Data Science To Level-Up Your Content Marketing

February 10, 2020 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

“Data-driven” is a common buzzword in our digital world, but what does this actually mean and how can marketers use data science to increase their success? In this #ContentChat, Danielle Oberdier (@DikayoData) and the community discussed what data science means for marketing, including the type of data that matters, where to find it, and how to use data science to better connect with your audience.

Q1: Let’s start things off with some level-setting. What is data science, and how does it relate to AI and machine learning?

Data science combines various approaches and tools to understand a set of data, extract meaning from it, and to try and identify trends from it.

A1: #DataScience is a method of using tools like #AI and #MachineLearning to unearth trends that could change the way our industries operate. #ContentChat https://t.co/pUHkLSpaQi
— DiKayo Data (@dikayodata) February 3, 2020

A1. Data science it the discipline of extracting knowledge and insights from data. AI and machine learning leverages automation to streamline the process of gathering and disseminating data. #ContentChat
— GreenRope (@GreenRope) February 3, 2020

A1: Data science isn’t just about AI and machine learning, it’s using data in a scientific (collecting/experimenting/rigorous) manner to derive business, user, and product value. Many practitioners don’t work with ML #ContentChat
— Randy Au (@Randy_Au) February 3, 2020

A1: I define data science as the ability to gather meaning and interpret data that is outside of normal analytics. It is getting deeper into the what. #ContantChat
— Bernie Fussenegger #SMOS2020 Speaker (@B2the7) February 3, 2020

A1. Data science is organizing and analyzing sets of inputs (data) to report on performance. That’s my non-technical definition, anyway. #ContentChat
— allison ryder (@allisonryder) February 3, 2020

Certain tools for data science leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve efficiencies in data collection, storage, and analysis. Basically, these technologies make various data science tools more efficient and enable a level of automation that frees data scientists/humans from needing to do as much manual work.

A1; What we are trying to do as #data scientists is to leverage technologies like #AI and #MachineLearning to improve efficiency. There are barriers to efficiency that are preventing innovation or even basic operations from happening. #ContentChat https://t.co/pUHkLSpaQi
— DiKayo Data (@dikayodata) February 3, 2020

Right! And using machine learning to automate that process saves so much time, and ultimately, money. It’s clearly worth the investment.
— ChipBot (@getchipbot) February 3, 2020