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.

July 19, 2021 Content Chat Recap: Content Chat Mid-Year Check-In and 5-Year Anniversary Celebration

July 25, 2021 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

In this #ContentChat 2021 mid-year check-in, we discuss our top content marketing challenges, how we’ll define success this year, and ways that we can best support each other as a community. This also marks Erika’s five-year anniversary as our chat host!

If you missed the chat live, please share your answers to any of these questions in the comments. We’re also always on the lookout for new topics and guest suggestions for the chat. Leave a comment or send me a message on Twitter @AlekIrvin if you have any recommendations.

Thank you to everyone who has been a part of #ContentChat!

Q1: How would you describe #ContentChat only using a gif?

As Erika said, it’s just not a Content Chat mid-year check-in and celebration without GIFs.

It’s just not a #ContentChat check-in and milestone celebration without GIFs… pic.twitter.com/Yrd66xXEDj
— Erika Heald | Founder @ErikaHeald Consulting (@SFerika) July 19, 2021

Also have to add: deep insights. #ContentChat pic.twitter.com/ygF3ILJ0hS
— Masooma | Content Writer (@inkandcopy) July 19, 2021

A1 #ContentChat pic.twitter.com/6FBkFlMvC9
— Alek Irvin (@AlekIrvin) July 19, 2021

A1 #contentchat pic.twitter.com/DnVObtb6VO
— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) July 19, 2021

A1: #ContentChat pic.twitter.com/xExwKD2uRP
— SPW ✍️🤓 (@ShawnPaulWood) July 19, 2021

A1 #contentchat pic.twitter.com/BM30uDFPqK
— Dan Goldberg (@Jonas419) July 19, 2021

A1 When I would describe #ContentChat, my mind turns to… pic.twitter.com/8LItkfzAhq
— Derek Pillie 🎯 (@derekpillie) July 19, 2021

Q2: What is your biggest/scariest/most time-consuming #contentmarketing challenge right now?

July 12, 2021 Content Chat Recap: How To Grow A Brand Community in 2021

July 14, 2021 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

Many brands and individuals strive to build flourishing online communities, hoping to expand their reach, bolster connections, and drive engagement all year. However, many brands and professionals approach their communities as an audience—a self-serving approach that can quickly alienate your community members and significantly limit your ability to achieve the many benefits of an engaged brand community.

In this #ContentChat, we’re joined by Monina Wagner (@MoninaW), who has had an integral role in building the Content Marketing Institute and #CMworld community, to discuss how to grow a brand community in 2021. Read the full recap below, where we explain how to grow a new online brand community, ways to keep your community engaged throughout the year, how to co-create content with your community, and more.

Q1: How do you define a community? What makes a group of people a community instead of an audience?

Your online following is simply an audience until you build relationships with and actively engage the individuals who follow you. You talk to an audience. You interact and engage with a community.

A1 Among other things, a community is when you talk WITH people, and an audience is when you talk AT them. #contentchat
— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) July 12, 2021

An audience consumes. A community engages. #contentchat
— Dan Goldberg (@Jonas419) July 12, 2021

A1: Well, you know what most celebrities and influencers do? Stay in broadcast mode and rarely speak to their audience?
Yeah, that’s NOT a community. Be opposite. #ContentChat pic.twitter.com/HXVsRVq4kI
— SPW ✍️🤓 (@ShawnPaulWood) July 12, 2021

One thing I’ve been educating clients is that it’s *easier* to get an audience… those are just numbers. Communities are filled with engaged ppl. #ContentChat https://t.co/UJ0GzDw51X
— Shane Shaps (@520eastbrands) July 12, 2021

An audience and a community are groups of like-minded people who have a common interest or goal. One difference is that a community stays together after their immediate needs have been solved.

A1a This one is tricky. The definition of community is complex. It’s a group of like-minded people who have a common interest or goal. They go to their community because they trust its members. They feel like they belong. #ContentChat
— Monina Wagner (@MoninaW) July 12, 2021

A1b Why is a community a community and not the same as an audience? A brand has to engage its audience. It’s one-way. A brand is *part* of its community. It’s a collaborative experience. #ContentChat
— Monina Wagner (@MoninaW) July 12, 2021

A1 A community and an audience are both groups of people brought together by a common interest, but a community stays together once their problem/need has been solved/filled, cares for and nurtures their relationship with others in the community
-Alyx #contentchat https://t.co/fdRhXDSV6c
— Charlie & Alyx – Charlie Appel Agency (@ColfaxInsurance) July 12, 2021

A1: A community can be an audience, and different audiences can make up your community. The real difference is the relationship between the “brand” and the community member rather than any potential marketing characteristics that might be involved. #ContentChat
— Derek Pillie 🎯 (@derekpillie) July 12, 2021

A1: A community is an invested audience. Whether that’s an investment in you personally or your product, it’s one with a targeted outcome. An audience is whomever you happen to reach. #ContentChat
— Rachel Wendte (@rkwendte) July 12, 2021

A1: That’s a really great question! I think a community is often more engaged than an “audience.” A community is typically full of thought leaders, sometimes fellow experts, and they have a deeper connection/affiliation with your brand. #ContentChat – @Missjflar
— Ledgeview Partners (@ledgeviewcrm) July 12, 2021

A community needs to be a safe place for its members. A place where they can openly share ideas, provide support, and celebrate together without judgment.

A community has to be a safe place. You want to be able to share ideas, commiserate, and celebrate without judgement. You want to know you’ve found your people, and they get you. #ContentChat
— Monina Wagner (@MoninaW) July 12, 2021

That’s why having some sort of a privacy layer is important. yes, anything you say on the Internet can be screen-capped and shared elsewhere, but for trust to be built, there does need to be a sense of confidentiality, for me. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Founder @ErikaHeald Consulting (@SFerika) July 12, 2021

A1. IMO a community where people are connected by a shared interest so they learn together, fangirl/boy together, support and lift each other and so on.
P.S. Slightly late but 👋 everyone #ContentChat
— Masooma | Content Writer (@inkandcopy) July 12, 2021

A community manager plays a critical role in nurturing the community and fostering a culture of inclusivity.

The sense of belonging is the end result of having a strong community manager who cares about its members. There’s a lot more to it than just standing up a community platform. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Founder @ErikaHeald Consulting (@SFerika) July 12, 2021

But your community should be able to sustain itself regardless of any individual person and the role they play.

I think there is an alternative model in which the “brand” is separate, but its community members engage in peer-to-peer interaction #contentchat
— Dan Goldberg (@Jonas419) July 12, 2021

Yes!
I always say the #CMWorld community can exist without me. I hope that never happens LOL but members support each other. They don’t need me or a brand to be the fantastic group that it is. #ContentChat
— Monina Wagner (@MoninaW) July 12, 2021

Q2: Communities can take any range of shapes and sizes. What are some of the most common types of communities you’ve seen in terms of brand or content marketing industry communities?

June 28, 2021 Content Chat Recap: So You Want To Start A Marketing Agency

July 8, 2021 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

Have you considered creating your own marketing agency? It can be enticing to cut ties with an employer to pursue your own business interests, but there is also a considerable risk involved with starting an agency. However, by conducting the right research and thoroughly planning your new agency, you can be better prepared to weather the initial hurdles of business operations and chart a path for sustained success.

In this #ContentChat, we’re joined by John Cloonan (@JohnCloonan), longtime #ContentChat community member and co-founder of Audacity Marketing, to discuss what it takes to build a marketing agency. Read the full recap below, where our community of marketers and agency founders explains why they launched their own marketing agencies, how to find the ideal business partner for your marketing agency, operational hurdles to address in the early months, and general tips for creating a new agency.

Q1: If you have launched your own marketing agency, what was your main reason for doing so? Why did you feel like it was the right move to make?

John shares his journey below. Much like John, many marketers explore a mix of in-house and freelance working arrangements before officially launching an agency.

A1: This is the 2nd time I’ve launched an agency. I built Realize Marketing from 2008-2010, and then sold it to go back into corporate marketing a while. #ContentChat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) June 28, 2021

A1b: I spent 10 years as a corporate marketing exec, led an employer branding agency, and then took a contract with a huge consulting firm, which was coronakilled.
A month later, I turned 50. #ContentChat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) June 28, 2021

A1c: I bring up that milestone because it caused me to think about my career. Did I want to tie my fortunes to one client? That’s what a corporate job or solo consulting contract does. #ContentChat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) June 28, 2021

A1d: (Sorry for the long thread)
I sat it on it for a while, then went on a really long solo motorcycle ride to reflect – from Georgia to Maine and back.
When I came back, I launched Audacity.
No more would I tie myself to one client. #ContentChat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) June 28, 2021

A1e: (Will this ever end?)
Starting my own agency allows me to:
– Live & work on my own terms
– Diversify my income streams
– Build a company free of corporate bullshit that focuses on what’s important#ContentChat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) June 28, 2021

There are many benefits to launching an agency. Our community says that it can give you complete (and potentially much-needed) freedom to conduct your work, enables you to explore new passions or interests as possible, and your agency brand can elevate your personal profile (and vice-versa).

A1: launching my own agency started out as a response to getting laid off and ended up as a partnership to help make me better and more resilient. Honestly, I was bored at my day job and the move was the right one to keep me engaged #ContentChat
— Maureen Jann (she/her) (@NeoLuxeMo) June 28, 2021

a1b: I left the world of building marketing departments from the ground up, and my hobbies were running small boutique businesses, so when I left, I was ready. #ContentChat
— Maureen Jann (she/her) (@NeoLuxeMo) June 28, 2021

A1: Although I have a design agency, we have a heavy focus on marketing + work with other marketing agencies on their design work. I founded the co. straight out of art school after freelancing b/c I didn’t want to go work for someone else! #ContentChat https://t.co/a8ocgV4JQe
— Sherry Holub – Wizard of Design (@jvmediadesign) June 28, 2021

A1: While I didn’t officially put out my shingle as a consultancy (my flavor of agency) until 5 years ago, it had long been my goal. I wanted to have the variety + control over my work, and to focus on the stuff I do well & get excited about (not maintenance mode). #ContentChat https://t.co/UrR8AvwjmC
— Erika Heald | Founder @ErikaHeald Consulting (@SFerika) June 28, 2021

A1: I always wanted to be my own boss. I was coming out of the music industry with some creative skills and I wanted to serve clients with those skills. It was the right entrepreneurial move for me in 2010. #contentchat
— Chris Craft (@CraftWrites) June 28, 2021

Q2: What research do you recommend someone conduct before starting to plan their new marketing agency? How do you know if this is the right career path for yourself?

June 21, 2021 Content Chat Recap: How Marketers Can Optimize Their Use Of LinkedIn For Content Marketing

June 22, 2021 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

What are your go-to channels for content marketing? The 2021 Social Media Marketing Industry Report found that Facebook and Instagram are most used by marketers, but LinkedIn remains a top priority with nearly 81% of B2B marketers using the site, surpassed only by Facebook.

In this #ContentChat, we’re joined by Louise Brogan (@LouiseBrogan_), owner of Social Bee and host of LinkedIn with Louise, to discuss how marketers can optimize their use of LinkedIn for content marketing. Read the full recap below, where we discuss the essential LinkedIn profile elements all marketers should address, how to syndicate content on LinkedIn, the new features you may have missed, and more.

Q1: How is LinkedIn different than the other widely-adopted social media channels, and what unique opportunities does it provide?

LinkedIn is the most business-focused social media channel.

A1 – the main difference is that people go to LinkedIn with business already on their mind – seen as the ‘professional’ social media – a place to become known for your thought leadership as well as build business relationships #ContentChat
— Louise Brogan (@LouiseBrogan_) June 21, 2021

A1 When people use LinkedIn, they are mostly/usually/generally in a business or work frame of mind. As opposed to the other social channels, which are less business- and work-oriented. #contentchat
— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) June 21, 2021

Agreed.
On Facebook, not as many of my friends are excited to talk about the geeky things about work that get me excited.#ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Founder @ErikaHeald Consulting (@SFerika) June 21, 2021

A1: LinkedIn is a great place for all the professional content & thought-leadership. If used well, I think it’s a place to network with the people you admire & want to work with. Definitely apt to share what drives you and inspires you in your career! #ContentChat
— Rhea Mathew (@rhea_mathew) June 21, 2021

A1 I actually joined in on a twitter chat last week with a LinkedIn expert (she was awesome)
A lot of people go to LI specifically for professional interests, and you can really optimize your profile to really showcase what you do
-Alyx #ContentChat https://t.co/UAeAlDF8cc
— Charlie & Alyx – Charlie Appel Agency (@ColfaxInsurance) June 21, 2021

A1: LinkedIn is great for context and connections. The context is work or industry-related. For both brands and personal profiles, lots of your valuable connections are there. #ContentChat
— Hushly (@MyHushly) June 21, 2021

But posts with a more personal/human element (opposed to promotional or blatant marketing material) typically perform well on LinkedIn.

I will say, I find more personal/human posts on LinkedIn (eg: promotions and other announcements) perform much better than generic “thought leadership” posts do. #contentchat
— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) June 21, 2021

I am constantly baffled by people who do post less professional posts on LinkedIn that manage to get a great number of interactions (though many not positive). It seems to work really well for some people even though that’s not why most are on the channel. #contentchat
— Derek Pillie 🎯 (@derekpillie) June 21, 2021

Users are not limited by word counts (unlike Twitter).

And without character count limits. Sometimes I’m not sure whether the character limits work for or against conversational engagement. #ContentChat
— Dan Goldberg (@Jonas419) June 21, 2021

LinkedIn groups provide a unique opportunity to share thoughts and network with other professionals, and new features may help increase the popularity of LinkedIn groups. Facebook also offers groups.

A1. The #LinkedIn Groups are a great opportunity to share your thoughts on relevant topics and establish social authority amongst your peers and within your industry. It requires consistency. #ContentChat
— Zen Yinger (@ZenYinger) June 21, 2021

you can now get notified when someone posts in a group you are interested in, which is a real gamechanger #ContentChat
— Louise Brogan (@LouiseBrogan_) June 21, 2021

Are they? I see very few groups on LinkedIn that are active with a lot of participation. Most of them get very little engagement. #contentchat
— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) June 21, 2021

A lot of my LinkedIn groups moved to other platforms. Will be interesting to see if there is a resurgence with the new functionality that community managers have been asking for. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Founder @ErikaHeald Consulting (@SFerika) June 21, 2021

Direct or private messages are abundant, and potentially valuable, on LinkedIn.

A1b The real opportunities on LinkedIn exist in the private messages. Semi-social media is the place to be. #contentchat
— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) June 21, 2021

Q2: LinkedIn constantly introduces new features and capabilities. What new features from 2021 should marketers know about?

June 14, 2021 Content Chat Recap: How To Create Accessible Content For Your Audience

June 21, 2021 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

When creating content for your audience, do you consider the range of potential barriers they face in consuming and understanding that content? Members of your community likely experience visual, auditory, or other circumstances that can make it difficult—if not impossible—to engage with your brand. But, there are a few simple best practices to ensure that your community can get the full value of your content.

In this #ContentChat, we’re joined by Melissa Eggleston (@Melissa_Egg), founder and UX designer at Birdcall, to explain how to create accessible content for your audience. Read the full chat below, where we discuss the common accessibility issues we see with brand sites and other content, how to get started in improving your content accessibility, and our go-to resources for help.

Q1: What is accessible content?

Accessible content can be consumed by as many people as possible, regardless of their abilities.

A1. It’s content that can be enjoyed/used by as many people as possible, including people with physical challenges like low vision and invisible issues that might reduce cognitive abilities #ContentChat #A11y
— Melissa Eggleston (@melissa_egg) June 14, 2021

I completely agree!
There are so many new ways people enjoy our content now, such as using apps that read content aloud to them, that only work if your content is accessible.
— Erika Heald | Founder @ErikaHeald Consulting (@SFerika) June 14, 2021

A1: Delineating “accessible content” from “content” tells you most of what you need to know.
All content is content, but not all content is accessible.
Accessible content = trying your best to make it usable for as many ppl as possible, not just ppl like you. #ContentChat
— Rachel Wendte (@rkwendte) June 14, 2021

“Accessible” can be swapped with inclusive, which is a more broad term.

A1a. Note that the word “accessible” is a legal term that our US courts use. I tend to use it interchangeably with “inclusive” but please be aware of this. Inclusive is more broad. #ContentChat
— Melissa Eggleston (@melissa_egg) June 14, 2021

A1b. I like to think that we all want to be inclusive! #ContentChat
— Melissa Eggleston (@melissa_egg) June 14, 2021

A1: @melissa_egg is right. “Accessibility” gets overlooked because it’s attached to legalese.
Content that removes barriers for comprehension, participation, and inclusion is accessible. AND…it’s better writing anyway. #ContentChat pic.twitter.com/G8acN64BqQ
— SPW ✍️🤓 (@ShawnPaulWood) June 14, 2021

Many professionals overlook the accessibility of their content during its creation, which is a major disadvantage for your brand (we explain why in Q3).

It’s interesting that although we’ve been having conversations around accessible content since websites became a thing, accessibility is still something that many content creators aren’t aware of. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Founder @ErikaHeald Consulting (@SFerika) June 14, 2021

Honestly there are still web designers who don’t get how people interact with websites. We have a lot of opportunity #ContentChat
— Melissa Eggleston (@melissa_egg) June 14, 2021

Q2: What are some typical accessibility issues you see with brand websites and other content?

June 7, 2021 Content Chat Recap: How To Build A Loyal Community Around Your Email Newsletter

June 13, 2021 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

Email marketing strategies can support a range of content marketing and business goals, but marketers often face a variety of hurdles when starting and growing an email newsletter community. In this #ContentChat, we’re joined by Josh Spector (@JSpector) to discuss how to provide value for your email newsletter subscribers and ways to turn that audience into a genuine community.

Josh creates three newsletters that help creators produce, publish, promote, and profit from their creations, and he also runs the Newsletter Creators Facebook community with 3.8K+ members. He shares his tried-and-true tips in the below recap, including his advice for how to start an email newsletter, ways to boost your newsletter open rate, and whether marketers should include ads in their email newsletters.

If you’re interested in learning more from Josh, check out and subscribe to his newsletters here:

For The Interested is a weekly newsletter that has four secrets of successful creators and an original blog post
The Daily Graph is a one-paragraph newsletter that comes out every weekday and features a useful or inspiring idea for creators
This Is How I Do It is a paid weekly newsletter and collection of resources featuring a behind-the-scenes look at how Josh grows his audience and business

Q1: I’m interested in starting an email newsletter, but don’t know where to start. What are the foundational planning elements for an email newsletter?

When planning an email newsletter, start by picking a goal and an audience. What do you want to accomplish? Who are you trying to reach (be specific)? Why are you doing this?

A1a:
• Choose a goal – what do you want to accomplish? Why are you doing this?
• Pick a specific audience to help make a specific transformation
“My newsletter will help THIS AUDIENCE get from POINT A to POINT B”#contentchat
— Josh Spector (@jspector) June 7, 2021

A1: Figure out what the goal is of your newsletter and which metrics you’ll track to see if you’re hitting that goal.
You’ll also want to determine the audience for the newsletter. And if you don’t have an audience yet, what steps do you need to do to build one? #ContentChat
— Melanie Graham (@WriterGirlMel) June 7, 2021

A1:
🔹Me, and many wordnerds like me, are suckers for a poll or listicle.
🔸 A solid template is a must to attract your audience.
But, may the ghost of Bill Gates help you if you don’t have a goal. Without a purpose, it’s just writing vanity. #ContentChat
— SPW ✍️🤓 (@ShawnPaulWood) June 7, 2021

A1 Probably a good start would be defining
Your audience
Which of their problems you are going to solve
Your ultimate goal for the email newsletter
-Alyx #ContentChat https://t.co/kvoW44TR5O
— Charlie & Alyx – Charlie Appel Agency (@ColfaxInsurance) June 7, 2021

Create your newsletter content with your audience needs and your newsletter goal in mind. How can you best help your readers overcome challenges, explore new ideas, or simply delight them in other ways? We share some valuable email newsletter additions in Q4.

A1b:
Figure out what you can provide in your newsletter to make that happen.
Don’t get bogged down in what email platform to use or any technical stuff – most platforms are roughly the same.
Figure out the value you want to provide and to who and start writing.#contentchat
— Josh Spector (@jspector) June 7, 2021

Re: newsletter intros, a common mistake I see is people use the intro to just tell people what they’re about to see in the newsletter.
Doesn’t add value – just is repetitive and lengthens the newsletter.
Just get right into the value as quick as possible.#contentchat https://t.co/ARxHsmziXX
— Josh Spector (@jspector) June 7, 2021

A1. (a) Identify 1 to 10 sub-audiences and their specific needs; (b) begin curating relevant content [original and partner, with attribution ] (c) consider seasonal and cyclical factors that could influence your content calendar and publication dates. https://t.co/RqJoJG8i3O
— Ed Alexander (@fanfoundry) June 7, 2021

A1: A good newsletter is about categorizing. Think of it like an outline.
Intro: Why am I reading this newsletter?
Relevant Example & Story: Give me something to grab onto.
Your Topic Take: Your spot for your spice!
End: Takeaways + next time.
Bonus: Links#ContentChat
— Rachel Wendte (@rkwendte) June 7, 2021

A1: In my mind, it’s 3 majors – design, distribution, and content.
What’s it gonna look like?
Who’s gonna get it?
What’s gonna be in it?
RE: the 3rd question, I like to see 6 weeks of content before we publish the first newsletter. #ContentChat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) June 7, 2021

Ensure you can commit to a consistent content cadence. Without consistency, your newsletter community will likely dwindle.

A1c:
Be consistent. Be patient.
It’s a long game. Your newsletter will evolve over time.
My Newsletter Accelerator course can also help👇https://t.co/L0jlieBTw9 #contentchat
— Josh Spector (@jspector) June 7, 2021

A1. Make sure you have answers to a few of these Qs;
– Who is it for?
– What do you want it to achieve?
– Can you put out consistent content to keep it alive?
– Do you have a content plan?
– How do you intend to keep the ‘interest’ high?#ContentChat -🚀📩
— Shruti Deshpande (@shruti12d) June 7, 2021

So so important to be sure you’ll be able to push out content consistently. There’s nothing like marketing your newsletter and growing it too, only to be irregular with the sending schedule and, with it, your audience’s expectations. #ContentChat
— Masooma | Content Writer (@inkandcopy) June 7, 2021

Research your audience and the content landscape in the space you hope to address.

A1. Settle on an engaging format + newsletter frequency backed by audience research — that’s where I’m currently at. You might assume an idea is good, but it’s only good if your audience thinks it’s good. #ContentChat
— Masooma | Content Writer (@inkandcopy) June 7, 2021

True, but…you’ll never know if it’s good until you launch and you won’t really even know what it is (or can become) until you launch and allow it to evolve.
— Josh Spector (@jspector) June 7, 2021

Q2: How can content marketers grow their newsletter subscriber list? How quickly should they expect this list to grow?