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 23, 2019 Content Chat Recap—Community Conversation: Email Newsletters

October 15, 2019 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

In this #ContentChat community conversation, we talk shop about email newsletters, including the technologies attendees use to create, distribute, and promote them. Read on for tips to apply to your own email newsletter program, and for the scoop on our must-subscribe email newsletters for marketers.

Q1: Do you have (or are you planning to launch) an email newsletter?

Q1: Do you have (or are you planning to launch) an email newsletter? #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) September 23, 2019

Nearly half of our poll respondents have a newsletter, and roughly a quarter are planning one. Some organizations are even managing more than one newsletter, each with a different purpose.

#ContentChat Our org has more than one newsletter. We are going to try and more carefully integrate this into our patient experience. I’m not entirely sure at present, however, that’s going to work. https://t.co/49dlvFnOpd
— Jen Brass Jenkins (@chrliechaz) September 23, 2019

A1: Yes, we have an email newsletter. In fact, We have at least three of them that I can think of, and I’m sure I only have vision into a small number of them. #ContentChat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) September 23, 2019

A1: After many years of thinking about it, I’m launching a newsletter this month. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) September 23, 2019

A1: I ran the PJ email program for 14 years and also created my own branded email program a few months ago. Great for learning, targeting your audiences, testing and creating content. #ContentChat
— Bernie Fussenegger #Digital360Chat (@B2the7) September 23, 2019

A1: Most professional brands I’ve worked for have had multiple e-newsletters from non-profits to the radio industry. #ContentChat https://t.co/tYYmlLWHpL
— 🎙JMatt (@JMattMke) September 23, 2019

September 16, 2019 Content Chat Recap—Community Conversation: The Best Content Marketing Tools and Technology

September 18, 2019 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

The list of marketing technology and tools is ever-growing, and it can be an intense process to uncover which tools are actually necessary to boost your business results. In this #ContentChat community conversation, we exchange ways to find new tech options, discuss whether free trials are worth your time, and share our favorite content marketing tools.

Q1: How do you make the decision to add a new tool or piece of technology to your content marketing tech stack? What evaluation criteria do you use? Where do you go to research?

The decision to add a new tool should be grounded in a business need or to increase productivity and efficiency. Conduct an audit of your existing stack to see what features you are/are not using, and what you need but don’t have access to.

A1] Before adding to your #MarTech stack reassess your overall #marketing strategy and specific plans to determine:
1] What tools do you have that you use,
2] What tools that you have but don’t use or don’t use effectively, &
3] Where need tools #contentchat
— HeidiCohen #CMWorld 2019 Speaker (@heidicohen) September 16, 2019

A1a: When I keep doing something manually that I *know* must have a technology that can do it for me, I start looking for a new piece of tech. Most recently, it’s been looking for a new keyword research tool. #ContentChat https://t.co/kYjbot0y0M
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) September 16, 2019

A1b: When evaluating a new tool, I want to establish that it 1) saves me time versus my manual process 2) doesn’t cost me more than my hourly rate for that saved time and 3) will help me give my clients an exceptional experience. #ContentChat https://t.co/C0w0fOD6IW
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) September 16, 2019

A1: When adding new tools, there is usually a defined business need and problem statement. We work closely with our engineering team along with Forrester and Garnter reports for initial recommendations. #ContentChat
— Bernie Fussenegger #Digital360Chat (@B2the7) September 16, 2019

A1: The need for new technology usually stems from a current inefficiency or a new goal! With social advocacy becoming a bigger focus for our team, we are looking to add an employee advocacy platform to our tool kit. Any suggestions? #contentchat
— Brandpoint (@brandpointco) September 16, 2019

There are plenty of ways to research new content marketing software options. Professionals have a natural tendency to look at what their competitors are doing, but don’t make a decision solely based on this. It is valuable to understand what tools the competition is working with, but any tech you adopt needs to address your own unique needs and requirements (i.e. budget, integrations, etc.).

It’s a bummer that too often the rationale seems to be “our competitor is using it/doing this” #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) September 16, 2019

As an agency, we face this problem a lot with our clients. It’s not so much “our competitor uses it,” but more so “but our last agency used it!” Tools are not a one size fit all, so we definitely work hard to find the right ones for our specific clients and needs. #ContentChat
— Brafton (@Brafton) September 16, 2019

Join online communities and Twitter Chats….

The twitterverse is a great way to validate tech decisions for sure. That’s why in many of our #ContentChat sessions I ask folks to share the tools and resources they’ve used to tackle the content marketing topic we’ve addressed. SO helpful to hear what our peers are using.
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) September 16, 2019

A1: If there’s a need for a new tool or it provides the opportunity to simplify a certain job, it’s worth checking out.
I think one of the best ways to research is to ask other colleagues if they’ve used the tool to get their experience before diving in. #ContentChat
— Express Writers | Your Content Writing Team (@ExpWriters) September 16, 2019

Ask your network for their favorite content marketing tools….

A1: I like to ask people in my field that I know and trust for recommendations. I also like really in-depth reviews from people on blogs over like Trustpilot or any of those sites. #ContentChat
— Leah Ryder (@leahryder) September 16, 2019

Simplification is the key! Asking your colleagues for a review is a great idea. The questions to ask are; Does it make your life easier (now, and in the future)? And, Is it teaching you how to improve? #ContentChat
— Kathy Kopacz MS (@kkopacz1) September 16, 2019

Or attend an industry conference to explore the vendors and network with other pros.

Attending events like #CMWorld are a great way to see what tools/technology are out there and what other professionals in your field are using! #contentchat
— Brandpoint (@brandpointco) September 16, 2019

I have to say most of the content marketing software free trials (and many of my final purchases) I’ve done in the past 5 years have been thanks to having a hands-on demo at #CMworld! #ContentChat https://t.co/XWqhPG8KV9
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) September 16, 2019

Agreed! Expo Halls give you an opportunity to talk one-on-one with tech providers. Hands-on testing is always a plus. Added bonus: swag! #contentchat
— Content Marketing Institute (@CMIContent) September 16, 2019

Regardless of how you find your new content marketing software options, be sure to loop multiple team members into the decision-making process to ensure everyone’s needs are at least considered.

I recently evaluated marketing automation providers & let my team develop the criteria list since they would be using it most. Then, involved them in evaluating providers. We all came to the same decision, for somewhat different reasons.
— ginarau (@ginarau) September 16, 2019

Develop a regular content marketing tool and tech assessment cadence so your team can get ahead of any tech needs before they are urgent.

A1] Don’t wait until tool &/or process doesn’t work to decide you have a problem. Instead, establish regular tool & tech assessments. Include employees across disciplines. Discovering new tools & processes is a good reason to attend #marketing conferences. #contentchat #cmworld
— HeidiCohen #CMWorld 2019 Speaker (@heidicohen) September 16, 2019

September 9, 2019 Content Chat Recap: Post-CMWorld Wrap-Up

September 9, 2019 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

Another incredible CMWorld conference has wrapped up, and the community can now hit the ground running with all their new ideas and inspiration. In this #ContentChat, we share our top takeaways from the sessions, exchange tips for future presenters or moderators, and highlight some of our favorite extracurriculars to check out next year. If you were at the conference and want to relive your favorite moments, read through our recap and comment if there’s anything we missed. Or, if you were unable to attend CMWorld, check out our highlights below and don’t miss these speakers as they continue the conference track.

Q1: Were you in Cleveland for CMWorld last week?

More than half of our poll respondents were at the conference, with others facing FOMO for missing out. For those that couldn’t attend, #CMWorld kept folks up to date on the latest and greatest from the show floor.

Q1: Were you in Cleveland for #CMworld last week? #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | #CMworld Speaker | Consultant (@SFerika) September 9, 2019

A1: Yes…was thrilled to make it to Cleveland last week for #CMWorld. I miss seeing everyone and the sessions. #ContentChat
— Bernie Fussenegger #Digital360Chat (@B2the7) September 9, 2019

A1: The FOMO is real! But, preparing for our next Martech Expo! #contentchat
— Synthesio, an Ipsos company (@Synthesio) September 9, 2019

August 26, 2019 Content Chat Recap: Open Mic

September 9, 2019 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

#ContentChat was an open mic this week, where we addressed questions from the community. Check out the recap below, which covers tips for handling bullies on social media, how to source user-generated content, ways to find great regional events, and more! If you have any advice to share, reply to the tweets or comment below.

Q1: Someone is bullying my client on social media, how should I approach this situation?

One of my current challenges is a client keeps having someone @ mention them, and make fun of the fact that they are doing paid social advertising as part of their follower growth strategy. Has anyone else run into this sort of bullying? #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 26, 2019

First, into the individual and see if they have some connection with the company. If they do, there may be other means of communicating with them outside social media.

Best to ignore. And that is weird! What (if any) axe does the uninvolved person have to grind? Disgruntled/former customer, colleague, or? #ContentChat
— Rich Schwerin (@Greencognito) August 26, 2019

Assuming the individual has relationship with the company, respond once if necessary and then ignore their comments moving forward.

But bottom line, usually one high-round response is good, and then ignoring them is the best way to make them go away. #ContentChat
— Emilie Moreland (@writtenbyemilie) August 26, 2019

Perhaps try taking “the high-road” so to speak, and reply to them asking what methods they use and how it’s working out for them? I’d be curious of how they respond to that. #ContentChat
— Amanda Coxworth (@amandacoxworth) August 26, 2019

I’ve worked with different brands that have dealt with some of that. Mostly it’s just a process of ignore. Depending on what platform it is, it may be possible to block the person from seeing your posts. #contentchat
— Caitlin Kinser (@caitlinmarie89) August 26, 2019

You could analyze their followers using an online tool (such as Followerwonk or Sparktoro) to see if they may be a bot and to gauge how influential they may be. This is often not needed, but could be worth exploring for additional information on the matter. Note: not all online tools are created equal, and take any information with a grain of salt unless you understand the full scope of how it pulls information.

Idea: Run that account though @sparktoro https://t.co/NCgPgoP4tc (maybe they’re projecting)? #ContentChat
— Rich Schwerin (@Greencognito) August 26, 2019

I enjoy the platform, but I don’t agree with the entire equation. I think engagement needs to not rely so heavily on RTs as a lever because it doesn’t include the RT with comment, which accounts for a lot of engagement and is better, to me, than just an RT. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 26, 2019

Mine was the same, Michelle. For analyzing followers, I use @followerwonk #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 26, 2019

August 19, 2019 Content Chat Recap: How To Get The Most Out Of Attending An Industry Conference

August 26, 2019 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

Following last week’s discussion of how to make that industry conference worth your marketing budget dollars, in this #ContentChat we share tips on how to get the most out of attending an industry conference. If you’re headed to CMWorld next month, check out this recap now for insider tips for you to make the most out of your time there (and any conferences you attend).

Q1: Is attending marketing industry conferences part of your annual professional development plan and budget each year?

Industry conferences can be incredibly valuable for attendees, and many of our community members work for companies that recognize and budget for this.

A1: As a content marketing consultant, I always try to get to a couple of industry conferences each year. As a people manager, I want my team members to each pick a conference that aligns with their #profdev plan. It’s so important! #ContentChat https://t.co/h9V19C7cIc
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 19, 2019

A1: Absolutely. We have our team members prioritize conferences that they feel are most important to them, their professional development, and the work they do each day, and give them an allotted budget to go. It’s important to us as an agency to invest in our team. #ContentChat
— Patrick Delehanty (@MDigitalPatrick) August 19, 2019

A1: Yes, one each year. And as much as I’d like to see other conferences and cities, I can’t pass up #CMWorld. #ContentChat
— Emilie Moreland (@writtenbyemilie) August 19, 2019

A1.
It sure is.
We are allowed to pick a conference every year t and our travel, accommodations & registration is covered.
✈️👫
This year I will be at #Inbound2019,
but maybe next year it’ll be #CMWorld. #ContentChat
— Bentley University (@bentleyu) August 19, 2019

A1. Attending #marketing conferences has been in my budget the past few years and will likely increase somewhat.
I should probably start speaking, though. #ContentChat
— Tod Cordill (@todcordill) August 19, 2019

A1.
Absolutely.
It’s part of knowledge gathering, networking, learning and sharing success.
Someday I will attend @CMIContent ‘s conference @socialmediaweek conference @SMExaminer s conference @semrush conference #ContentChat
— ⚡ Vraj Shah 📸 (@vrajshahspeaks) August 19, 2019

For non-profits, companies where budgets are tight, or solopreneurs, though, conferences may not be prioritized because of costs or other commitments. Some of our community members have attended conferences on their own time and dime because they know the value of conferences, which opens a larger question about whether your employer is investing in your professional development.

A1: Unfortunately, working at a non-profit means conference attendance is not budgeted for. I’ve actually attended #SocialMediaWeek for many years on my own dime because I feel the content is that important. #ContentChat
— Caitlin Kinser (@caitlinmarie89) August 19, 2019

A1: It is part of the budget but it is also one of the first things that gets cut when budgets get tight. #ContentChat
— Bernie Fussenegger #Digital360Chat (@B2the7) August 19, 2019

I’ve been in that boat as well. I’ve spent vacation time and budget on attending #CMworld in years past b/c it’s that important. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 19, 2019

Not having the budget to pay for a conference is one thing…
But making you take vacation time to attend a conference related to your job means it’s time to start looking for a new job. Just sayin’.
#ContentChat
— Tod Cordill (@todcordill) August 19, 2019

When company-paid attendance is not an option, volunteering could get you in the door, and driving/carpooling and hotel room sharing could cut costs.

Yeah, but consider your professional development needs (and retirement, and sick and vacation) when setting your rates.
And some people I know can just DRIVE to awesome conferences and don’t need to buy plane tickets!
You can also share hotel rooms or book VRBO. #ContentChat
— Tod Cordill (@todcordill) August 19, 2019

Another way to cut expenses is to volunteer. Some conferences accept volunteers and it can cover some of your costs to attend. #contentchat
— Michelle Garrett (@PRisUs) August 19, 2019

This is also a fantastic tactic for introverts. It is so much easier to talk to hundreds/thousands of strangers when you have a reason (a volunteer task) to do so! #ContentChat https://t.co/jdT0zF4M4X
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 19, 2019

August 12, 2019 Content Chat Recap: How To Make That Industry Conference Worth Your Marketing Budget Dollars

August 19, 2019 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

Almost every quarter is conference season for some industry, with events big (think hundreds of thousands) and small (think 100) all vying to connect like-minded professionals and showcase the latest and greatest for the field.

Most marketing or PR professionals have received promotional emails about conferences to sponsor at, each positioned as the “must-attend” event of the year. Or, your company executives are being invited to speak and you’re tasked at evaluating the opportunity.

When budgets are tight and opportunities are abound, how can communications professionals make smart use of their budget at industry conferences?

In this #ContentChat, we discuss how to determine if an event is worth your team’s resources, including ways you can maximize the ROI of your industry conference presence.

Q1: Is exhibiting at or sponsoring conferences and trade shows part of your current marketing budget?

Most of our poll respondents (58%) include conference and trade show activities in their current marketing budgets, and the next biggest group (25%) has never budgeted for these activities.

Q1: Is exhibiting at or sponsoring conferences and trade shows part of your current marketing budget? #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 12, 2019

A1: Most of my #B2B clients exhibit at trade shows and sponsor conferences. Several also produce conferences for their own customer/member base. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 12, 2019

A1: Not yet, but hopefully in the future! #ContentChat
— Cob Creative (@cob_creative) August 12, 2019

A1: We do a lot of conference and trade show appearances (our instructors present regularly) but I personally have not gotten to be attendance at any yet. #ContentChat
— Derek Hauk Is Making Things Again (@ThisDerekHauk) August 12, 2019

A1: For my area and as part of our goals, we attend at least one conference a year but my area doesn’t sponsor any conferences etc. Our larger brand department but not involved with that area. #ContentChat
— Bernie Fussenegger #Digital360Chat (@B2the7) August 12, 2019

Reasons for participating vary (we’ll dive deeper later), but conferences can be great for media relations regardless of if you’re a sponsor, exhibitor or attendee.

A1: I work with clients on trade shows – they’re great for #PR because you can meet reporters in person at some of them. #contentchat
— Michelle Garrett (@PRisUs) August 12, 2019

Such a great place to do that. If they are already on-site, so much more likely to stop in and chat for a few minutes than take a cold meeting pitch. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) August 12, 2019

September 23, 2019 Content Chat Recap—Community Conversation: Email Newsletters

Q1: Do you have (or are you planning to launch) an email newsletter?

Nearly half of our poll respondents have a newsletter, and roughly a quarter are planning one. Some organizations are even managing more than one newsletter, each with a different purpose.

September 16, 2019 Content Chat Recap—Community Conversation: The Best Content Marketing Tools and Technology

Q1: How do you make the decision to add a new tool or piece of technology to your content marketing tech stack? What evaluation criteria do you use? Where do you go to research?

The decision to add a new tool should be grounded in a business need or to increase productivity and efficiency. Conduct an audit of your existing stack to see what features you are/are not using, and what you need but don’t have access to.

Other ways to research new content marketing technology options? Explore review sites and analyst reports….

Join online communities and Twitter Chats….

Ask your network for their favorite content marketing tools….

Or attend an industry conference to explore the vendors and network with other pros.

Regardless of how you find your new content marketing software options, be sure to loop multiple team members into the decision-making process to ensure everyone’s needs are at least considered.

Develop a regular content marketing tool and tech assessment cadence so your team can get ahead of any tech needs before they are urgent.

September 9, 2019 Content Chat Recap: Post-CMWorld Wrap-Up

Q1: Were you in Cleveland for CMWorld last week?

More than half of our poll respondents were at the conference, with others facing FOMO for missing out. For those that couldn’t attend, #CMWorld kept folks up to date on the latest and greatest from the show floor.

August 26, 2019 Content Chat Recap: Open Mic

Q1: Someone is bullying my client on social media, how should I approach this situation?

First, into the individual and see if they have some connection with the company. If they do, there may be other means of communicating with them outside social media.

Assuming the individual has relationship with the company, respond once if necessary and then ignore their comments moving forward.

August 19, 2019 Content Chat Recap: How To Get The Most Out Of Attending An Industry Conference

Q1: Is attending marketing industry conferences part of your annual professional development plan and budget each year?

Industry conferences can be incredibly valuable for attendees, and many of our community members work for companies that recognize and budget for this.

When company-paid attendance is not an option, volunteering could get you in the door, and driving/carpooling and hotel room sharing could cut costs.

August 12, 2019 Content Chat Recap: How To Make That Industry Conference Worth Your Marketing Budget Dollars

Q1: Is exhibiting at or sponsoring conferences and trade shows part of your current marketing budget?

Most of our poll respondents (58%) include conference and trade show activities in their current marketing budgets, and the next biggest group (25%) has never budgeted for these activities.

Reasons for participating vary (we’ll dive deeper later), but conferences can be great for media relations regardless of if you’re a sponsor, exhibitor or attendee.

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Content Chat

Q1: Do you have (or are you planning to launch) an email newsletter?

Nearly half of our poll respondents have a newsletter, and roughly a quarter are planning one. Some organizations are even managing more than one newsletter, each with a different purpose.

Q1: How do you make the decision to add a new tool or piece of technology to your content marketing tech stack? What evaluation criteria do you use? Where do you go to research?

The decision to add a new tool should be grounded in a business need or to increase productivity and efficiency. Conduct an audit of your existing stack to see what features you are/are not using, and what you need but don’t have access to.

Other ways to research new content marketing technology options? Explore review sites and analyst reports….

Join online communities and Twitter Chats….

Ask your network for their favorite content marketing tools….

Or attend an industry conference to explore the vendors and network with other pros.

Regardless of how you find your new content marketing software options, be sure to loop multiple team members into the decision-making process to ensure everyone’s needs are at least considered.

Develop a regular content marketing tool and tech assessment cadence so your team can get ahead of any tech needs before they are urgent.

Q1: Were you in Cleveland for CMWorld last week?

More than half of our poll respondents were at the conference, with others facing FOMO for missing out. For those that couldn’t attend, #CMWorld kept folks up to date on the latest and greatest from the show floor.

Q1: Someone is bullying my client on social media, how should I approach this situation?

First, into the individual and see if they have some connection with the company. If they do, there may be other means of communicating with them outside social media.

Assuming the individual has relationship with the company, respond once if necessary and then ignore their comments moving forward.

Q1: Is attending marketing industry conferences part of your annual professional development plan and budget each year?

Industry conferences can be incredibly valuable for attendees, and many of our community members work for companies that recognize and budget for this.

When company-paid attendance is not an option, volunteering could get you in the door, and driving/carpooling and hotel room sharing could cut costs.

Q1: Is exhibiting at or sponsoring conferences and trade shows part of your current marketing budget?

Most of our poll respondents (58%) include conference and trade show activities in their current marketing budgets, and the next biggest group (25%) has never budgeted for these activities.

Reasons for participating vary (we’ll dive deeper later), but conferences can be great for media relations regardless of if you’re a sponsor, exhibitor or attendee.

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