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.

November 7 Content Chat Recap: Writing Audience-Friendly Content to Boost Your Online Engagement

November 10, 2016 by Erika Heald 2 Comments

Writing Audience-Friendly Content to Boost Your Online Engagement

This week #ContentChat was joined byRachel Moffett (@redheadrachel) from Express Writers who shared her tips for creating audience-friendly content.

Q1: How do you define audience-friendly content, and why is it important?

Yucky! And true. #ContentChat https://t.co/CG5AdHJbhJ
— Erika Heald (@SFerika) November 7, 2016

A1. Audience friendly means whoever your target market is will respond in a positive way towards your content #ContentChat @SFerika
— Uniform Nations (@Uniform_Nations) November 7, 2016

A1 Audience-friendly = content your audience can’t do without, because it’s written just for them #contentchat
— Dennis Shiao ⛷ (@dshiao) November 7, 2016

A1: First, audience-friendly content needs to be content that appeals to them. Address their needs and solve problems. #ContentChat
— Rachel (@redheadrachel) November 7, 2016

A1. Big emphasis on positive reactions vs negative ones when determining audience friendly content #contentchat @SFerika
— Uniform Nations (@Uniform_Nations) November 7, 2016

A1: I think it’s content that is easy to access, easy to understand, and makes for good brand discussion. #contentchat
— Sebastian Faura (@FauraSebastian) November 7, 2016

A1. Simply put, you want your audience to engage with your content. They won’t if they don’t enjoy what they see #contentchat @SFerika
— Uniform Nations (@Uniform_Nations) November 7, 2016

A1. Audience-friendly content is focused on *their* interests, respects their time and makes it easy to find relevant info. #contentchat https://t.co/QZtJdNtwTc
— Carmen Hill (@carmenhill) November 7, 2016

A1b: The content you create should also be easy for them to consume. Use headings and lists when formatting posts. #ContentChat
— Rachel (@redheadrachel) November 7, 2016

A1 #contentchat That’s #content that tickles a reader’s fancy, a stuff that gets shared socially, forwarded & linked to from other sites
— Edyta Kowal (@edyta_kowal) November 7, 2016

@SFerika A1: Content that uses language that is suitable for the reader and provides useful information. #contentchat
— ☕ Tonya Parker ⌨ (@parker_content) November 7, 2016

A1: I would define audience friendly content as content that appeals to your target market, I am assuming in a positive manner #contentchat
— Nichole Muller (@muller_nichole) November 7, 2016

A1: It’s always about your audience. Find the content they like and are interested in and write more of that #contentchat
— Spin Sucks (@SpinSucks) November 7, 2016

@SFerika Audience friendly means it speaks the same language as your audience, #contentchat
— Jessie Shternshus (@TheImprovEffect) November 7, 2016

A1 simple, content that is relevant to them. #contentchat
— Lisa-Veronika Jany (@lisaveronikaj) November 7, 2016

Agreed @carmenhill—I’d add that it’s delivered through the channels that THEY like to use for content consumption. #ContentChat https://t.co/j02LGdhIJe
— Erika Heald (@SFerika) November 7, 2016

A1: Content that brings value to your audience, without tons of jargon or pushy branding #contentchat
— Brandfolder (@Brandfolder) November 7, 2016

A1: @SFerika Audience friendly content is content that your market or customers will respond to in a very positive way! #ContentChat
— Dan Iverson (@DanIverson3) November 7, 2016

A1. Why is it important? Without it, no one will engage with your content! #contentchat
— Uniform Nations (@Uniform_Nations) November 7, 2016

A1 This is where all those jargo convos we have on this chat go to die; if the jargon makes sense to your audience, use it! #contentchat
— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) November 7, 2016

A1: Its user friendly and accessible, consider things like using plain language, colour contrasts #contentchat
— Marta Awad 🍰 (@martaaw93) November 7, 2016

A1) Content that sparks audience engagement, which will start a conversation! Why would they engage with unfriendly content? #contentchat https://t.co/yhmKq7Bsyn
— HeyOrca! (@HeyOrca) November 7, 2016

A1 The readibility test I use is: Did I learn something? Did I laugh while writing it? and Do I love what I have produced? #contentchat
— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) November 7, 2016

A1 Count up the number of strong relationships your content builds with significant people. #contentchat
— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) November 7, 2016

@redheadrachel @dpillie Similarly, if it’s not something you would want to share with your network, why would someone else? #ContentChat https://t.co/SZFX1vh2xp
— Erika Heald (@SFerika) November 7, 2016

October 31 Content Chat Recap: Removing the Fear From Community-Crowdsourced Content

November 1, 2016 by Erika Heald 1 Comment

Removing the Fear From Community Crowdsourced Content

ContentChat celebrated Halloween this year by helping our community face on of its biggest fears: user-generated content. We were joined by experienced community manager Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) for a lively discussion on removing the fear from community-crowdsourced content.

Q1: Why are so many brands afraid to solicit community-created content?

A1. People are afraid of what their community will send. That it won’t be on message or negative. And they will lose the convo #ContentChat
— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

A1: One reason is probably logistics. They don’t have the resources to manage community-created content #contentchat
— Spin Sucks (@SpinSucks) October 31, 2016

A1 I think brands fear lack of control as has been cited and have seen too many community content creation experiments backfire #contentchat
— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) October 31, 2016

A1 Organizations often cringe at the idea of loosening the social media reigns & losing control of brand image! #contentchat
— Kathy Kopacz MS (@kkopacz1) October 31, 2016

@70mq Not just the content, the conversations around it! What will your community say when they see something you post? #ContentChat
— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

A1 Difficult to maintain the right brand messaging if you’ve got strangers creating content for you. #contentchat
— Josephine Hardy (@JosieMHardy) October 31, 2016

A1 Lots of effort for content to be “on-brand” are required (sometimes), lack of true subject matter experts in the community #contentchat
— Phil Siarri (@philsiarri) October 31, 2016

A1: It can be scary because brands something believe they are giving up control. When done right, however, that’s not the case. #contentchat https://t.co/4uTy1Teg5r
— Northcutt (@northcuttHQ) October 31, 2016

@kkopacz1 It’s all about how you set it up, if you’re really worried about bad PR something like that can blow up spectacularly #contentchat
— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) October 31, 2016

@SFerika A1: Probably because they’re worried that they’ll just get a bunch of customer service complaints #contentchat
— Hal Werner (@halwerner) October 31, 2016

A1 Brands are risk averse. If you’re not an authentic, honest brand, you’re right it is a risk. #contentchat
— Maureen Jann (@MaureenOnPoint) October 31, 2016

A1. Loss of control definitely huge, even if you’re for taking smart risks for your brand. Can’t help but worry! #ContentChat
— Sarah A. Parker (@SparkerWorks) October 31, 2016

A1 They fear the chaos of the crowd, and so grip the steering wheel tighter and tighter until it starts to shake a little. #ContentChat
— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) October 31, 2016

@SFerika A1: Or they they have too much commitment to sterilized, canned brand messaging and fear #authenticstories that aren’t polished
— Hal Werner (@halwerner) October 31, 2016

A1: Brands like to have control of how they are viewed. When they hand the control over to comm., they fear what will happen. #contentchat
— Erica Hayton (@erica_hayton) October 31, 2016

A1 @philsiarri True! Brands are obsessed with influencers but 98% of influencers have no clue about what they’re talking about. #ContentChat
— Ehsan (@eksays) October 31, 2016

I think brands see their Commuinty as the audience to be talked at and not able to add contributions @SFerika @SpinSucks #ContentChat
— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

@SFerika Unfortunately many brands see their community as one-way communication path. And yes, they see it as passive consumers #contentchat
— Spin Sucks (@SpinSucks) October 31, 2016

Very true in many B2B spheres IMO @SFerika @SpinSucks #contentchat https://t.co/6Oe8SWXyHd
— Phil Siarri (@philsiarri) October 31, 2016

If brands are afraid to engage community in content creation, that means there’s an opportunity for another brand to step in. #contentchat
— Northcutt (@northcuttHQ) October 31, 2016

@SpinSucks @lttlewys @SFerika Yeah, too many companies still try to use social to push messaging out, not have a convo #contentchat
— Hal Werner (@halwerner) October 31, 2016

A1. Fear of not having control over the content. Brands don’t “get” how UCG is beneficial to them. #ContentChat https://t.co/LfFeLozVyv
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) October 31, 2016

Q2: How can you help your management team get over their fears of crowdsourcing content?

A2: Start small. Show ur team that people are already saying positive things about you & sharing pics. Take time to build trust #ContentChat
— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

A2 Create a plan, specify guidelines, assign responsibility & test on other employees in the org. first. #contentchat
— Josephine Hardy (@JosieMHardy) October 31, 2016

A2 Dispel fear by a) showing good #UGC, b) having a plan if something goes wrong, c) illustrating the value of
community #contentchat
— Maureen Jann (@MaureenOnPoint) October 31, 2016

Show some quick and positive successes of what sharing community content can do for you. #contentchat
— Christoph Trappe (@CTrappe) October 31, 2016

A2 Showing successful examples in or outside of your industry, showing potential ROI #contentchat
— Phil Siarri (@philsiarri) October 31, 2016

A2) Compare the analytics of a crowd sourced story to a similiar non-crowd sourced story #contentchat
— Scott Johnson (@iScottJohnson) October 31, 2016

A2: Create a plan and share it with your team so they know what to expect. Show them examples of how it can be beneficial too! #ContentChat
— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) October 31, 2016

A2) Show them examples from successful companies, then build a strategy around how you can leverage that for your own company. #ContentChat
— Jason Schemmel (@JasonSchemmel) October 31, 2016

A2. Have a solid plan for curation/quality control around submissions before they’re attached to brand #ContentChat https://t.co/djoLDKV5Gu
— Sarah A. Parker (@SparkerWorks) October 31, 2016

A2: Having a good strategy for if something goes wrong usually help to ease fears of the unknown. #contentchat
— Alex Crump (@alcrump12) October 31, 2016

A2 By incorporating UGC, brands can offload some content creation onto their customers, spending more time on strategy. #contentchat
— Kathy Kopacz MS (@kkopacz1) October 31, 2016

@kkopacz1 @SFerika @BuzzFeed is a great example. It’s truly a community w/ active participants but also reasonable guidelines. #ContentChat
— gretchen fisk (@gretchenfisk) October 31, 2016

A2: @lttlewys True! Give them a piece of TART & they’ll be set for as long as your marketing strategy is relevant! #ContentChat pic.twitter.com/QCQ5BrsqQd
— Ehsan (@eksays) October 31, 2016

A2: An easy way to “test the waters” is by using company employees first as a trial, and then expanding from there. #contentchat https://t.co/Uaktpgs9fv
— Northcutt (@northcuttHQ) October 31, 2016

@SFerika @lttlewys A2. Through examples of *quality* crowdsourced content. They have to be willing to take the initial plunge. #ContentChat
— gretchen fisk (@gretchenfisk) October 31, 2016

A2 There’s always risk, but having a plan in place to mitigate said risk and showing examples of how it can work are best bet. #contentchat
— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) October 31, 2016

A2: Create a brand that is strong enough it won’t be ruined if something goes wrong. Develop a plan to fix any issues. #contentchat
— Erica Hayton (@erica_hayton) October 31, 2016

A1) Without predetermined guidelines, the uncertainty can be intimidating! #contentchat https://t.co/0ZJNgWn2qY
— HeyOrca! (@HeyOrca) October 31, 2016

A2) Learn from the best. Research companies that are doing it right, then find a way you can do it, too. #ContentChat
— Jason Schemmel (@JasonSchemmel) October 31, 2016

A2: highlight the end user input as invaluable to future product dev. ; show how ugc can drive future campaigna #contentchat
— Mordecai Holtz (@mordecaiholtz) October 31, 2016

A2b: UGC is both those saying what they don’t like & those saying what the DO LIKE.
Take care of both as best you can.#ContentChat
— Gary J. Nix (@Mr_McFly) October 31, 2016

A2) Keep an eye for those with brand loyalty and who are constantly engaging with you! They’re your best bet for great #UGC #contentchat https://t.co/ZtWzTvkohB
— HeyOrca! (@HeyOrca) October 31, 2016

A2c: Especially if someone is showing like or love for your brand’s product/service — why wouldn’t you amplify that message?#ContentChat
— Gary J. Nix (@Mr_McFly) October 31, 2016

Q3: What are your tips for soliciting on-brand and on-topic content from brand fans?

A3 Create a downloadable PDF guide that explains a bit about your brand & what is expected on both sides. #contentchat
— Josephine Hardy (@JosieMHardy) October 31, 2016

A3b Make sure you to keep the guide up-to-date! #contentchat
— Josephine Hardy (@JosieMHardy) October 31, 2016

A3) Ask questions. People LOVE giving their 2-cents. Ask the right question(s) to get the answers/content you’re looking for. #ContentChat
— Jason Schemmel (@JasonSchemmel) October 31, 2016

A3: Ask. Make it fun & rewarding for people to be in your Community. Send out random treats/thank you cards Include a strategy #ContentChat
— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

A3 Communicate style guide from the get go, also have a main point of contact (editor, coordinator) can help #contentchat
— Phil Siarri (@philsiarri) October 31, 2016

A3) Give them a mention when you use their content. People love getting noticed & receiving credit. #JustLikeInRealLife #ContentChat
— Jason Schemmel (@JasonSchemmel) October 31, 2016

A3: Put yourself in their shoes too. Know your community, their likes/wants. It will help better connect #contentchat
— Spin Sucks (@SpinSucks) October 31, 2016

A3 → @SFerika provide a great experience and you’ll find the fans will evangelize for you pretty often
— Thomas Broadus (@TbroOnline) October 31, 2016

@SFerika For my company at least, I ask consumers to submit pictures, events, that relate with my brand idenity #contentchat
— Cuyler Cunningham (@Highoncuy) October 31, 2016

A3: Give them share prompts. Could be a simple ask that activates great content #contentchat
— Chris Barrows (@CBarrows) October 31, 2016

A3: need to spark some sort of interest #contentchat is there a motivation to participate? https://t.co/HCU0xKtISf
— Josephine Borrillo (@70mq) October 31, 2016

A3 Contests, Customer Reviews, & Customer Testimonials are great ways to solicit content from brand fans. #contentchat
— Kathy Kopacz MS (@kkopacz1) October 31, 2016

Better yet, be a part of that community. Interact with users, and most importantly, LISTEN. #contentchat https://t.co/1OSFhbbbpr
— Northcutt (@northcuttHQ) October 31, 2016

@JasonLWebb @JasonSchemmel I love when my fav brands ask me questions and really listen, makes me more invested! #ContentChat
— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

A3: Ask a question; make your content easy to engage with and people will come.#ContentChat
— Gary J. Nix (@Mr_McFly) October 31, 2016

A3b: AND if your product or service is good enough, you won’t have to solicit for UGC. Either way, make it about the people!#ContentChat
— Gary J. Nix (@Mr_McFly) October 31, 2016

A3 For @WildUSShrimp we feature user recipes on our site, but have to have basics – an actual recipe & pic of the dish #gumbo #contentchat pic.twitter.com/yhW88FBwwq
— Thomas Broadus (@TbroOnline) October 31, 2016

@Mr_McFly I’m always surprised when brands don’t actively do that… #ContentChat
— Erika Heald (@SFerika) October 31, 2016

A3) You get what you give! Create positive, genuine relationships with your audience, they’ll reward you with valuable #UGC! #contentchat https://t.co/ulAyhPc5Ov
— HeyOrca! (@HeyOrca) October 31, 2016

Q4: What do you do if your call for content results in negative content and commentary?

A4 Address the negative content head-on, but do it in a positive manner. Others will take notice #contentchat
— Dennis Shiao (@dshiao) October 31, 2016

A4: You have a bigger problem than your lack of contributed content. Talk to your community and find out what’s wrong. Fix it! #contentchat
— Spin Sucks (@SpinSucks) October 31, 2016

A4a: Don’t DELETE, respond to those people. You should have a plan in your strategy for negative responses #ContentChat
— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

A4b By engaging directly and being positive, you may be able to turn the negative tide. #contentchat
— Dennis Shiao (@dshiao) October 31, 2016

A4) Then you know you have some changes to make. Either in your message or your strategy altogether. #ListenToThem #WakeUpCall #ContentChat
— Jason Schemmel (@JasonSchemmel) October 31, 2016

A4: Use it as a learning opportunity. If people have complaints/concerns it may point out where you can make improvements #contentchat
— Alex Crump (@alcrump12) October 31, 2016

A4b: People want to be heard, they want to feel You/The Company hears them & you appreciate them #ContentChat
— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

A4 Pause the #UGC program. Collect all feedback & find/fix the common theme. Test before re-launching #contentchat
— Josephine Hardy (@JosieMHardy) October 31, 2016

A4 1/2 → First determine if it’s a real issue or someone looking for free stuff #contentchat @SFerika @lttlewys
— Thomas Broadus (@TbroOnline) October 31, 2016

A4 Demonstrate publically that we will work to solve the issue. Negative comments are very often opportunities. #contentchat pic.twitter.com/liu4Yj9AIl
— Michelle (@michelletweet) October 31, 2016

A4: Respond thoughtfully and look at how your brand can pivot to meet those pain points and challenges. #contentchat
— Meg Prater (@Meg_Prater) October 31, 2016

Respond to negative feedback by acknowledging it, emphathy, fix if necessary. #contentchat
— Christoph Trappe (@CTrappe) October 31, 2016

A4: It’s bound to happen no matter who you are. Best to handle with humility and grace. #ContentChat @SFerika @lttlewys
— Jason Webb (@JasonLWebb) October 31, 2016

A4 2/2 if negative content is honest, treat as a real issue, take it offline w/ poster & solve the issue @SFerika @lttlewys #contentchat
— Thomas Broadus (@TbroOnline) October 31, 2016

A4: maybe go back with follow-up questions #contentchat you may come away with a totally new view https://t.co/Vpudd88UBF
— Josephine Borrillo (@70mq) October 31, 2016

A4: Understand what the issues consumers are having are and actively try to fix them.
It’s not rocket surgery.#ContentChat
— Gary J. Nix (@Mr_McFly) October 31, 2016

@JasonLWebb @lttlewys It’s an understandable reaction, but I think a “hug your haters” @jaybaer approach works better. 😉 #ContentChat
— Erika Heald (@SFerika) October 31, 2016

A4: You need to have a plan on how to handle negativity and address it accordingly. Don’t delete negative posts though. #ContentChat
— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) October 31, 2016

A4b BUT also know when to engage…we all have encountered those that just want to complain…about anything! #contentchat
— Michelle (@michelletweet) October 31, 2016

Rule 1 of how not to handle negative content from users #contentchat
Don’t ignore it. pic.twitter.com/CAYEYqpDwV
— Thomas Broadus (@TbroOnline) October 31, 2016

A4: Good #CX – Acknowledge valid issues/problems (and some that aren’t) and demonstrate you’re responding meaningfully. #contentchat
— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) October 31, 2016

A4b: The key is to address it and not sweep it under the rug — be honest and up front. #ContentChat @SFerika @lttlewys
— Jason Webb (@JasonLWebb) October 31, 2016

A4b: Unless they’re trolls. Don’t feed the trolls. #contentchat
— Erica Hayton (@erica_hayton) October 31, 2016

Q4: Follow up on where the brand went wrong and be vocal about it to your audience. Gotta build the trust back #ContentChat
— Jennifer Yee (@jnnfryee) October 31, 2016

A4 Be as transparent as possible: now measures you will take depends a lot on your industry & legal ramifications you may face #contentchat
— Phil Siarri (@philsiarri) October 31, 2016

A4: Turn lemons into lemonade: Review your call for content in the light of negative content/commentary. You may learn a lot. #contentchat
— Wayne Hendry (@ideakid88) October 31, 2016

Q5: What are the best ways to recognize and credit community members who create brand-supporting content?

A5: Surprise & Delight! Reshare their content from your channels, tagging them. Send them a special treat, handwritten note. #ContentChat
— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

@dshiao YES! #ContentChat
— Erika Heald (@SFerika) October 31, 2016

A5 Social Media recognition, article bios w/ links to their website/Twitter & *maybe* gift cards. #contentchat
— Josephine Hardy (@JosieMHardy) October 31, 2016

A5: First step: Actually recognize them by name. Thank them. Engage. Occasionally surprise & delight.#ContentChat
— Gary J. Nix (@Mr_McFly) October 31, 2016

A5. Share it with a thank you #contentchat
— Chris Farrell, CPA (@CFarrellCPA) October 31, 2016

A5b Feature them on your homepage, or on your community login page #contentchat
— Dennis Shiao (@dshiao) October 31, 2016

A5: It’s always great when you can actively engage with your audience. Re-share their work or credit them. Stay active. #contentchat https://t.co/CLixPPIlgV
— Northcutt (@northcuttHQ) October 31, 2016

A5 The best way to spread community cheer is to sing long and loud for all to hear. #contentchat #elf pic.twitter.com/LNSuybYhZz
— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) October 31, 2016

Thank them publicly for their support, retweet if poosible and offer a behind the scenes look at what your co. #ContentChat https://t.co/FPYMcb7T7L
— Echo Analytics Group (@EchoAnalytics) October 31, 2016

A5) Tag them, feature them, make them feel special. Others will see it & will want to engage to be treated the same, too! #ContentChat
— Jason Schemmel (@JasonSchemmel) October 31, 2016

A5 a hand-written note + some branded swag are great ways to recognize and delight your UGC-creating community members. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald (@SFerika) October 31, 2016

A5 → Create innercircle of active users, treat them as thought leaders & communicate often #contentchat @SFerika @lttlewys
— Thomas Broadus (@TbroOnline) October 31, 2016

@SFerika Yes! Never underestimate the value of a good, old-fashioned thank you note! (Or robot stickers, people love those) #ContentChat
— Sarah A. Parker (@SparkerWorks) October 31, 2016

Good point, @erica_hayton! Match up recognition w/ amount of effort. https://t.co/apTtcc3sAB #contentchat
— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) October 31, 2016

A5: I worked for a company who would randomly send flowers or care packages to super-engaged customers. Always a big hit! #contentchat
— Meg Prater (@Meg_Prater) October 31, 2016

A5) #socialmedia shoutouts, audience member spotlights, and prizes/giveaways (everyone likes free stuff!) #contentchat https://t.co/Y411mbsTnb
— HeyOrca! (@HeyOrca) October 31, 2016

Q6: What are some examples of brands that have missed an opportunity in embracing fan-created content?

A6: Do I have to bring up Red Lobster again?#ContentChat
— Gary J. Nix (@Mr_McFly) October 31, 2016

@SFerika A6 A local bagel shop here used my pics w/out credit. They said people don’t want their names used. I did a facepalm. #contentchat
— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) October 31, 2016

A6 Many restaurants/cafes don’t share the amazing photos their customers share of their food/drinks on social media #ContentChat
— Josephine Hardy (@JosieMHardy) October 31, 2016

A6: Any brand that isn’t being social, that doesn’t acknowledge their fans/community. #ContentChat
— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

A6 Lots of professional sports teams. Give fans a central destination and content creation will easily flow #contentchat
— Dennis Shiao (@dshiao) October 31, 2016

A6 I think Apple really missed a ton of opportunity not engaging more with fans during their #appleevents #contentchat pic.twitter.com/JYGyqsl1Q5
— Michelle (@michelletweet) October 31, 2016

A6: Anytime a brand starts with a specific hashtag and then doesn’t interact with it. Ever. #ContentChat
— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

A6 IMO Having worked in product management= too many brands (esp B2B) are missing out on collaborating with clients on content #contentchat
— Phil Siarri (@philsiarri) October 31, 2016

UGC is still an untapped resource for most – most don’t know where to begin – we live in content bubble and think #UGC normal #contentchat
— Nick Kellet (@NickKellet) October 31, 2016

A6 Luxury hotels are missing out on opportunities with UGC See https://t.co/2qQv9lD0MU
#contentchat
— Kathy Kopacz MS (@kkopacz1) October 31, 2016

A6: Applebee’s had that Twitter meltdown a few years ago. It still gives me marketing nightmares. https://t.co/FJwM8za3lZ #contentchat
— Meg Prater (@Meg_Prater) October 31, 2016

A6: Hospitality is such a confounding industry when it comes to social. The natural fit is simply there. All day, every day.#ContentChat
— Gary J. Nix (@Mr_McFly) October 31, 2016

Q7: What brands are doing a good job in involving their community in content creation?

@enjoyLaCroix proving why they’re masters of UGC #contentchat https://t.co/ssf6CBKrGq
— Meg Prater (@Meg_Prater) October 31, 2016

@SFerika You know it… @KingsHawaiian used to rock this. https://t.co/hqBq7xB43X #contentchat
— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) October 31, 2016

The North Face does a great job of using fan content on IG, also focuses on the Passion Point of the beauty of the outdoors #contentchat https://t.co/1ysLuNrslX
— Mack Collier (@MackCollier) October 31, 2016

A6: A lot of fitness brands tend to do well with this. Many are start ups and so use a lot of UGC to promote their brand. #contentchat
— Alex Crump (@alcrump12) October 31, 2016

A7 Hands-down for me: @moz! #contentchat
— Dennis Shiao (@dshiao) October 31, 2016

A7: My fav, @disney uses almost exclusively fan content. @Vans, @buffer @UnderArmour Even @journeys #ContentChat
— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

@lttlewys yes, @UnderArmour is a great example. I mean,
They must protect their house, right?#ContentChat
— Gary J. Nix (@Mr_McFly) October 31, 2016

AHHHHHHH A7 the king of UGC is @GoPro how did we not mention them yet https://t.co/dBjPgHBXvu #contentchat
— Thomas Broadus (@TbroOnline) October 31, 2016

A7 Doritos – Their #SuperBowl ads are usually #UGC #contentchat pic.twitter.com/xEAcduyl66
— Michelle (@michelletweet) October 31, 2016

Just thought I’d sneak one more: @eventbrite with their #EBevents hashtag, gets the UGC juices flowing! #contentchat
— Randy Thio (@ideabloke) October 31, 2016

Q8: What are some tools to help with the crowdsourcing and rights-management aspects of crowdsourced content?

A8: Develop a Hashtag strategy, use @keyholeco. Make sure you are monitoring, @Mention @HootSuite & @SproutSocial are great. #ContentChat
— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

A8 agree with @lttlewys on # strategy. Also just proactive comms – “we love to see you with our brand – and we will share it!” #contentchat
— Michelle (@michelletweet) October 31, 2016

I’ve been following #UGC content #apps sourced via #instagram #contentchat Here’s a list – pls add any omissions https://t.co/Myv5K3wUkG
— Nick Kellet (@NickKellet) October 31, 2016

@SFerika @martinlieberman @jnnfryee This is a big reason why more and more tools like @Zoomph enable you to ask permission #contentchat
— Chris Barrows (@CBarrows) October 31, 2016

@JasonLWebb Have you looked at @RiteTag @Hashtagify @hashtracking & @Tagboard @SFerika #ContentChat
— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) October 31, 2016

October 24 Content Chat Recap: “I’m a marketer, not a lawyer!” Avoiding common content pitfalls

October 26, 2016 by Erika Heald Leave a Comment

“I’m a marketer, not a lawyer!” Avoiding common content pitfalls

Many content marketers are struggling with creating content that involves the inclusion of community members and influencers, without getting them into legal hot water. This week #ContentChat was joined by Kerry O’Shea Gorgone (@kerrygorgone) to discuss how to avoid common legal and ethical content missteps.

Q1: How can I make sure my brand is ethically creating and curating content?

A1: First, make ethical content creation and curation a priority at your company. Have a stated policy on respecting copyright. #ContentChat https://t.co/ySQ0NfbLiv
— Kerry O’Shea Gorgone (@KerryGorgone) October 24, 2016

A1: Transparency is key. Any content that is not your own needs to be noted and linked to. #ContentChat
— Andrew Pelletier (@Andrew7000) October 24, 2016

A1: Always give credit! Don’t just curate, but comment and quote. #ContentChat https://t.co/KsGqtvFzvY
— Amy Higgins (@amywhiggins) October 24, 2016

A1. I think first of all you need to understand and respect the cultural and ethical image of your audience and adhere to it. #ContentChat https://t.co/IdGs01qzKB
— Gayane Virabian (@gayane_virabyan) October 24, 2016

A1: Did you steal it? That means, did you take an idea and not attribute it? Yeah? Well, don’t do that. #ContentChat pic.twitter.com/nQ0q6GvJSk
— Jeff Reno(e) (@Renoe) October 24, 2016

A1: Often, people have no idea that just copy/pasting a post and giving credit is NOT legal. Companies should train teams. #ContentChat https://t.co/ySQ0NfbLiv
— Kerry O’Shea Gorgone (@KerryGorgone) October 24, 2016

A1 YES! Make this easy for folks to do by giving templated examples of how to cite sources and attribute quotes. #ContentChat https://t.co/6oU5Q4IFVA
— Erika Heald (@SFerika) October 24, 2016

A1. Get permission if using a large portion of someone else’s work. Permission excuses a multitude of copyright sins. #ContentChat https://t.co/OBY8m3BBf7
— Kerry O’Shea Gorgone (@KerryGorgone) October 24, 2016

A1: attribute sources, seek permission, be transparent #contentchat https://t.co/aL6XSY7bKy
— william (@wcmckeedotcom) October 24, 2016

A1: Know what’s okay and what’s not. You can’t steal content from others and if you cite someone, give credit. #ContentChat
— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) October 24, 2016

A1a: Always reference sources if they are not original #contentchat
— Nichole Muller (@muller_nichole) October 24, 2016

@SFerika A1) ATTRIBUTION is a way to connect with new friends; give credit where due #ContentChat
— Rich Schwerin (@Greencognito) October 24, 2016

A1: Respect copyright of other’s work, provide appropriate attribution + linking to sources. #contentchat https://t.co/3MIhlAaeFp
— Scott Phillips (@scott_phillips_) October 24, 2016

A1) Citing sources is also crucial. If you didn’t say it, give credit. It works to your advantage to share info! #ContentChat
— Jason Schemmel (@JasonSchemmel) October 24, 2016

A1. Copy/pasting someone else’s content is wrong: you’re hijacking the creator’s traffic! #ContentChat https://t.co/CbaWgj3KLy
— Kerry O’Shea Gorgone (@KerryGorgone) October 24, 2016

A1 Don’t buy into the startup mantra of “seek forgiveness, not permission” when it comes to content. Ask FIRST. #contentchat
— Erika Heald (@SFerika) October 24, 2016

A1 Understand that different cultures view content creation differently, some in Europe view curation as stealing for example #contentchat
— Mack Collier (@MackCollier) October 24, 2016

A1. There’s no amount of copyrighted content you can safely use w/o permission. Fair use is a defense to an infringement claim. #ContentChat https://t.co/9uLYkHnK84
— Kerry O’Shea Gorgone (@KerryGorgone) October 24, 2016

A1. Asking someone’s permission to use copyrighted content builds your network and lets people know you respect their work. #ContentChat https://t.co/LFQlCfHFkE
— Kerry O’Shea Gorgone (@KerryGorgone) October 24, 2016

A1 People look to the INTERNET for models of writing. Folks: look to books. Look to legit storytellers. Aim. Much. Higher. #contentchat
— Ken Gordon (@quickmuse) October 24, 2016

October 17 Content Chat Recap: Building Your Audience with Influencer Content

October 17, 2016 by Erika Heald Leave a Comment

Building Your Audience with Influencer Content

This week, we approached influencer content creation from two POVs from the same team—the social media side as represented by Jordan Feise (@jfeiseee) and the content marketer side as represented by Tatiana Beale (@TatianaBeale). Before we dive into the questions, let’s start with a definition of an influencer, since this came up at the start of the chat.

@M1_Public For me, an influencer is someone who is a trusted authority on a topic of interest to my audience+motivates action. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald (@SFerika) October 17, 2016

@SFerika @tatianabeale @M1_Public An influencer is a subject matter expert who is trusted by their community #ContentChat
— Jordan Feise (@jfeiseee) October 17, 2016

A1 I tend to break influencers into two categories: Opinion Leaders (interactive) and Celebrities (non-interactive) #contentchat
— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) October 17, 2016

An influencer is someone who has proven themselves an authority on a certain topic or subject. #ContentChat
— Brandfolder (@Brandfolder) October 17, 2016

@jfeiseee @SFerika @M1_Public Also an #influencer will prove their expertise with the content they share with their community #ContentChat
— Tatiana Beale (@tatianabeale) October 17, 2016

Q1: Why should you involve influencers in your marketing?

A1: ego-baiting. If you write content about them based on their content, they will be more apt to share and tweet about ti #ContentChat
— Sean Van Guilder (@seanvanguilder) October 17, 2016

A1: Involving influencers can help you generate brand awareness & break into untapped audiences #ContentChat
— Jordan Feise (@jfeiseee) October 17, 2016

A1: Involve #influencers in #content creation to connect with authentic, trusted authorities already loved by your audience #ContentChat
— Tatiana Beale (@tatianabeale) October 17, 2016

A1. People trust people more than they trust #brands – influencers give a face to your company @SFerika #ContentChat
— Record Nations (@record_nations) October 17, 2016

A1: Influencers elevate your brand. They market your product/service + provide you with valuable feedback. #contentchat
— Mary Mangione (@marymangione) October 17, 2016

A1: Influencers offer third party validation for ideas that support your business. They offer complimentary perspectives. #ContentChat
— Maureen Jann (@MaureenOnPoint) October 17, 2016

A1: Because you want quality leads for your product/service, because you want to create trust, and touch other audiences #contentchat
— Spin Sucks (@SpinSucks) October 17, 2016

A1: Having an influencer endorse or mention your product/service is the utimate customer review. It builds a lot of trust. #ContentChat
— Brandfolder (@Brandfolder) October 17, 2016

A1: Influencers can be a trust signal, can amplify your message to key, niche audiences and can provide important feedback! #contentchat
— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) October 17, 2016

A1 Few exceptions (of brands) aside, your audience places more credence in influencer content than your brand’s #contentchat
— Dennis Shiao (@dshiao) October 17, 2016

@record_nations @SFerika By connecting with #influencers your company can achieve that human element, which many brands lack #ContentChat
— Tatiana Beale (@tatianabeale) October 17, 2016

A1: connecting w/ influencers gives credibility to your brand AND brand message. Allows alignment w/ likeminded consumers #contentchat
— Ferebee Lane + Co. (@FerebeeLane) October 17, 2016

A1 Reach (Influencers tend to have large professional networks), they can also give your org some legitimacy #contentchat
— Phil Siarri (@philsiarri) October 17, 2016

A1: Influencers help amplify your message and your connections with your customers in an authentic & complimentary way. #ContentChat
— Berrak Sarikaya (@BerrakBiz) October 17, 2016

A1: Influencers can help you gain exposure for your brand and can help establish you as an authority in your field. #ContentChat
— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) October 17, 2016

A1 I don’t follow brands who don’t interact with me… I do follow influencers I like regardless of whether they interact. #contentchat
— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) October 17, 2016

A1 There are people who follow (and listen to) your influencers who do not follow your brand #contentchat
— Dennis Shiao (@dshiao) October 17, 2016

October 10 Content Chat Recap: Buyer Personas + Journey Maps: B2B Marketing Gets Personal

October 14, 2016 by Erika Heald Leave a Comment

Buyer Personas + Journey Maps: B2B Marketing Gets Personal

This week #ContentChat was joined by Ardath Albee (@ardath421) for a lively discussion on how buyer personas and customer journey maps can help marketers create more compelling and personal marketing experiences.

Q1: What are buyer personas?

A1: Buyer persona is a composite sketch of a segment of a target market based on validated commonalities that are actionable #contentchat
— Ardath Albee (@ardath421) October 10, 2016

A1a: Effective buyer personas provide the insights to help companies build profitable business relationships #contentchat
— Ardath Albee (@ardath421) October 10, 2016

A1b: Buyer personas include objectives, obstacles, orientation, questions, preferences, keywords, engagement scenarios #contentchat
— Ardath Albee (@ardath421) October 10, 2016

A1c: Buyer personas also help you step into the buyer’s shoes with a “day in the life” narrative – in first person #contentchat
— Ardath Albee (@ardath421) October 10, 2016

Profiles of your ideal customers…think along lines of novelist creating their initial character sketches #ContentChat https://t.co/1ec4YwI4OR
— Brett Pucino (@BPucino) October 10, 2016

A1 Semi-fictional representation of your ideal customer based on market research and real data about your existing customers #contentchat
— Phil Siarri (@philsiarri) October 10, 2016

A1: I LOVE personas. They put a personality to your buyers helping you understand the who, what, where, when, why and how. #ContentChat pic.twitter.com/cCDYdt93TZ
— Jeff Reno(e) (@Renoe) October 10, 2016

A1: Buyer personas are researched personifications of who your audience is, both pre and post purchase. #ContentChat
— Brandfolder (@Brandfolder) October 10, 2016

A1 b Originated by Angus Jenkinson / OgilvyOne in the early 90s #contentchat
— Phil Siarri (@philsiarri) October 10, 2016

A1: What buyer personas aren’t: an evergreen customer profile. They must be updated & verified often. #contentchat
— Shelly Lucas (@pisarose) October 10, 2016

A1: personas can be tailored around marketing plans. You don’t need a one size fits all approach, customize personas as needed #ContentChat
— Phil Barnes (@Barnes_Phil) October 10, 2016

A1: Buyer personas are a framework of a person who represents your best customer. #ContentChat
— Maureen Jann (@MaureenOnPoint) October 10, 2016

A1d: Buyer personas are not just for marketing, but can inform sales, customer service, product management, R&D, etc. #contentchat
— Ardath Albee (@ardath421) October 10, 2016

A1: Buyer personas are narrative profiles of your target audiences, such as customers or users #ContentChat
— Nina Kostamo (@NinaDeNapapiiri) October 10, 2016

A1) Said another way, personas are the personification of your customer data into something tangible for easy comprehension. #ContentChat pic.twitter.com/L35dsvPaYw
— Jeff Reno(e) (@Renoe) October 10, 2016

October 3 Content Chat Recap: Slow Marketing: How to Deliver Faster Results by Slowing Down

October 8, 2016 by Erika Heald Leave a Comment

Slow Marketing: How to Deliver Faster Results by Slowing Down

After hearing Ann Handley introduce the idea of slow marketing at Content Marketing World in September, I asked her to stop by #ContentChat and share the idea with our community. If you’re intrigued by what you see here, Ann’s shared more on the topic in posts for MarketingProfs and IBM. I’m expecting we’ll hear even more about it at the MarketingProfs B2B Forum conference in a few weeks. If you’re going to be there, drop me a line so we can meet up!

Q1: Is quality over quantity something you strive for when it comes to content?

A2: Yes. Although quality and quantity in content can co-exist. The 2 aren’t mutually exclusive. #contentchat
— Ann Handley (@annhandley) October 3, 2016

A1: Most definitely. Want to make it interesting for your audience. You don’t want to be one of those content farms. #contentchat
— MioDatos (@MioDatos) October 3, 2016

@MaureenOnPoint You won’t win people over with junk. They will think less, not more, of your content. #ContentChat
— Josh McCormack (@joshmccormack) October 3, 2016

Been aiming to increase quantity over the past year while also maintaining quality— the most important thing! #ContentChat https://t.co/NAV4O81Mr0
— Sarah A. Parker (@SparkerWorks) October 3, 2016

A1 Always and forever, even in my game freelancing. Quality is king; quantity is the court jester. #contentchat https://t.co/KyoW65gz7x
— Ben H. Rome (@bhrome) October 3, 2016

A1: Definitely quality. A daily white paper or blog post isn’t necessarily going to make me buy your product or svs #contentchat
— LAD●NNA (@ladonnajonze) October 3, 2016

A1: The problem is we something forget that “quality” just means “what customers value.” What will people thank you for? #contentchat
— Ann Handley (@annhandley) October 3, 2016

A1: Content can be “good” quality, but if it’s not good for the intended audience/market, it’s not good marketing. #contentchat
— Shelly Lucas (@pisarose) October 3, 2016

A1: Quality over quantity is key. It’s much better to provide your audience with the best than a bunch of crappy content. #ContentChat
— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) October 3, 2016

A1 Unfortunately content machines CAN work, but the time you put in to creation reflects the quality of audience you gain. #contentchat
— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) October 3, 2016

Post this on your wall, next to your #contentstrategy #ContentChat “What will people thank you for?” @annhandley https://t.co/TeE80ur7uC
— Debbie Schwake (@SpiceDebbie) October 3, 2016

A1: I like my content the way I like my wine- quality over quantity 🍷#ContentChat
— Amy Higgins (@amywhiggins) October 3, 2016