Content Chat

#ContentChat is a weekly chat on Twitter and LinkedIn 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.

Want #ContentChat on your calendar?

Use this link to follow our calendar, so you never miss a chat.

Be our guest—send us your pitch!

Are you a content marketing practitioner or consultant who is interested in being a guest for an upcoming edition of #ContentChat? We’d love to see your topic pitch via our Content Chat guest submission form.

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

September 12 Content Chat Recap: Using Content to Improve SEO

September 15, 2016 by Erika Heald Leave a Comment

Using Content to Improve SEO

This week we were joined by Andy Crestodina (@crestodina), Co-Founder and Strategic Director of Orbit Media Studios. An SEO pro hot off a highly rated Content Marketing World keynote, Andy shared his expertise on how to improve your SEO through content. Read on for an hour-long master class in creating SEO-optimized content the right way.

Q1: What is SEO and why should #content marketers and bloggers care about it?

A1: SEO refers to Search Engine Optimization & bloggers should care because it’s what helps direct people to your site! #contentchat
— MioDatos (@MioDatos) September 12, 2016

A1: SEO is one of the three main channels for #contentmarketing. The other two are social and email. #ContentChat pic.twitter.com/ml7WWM0Jfq
— Andy Crestodina (@crestodina) September 12, 2016

A1: Technically, #SEO is ensuring your site is “optimized” for search bots to crawl your site & understand what it is about. #contentchat
— Kevin Mullett (@kmullett) September 12, 2016

A1: SEO is about the content you create reflecting the language and search habits of your audience/customers online #contentchat
— joel m harrison (@joelmharrison) September 12, 2016

A1: #SEO and #contentmarketing are a handshake of “WHAT are people asking abt” and “HOW will they find us?” #ContentChat
— Maureen Jann (@MaureenOnPoint) September 12, 2016

A1: There’s a lot that goes into it, but this is what Analytics looks like for a page that ranks… #ContentChat pic.twitter.com/5R8sdd5C8m
— Andy Crestodina (@crestodina) September 12, 2016

A1: If you aren’t keeping an eye on search rankings you’re writing for nothing. Make your words work. It’s content currency. #ContentChat
— Jeff Reno(e) (@Renoe) September 12, 2016

A1: Every page has the chance to catch traffic, like a sail catches wind. Google ranks webpages, not websites. #contentchat
— Andy Crestodina (@crestodina) September 12, 2016

A1: Search engine optimization helps drive people who are looking for your expertise to your site #ContentChat https://t.co/z5Xl4WsgzY
— Site-Seeker, Inc. (@SiteSeekerInc) September 12, 2016

A1: #SEO is what saves content from potential obscurity by elevating its discoverability. #ContentChat
— Monica Norton (@monicalnorton) September 12, 2016

August 29 Content Chat Recap: The PESO Model and the Importance of Content in PR

September 3, 2016 by Erika Heald Leave a Comment

The PESO Model and the Importance of Content in PR

This week, #ContentChat was joined by Gini Dietrich, CEO of Arment Dietrich and founder of spinsucks.com, who discussed the PESO model and the importance of content in public relations.

Q1: First things first @ginidietrich: What is the PESO model and why did you create it?

A1: The PESO model is the process we use internally. Because we want to change the perception people have of the PR industry… #contentchat
— Gini Dietrich (@ginidietrich) August 29, 2016

A1: I decided to introduce it in Spin Sucks, the book. And then continue to educate its use #contentchat
— Gini Dietrich (@ginidietrich) August 29, 2016

PESO stands for paid, earned, shared, and owned media #contentchat
— Gini Dietrich (@ginidietrich) August 29, 2016

August 15 Content Chat Recap: Content creation tips and resources

August 19, 2016 by Erika Heald Leave a Comment

August 15 #ContentChat Recap: Content creation tips and resources

This week, #ContentChat was joined by chat regular Maureen Jann (@Maureenonpoint) who shared her tips for creative content creation.

Q1: What is your biggest roadblock when it comes to creative content creation?

A1: Getting out of my own head! Often times whats in my head sounded so much better than what ended up in the blog post! #ContentChat
— Brandie McCallum (@lttlewys) August 15, 2016

A1: Definitely finding the time. Ideas are in the millions.. time to implement is like finding matching socks after laundry day #contentchat
— Methodic Content (@MethodicContent) August 15, 2016

A1: I often find myself not creating content because I’m distracted. I always want to be doing a million things instead of one. #contentchat
— Annaliese Henwood (@MktgInnovator) August 15, 2016

A1: Oddly, having too many ideas at once can be a content creating roadblock for me. End up overwhelmed & unfocussed #ContentChat
— Jenni Hill (@CantSwingACat) August 15, 2016

A1. Getting “immersion” time to wallow in the thinking & follow through while thoughts are fresh. #ContentChat https://t.co/3TlIXsoZsz
— Carmen Hill (@carmenhill) August 15, 2016

A1: Buy in, risk aversion, buy in, and resources. Oh, and client buy in. #contentchat
— Kevin Mullett (@kmullett) August 15, 2016

A1: My biggest creative content roadblock is resources. We work on a small team and there’s too many ideas for hours! #ContentChat
— Maureen Jann (@MaureenOnPoint) August 15, 2016