Content Strategy

October 7, 2019 Content Chat Recap: Getting Started With Your 2020 Content Marketing Planning

October 15, 2019 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

Planning implies “knowing what you’re going to do before the period begins.” If it’s January 2020, you’re not planning. You’re reacting. #ContentChat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) October 7, 2019

2020 is almost here—have you started your content marketing planning? In this #ContentChat, we discuss the ways that marketers can approach content planning and trade tips on optimizing the success of your plan year-round.

Q1: Have you started your 2020 content marketing planning yet? And do you have an official planning process?

Now’s the perfect time to start 2020 planning, unless the holidays are a busy time for your team. We recommend developing an annual plan with quarterly editorial calendars.

A1 How far out does it make sense to plan when it comes to content marketing? Do you tackle it month to month, quarter to quarter, annually or some combination of them? #ContentChat
— Derek Pillie (@derekpillie) October 7, 2019

I do an annual strategy, but do quarterly editorial calendars to support that. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) October 7, 2019

I try to get started with annual planning in September, but often I don’t get started until October. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) October 7, 2019

Business: next week, and frankly I’m about 2 weeks behind on that.
Personal: Nov 1 I’ll start planning for 1/1/2020, and hopefully will start producing a week later. #ContentChat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) October 7, 2019

Skeleton plan for annual strategy, seasonal re-examination and adjustments. #ContentChat
— GreenRope (@GreenRope) October 7, 2019

The community is in various planning stages, most with a general outline of themes, topics, and pillars they plan to support. It is important to have at least something on paper as a base to build from.

A1: I have already started working with some clients on 2020 planning, but I haven’t gotten started on my own. My process involves reviewing last year’s plan, assessing how well we performed against the goals we set, and then creating a new plan, with new goals. #ContentChat https://t.co/xyEn84vJcw
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) October 7, 2019

A1: I have started the process of writing down things that I want to accomplish in 2020. Usually I start with overall themes and they pillars to support #ContentChat
— Bernie Fussenegger #Digital360Chat (@B2the7) October 7, 2019

I try to keep it under 4 pillars and within reason of what I can really support. #ContentChat
— Bernie Fussenegger #Digital360Chat (@B2the7) October 7, 2019

A1: I have the first three months of 2020 Content in the works. It’s more outline of themes and topics. #contentchat
— Jennifer Navarrete (@epodcaster) October 7, 2019

A1 – we typically start with national holidays then work to internal monthly company events we have planned and go from there! We haven’t started yet but plan to in the next couple weeks! #contentchat
— thumbprint (@_thumbprint_) October 7, 2019

A1. I have to develop a plan for my content. The quote from Sir Winston Churchill comes to mind “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”
— Coach Brian leads you to new realms of health. (@_IamCoachBrian) October 7, 2019

A1: I have started an overarching view of content strategy going into 2020. As soon as the strategy is established, I will drill down into what specific topics look like for the months ahead #contentchat – majority of my content is in real-time since it’s based on my life! https://t.co/QbafZaNZj4
— little wandering soul 🏳️‍🌈 (@wanderingbri) October 7, 2019

A1. Not as of yet. But when I do, I use a planning template I put together so everything is a “one page plan” for what I want to accomplish #ContentChat https://t.co/ERpo6jk40I pic.twitter.com/dzvd0ZnjhZ
— Eddie Garrison (@EddieGarrison) October 7, 2019

A1: I’m planning my 2020 content in a way that will let me easily repurpose blog content into print books.#ContentChat https://t.co/OlEwrxdTiQ
— Kathryn Lang (@Kathrynclang) October 7, 2019

Review your previous content marketing plan as a base for your new plan. Assess whether you can simply update the existing plan, or if it needs a more significant change in direction.

A1b: Some years, I only create an updated content marketing plan-on-a-page, and others it’s a whole new plan from scratch. It really depends on if I have incremental goals or something new/additional that needs more discovery. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) October 7, 2019

Modify as follows:
Start with annual #contentmarketing plan. To set your key content pillars & important events/conferences/promotions requiring content. Then modify quarter by quarter. When you do check last quarter results & last year’s results. #contentchat
— HeidiCohen #CMWorld 2019 Speaker (@heidicohen) October 7, 2019

Stay realistic with your goals. While stretch goals can provide some extra pressure to succeed, your team will probably feel defeated if their goals are too aggressive.

I love that you mention “within reason of what I can really support”. I think some orgs really push for stretch goals. And while they are nice, if all your goals are stretch goals you can wind up accomplishing a lot yet feeling as though you failed. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) October 7, 2019

September 30, 2019 Content Chat Recap: Put Your Ideal Customer At The Center Of Your Content Marketing Planning Process

October 15, 2019 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

Whether you’re B2B or B2C, your brand needs a customer-focused approach with your content. In this #ContentChat, we discuss the best strategies for putting your ideal customer at the center of your content marketing planning process, including a discussion of how to get executive buy-in on your approach, ways to actively and passively collect content ideas, and examples of brands that have taken risks that paid off because they know their audience.

Q1: Why should you put your customer—and not your brand—at the center of your #contentmarketing planning process? And how do you get your executive team onboard with that perspective?

Unfortunately, some companies take a brand-first approach with content (or in general), potentially due to internal pressure from execs or teammates that do not understand the value of customer-centric content. Regardless of the reason, we do not recommend this approach.

A1- I’m a newbie to #ContentChat -and excited to learn.
I’m confused about the question.
Are you saying that there are still #brand managers and executives who think that the brand comes first and customers second?
— Virginie Glaenzer (@VirginieG) September 30, 2019

Welcome to #ContentChat! And yes, unfortunately, there are still brands who put out content that may appease an internal request but certainly didn’t engage their community.
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) September 30, 2019

Yep, it’s all about
Customer Needs.
As a for-profit entity, if you’re not solving customer needs you don’t have a reason to exist.
And you won’t for long. #ContentChat
— Tod Cordill (@todcordill) September 30, 2019

A1. Truly successful companies are not ego driven, they strive to fix a problem in the marketplace. Think about what your fans want to see, not what you want to project. If your executive doesn’t get that, you’re going to be fighting an uphill battle. #ContentChat https://t.co/ogFGRzwoNW
— GreenRope (@GreenRope) September 30, 2019

Content should be created with your customer needs in mind. Why? When you provide your customers with content that helps solve their problems and enables them to do their jobs better, you are more likely to earn their trust and loyalty.

A1: You want to make sure your content is speaking to the needs of your customers.
Think about what you can help them with and deliver the content they’re searching for. #ContentChat
— Express Writers | Your Content Writing Team (@ExpWriters) September 30, 2019

A1 I’ve always gone by one criteria for my online success. And that is, “My client’s success is a reflection of my success!”💛#Contentchat
— Debi Norton (@BRAVOMedia1) September 30, 2019

A1: If you were trying to get your brand to engage and convert, then putting that at the center would make sense. #ContentChat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) September 30, 2019

A1: Customers should always be front and center for your brand…if they are front and center you know who they are, you know what they want and you know the message that will help convert them. #ContentChat
— Bernie Fussenegger #Digital360Chat (@B2the7) September 30, 2019

A1.
“Put yourself in customers shoes”
To measure success and achieve goals as good firm.#ContentChat
— ⚡ Vraj Shah 📸 (@vrajshahspeaks) September 30, 2019

A1.
At the end of the day your customer is at the core of everything you do.
The livelihood of your business is in their hands so you have to ensure that your content is of value and of relevance to them! #ContentChat
— Bentley University (@bentleyu) September 30, 2019

If your content is not created with your customer needs in mind, then it’s not content marketing.

A1a: This gets to the heart of the difference between creating content and being engaged in content marketing. If it’s not created with your customer needs in mind, it’s not content marketing. #ContentChat https://t.co/eG4v0o1Mt2
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) September 30, 2019

A1: Putting the brand first is advertising.
Putting the customer first is marketing. #ContentChat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) September 30, 2019

There are places for brand-centric content, including your company’s “About” page, press releases, case studies, and more. Even then, you’ll want to position your work as “here are the challenges we help you solve,” instead of “here are our great results and shiny new features, buy our product.”

A1b: There is a place for brand-centric content in your marketing mix, including your website’s About section and press releases. But you don’t start a relationship with a customer by bragging about how awesome you are. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) September 30, 2019

A1c: You have to demonstrate that you understand your customers’ challenges and are here to help solve them. Only then will the prospective customer be ready for and interested in your brand and product-centric content. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) September 30, 2019

Totally agree. Case studies are another place where brand-centric content is appropriate and useful. But even with that, is there a way to make THOSE even more customer-centric rather than just saying what YOU did for this ONE company? #contentchat
— MaDonna Flowers Sheehy (@madonnasheehy) September 30, 2019

Yes! I think that @SlackHQ does a good job with that in their case studies (disclosure: they’re a client and I wrote some of those case studies). After reading them, you are excited about thinking about another way to improve collaboration & process in your own org. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) September 30, 2019

I’m not sure good case studies are brand centric.
They should position the customer as having a problem and also being the hero that solves the problem.
The brand, while important, should be supporting cast. #ContentChat
— Tod Cordill (@todcordill) September 30, 2019

June 3, 2019 Content Chat Recap: How To Use Proprietary Research To Fuel Your Content Marketing Strategy

June 10, 2019 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

Data is a goldmine of potential storylines and statistics to reinforce your company’s message and reach your audiences, especially when the data you use is something that your competitors do not own.

Every company has proprietary data at their disposal and the ability to commission propriety research, but it’s up to savvy marketers to know what data is important, how to access it, and what to do with it.

In this #ContentChat, our friend and active community member Amy Higgins (@AmyWHiggins), a content strategist and brand communications specialist, stepped in the hot seat to share best practices for making the most out of your proprietary research.

Quick poll for #contentchat: Do you do proprietary research at your company?
— Amy Higgins (@amywhiggins) June 3, 2019

Q1: What is proprietary research and why should you conduct your own proprietary internal research?

Proprietary research is research that your company owns, and it can range from internal data, surveys, studies and more. The benefit of proprietary research is that your organization controls what data is collected and how it is used.

A1: Proprietary research is research that your company collects and owns. This can range from surveys to internal data. Tons of stories to tell for your content team! #ContentChat https://t.co/A5fD4lX5qp
— Amy Higgins (@amywhiggins) June 3, 2019

A1: And to build on @amywhiggins‘ reply, it can also be created from insights you glean from proprietary user data you have access to. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) June 3, 2019

A1: You should conduct proprietary research when (but not limited to this list):
1) There is no good source of information for the questions you are asking
2) When you need information about very specific audiences #contentchat
— Derek Pillie (@derekpillie) June 3, 2019

A1.
Internal data, findings, studies
information that is owned by your organization in order to control it’s access, distribution, visibility, etc. #ContentChat
— Bentley University (@bentleyu) June 3, 2019

A1: I would define it as research that is done for my or a clients company in which the data or finding are not public and pertain to that clients etc #ContentChat
— Bernie Fussenegger #Digital360Chat (@B2the7) June 3, 2019

I would go deeper. Your team can make it public by using the data to tell the stories of your audience through your content efforts. #ContentTech
— Amy Higgins (@amywhiggins) June 3, 2019

Your proprietary research can be used to develop thought leadership through a variety of communications or marketing activities, including reports, infographics, blogs, videos or on social media.

A1. Research rocks. Proprietary research is super high-value as it helps answer ‘why’ questions and back up claims. It can be repurposed in so many ways (reports, infographics, blog posts, videos, social posts etc.). It also establishes you as a leader in your space. #contentchat pic.twitter.com/DkcT3gBvKa
— PathFactory (@pathfactory) June 3, 2019

Agree. Leadership is key here. When you use external data, it’s not as powerful. #ContentChat
— Amy Higgins (@amywhiggins) June 3, 2019

A1: This is serendipitous because this is literally what my talk is about at SMX on Wednesday. Using your own research signals you as an authority. Building authority builds trust, which builds influence. #ContentChat https://t.co/UQizRjfUsA
— Amanda Milligan (@millanda) June 3, 2019

The data you own also may allow you to create a unique perspective in the marketplace. You may already have the data, you just need to figure out what stories it can tell. #contentchat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) June 3, 2019

This internal data can be meshed with other public data to make your story more relevant and credible.

Sometimes combining your internal data with publicly available data can create a powerful market story. #contentchat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) June 3, 2019

Aggregate customer data can give you a great, publishable market metric. #contentchat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) June 3, 2019

Totally. I love when I can publish a quarterly report tracking a client’s own data trends over time. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) June 3, 2019

Even more broadly than that, I’ve used the aggregate data trends across clients to create market metrics that we’d publish as the Our Company X Index. #contentchat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) June 3, 2019

I love looking at non-customer data through surveys and crossing it with data you have from your customers (external with internal) #ContentChat
— Amy Higgins (@amywhiggins) June 3, 2019

4 Steps To Start A Smart Guest Blogger Program

May 22, 2019 by Erika Heald Leave a Comment

Blogs are increasingly important to companies for lead generation and nurturing. HubSpot even found that 55% of marketers say blog content creation is their top inbound marketing priority.

With growing content needs, marketers may be inclined to invite guest bloggers to contribute content, thinking it will save time and fill a content gap. Although guest bloggers are a great option that can yield tremendous value for your brand, they are not right for every blog, and they can be more resource-intensive than you think.

If you’ve been considering a guest blogger program, use these four steps as the foundation to assess if your blog is ready for guests, and how to get your guest blogger program off to a good start:

October 29, 2018 Content Chat Recap—Community Conversation: Keyword Research for Content Marketing Planning and Editorial Calendaring

November 5, 2018 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

Like the old saying goes, if a tree falls in the woods but nobody is around to hear it, does it make a sound? The same goes for your content. You can spend hours crafting content and publishing it, but if nobody is around to read it or find it, it is almost as though it never existed.

In this #ContentChat Community Conversation recap, we dive into ways to drive traffic to your posts through keyword research and keyword prioritization.

Q1: Ah, keywords. What’s the first step a content marketer should take when it comes to identifying their primary keywords?

All steps should bubble up to audience personas so that you understand who you are targeting and what they need, but there are a multitude of ways to get there.

A1: You need to start with personas for audience research so you can understand your audience needs, challenges, and how they measure success. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Content Strategy (@SFerika) October 29, 2018

A1: PERSONAS! Know who your customer is so that you can better understand how they search and what they are searching for. #contentchat
— Maureen Jann (@SuperDeluxeMo) October 29, 2018

A safe start is learning the language of your audience and crafting content that meets their needs. It’s important to put your corporate messaging or agenda aside to create what your audience actually wants to see (and how they want to see it).

A1: Keywords really depend on your audience. Who are you talking to & what are THEY talking about. When you get at least a high level understanding of this you can start building out your content keyword strategy. There are online tools that are helpful for this too. #contentchat https://t.co/rJk0pAkvlf
— Power Digital (@PwrDigMarketing) October 29, 2018

This is really important. The way YOU want to talk about your brand and product category isn’t necessarily how your customers talk about it. And unless you have lots of $$$ you aren’t going to change their way. #ContentChat https://t.co/XBKlWbrm2r
— Erika Heald | Content Strategy (@SFerika) October 29, 2018

Research research research! People will likely cite a lot of nuance, so I will go for User Intent. What are people searching for when they search a keyword? Blog posts? A way to buy? A video? A download? Finding the words that match what you’re providing is key. #ContentChat
— Rebekah Meyer (@RebekahLMeyer) October 29, 2018

I think every engagement we’ve had with a client has involved turning the spotlight away from what the client wants to show, and toward what the potential customer wants to see. Content, branding, digital, PR, events. Across the board. Keep the focus on their needs. #ContentChat
— Rebekah Meyer (@RebekahLMeyer) October 29, 2018

This is so important for others to realize. We are not our customer and the way we talk is different than the customer. Can’t tell you how many times I have heard “this is the way that I want to see it!” Totally misses the mark for the customer #ContentChat
— Bernie Fussenegger 🐝✌️the7️⃣ (@B2the7) October 29, 2018

Right?? The worst cases of this involve customer stories. “Rewrite this to use more of our messaging” = missing the point entirely. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Content Strategy (@SFerika) October 29, 2018

You can also research what your competition is doing (and saying) to not only ensure you’re on the same playing field but to also identify markets that are untapped by current keywords.

A1b: Then once I understand where we can help, I start identifying what keywords my competition is gong after, how difficult they are to win, and where the gaps are that I can swoop in on. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Content Strategy (@SFerika) October 29, 2018

If you already have a piece ready to go, conduct a keyword search on your existing content to gauge if you’re on the right path.

A1. For us, it starts with the content. I’ll have a piece ready to go and will title/tag based on what’s actually in the post (ahem). Then, we may run some keyword searches to see if we’re in the right ballpark. #contentchat https://t.co/uuZCp2PBer
— allison ryder (@allisonryder) October 29, 2018

Often times, your search engine can point you to the right keywords, too.

A1: Stating the less obvious and often overlooked, verify what Google returns, format (local pack/knowledge or info box) for the keyword you THINK you want, AND THEN verify if Google thinks it’s informational, transactional, or navigational. #contentchat pic.twitter.com/DFYZghUB1M
— Kevin Mullett (@kmullett) October 29, 2018

A1: Keyword research first steps –
Think of the most relevant keywords and enter them into Google’s search bar. Note the search suggestions that show up as you type in. These will give you a good idea of what people search and consume. #contentchat
— Masooma // Content Writer (@inkandcopy) October 29, 2018

But you can’t rely on the same tactics year over year. Keep up with the latest trends with search engines—like voice search—so you don’t fall behind with the technology.

A1 #contentchat understand how search engines work. especially now as Voice search is growing they should embrace all the different ways people search for answers and how it impacts the technology to b implemented.
— Bruce Deschamps (@brucedesch) October 29, 2018

Yes! What I love about the rise of voice search is it is going to compel even the most stuffy of brands to start creting content in a less formal voice…because people aren’t using formal language when they ask their AIs for help. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Content Strategy (@SFerika) October 29, 2018

This is so huge! And it’s not just formal language- most of us grew up having to search in these weird mishmash phrases – Girls bike blue age 10 – instead of “my 10 year old daughter wants a blue bike.” With voice search, engines have had to catch up- REALLY quick! #ContentChat
— Rebekah Meyer (@RebekahLMeyer) October 29, 2018

Don’t ignore the value in your existing content and audience data to help show what is currently working.

A1 We usually recommend looking at what is bringing people in or what people are already searching for … using their language can really help! #contentchat
— SqueezeCMM (@SqueezeCMM) October 29, 2018

Yes- people miss this, but it tells you what Google already values your website for. Creating content on closely related topics gives you a WAY better chance of ranking, which is a great way to get buy-in and keep everyone motivated! #ContentChat
— Rebekah Meyer (@RebekahLMeyer) October 29, 2018

Good point. Your internal metrics can give you a great idea of what content is performing. And your search logs that show terms searched for and not foud are great ways to learn what content your customers need. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Content Strategy (@SFerika) October 29, 2018

By trying out the above options, you may realize you’re not the best voice for all conversations, and that’s OK. Your audience would rather you create content where you’re a relevant voice, versus you trying to be an expert in everything.

A1: Knowing your audience, what they’re interested in, and how they approach your blog helps. You also need to know yourself well & what sort of topics your brand can/should cover. Can’t be an expert on everything! This is a good beginning point to find KW gaps #contentchat
— Brafton (@Brafton) October 29, 2018

October 1, 2018 Content Chat Recap: What You Need For a Content Marketing Plan-On-A-Page

October 4, 2018 by Alek Irvin Leave a Comment

Annual content planning can feel a little overwhelming. Even if you’ve aligned your content marketing goals with your business goals, it can be difficult to know how to turn those goals into a content plan. That’s why for this week’s #ContentChat we discussed everything you need to get a content marketing plan-on-a-page.

I’ve personally found that starting from a 1-page plan makes it a lot easier to ensure your final content marketing plan ladders up to your primary business goals, instead of becoming a kitchen sink collection of activities. #contentchat
— Erika Heald | Consultant | Content Strategist (@SFerika) October 1, 2018

Q1: Two weeks ago we took a deep dive into how to align our content marketing goals with our business goals. With that conversation in mind, what are your top 2-3 #contentmarketing objectives?

Objectives will naturally range from individual to individual, covering everything from sales and marketing alignment, continuing momentum of existing campaigns, and increasing visibility.

A1. I think my major goal (which is also my biggest challenge) is to develop a content strategy that will get marketing and sales on the same page. Yeah, I know it’s not a SMART goal, but it’s the starting line for me. #contentchat https://t.co/bxiUOhbaV9
— David Simanoff (@dsimanoff) October 1, 2018

A1: Top #contentmarketing objectives
1. Not lose steam mid-campaign
2. Move folks from inital push to ongoing engagement
3. Develop potential partnerships early before next campaign push (build my well before I need it) #contentchat https://t.co/ms6Um7tXFp
— Jennifer Navarrete (@epodcaster) October 1, 2018

My goals: Become known as a leading SME on content marketing for startups. Lead generation. Business growth. #ContentChat https://t.co/TIxl4WWhBZ
— Erika Heald | Consultant | Content Strategist (@SFerika) October 1, 2018

A1: One is to have content that is relevant toward the audience and to have a goal for the content – sales, transactions and engagement. #ContentChat
— Bernie Fussenegger 🐝✌️the7️⃣ (@B2the7) October 1, 2018

A1: #1 is always drive more bookings/sales. Good SEO is always important as well. As a startup that is largely unknown, we also want content to educate customers of our mission and establish a ln approachable voice with our content marketing. #ContentChat
— Divya Mulanjur (@Di_Mulan) October 1, 2018

A1:
In short
1) Personalization
2) Optimization
3) Integration#ContentChat
— LaDonna LaGuerre 🇯🇲 🏳️‍🌈 (@ladonnajonze) October 1, 2018