Erika Heald Marketing Consulting

Content marketing that drives business results

October 15, 2018 Content Chat Recap: Seattle Startup Week 2018 Marketing Track Insights

by Leave a Comment

#ContentChat Startup Week Tips for Marketers
Seattle has seen near-record levels of VC dollar flow this year, and this bustling startup ecosystem shows no signs of slowing down. There are lessons to be learned from these successes, and in this #ContentChat we focus on the marketing track takeaways from Seattle Startup Week (@SEAstartupweek, #SSW2018), which our very own Maureen Jann (@SuperDeluxeMo) developed!

Q1: @notnathan talked about how marketing agencies and startups can work together to build great relationships at #ssw2018. What is a tried and true rule you’ve used to help keep the magic alive?

Nathan distilled his talk into three Tweets, noting there needs to be full buy-in and alignment on vision by both parties. Marketing agencies can lend the storytelling skills critical to connecting with larger audiences, but the results may not be immediate.

The community mirrored his thoughts, with two key additions. First, the company must have the necessary resources and infrastructure to leverage the agency to its fullest potential, and second, the agency needs to challenge the client by bringing new ideas to the table and keeping ideas fresh.

Q2: @berrakbiz explored how startups could leverage 2018’s top marketing campaigns as examples for their own marketing at #ssw2018. Have you seen any amazing marketing campaigns that have inspired you?

A number of campaigns inspired the community, ranging from Deadpool 2’s use of LinkedIn to Refinery29’s 29Rooms pop-up experiences.

Q3: @ehelm used her own experience to give startups an idea of how to best approach social media strategy at #ssw2018. She boiled it down to three points. What are your three suggestions?

A strong social media strategy starts with knowing your audience and what channels they use, and constantly adapting based on the success of your posts.

Q4: @jorisaeger dug into the 10 things startups should do with #ABM at #ssw2018. Is ABM part of the strategies you work on? If so, how does it work for you?

Although ABM techniques can be more resource intensive than some startups can commit to, the general principle is one that can resonate well with most organizations: focus on your priority audiences, and think twice before casting too wide of a net.

Q5: @robchristianson used music puns to illustrate how visuals punctuate marketing at #ssw2018. What are some of the more effective visual tactics you’ve seen become successful?

The community agrees that visuals (memes, GIFs, IG stories, blockquotes, etc.) can be a great way to grab attention, but you must stay on brand, remain unique through custom content where possible, and use the network(s) appropriately. Basically, the same principles of using animated GIFs, which we discussed in September.

If you intend to use visuals often, ensure you use consistent colors and tone to strengthen your branding.

Q6: @mamatweeta explored brands and brand archetypes to help startups find their way at #ssw2018. If you could sum up your brand in a single character, celebrity or concept, what would it be and why?

While it may cause an initial head tilt, this exercise is a great way to easily visualize the tone of your brand (and it’ll likely be our icebreaker for the next ContentChat/CMworld IRL meetup).

Q7: @mattmasonppc Dug a little deeper to show startups how to do better with Facebook Ads at #ssw2018. What paid strategies have you found to be most successful for your content efforts?

There are a handful of strategies to try, and the key is testing (and retesting) a few to find the one that works best for your audience or specific campaign need.

Q8: @jesseCFowl talked about the importance of using failing as a success tactic at #ssw2018. When have you seen failure benefit a business?

“Failure” in this case should be seen simply as information gathering to help you better reach your goal next time. A/B testing can help minimize your risk of failing, but something can be learned from every effort you make.

Q9: @randfish provocatively told the audience why startups suck at marketing at #ssw2018. What do you think makes startups suck at marketing?

Successful marketing takes time and research. Sprinting immediately from the starting line to copy (or mudsling) the competition will likely cause you to stumble, or exhaust resources sooner than you can sustain.

About Alek Irvin

Alek Irvin is a content marketing professional with a rich history in social media management, executive thought leadership development, and media relations. As a consultant at Erika Heald Marketing Consulting, he creates human-focused content and thought leadership platforms that help brand leaders connect and engage with their communities. Alek has worked with a range of startups and Fortune 500 companies across the B2B technology and consumer spaces, including IBM, Dell Technologies, Hitch Works, Emtrain, Integrate, and Frameable. Connect with him on Twitter @AlekIrvin.

Explore the Blog

#ContentChat ABM B2B blogging branding buyer personas career development CMworld conferences content audit content creation content distribution content marketing content marketing planning content marketing process content planning content strategy customer experience editorial calendars editorial management editorial style guide employee brand advocacy events influencer collaborations LinkedIn marketing conferences new hire onboarding personal branding podcasting professional development professional development for content marketers research SEO SMB social media social media engagement social media planning solopreneurs Spin Sucks startups thought leadership twitter UGC virtual events writing process

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

All content © copyright 2000-2023 Erika Heald. All rights reserved.
Read our Privacy Policy.