In Ashley Zeckman's presentation from the 2017 Social Brand Forum, you'll find 5 key content ideas to help you overcome some of today's biggest marketing hurdles.
7. @azeckman #SocialBrand17
Consumers are
overloaded with content.
Audiences are
becoming more
sophisticated and
demanding.
Brands can’t
keep up with
demand.
Teams are not
strategic with
content.
Image Source: WordPress.com
8. @azeckman #SocialBrand17
37 SECONDS
is the average amount of
time people spend reading
an article or blog post.
- NewsCred Insights
THE CURRENT STATE
LEAD
GENERATION
is the top content marketing
goal for B2B marketers.
- CMI & MarketingProfs
200 MILLION+
people now use ad
blockers.
- PageFair
10. @azeckman #SocialBrand17
WE’RE DOING IT WRONG
Creating content for
your brand, not your
audience.
Focusing on content
quantity, not impact.
Avoiding testing for
fear of failure.
11. @azeckman #SocialBrand17
I’LL BE YOUR GUIDE
TODAY
5 SWEET IDEAS FOR
OVERCOMING COMMON
CONTENT HURDLES
Image Source: movie-screencaps.com
14. @azeckman #SocialBrand17
SOLUTION: IDENTIFY NEEDS
Ask customers directly.
Conduct surveys
and research.
Research top
questions asked via
search engines.
Use GA to
uncover popular
content.
21. @azeckman #SocialBrand17
SOLUTION: CONTENT EXPERIENCE
Create content
that meets their
needs.
Customers
should be at
the core.
Adjust your
content
experience
strategy
accordingly.
Collect data of
the experience.
31. @azeckman #SocialBrand17
SOLUTION: TEST CONTENT TYPESFocus on types that
encourage engagement.
Optimize for multiple
devices.
Test before you
invest.
Find interesting ways to
TELL STORIES!.
32. @azeckman #SocialBrand17
• Interactive content
• 100% influencer amplification
• 18M Impressions
• 2,227 views between 30
seconds and 2 minutes
(average is 37 seconds)
SOLUTION: TEST CONTENT TYPES
33. @azeckman #SocialBrand17
• Content was created to promote the survey including
media coverage, webinar, contributed articles, blog
posts.
• 30% conversion rate = 2000+ downloads
• Over 1000 new contacts added to nurture
SOLUTION: TEST CONTENT TYPES
36. @azeckman #SocialBrand17
Present the same POV on
multiple channels.
Answer the questions
your audience is
searching for.
Answer these questions in a way
that is optimized for the
customer experience
Integrate with other tactics
such as events, webinars
and SEO.
SOLUTION: BUILD BRAND AUTHORITY
37. @azeckman #SocialBrand17
Content Topic
or Theme
Blog &
Website
Content
Anchor
Assets
PPC
Paid Social
Organic
Social
Best
Answer
Events
Webinars
3rd Party
Editorial
SOLUTION: BUILD BRAND AUTHORITY
44. @azeckman #SocialBrand17
YOUR CHALLENGE
• Do you know what your
audience wants?
• Are you creating a great
experience?
• Is your process efficient?
• What are you testing?
• Are you the best answer for
what your customers are
searching for?
Identify Opportunities
• Research your customers.
• Develop a strategy.
• Execute on the plan.
• Optimize the plan.
Create Your Plan
• Technology
• People
• Publishing Platforms
• Interactive Platforms
• Content Platforms
Forecast Costs
So….I have something special for you. I am not above bribery.
For the two people that have the best tweets I have a very special, gourmet chocolate bar that can be all yours.
So, something you should know about me.
I LOVE movies. Apparently I also like to take weird selfies at the theatre with my boyfriend.
I also happen to LOVE content marketing. I’m a self professed content nerd and proud of it. Movies tend to work their way into my content quite frequently. Today for example.
So what is this golden ticket exactly?
It’s something that everyone is chasing, a surefire way to be more successful.
In the movie, there were people buying thousands of boxes of chocolate in hopes of getting their ticket, whereas Charlie purchased a mere few and struck gold (literally). But what does the golden ticket really symbolize? We’ll come back to that.
In content, everyone is chasing their own golden ticket, but can you count on getting lucky? No, you have to make your own luck. And today we’re going to cover five ways to do just that.
-----
HAVE A MOVIE SLIDE RIGHT AFTER THE OPENING SLIDE.
CONSIDER HAVING THE PHOTO OF OUR TEAM AND OUR SKILLS LATER ON ONCE I’VE GONE THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM – CHARLIE IS POOR, HE WANTS CHOCOLATE, WHILE PEOPLE ARE OUT BUYING THOUSANDS OF
OPEN IT UP WITH A STORY AND DON’T FINISH IT.
WHAT HAPPENED WITH CHARLIE – HE FOUND HIS GOLDEN TICKET BUT IT WAS WHAT HE LEARNED ALONG THE WAY AND THE FACT THAT HE MADE IT THROUGH.
EVERYONE IS CHASING THE GOLDEN TICKET. CAN YOU COUNT ON GETTING LUCKY LIKE CHARLIE OR MILLIONS LIKE THE BRATTY GIRL? NO, YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT. WE HAVE 5 WAYS WE’RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS.
FOCUSING ON THESE FIVE THINGS WILL HELP YOU MAKE YOUR OWN GOLD JUST LIKE THE GOOSE LAYING THOSE GOLDEN EGGS.
So this is something we can all relate to right?
Just kidding. We know that’s not true.
What I really want to know is: [insert question].
You’re tired, you’re overwhelmed you are done.
Well that’s because content marketing is HARD
Why is it so difficult?
Our audience has said TOO MUCH CONTENT. And stepped away.
They’re also becoming much more sophisticated and demanding. Sorry guys, what worked 3 years ago doesn’t work now.
Unfortunately, teams are not being terribly strategic with their content. It’s become more of a reactive or gut driven approach.
And because of that brans simply can’t keep up with what is needed to compete.
WE’RE STILL TRYING TO DO THE SAME THING EXPECTING A DIFFERENT RESULTS.
But we’ve known for years that people are using ad blockers, making it that much more difficult to get in front of audiences.
The amount of time people are spending reading our content has plumeted.
And yet, the top content goal for b2b marketers is still lead gen…
So there is this guy, Joe Pulizzi, not sure if you’ve heard of him.
Ok. We all know Joe. He is the freaking Godfather of Content Marketing.
I read a story from Joe recently about a time when he was leading a content worksop. And even though these people came from a variety of different industries, they all had one thing in common: They were not happy with their marketing.
So in the middle of listening to this group complain, Joe stopped and asked this question…is the content you create and distribute, different than anything else out there?
And that leaves many of us where we are today.
The content we are creating can be found anywhere!
Some of the biggest mistakes?
Instead of focusing on what our audience needs, we’re drafting 3000 words about how great our products are.
Instead of focusing on content quality or impact, we’re trying to pump out as much content as our little fingers can type.
And, instead of testing new content types and topics with our audience, we’re risk-averse. But why?
MAKE THE SAME AS THE COVER.
ADD THE GERMAN KID STUCK IN THE TUBE.
HAVE THE FIVE IDEAS PAINT IN ON THE COVER.
SEPARATE INTO THREE SEPARATE SLIDES
SEPARATE INTO THREE SEPARATE SLIDES
SEPARATE INTO THREE SEPARATE SLIDES
MAKE SURE THAT IT DOESN’T GERP OUT.
OTHER TOOLS:
BLOOMBERRY
STORYBASE
BUZZSUMO
FAILURE TO MEET CUSTOMER CONTENT NEEDS
Ok, enough of that.
What I really want to know is: [insert question].
You’re tired, you’re overwhelmed you are done.
MAKE THE SAME AS THE COVER.
ADD THE GERMAN KID STUCK IN THE TUBE.
HAVE THE FIVE IDEAS PAINT IN ON THE COVER.
MAKE THESE THE SOLUTION – CAN
#2 SOLUTION: FOCUS ON THE CONTENT EXPERIENCE
INCLUDE A PROCESS DIAGRAM.
REMOVE TEXT FROM THE SLIDE.
THE STRATEGY: PUT ON THE SCREEN.
DIAGRAM THAT SHOWS SEQUENCE OF EVENTS AND POP IN ASSETS.
Ok, enough of that.
What I really want to know is: [insert question].
You’re tired, you’re overwhelmed you are done.
MAKE THE SAME AS THE COVER.
ADD THE GERMAN KID STUCK IN THE TUBE.
HAVE THE FIVE IDEAS PAINT IN ON THE COVER.
SOLUTION: GET CREATIVE
SOLUTION: GET CREATIVE & EFFICIENT
SOLUTION: LOOK OUTSIDE THE COOKIE –
SOLUTION: ASK FOR HELP
50% OF THE CONTENT WAS CONTRIBUTED BY THE INFLUENCERS.
THEN WHAT? HOW MANY PAGEVIEWS, IMPRESSIONS AND SOCIAL SHARES.
HAVE ANY OF THEM BECOME OUR CLIENTS OR OUR INFLUENCERS SINCE THEN?
CONTRIBUTIONS CAME FROM A COMBINATION OF TWITTER, LINKEDIN AND FACEBOOK.
NOT TESTING NEW CONTENT TYPES
FEAR OF FAILURE
NOT UNDERSTANDING WHAT CONTENT WORKS
MAKE THE SAME AS THE COVER.
ADD THE GERMAN KID STUCK IN THE TUBE.
HAVE THE FIVE IDEAS PAINT IN ON THE COVER.
SOLUTION: TEST DIFFERENT CONTENT TYPES.
PICK A NEW IMAGE FOR THIS.
IMAGE ON LEFT IS TOO BLURRY.
INTERACTIVE INFOGRAPHIC.
INCLUDE INTERACTIVE INFOGRAPHIC.
CONTENT WAS CREATED TO PROMOTE THE SURVEY, MEDIA COVERAGE, WEBINAR, CONTRIBUTED ARTICLES, BLOG POSTS – ALL OF THOSE THINGS WERE PART OF THE MARKETING THAT DROVE PEOPLE TO DOWNLOAD THE ASSET.
THE CONVERSION RATE IS WHAT LED THEM THERE.
LACK OF BRAND CREDIBILITY
What I really want to know is: [insert question].
You’re tired, you’re overwhelmed you are done.
MAKE THE SAME AS THE COVER.
ADD THE GERMAN KID STUCK IN THE TUBE.
HAVE THE FIVE IDEAS PAINT IN ON THE COVER.
SOLUTION; BUILD BRAND AUTHORITY
PAINT IT IS. START WITH CONTENT TOPIC OR THEME SHOWING
BUILD THESE IN.
ADD INC LOGO
PUT THE SEARCH RESULT IN THE CENTER AND THE OTHER THINGS ARE OBJECTS AROUND IT.
ADD SOCIAL AS WELL.
PICTURE OF WILLY WONKA THINKING – HAVE A THOUGHT BUBBLE COMING OUT
What do you already have that can help you be more
Ok, enough of that.
What I really want to know is: [insert question].
You’re tired, you’re overwhelmed you are done.
Ok, enough of that.
What I really want to know is: [insert question].
You’re tired, you’re overwhelmed you are done.
Ok, enough of that.
What I really want to know is: [insert question].
You’re tired, you’re overwhelmed you are done.
SHARE A STORY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN WILLY WONKA.
THERE’S SOMETHING IN THE MOVIE THAT CAN BE USED –
HAVE TO REPEAT AT THE END THE CENTRAL IDEA. THERE SHOULD BE A REFERENCE WHEN YOU CLOSE IT OUT - WHAT