TABLE OF CONTENTS

03 INTRODUCTION 78 DESIGN 04 What is Content Marketing, and Why Do I Need It? 79 Content Design 09 Educate First, Sell Second 84 PUBLISH AND PROMOTE 11 PLAN 85 Content Repositories 12 Mapping to Buyer Personas and Journeys 89 Content Alerts and Strategy Docs 15 Developing Personas 91 Promotion 27 Developing Your Brand Voice 96 MEASURE 31 Brainstorm 97 The Content ROI Mystery 35 Types of Content 99 Metrics for Different Kinds of Content 45 Content Mix 108 CONCLUSION 48 The Content Food Groups 51 Editorial Calendars 57 CREATE 58 Hiring/Team Positions 63 Outlines 65 Editing Your Content 72 The Three R’s of Content Marketing INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION WHAT IS CONTENT MARKETING, AND WHY DO I NEED IT? INTRODUCTION WHAT IS CONTENT MARKETING, AND WHY DO I NEED IT? Content marketing is the process of creating valuable, relevant content to attract, acquire, and engage your audience. In Content Rules, Ann Handley and C.C. Chapman define content as “anything your organization creates and shares to tell its story.” Content takes many forms, but it only qualifies as content marketing if, according to the Content Marketing Institute, it aims to drive profitable customer action.

Today, your buyers and customers So how does content marketing live in an age of information help? Done right, content abundance. They’re more marketing elevates your brand inundated by marketing messages above those thousands of than ever – more than 2,900 per marketing messages, and day, by current estimations. As a becomes the fuel for engagement result, marketers are challenged by with your customers. It’s the offer attention scarcity – the concept in your email campaigns, the link that the more messages your you share on social, the collateral audience is forced to filter out, the you hand out at events, the case harder they become to reach. study you showcase on your website and the silver bullet your sales team uses to close a deal. INTRODUCTION WHAT IS CONTENT MARKETING, AND WHY DO I NEED IT?

In our view, engaging content marketing fits these seven qualifications:

1. It engages individuals on their 4. It’s the right fit for your channel – own terms, using buyer personas whether it’s being used on (see “Developing Personas” on your website, in email, on p.16) social, or elsewhere

2. It’s based on interactions 5. It has a clear purpose, and a buyers have with your brand, clear call-to-action for your and mapped directly to their audience to follow buying stages (see “Buying Stages” on p.22) 6. It has pre-defined metrics, and is designed to be measurable 3. It tells a continuous story, with a unified narrative that evolves 7. It is created in the most efficient, throughout a customer’s journey effective way possible – without sacrificing quality

“We’re entering a new phase of content marketing right now. The new discipline is emerging from the early experiments and pilot investments. And it’s way more strategic and central than anybody thought.” Doug Kessler, Creative Director & Co-Founder, Velocity Partners

6 INTRODUCTION WHAT IS CONTENT MARKETING, AND WHY DO I NEED IT?

The Benefits of Content Marketing Traditionally, marketers have had to 1. You build awareness 2. You create preference 3. You reach more buyers and rent (or beg) attention from other for your brand. for your brand. customers, at lower costs people’s media – through display Your audience can’t buy from Once you’ve established According to Forrester ads on websites, booths at a you if they can’t find you – awareness, you need to research, today’s customers tradeshows, or emails sent to and up to 93% of buying establish preference. distrust and resent marketing third-party lists. In short, cycles start with a search Engaging content marketing that interrupts or intercepts companies have essentially online. Traditional advertising creates preference through them. Engaging content “rented” attention that someone and outbound marketing can thought leadership – it makes marketing is part of a natural else built. For example, when a be an effective way of you a trusted source of conversation with current brand pays out millions of dollars building awareness, but information and education. and potential customers, is for a Super Bowl ad., they are content marketing allows You can also create relevant to their interests and “renting” attention that the TV you to build organic preference through behaviors, and builds a networks have built. awareness. When your relationships, which are continuous story over time. valuable content ranks highly strengthened whenever your Unlike traditional marketing, Content marketing, on the other on search engines, or is content entertains or helps content pays dividends for a hand, allows marketers to become shared widely on social your buyers. All other things very long time, and this publishers – build their own networks, that’s “free” brand being equal, people are more effect multiplies as you audiences, and attract their own awareness. And because likely to buy from companies create more and more attention. While rented attention your content will only rank with whom they have content. Note that this can be effective, when you own highly or be shared when it’s relationships. Of course, this means that content your own attention by creating relevant, your audience will requires you to create marketing is not a short-term content, you benefit in three be less inclined to tune it out. content that people like – or strategy – results will be major ways: even love. small at first, but will grow over time.

7 WHY CONTENT MARKETING? CONSIDER THESE STATS: 71% 85% 62% 85%

OF CONSUMERS TRUST SOLUTIONS THAT

provide useful take the time to walk provide information and use ads and sponsored information – without them through various tools for using products content to share trying to sell paths toward decisions they’ve bought. information or help them something. – rather than just address a need. providing an answer outright.

When you freely provide that This type of content shows Don’t stop supporting Nothing builds trusts and information through your consumers that you consumers once they’ve engagement like content that content, you communicate acknowledge and respect made a purchase – by creating solves problems – both large that consumers aren’t just their evaluation and content that guides them and small. your customers – they’re consideration processes. through the entire customer your partners. lifecycle, you’ll activate repeat purchases and foster lifetime advocacy. INTRODUCTION EDUCATE FIRST, SELL SECOND INTRODUCTION EDUCATE FIRST, SELL SECOND Create content that is meant to help your customers, not sell to them. When you freely give your audience something so valuable that they’d be willing to pay for it, you build trust – which, ultimately, is your most powerful selling tool.

For example, at Marketo we try to content marketing is the “411 rule.” So even if you’re understandably create assets that educate our Put simply, we try to create four eager to sell products, keep your audience about marketing educational, entertaining assets for content informative, valuable, and automation as a platform, and how every one “soft promotion” (such relevant. Your audience’s trust – an it can help marketers be more as a 3rd party report) and one “hard essential element if you plan to sell effective at their jobs. We aren’t just promotion” (such as a product anything – hangs in the balance. pushing sales messages to our demo). We’ve also found that this buyers – we’re also teaching approach works well in email In the next five sections, we will people marketing best practices, marketing, on our blog, and in take you through the different and clarifying the benefits of social marketing. stages of content creation – Plan, investing in marketing automation. Create, Design, Publish, Measure. Even when we’re talking about our But this approach isn’t just about These five stages are foundational core competency – marketing numbers – at its heart, it’s about to any successful content automation – we focus on educating first, selling second. We marketing program. They will educating our audience with believe that if you focus your help you elevate your Content thought leadership, rather than marketing on building relationships Marketing from strategy to pushing our solution. with your audience and making tactical execution and everything their lives easier, the rest will follow. in between. To make sure we’re helping, not Content marketing is one of the selling (in the words of content most powerful tools to develop marketing guru Jay Baer), one of and empower your base. the core tenants of Marketo’s

10 PLAN

Creating content is an investment – don’t leave its effectiveness to chance. Before you flip the “on” switch, make sure you’ve got a clear blueprint in place. In this section, you’ll map out your buyer personas and buying stages, consider the types of content you need, define your brand voice, and brainstorm some rock-solid ideas. PLAN MAPPING TO BUYER PERSONAS AND JOURNEYS PLAN MAPPING TO BUYER PERSONAS AND JOURNEYS

What kind of content do you need? Your buyer personas will help you define your audience – their challenges, questions, needs, and the kind of content they like to consume – while their buying stages tell you what each piece of content should accomplish.

As you brainstorm new content, start by identifying the content you already have for each persona, and then think about how to prioritize filling the gaps. You should also meet with your demand generation team – what’s working best for generating interest from each persona?

Next, think about your audience’s buying stages. Maybe you have an awesome piece of content for engaging early-stage buyers, but do you have a piece that moves them further along? Ideally, you’ll have content that maps to each persona at each stage of the customer lifecycle.

13 PLAN MAPPING TO BUYER PERSONAS AND JOURNEYS

Buyer Personas Buyer personas are, essentially, Why Create Buyer Personas? fictional representations of your • They determine which kind of content you need – if you break buyers. In the process of your existing content down by persona, you can easily see which researching and creating these personas have plenty of content, and which personas need more. personas, you’ll learn who your • They set the tone, style, and delivery strategies for your buyers are – and define how best content – some buyers respond best to a light, conversational to market to them. voice, while others trust a more formal tone. In creating your personas, you’ll find out the best tone and style for your content. Your buyer personas will • They help you target the topics you should be writing about uncover your audience’s top – why speculate about the topics your buyers care about, when concerns, consumption you could just ask? You’ll generate a list of relevant topics for each preferences, and goals – all of persona. which will help you create content that engages your buyers. • They tell you where buyers get their information and how they want to consume it – does your audience like to sink their teeth into 100-page guides, or do they prefer short, snappy graphics? Do they spend their time reading third party reports, or do they comb through Twitter? This information will inform the way you create and distribute your content.

14 PLAN DEVELOPING PERSONAS PLAN DEVELOPING PERSONAS

Developing Personas Developing buyer personas requires some initial investment, but it pays off throughout the customer lifecycle – not only for content creation, but across all of your marketing efforts. The better you understand and humanize your customers, they more relevant your marketing will be.

If your business serves several different types of customers, you’ll want to develop multiple buyer personas. Somewhere between four and six personas is ideal – although you might create fewer for a simpler audience.

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Conducting Interviews and Research To discover and create your • Background: Basic details • Challenges/pain points: Your • Quotes: Bring your personas personas, conduct interviews with about your ideal customer and persona’s challenges, and the to life with actual quotes current customers, potential his or her company emotions which accompany gathered during interviews buyers, and members of your sales those challenges and customer service teams. You • Job details: Key job • Objections: The objections can also send out surveys and do responsibilities, likes and • Preferred content medium: you anticipate from your own research. Focus on dislikes about job What type of content, and in your persona during the addressing the following topics as what voice/tone, does your sales process • Main sources of information: persona respond to? you create each persona: Where your persona does his • Role in purchase process: or her research • Source: Where does you Persona’s influence in the buyer seek out information? decision making process • Goals: Persona’s primary and secondary goals • Marketing message: The messaging that speaks directly to this persona

“Our mission requires that we consistently sharing relevant content, recipes and insights that eliminate the frictions of forming healthy habits. But it can be infinitely challenging when you have tens of millions of users.” Tara-Nicholle Nelson, Vice President of Marketing, MyFitnessPal

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Telling Your Persona’s Story Once you’ve gathered all of the Next, take the information you’ve information, it’s time to turn that gathered, and weave it into a data into a story. Buying personas narrative. This should be a story may be fictional, but the more you can tell your entire company “real” you can make them to your about the people who you market team, the more effective they will to, so make it memorable, make it be. It may seem silly (or like a human, and include plenty of creative writing assignment), but detail. Be sure to include the: remember that your audience isn’t comprised of data sets – it’s • Persona’s responsibilities comprised of real people. • Persona’s typical day/week/quarter We recommend adding a first name and photo to each persona • Persona’s characteristics – it will help them come alive for your marketing team. • Persona’s biggest challenges

18 PLAN DEVELOPING PERSONAS

Let’s say your company sells software that helps businesses manage their social marketing. Here’s an example of a buyer persona you might create, in narrative form: Emily Job Title: Social Marketing Manager

Emily is responsible for with her internal design team, and “checked out” followers, so she’s reviews metrics with an external always aiming to start 1. creating and managing social analytics vendor. On a conversations among her her company’s social quarterly and annual basis, she audience, rather than just media profile, works closely with her marketing promoting her company. But 2. working collaboratively with team to brainstorm and develop figuring out what kind of content her events, content, PR, and new social campaigns, including her audience likes to engage with demand generation teams promotions and contents. During on social is difficult. She also to promote events, large events, she live-tweets key struggles to demonstrate the ROI promotions, new content, sessions and speakers. Emily is of her social campaigns. and company thought organized, creative, and detail- leadership, and oriented; she’s a risk taker who pays attention to trends. 3. maintain her brand’s consistent voice and tone. Emily’s biggest challenge is in finding the right combination of In a typical week, Emily reviews social marketing activities to her social media calendar to continually engage her audience ensure that her company’s – and to build that audience. She Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and believes that 1,000 engaged Google+ updates are accurate, followers are better than 100,000 well written, and scheduled to post at the correct times. She communicates and set priorities 19 PLAN DEVELOPING PERSONAS

And then, for a different example, let’s look at a buyer persona that a fitness app might create to help inform and manage their marketing:

Susan 40 year old, Single Mother, Income $80,000/year

Susan is responsible for and is willing to try fitness trends. Susan’s biggest challenge She is health conscious and tries is finding the right balance of 1. Taking care of her 2 boys, to cook organic, nutritionally healthy eating and a manageable 2. Managing a demanding, balanced meals. She primarily fitness routine. She is looking high-stress corporate shops at Whole Foods and Trader for motivation, maintainability finance job, and Joes, and subscribes to multiple and convenience. fitness magazine publications. 3. Trying to stay active and maintain her fitness level.

In a typical week, Susan works from 9 -5 in the office, eats lunch at her desk, and then goes to pick up her boys from after school day care. She often logs back on and does more work after her boys go to bed. To work on her fitness, she always takes the stairs and tries to do an at-home fitness video two days a week. Susan is organized, busy, and tired but likes to work out; she cooks her own meals,

20 PLAN DEVELOPING PERSONAS

Buying Stages What steps do your buyers take An example of typical buyer’s on the path to purchase – and journey, where there is a long beyond? A buying journey maps consideration cycle, is divided into a buyer’s decision-making process three parts: during a purchase, and will help you determine what content • Early Stage: Buyers in this • Mid-Stage: In this stage, your • Late Stage: Late-stage buyers you need. stage could potentially buyers are aware of your are close to making a become customers, but brand, and are more actively purchase. Late-stage content Different kinds of content appeals probably aren’t in the market researching your products. should speak directly to your to different buyers in different for your product – yet. These You can start to present more offering and highlight product stages of their journey and by buyers are looking for product-specific content, differentiators – think demos, mapping your buying stages, you’ll educational, entertaining aimed at keeping your feature comparisons, and better understand the process content, and your job is to potential customers engaged third-party reports. buyers go through when present that content while as they research. considering your product or building awareness and trust. service. As a result, you’ll be able to develop a content strategy that speaks directly to buyers – regardless of their stage. “At Kapost, all our content is targeted to a buyer persona and sales stage. This isn’t just a thought experiment; we actually tag it within our software. This ensures that we not only have a specific buyer, at a specific stage of the pipeline, in mind. It also catalogs the content and allows us to see where gaps are narrowing and widening in content library.” Jesse Noyes, Sr. Director of Content Marketing, Kapost

21 PLAN DEVELOPING PERSONAS

Another example of a buyer’s journey includes different set of stages:

• Awareness: Buyers in this • Purchase: This stage of the • Advocate: Customers in an stage are potential customers, buyer’s journey is about advocate stage are well versed but need to know more about building trust by delivering a with your offerings and your product or service before good customer experience messages. The focus for they make a decision. They are and then continuing your customers at this stage is to looking to you to help educate awareness building activities to leverage their advocacy to and entertain them in order to promote additional products further promote your brand build trust. or services. and products. Find creative ways to engage your advocates like insider programs or through gamification and use their “To make sure we’re creating content for every stage of our enthusiasm to drive new interested customers and sales funnel, constant communication between sales, build awareness. customer success, and marketing teams is essential. A representative from each team gets together when we finalize our content calendar for the following month, and this helps ensure that we have great content at every phase of the buyer journey.” Hana Abaza, Director of Marketing, Uberflip

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“We review different “We recognize that content formats across the engagement with our different steps of the sales students and prospective funnel, using our own students is absolutely content matrix tool. So we essential to getting them to have blog posts and choose Irvine Extension. infographics at the top of That means content has to the funnel, then free be both relevant and timely. planning templates to We never want a student encourage leads and to ask, ‘Why are they explainer (animated contacting me?’ We videos) embedded into create communications benefits pages at the that are responsive to bottom of the funnel.” student interest.” Dave Chaffey, Scott Rutherford, CEO, SmartInsights.com Director of Marketing and Communications, UC Irvine Extension

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To map your own persona buying Buying Phase journeys, create a spreadsheet with a Actions & Buyer Action Buyer Doing Questions Buyer Asks separate tab for each buying phase, Questions (Y/N)? and fill in the following items:

Event #1

Event Occurs Event #2

Event #3

Problem #1 Key Buyer Actions Problem Surfaces Problem #2

Problem #3

Consequences of Problem Identified

Consider Alternatives for Solving the Problem

Phase Exit Criteria

24 PLAN DEVELOPING PERSONAS

But the buyer’s journey doesn’t end • New Customer: Activate your • Ongoing Customer: • Loyal Customer – These are with a purchase. To fully leverage a newest customers with As your customers become your advocates, they are buyer’s lifetime value, you’ll need content that guides them comfortable with your deeply invested in your brand. content that engages your through set-up processes, products, create content Marketing to these customers audience after they become answers common questions, that helps them become should focus on rewarding customers. This can be defined by and welcomes them to your successful – such as best them for their loyalty, and three additional stages: community – think FAQs, practice webinars, helpful blog make it easy for them to guides, and cheat sheets. posts, and detailed guides. It’s become advocates for your also time to transition brand – helping you to create one-time customers into new customers. ongoing customers with content that highlights other your other products.

25 PLAN DEVELOPING PERSONAS

“To develop your audience, “Successful content you need to create content marketers hit all stages of for every stage of the the buyer journey – from buying process. As a whole, start to finish. Most brands your content should cover are seriously over-weighted off on three important in the bottom of the funnel. points: topic awareness, And they miss huge consideration of you as a opportunities to meet new vendor on that topic, and customers at the point of how you offer differs in the need.” market.” Michael Brenner, Byrony Seifert, Head of Strategy Newscred Publisher, France and Germany at TechTarget

26 PLAN DEVELOPING YOUR BRAND VOICE PLAN DEVELOPING YOUR BRAND VOICE It’s important to present a consistent experience across channels, which means you need to define your brand’s voice.

Whether you’re creating content for your blog, your website, or on “For new brands who need to define their voice, my advice is to pick three social, the style you write in will become the “voice” of your brand. base notes. No more. This is your personality. It doesn’t change. Then stir But while you might adopt a more in ‘accent’ flavors to match the context.” playful voice on Twitter, and a more professional voice in a Doug Kessler, whitepaper, consistency is key. The Director & Co-Founder, Velocity Partners voice you use will also depend on the persona you’re creating content for – see “Developing Buyer Personas” on p.15.

“If you can take your personality and inject it into what you do and the messages you share, you’ll be one step ahead in the content marketing game. Audiences can sense when a person is passionate about a certain topic, and whether or not they are sincere in their message and delivery. In addition, passion adds credibility and trust – which I find missing in much of the content on the web today.” Jason Miller, Sr. Manager of Content Marketing and Marketing Solutions, LinkedIn PLAN DEVELOPING YOUR BRAND VOICE

Stephanie Schwab of Social Media Character/Persona Tone Language Purpose Explorer breaks down a brand’s voice Friendly Personal Complex (different content will probably into four categories: Character/ serve different purposes) Warm Humble Savvy Persona, Tone, Language, and Engage Purpose. Here’s her list of attributes Inspiring Clinical Insider Educate for each category – which of these Playful Honest Serious Inform descriptors belong to your brand? Authoritative Direct Simple (Note: You may decide that some Enable attributes fit with one buyer persona, Professional Scientific Jargon-filled Entertain but not with another.) Fun Delight Whimsical Sell Amplify

29 PLAN DEVELOPING YOUR BRAND VOICE

Once you’ve defined your voice, • Align your writers. Make sure you’ll want to aim for consistency anyone writing for your brand across your entire company – (whether it’s advertising, press allowing for some variability for releases, ebooks, or blog each persona. Here are some posts) is closely aligned. If strategies we use at Marketo to multiple people handle these achieve a consistent voice: functions, meet regularly to review and improve.

• Extend the review process. At the end of each day, our social team sends their scheduled tweets, Facebook posts, and LinkedIn posts to a cross-functional team of reviewers. This way, members of our PR, demand generation, content, SEO, and PPC teams all have a chance to weigh in. (This is also a great way to catch typos and bad links!) CREATE BRAINSTORM CREATE BRAINSTORM

Planning and creating new content isn’t just about mapping and metrics – you’ll never inspire your audience if you are uninspired. But inspiration can strike at any time: in the break room, during a meeting, or even at a happy hour.

That’s why brainstorming and asset planning can be one of the most challenging parts of content creation. To catch inspiration when it strikes, you need a receptive environment, and a team-wide willingness to try new things. Establish an environment within your marketing team that allows for experimentation – some of the best content we’ve made at Marketo seemed unrealistic (or just plain crazy) at first.

32 ASK THE EXPERTS WHAT INSPIRES YOUR CONTENT?

“Inspiration is a habit. It’s rooted “My inspiration almost always “When I’m brainstorming, I use in how you approach your craft. comes from what I read. Believe data to inform particulars on It’s a matter of seeing stories in it or not, I get some of my best content angles, hooks, and everyday experiences as well as blogging/presentation ideas specific narratives. Web analytics, in what you read. To that end, from reading fiction books.” keyword research, social media it’s important to continually monitoring, data collected from Joe Pulizzi, show up at the page (regardless prospects and current customers Founder, of format – computer or paper) Content Marketing Institute – all of this trending data and put words together. This provides a goldmine of insight.” helps train your mind to think Lee Odden, like a writer.” CEO, TopRank Online Marketing Heidi Cohen, Chief Content Officer, Actionable Marketing Guide ASK THE EXPERTS WHAT INSPIRES YOUR CONTENT?

“Those moments of inspiration “My best content ideas come “At Mynewsdesk, we talk about can happen anywhere – walking from stealing – from movies, what we know through updates, to work, working out, watching a comedy routines, novels, maybe round-ups, influential bloggers, movie, picking up your kids, even marketing – and spinning etc. What we do – through case having a drink with friends. We my swag into a new place.” studies, event coverage, and always have people coming in Doug Kessler, about us having fun…it’s the most saying “I just thought of a great Creative Director & human facet of our content.” idea. What about this.” I love Co-Founder, Velocity Partners Mutesa Sithole, those moments.” Global Content Marketing Manager, Mynewsdesk Patricia Travaline, VP of Marketing, Skyword PLAN TYPES OF CONTENT PLAN TYPES OF CONTENT A critical part of planning is defining the type of content that serves your objectives best. Content marketing comes in many forms, and the form you choose depends on many factors: your audience’s preferences, your industry’s standards, and, of course, your bandwidth and budget. Here’s a basic overview of the types of content you might consider:

Ebooks Ebooks are one of the most common forms of content marketing, especially in the B2B world. These digital books vary widely in length, level of design, and subject matter, but typically follow a narrative from start to finish, have some element of design, and contain educational, informational material. The more valuable and relevant your ebook is, the better success you’ll have enticing your audience to share and download it. PLAN TYPES OF CONTENT

Cheat Sheets Cheat sheets are short, snappy summaries of a specific topic. Generally no more than a few pages long, cheat sheets are typically designed to be printed and displayed for easy reference. Cheat sheets often include checklists and bullet points, so that readers can quickly absorb, and act on the information. At Marketo, we often include links to further reading for those who want a deeper dive.

37 PLAN TYPES OF CONTENT

Worksheets and Templates Worksheets and templates are some of the most popular assets that we create. They’re interactive by nature (readers need to fill them in), and they make your audiences’ lives easier, providing a tool to help frame their thoughts and plans. If you’re not sure what kind of worksheet or template to create, think about a typical day for your current/potential customers. What actions do they consistently perform? What are their goals? What tool might help them succeed?

38 PLAN TYPES OF CONTENT

Whitepapers and Reports Whitepapers and reports are informational, educational, and are typically are only minimally designed. To enhance credibility, you may want to work with a third party source to create these assets, or purchase the rights to an externally created report.

39 PLAN TYPES OF CONTENT

Infographics These graphics present complex information using a combination of images and text to simplify core concepts. Infographics attract backlinks and add visual interest to dense material. Marketers can use infographics to attract buyer attention and simplify complicated information, like warnings and instructions. Because of they are a longer form visual, you can use infographics to present facts and data that are too complex for a single graph or chart. PLAN TYPES OF CONTENT

Slide Decks Slide decks are often created in PowerPoint, and are intended to be viewed sequentially, like a presentation. Slide decks tend to be highly designed and visual, rather than text heavy, for easy consumption. Like infographics, slide decks are best for breaking down complex information into a digestible form, and can be posted to sites like SlideShare to expand your viewership. PLAN TYPES OF CONTENT

Video Videos can achieve multiple objectives – they can improve branding, demonstrate instructions, answer questions, provide customer reviews, and/or entertain your audience. Based on the production quality and timeline, videos can be a big investment, so maximize your time and money by integrating the footage with the rest of your marketing plans. This usually involves developing all of your content at the same time, so think ahead. PLAN TYPES OF CONTENT

Blog Posts A company blog is a great place to share educational thought leadership, industry insight, upcoming events/ announcements, and awesome new content. But maintaining a blog is different than other types of content marketing – with an emphasis on maintaining. At Marketo, we update our blog 4-5 times per week, but we also leverage our community of marketers, partners, customers, and industry thought leaders to help us continually create new content. (Note: Consistency is always a challenge with a company blog – refer to our section on “Developing Your Brand Voice” on p.27.)

43 PLAN TYPES OF CONTENT

Case Study Often the most compelling story comes from your current customers. Just because a case study is a more traditional content medium does not mean that it should be overlooked or that it doesn’t provide high value. The best way to use a case study is to talk about the light, not the candle that produces it, meaning the story that you share is about the value, outcome and results versus the tool, product or service. At Marketo, we run a customer reference program that helps us uncover these awesome stories and highlight them across various channels.

44 PLAN CONTENT MIX PLAN CONTENT MIX

For obvious reasons, content marketing is a text-heavy form. But “People are visual beings. Visual content people are highly visual – and the attracts people, even amidst everything else more inundated with text they become, the more visual content screaming for our attention.” stands out. That’s why visual Heidi Cohen, content is on the rise – and why, at Chief Content Officer, Actionable Marketing Guide Marketo, we try to make all of our content visual.

According to the recent estimates, over 758 million photographs are shared on social media every single day. Images define brands and companies, whether they’re viewed on social networks, websites, mobile devices, emails, ads, or in your content marketing.

The human brain processes images 60,000 times faster than text. In a world of information overload, content that is broken down into small, easily digestible images can break through the information clutter.

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So how can you make your • Your industry standards. • Your brand guidelines. content more visual? You don’t How visual is the “norm” in Ideally, you’ll develop a have to create custom illustrations your industry, and how far are distinctive visual style that for every ebook – but you should you willing to push the makes your brand instantly create visual interest in every piece envelope? Visuals are a great recognizable by your of content. This might involve a way to stand out, but it takes audience. To create brand custom cover and interior graphic, less to stand out in some guidelines, simply translate this or it might just be an attractive industries than others. style into words, include plenty typeface and a crisp layout. Here of examples, and get buy-in are some factors to consider: • Your persona. from the C-suite. Check all Who are you making this content against these content for, and how do they guidelines, and be sure to respond to visual content? share them with any Design that feels fresh and outsourced design agencies. fun to one persona may seem childish or condescending to another.

47 PLAN THE CONTENT FOOD GROUPS PLAN THE CONTENT FOOD GROUPS It’s important to have a variety of content types – but what does a well-rounded mix look like? You can think about types of content as food groups, and a healthy content mix as a healthy diet. Here’s how to build a robust content food pyramid:

Roasts Raisin Bran Spinach Think of your biggest content Your “Raisin Bran” content is the Spinach is packed with nutrients; pieces as your “roasts.” At Marketo, kind you could eat every day for likewise, your “spinach” content these pieces are our Definitive breakfast: simple, consistent, and should be packed with valuable, Guides – comprehensive guides to easy to consume. You should be educational information. This is subjects within our core expertise, able to produce your “Raisin Bran” the kind of content that such as marketing automation or content quickly and frequently – demonstrates that you know your email marketing…or the one you’re think cheat sheets, checklists, and stuff, and establishes your reading right now. Even though basic best practices. company as a thought leader in your “roasts” can take a lot of time your space. You don’t need to and research to produce, they can serve spinach every day, but do it easily be divided and repurposed often enough to keep your into smaller assets (see “The 3 R’s” audience healthy. on p. 72).

49 PLAN THE CONTENT FOOD GROUPS

Chocolate Cake Strategy Document • Metrics you’ll use to “Chocolate cake” content is all Before you start writing your measure success about indulging – this is your fun, content, we recommend creating • Where the asset will be used light-hearted, purely entertaining a content strategy document content, such as fun infographics, about each asset. This puts your • Person who will own quizzes, or silly videos. Be content in a larger context, helps each stage of content parsimonious with this type of you stay on track as you write and creation (outline, writing, content, depending on how edit, and later will help your editing design) seriously you want your audience colleagues use your content. to take your brand,– it should be • Anyone who will need to an occasional treat, and not an At Marketo, we use a simple, approve the content (i.e. your everyday thing. one-page document, CEO, VP, legal department, which typically includes the any partners/customers who Tabasco following information: are mentioned) What’s life without a little spice? • Deadline Every once in a while, you might • Asset name want to create content that • Asset type challenges conventions, asks hard (ebook, infographic, etc.) questions, or provokes a big response. Even more conservative • Subject matter expert brands can use “Tabasco” content to attract attention or stimulate • Intended persona/audience conversations – but, like the hot • Vertical/product line sauce itself, you don’t want to overdo it. • Reason for creating the asset

• Goals (i.e. conversions, downloads, sales enablement, etc.)

50 PLAN EDITORIAL CALENDARS PLAN EDITORIAL CALENDARS An editorial calendar is not only where you keep track of, coordinate, and share your upcoming content, it is a strategic tool that helps your team execute integrated programs that include your content. Keeping an editorial calendar ensures that you’re releasing your content at the best possible moment, and that your whole team is aligned around the release dates.

Your calendar doesn’t need to be The principal benefits of creating anything fancy – it might be a such a calendar are: shared Excel sheet, a dynamic scheduler, or even a simple dry • Visibility and alignment erase board. The most important • Accountability requirements are that all stakeholders have access, and • Organization that it gives you a wide view – to truly detect patterns and enforce themes, you’ll want to look at your content releases over at least the next few months, if not the whole year. PLAN EDITORIAL CALENDARS

Visibility and Alignment Visibility is the content marketer’s • Demand Generation: Is your • Social: Which content • Partner marketing: How best best friend: it fosters collaboration, content generating new earns the most engagement can your content strategy encourages multi-channel interest? Which content on social? leverage thought leadership campaigns, and (best of all) it’s generated the most leads? and assets from your partners? guaranteed to cut your daily • SEO: In order to rank highly in emails in half. • Product Marketing: Do you search engine results, what • PPC: Which content does have content to support each content do we need to create? best when offered in PPC Here’s who you’ll want to align product line? Is our current content ads? How does your with as you create your calendar, optimized for search? PPC messaging map to • Public Relations: Is your your content? and the questions you should ask content mapped to • Customer marketing: Does in order to get these teams aligned: press releases/ your content actively align with announcements/publicity? overall customer advocacy and engagement programs?

“I have a hard time understanding how any content team can function without an editorial calendar. We plan a year in advance, but get very particular on the quarterly calendars.” Joe Pulizzi, Founder, Content Marketing Institute PLAN EDITORIAL CALENDARS

Accountability Content is the fuel for your • Give yourself some wiggle- • Revisit your deadlines. Check marketing team’s efforts, which room. Don’t promise that in with your upcoming means it’s crucial that you agree something can be done at the deadlines every few days – are upon, publicize, and meet your earliest possible date – set a they on track for completion? creation deadlines. If your demand deadline that allows for generation team is planning to use unforeseen challenges. • Keep stakeholders updated. If your new ebook in an email offer you aren’t going to meet a next month, or the events team • Hold your vendors deadline, let all stakeholders needs collateral for an upcoming accountable. If you’re working know immediately. conference, you need to be with an outsourced writer or accountable and get it done. designer, get a firm deadline ahead of time – and make sure Your editorial calendar – which they stick to it. includes estimated dates for completion – will ensure that expectations are reasonable and are met. Here are some additional best practices to keep in mind:

54 PLAN EDITORIAL CALENDARS

Organization Last but not least, a calendar keeps Upcoming product releases/updates you organized. A calendar isn’t just Company events for planning your future content Industry events and social posts – it’s also a log, recording your posts from the Announcements past. It isn’t always easy keeping Holidays track of ebook progress, whether National/international events (i.e. The you’ve already tweeted, or which Academy Awards, the Super Bowl etc.) event you’ve already advertised on LinkedIn, especially if you have multiple people on your team.

An editorial calendar will also help you stay organized in the initial brainstorming process. We recommend populating your calendar with the following information, even before you start brainstorming ideas: PLAN EDITORIAL CALENDARS

You might also consider breaking up your content planning into Q 1 Q 2 Q 3 Q 4 quarterly or bi-yearly themes or arcs to help you focus your Theme Theme Theme Theme strategy. Include your arcs in your initial content planning, and work to execute against them for the allotted period of time. Here’s a template you could use to map EBook EBook EBook EBook themes for the year: Infographic Infographic Infographic Infographic

Slide Deck Slide Deck Slide Deck Slide Deck

Blog Posts Blog Posts Blog Posts Blog Posts

Ongoing Initiative

Ongoing Initiative

Ongoing Initiative

56 CREATE

Once you’ve done the hard work of mapping out your content, it’s time to put your plans in motion. Here’s how to design a team to execute (including writers, editors, and subject matter experts), develop content that you’re proud to publish, and strategize to make the most of every asset you create. CREATE HIRING TEAM/POSITIONS CREATE HIRING TEAM/POSITIONS Before you dive in, you need to determine whom will project manage, create, curate, and distribute your content to the rest of your marketing department.

Ideally, you would have at least one person who owns the function of “Increasingly, much of our prospects and customers interactions are content marketing – the strategy, managed through content. They go to our resources, read our emails, join project management, and creative skill involved is easily a full-time time our forums, etc. That means content is at the center of the buyer-seller job. Dedicated headcount also relationship. If you don’t have a leader to manage this content, your buyers encourages consistency, and are in for a bumpy ride as they’ll likely be getting a lot of discordant and makes it clear who’s responsible for keeping content on-schedule. unorganized messaging.” Jesse Noyes, Sr. Director of Content Marketing, Kapost

“I do believe that someone needs to drive content strategy. It’s great to have lots of storytellers, but you can’t have everyone telling a different story. You create the greatest impact when you can keep people on the same page or at least in the same chapter.” Patricia, Travaline, VP of Marketing, Skyword

59 CREATE HIRING TEAM/POSITIONS

If you don’t have the budget or Chief Content Officer Managing Editor Outsourced Writers resources for dedicated headcount, Some companies have embraced If you don’t have headcount for You may need to outsource some designate a member on your team content marketing so deeply that this role, these responsibilities of your writing. There are many to take responsibility for your they have their own C-level title – should at least be part of a content marketing agencies that content. It is important that Chief Content Officer – while Campaign Manager or Program can write copy for you; explore whoever owns content creation is: others task a Director of Content Manager role. services like Scripted, which with high-level content strategy. connects you with low-cost • A frequent consumer of Still others delegate content Your Managing Editor’s writers to work on your projects; or content in your industry, and of strategy to operate as a part of responsibilities should include: you can leverage independent best-practice content outside Corporate Marketing, Product writers and freelancers. Get your industry Marketing, or Demand Generation. • Content strategy and creation recommendations, ask for writing • A talented writer/editor • Content calendaring samples, and expect to be more Whatever you call this “CCO” role, hands-on during your first projects • An excellent communicator/ the responsibilities should include: • Content production with outsourced writers – this project manager should become easier as the writer • Vendor coordination • Owning the story of the becomes familiar with your brand business Here are the most common roles • Consistency in messaging and objectives. on a content team (one person may • Strategy and innovation fill multiple roles): • Content publishing • Audience development • Blog management • Final approval of content • SEO • Measurement and business accountability

• Influencer relationship development

60 CREATE HIRING TEAM/POSITIONS

Designers Subject Matter Experts Partners, Customers, and Great content needs to be As you create content, you’ll Thought Leaders designed, even if it’s only at a very probably need to write about Think outside of the box when it basic level. If you don’t have subjects that are unfamiliar to you comes to content creation and internal design resources (or your – or that someone else leverage resources within your internal team lacks bandwidth) you understands better. Identify and community. At Marketo, we can supplement your team with leverage experts both internal and frequently use partners, outsourced design firms. As with external to your organization customers, and thought leaders to outsourced writers, get – your Subject Matter Experts help create additional content. Just recommendations and ask for (SME). Note that your SMEs don’t remember, it usually is a give and samples. Note that you’ll need to necessarily need to be writers take – one party writes, the other work closely with an outsourced themselves. Your goal as a content designs, both edit, etc. Before designer, and share your brand marketer is simply to soak up their engaging with a third-party, make guidelines to make sure your knowledge. To start, set up an sure you have your style guide/ visuals are consistent. If you have information sharing session (or general guidelines solidified – see an internal design team, loop them “brain dump”), in which you or our “Style Guides” section on p.67 . into the outsourcing process from another writer can jot down the beginning – they’ll have the thoughts and record the SME’s right vocabulary to express what particular knowledge. Depending you need. on the subject, you might also ask the SME to review your final content for subject accuracy.

61 WORKING WITH INFLUENCERS

Influencers are people who can Brian Solis – an author, speaker, • Get a quote. If you’re working Remember: With influencer change opinions and behaviors analyst, and influencer in his own on a piece of content, why not marketing, the golden rule is among your audience, driving right – talks about the “three R’s” of ask influencers in that space to reciprocity. If you’re asking for a measurable outcomes for your influencer marketing: Reach, contribute a quote – written or free contribution, make sure you’re brand. Depending on your Relevance, and Resonance. recorded? This lends offering something real (publicity, business, influencers might be additional expertise to your exposure, new business popular authors, speakers, • Reach: How big is the content, and gives your opportunities, etc.) in exchange. bloggers, analysts, journalists, audience an influencer influencer an outlet for their and more. They are people who can reach? thought leadership. We find This is a lot easier to do if your make their opinions known and • Relevance: How relevant is that asking specific questions brand is well known, and can who your customers listen to that audience to your brand? is good for sparking lively, therefore offer influencers greater and respect. How much crossover exists thoughtful contributions. exposure. But you don’t always between an influencer’s reach have to solicit the most established • Ask for a guest post. Many influencers in your space. If you’re and your target buyers/ influencers are prolific writers, customers? still building your brand, look for and would be happy to influencers who are still building • Resonance: What level of contribute to your company their brands. These are the people engagement (conversations, blog – or offer you a guest who can still benefit from the social shares, etc.) does an spot on his or her blog. exposure, and by finding them first, influencer typically spark? • Collaborate. Create a piece of you’ll be ahead of the curve. content together. At Marketo, Aligning yourself with influencers we’ll often ask an influencer to can give you access to new write an ebook, which we then networks, and lend your brand edit, design, and promote. But industry-wide credibility. Look for don’t stop with ebooks – relevant figures in your space, and videos, podcasts, events, and build relationships that last beyond social campaigns are all good a one-off campaign. Here are ways to collaborate. some simple ideas to get you started working with influencers: 62 CREATE OUTLINES CREATE OUTLINES Never start writing without an outline – it will keep your thought process organized and your messaging on-track.

Your outline should be a joint This is also a good time to talk to creation of the writer and the any other teams that might use the “For longer form content, outlines are very useful – you can subject matter expert. Start with asset. Often you’ll find that they the concept – similar to a suggest a few small tweaks that essentially fill in the outline with your story, research and traditional thesis statement, this is could greatly broaden the insights. Of course, sometimes the outline gets tossed the main message you’re trying to content’s appeal – saving you time when you go in a different direction, but for audience- get across. If your concept isn’t and resources down the line. clear, or it can’t be easily specific content, it’s still important to start with one.” summarized in a sentence or two, Lee Odden, it’s time to go back to the CEO, TopRank Online Marketing brainstorm phase. An unclear concept translates into an unclear piece of content every time.

Remember, if you’re going to make big changes, this is the right time to do it – once you actually “I’m allergic to the word outline. It reminds me of English Comp. class and diagramming sentences, start writing, big revisions become and it feels hard. But I do erect a kind of scaffolding around the content I create: I call it a writing much more painful. Make sure that GPS, or a plan and a map that gets me from start to finish, or a shopping list. A list feels your subject matter expert reads the outline carefully, and that your nonthreatening (anyone can make a shopping list!), whereas an “outline” feels so structured and highest-level approvers have serious for me that I want to give up and go take a nap before I begin.” signed off on the project before Ann Handley, you get started. Chief Content Officer, Marketing Profs

64 CREATE EDITING YOUR CONTENT CREATE EDITING YOUR CONTENT Editing a piece should never be an antagonistic or negative process. After all, the writer and editor share the same goal: to create the best quality content that generates the highest ROI.

As the author William Faulkner once said, “In writing, you must kill “When it comes to editing, we look for quality, all of your darlings.” He meant that good writers are ruthless when but not at the expense of agility.” they edit – and this is especially Mutese Sithole, true when you’re creating content. Content Marketing Manager, Mynewsdesk

To that end, don’t take it personally when your colleague suggests a big change or re-writes your favorite sentence. And as you edit, be as constructive as possible. Avoid unnecessary criticism, and suggest an alternative “A really great editor adds a lot to the writing process, preserving a writer’s whenever possible. “Why don’t we voice while making the writing more taut, the message more coherent, the try it this way” or “Let’s clarify the words flow. A great editor is an advocate for the reader – improving the terms in this section” will go a lot further than “I don’t like this” or experience for the person who you want to reach. The editor is the one who “I’m confused.” helps remind you that (as writing teacher Don Murray once said), ‘The reader doesn’t turn the page because of a hunger to applaud.” Ann Handley, Chief Content Officer, Marketing Profs

66 CREATE EDITING YOUR CONTENT

Style Guides Language is constantly evolving. it, “People might not consciously Here are some places to start: Depending on who you ask, notice it, but they’ll feel like there are many “correct” ways to something is wrong if things aren’t Closed vs. Open Brand and Product Names spell and punctuate – consistency consistent from page to page.” When a word can be closed Capitalization, spelling, and article is key. (“website”), hyphenated (“web- usage can have a big effect on Even if you decide to simply defer site”), or open (web site), what’s your brand. For example, Even the word “copy edit” is up for to an existing style guide, such as your company’s default? While we Facebook was once called “The debate – while “copyedit” (one The Chicago Manual of Style or recommend choosing a default in Facebook” – and it could’ve word) is supported by Merriam- the Associated Press Stylebook, how you handle these (for become “the Facebook” Webster’s and The Chicago you’ll still need a guide to handle example, we typically close these (lowercase “t”), “Face Book” (two Manual of Style, “copy edit” is industry-specific situations. Your words), there might be some cases words), or “facebook” (all preferred by The Associated Press style guide should cover any that you prefer to treat differently. lowercase). Every option would’ve Stylebook and The New York style issues that might be up for Keep a running list of these words given the brand a slightly different Times Manual of Style and Usage. debate, which will vary from as they come up. feel. So every time you name a business to business. product or a service, come to That’s why, as you’re copy editing company-wide consensus on (or copyediting), you need a Finally, a style guide doesn’t just spelling, capitalization, and company style guide. Almost every help out your editing process – accompanying pronouns. style preference has legitimate once you’ve created it, you can defenders – the important thing is simply hand it over to new that your brand is consistent, bloggers, outsourced writers, whether you’re editing a blog post, designers, or anyone who writes a tweet, your website copy, or an content for your business to email send. As the always- ensure consistency. eloquent Grammar Girl blog puts

67 CREATE EDITING YOUR CONTENT

Numbers Whether to spell out numerals or • Hyphenate compound use digits can cause a lot of numbers (like “forty-three”) confusion. Remembering that and fractions (like “one-third”) consistency is key -- here are a few acceptable ways to • Spell out or symbolize handle numbers: percentages (either “43 percent” or “43%”) • Spell out numbers one through nine, use digits after • Spell out or symbolize money that (Associated Press) OR (either “43 dollars” or “$43”) spell out numbers one through ninety-nine, use digits after that (Chicago)

• Spell out all numbers that begin a sentence, with the possible exception of dates.

68 CREATE EDITING YOUR CONTENT

Types of Editing The editorial process involves “At Content Marketing Institute, we have three editors that several steps – and for good work on every post. Our managing editor reviews for reason. Trying to fix everything in one pass is both overwhelming content, then we run that by a proofreader, then we run and counterproductive. that version by an SEO specialist...particularly the headline. There’s no point in correcting We’ve been using this practice for the last two years, and comma usage if the whole paragraph needs to be re-written; traffic has more than doubled during that time.” you’ll never catch big structural Joe Pulizzi, problems if you’re busy with Founder, Content Marketing Institute spelling mistakes. We think of editing as a three-part process: developmental editing, copy editing, and design proofing.

69 CREATE EDITING YOUR CONTENT

Developmental Editing Copy Editing Before you even think about In our experience, it often takes At this phase, the content itself is If there’s one thing we can’t stress hunting for typos, you need to more than one developmental edit solid. Your ideas are clear and enough, it’s that your content start with larger, conceptual to get a piece just right. If you’re sharp, the structure is fluid and should be copy edited by concerns – this kind of editing is getting frustrated, don’t natural, and you’ve verified that someone other than the person known as “developmental.” underestimate the power of a the piece is aligned to your who originally wrote it. Humans second opinion. You may want to business objectives. Now it’s have a habit of unconsciously In this phase, you’ll focus on the send the draft back around to your time to get granular. filling in missing words and big picture: Have you stuck to your subject matter expert, or even to correcting mistakes as they read, outline? Is your message coming someone who’s never seen the You’ll look for: which is great for fast across? Is the piece written in the piece before, just to get a fresh comprehension but terrible for brand voice (which you defined set of eyes. • True typos – spelling errors, copy editing. The more familiar earlier in the guide)? Is the content missing words, etc. you are with a piece of writing, the truly valuable? • Style guide violations – more likely you are to do this, capitalization, comma usage, which is why a fresh set of eyes is You’ll also want to look at flow – spelling conventions, etc. always best. this is where a solid outline pays off in a big way. Does the writing • Brand consistency – move you gracefully from one product names, company idea to the next? Does each description, etc. section seem to naturally follow the last one, answering questions just as you start to form them?

70 CONTENT CURATION

Curated content is content written by other people, which you then “Curating content adds value for your audience. As great as your own content organize and share with your may be, your audience will want different perspectives and opinions. Reduce audience (common examples include “best of” lists, round-ups, the need for them to spend time finding other content; and bring it right to or even summaries of other them with your own insight in the form of curated content. In addition, adding articles). While it shouldn’t be the your own insight to curated content is a great way to “create” in your owned centerpiece of your content strategy, it can play a role as part of property and get an SEO boost from Google.” your overall content mix – Michael Gerard, especially if you have limited CMO, Curata resources. The golden rule of curated content is that it must be relevant. If you can find and share something your audience is dying to know about, and give the content’s author proper credit, you’ll score points for being in the know.

71 CREATE THE THREE R’S OF CONTENT MARKETING CREATE THE THREE R’S OF CONTENT MARKETING If you’re starting with original, high-quality content – content that you’ve invested real time and money to create – you’ll want to get the most of every asset. You’ll also want to be sure your content stays fresh – out-of-date, no longer relevant content hurts your brand’s credibility.

To make sure you’re getting the This isn’t just an efficient way to most out of your content pump out new content – it’s also a marketing, remember the three smart way to reach members of R’s: Reorganize, Rewrite and Retire. your audience who like to consume content in different Reorganize ways. Some people you marketing We often use the “turkey dinner” to may like ebooks, while others analogy (popularized by Altimeter prefer infographics, and still others Group’s Rebecca Lieb) to describe learn best from slide decks. Slicing how we repurpose content. and dicing allows you to reach Essentially, you expend a huge more people with less effort. amount of effort to create one piece of content (this is like the Thanksgiving turkey you spend the whole day basting), and slice and then you dice it to create “leftovers.”

73 CREATE THE THREE R’S OF CONTENT MARKETING

To see how this looks in action, differently – some prefer slide let’s take a look at one of Marketo’s presentations, some like to quickly Definitive Guides, The Definitive scan infographics and blog posts, Guide to Lead Generation. This while others won’t bother guide, which weighs in at an downloading anything under impressive 160 pages, is the five pages. Repurpose your allegorical turkey in this situation content to reach a bigger slice of – we sliced it into multiple ebooks, your audience. cheat cheats, and infographics.

Of course, this is an extreme example of repurposing – you can also repurpose on a smaller scale. For example, you could turn a page of an ebook in to a cheat sheet, take data from a whitepaper to create an infographic, or expand on a particularly good blog post to create an ebook.

If you do choose to present the same information in a new way, make sure that you aren’t just repurposing for the sake of looking productive. Repurposing works because people consume content CREATE THE THREE R’S OF CONTENT MARKETING

Rewrite It’s an inevitable situation: you What to Rewrite How to Rewrite invest brainpower, time, and But before you dive in, how do you If you do have an asset you think is Finally, reach out to whomever in money into an amazing piece of decide that a piece of content is worth giving an overhaul, here are your organization knows most content…and then it goes stale. worth re-writing? First of all, get a few tips to get you started: about a topic (see “Subject Matter Maybe your ebook predicted that the numbers. As we cover in our Experts” on p61). Set up a meeting 1. Change the dates. This isn’t minidiscs would make a section on “vanity” metrics and FT/ to gather input from your resident just about timestamps. If you comeback last year, or MT-attribution, you should run expert, and ask her/him to give used words that reference recommended a best practice that reports on how your content is your asset a thorough review. time, like “recently,” “lately,” or you wouldn’t be caught dead affecting engagement and your Often, this person will identify “in the next few years” make doing today. Or maybe it’s just a company’s bottom line. out-of-date or inaccurate sure those still apply. matter of design – the hottest information that you never would graphic styles of yesterday don’t Whenever an asset shows 2. Check your stats. If you cited have noticed. always have staying power. consistently high-performance, a study or a report, find out if earmark it for a future update. there’s a more current Eventually, the number of version and refresh the data engagements will start to drop – a points in your content. good sign that it’s time to update. 3. Add some fresh thinking. Is Of course, your content’s shelf life there a relevant thought also depends on your industry. If leader who’d be worth you’re in technology or healthcare, getting a new quote from? for example, you might need to update your content frequently to stay on top of developments and trends. If you’re in a more stable industry, you might only need to update on occasion.

75 CREATE THE THREE R’S OF CONTENT MARKETING

Design Refresh Don’t underestimate the power of Here’s a small selection of a simple design refresh. Visual assets we’ve redesigned at trends change quickly, and an Marketo – as you can see, we’ve asset’s style might look outdated swapped stock photography for way before the writing goes stale. streamlined graphics: Replacing or eliminating photographs, changing out fonts, adding new graphics – these are all great ways to put a new cover on an old book. CREATE THE THREE R’S OF CONTENT MARKETING

Retire Even the very best content doesn’t • Is this content asset “Even an evergreen piece of content can earn its retirement last forever. If a content asset performing well? How is it needs help beyond a design performing this quarter when it no longer represents the ‘best we can do’ on the refresh or simple update, it may be compared to other topic. Theoretically, we’re going to get much better at time for it to retire. quarters, or compared to other similar assets? content month after month and year after year. So, our Content that is past its expiration ‘thought leadership’ piece from two years ago is probably • Does this content cite date damages your company’s not reflective of our current awesomeness – which means authority and credibility – reports that are outdated effectively undoing all of the good or no longer accurate? it’s time to retire that piece and write it again.” work your content has done. • Was this content created to Robert Rose, That’s why you should continually support or leverage a Chief Strategy Officer, Content Marketing Institute ask yourself these questions particular moment in time, about every piece of content that such as an event, which has you publish: now passed?

• Does my audience still care about this topic?

77 DESIGN

In content marketing, the way that you visually present your content is almost as important as the content itself – if you can’t entice people to read or view it, your hard work is wasted. This section will walk you through the design process, from initial concepts to final proofs. DESIGN CONTENT DESIGN DESIGN CONTENT DESIGN Depending on your asset, “design” might mean anything from converting your Word document into a simple PDF, to treating your content to a custom cover - graphics, design elements, and illustrations.

Design For Your Audience Ideally, you’ll start thinking about To hit the right design notes, you’ll particular audience before, it’s design at the same that you’re want to work closely with always a good idea to research the initially brainstorming your content whoever knows the specific competition. How are your and defining your audience. The audience best – whether that’s a competitors designing content to persona and buying-stage of your product marketer on your team, appeal to those audiences, and content’s intended audience or a person on your sales team how could you design something should have a big impact on the who handles those deals. If you even better? direction of your design, as haven’t made content for a should the way you plan to use your content.

For example, let’s say we’re creating content for an SMB audience, which we intend to use as an offer in a large email send to potential customers. The design for that content will be very different than content created specifically for CMOs, an IT audience, or content for marketers in higher education.

80 DESIGN CONTENT DESIGN

Working with Designers At Marketo, we either work with Preliminary Styles Concepts our “in-house” designers, or we Send the designer the carefully In return, your designer should Using the copy you’ve provided, leverage tried-and-true design edited copy for your content send you some preliminary styles and the style you’ve chosen, the agencies that are familiar with our (whether it’s an ebook, a report, an to consider. These will probably be designer will work to design a visual style. The advantage of an infographic, a slide deck, etc.). If comprised of examples the small section of the asset. We ask outside designer is that they lend you already have an idea, describe designer has researched and our designers to show us at least extra bandwidth to your internal it as clearly as you can. It’s often found online – maybe four two different ways to approach the team when they are swamped. difficult to be specific at this stage examples per proposed style. Let concept, which is why they only The disadvantages are that they – especially if you don’t have a the designer know which style you design a small portion – typically eat up extra budget, and that – design background – which is why think best suits your project, the cover and one internal page however familiar with your you should include examples for keeping in mind that you can pick for an ebook, report, or slide deck. company they might be – they inspiration. Specify whether you’d and choose elements from each don’t live your brand the way an like custom graphics, if you’d like design proof. For example, you As with the preliminary styles, it’s internal does. the designer to incorporate might like the typeface used in important to be as specific as photography, and describe the Style #1, but the color palate in possible with your feedback. Tell Here’s the process we audience you’re content is Style #2. A good designer will be the designer what is and isn’t recommend you use to design targeted towards. willing to accommodate you. working, and make your final content, especially when using an suggestions now – before it’s outside agency: too late!

81 DESIGN CONTENT DESIGN

Creative Rounds Things to consider during Now that you’ve agreed upon the creative rounds: design direction, styles, and • Are there any widows and • Is your company’s concepts, your designer will show • Are the headers consistent? Do orphans? These are words or logo and boilerplate you a complete version of the you know where you are in the short lines left dangling alone correctly represented? designed asset, and you’ll add asset at all times? at the end of a paragraph, or at your edits. • Are page breaks in the most the top/bottom of a column • Do a final proof: are there logical place? – a serious design faux pas that any spelling errors, sentence We find that once you have a fully your designer can easily fix. structure issues, or designed version to work with, it • If the designer is using last-minute additions? takes several rounds to get the photography or custom • Are the page numbers design just right. We also find that graphics, do they fit with the correct? If you have a table it’s easiest to edit and attach content’s themes and text? of contents, is it accurate? comments to PDFs (compared to • Does the text still make sense? JPEGs, PNGs, or InDesign files), For example, if you wrote in but that’s entirely up to you and the copy “See chart above,” your designer. and the chart is now to the left of the copy, you’ll need to change the text.

82 CONTENT WORKFLOW

Now that we’ve covered the 1. Brainstorm 13. Rough Designed Draft content creation process step-by- step, here’s how the entire 2. Meeting with SME 14. Proof 1 (visual themes, workflow looks when you put it all images, widows/orphans, 3. Create Strategy Doc (and get continuity) together – from your first idea to it approved) the final proof. 15. 2nd Designed Draft 4. Outline Keep in mind that every piece of 16. Proof 2 (final copy edit) 5. Rough Draft of Copy content that you’ll create is 17. Final Approval from different. An infographic might not 6. Developmental Edit 1 Stakeholders require multiple written drafts; a (structure, accuracy) simple report might not require so 18. Publish and Promote! much design. That said this 7. 2nd Draft of Copy workflow should give you a basic 8. Developmental Edit 2 idea of the necessary steps. (continuity, sentence structure, style)

9. 3rd Draft of Copy

10. Approval of Copy from Stakeholders

11. Copy Edit (spelling, grammar)

12. Send Copy to Design

83 PUBLISH AND PROMOTE

In content marketing, the way that you visually present your content is almost as important as the content itself – if you can’t entice people to read or view it, your hard work is wasted. This section will walk you through the design process, from initial concepts to final proofs. PUBLISH AND PROMOTE CONTENT REPOSITORIES PUBLISH AND PROMOTE CONTENT REPOSITORIES Once you’re ready to publish your content, where do you put it? Most companies keep their content on their website, where it can be easily accessed and downloaded. But as you create more and more ebooks, guides, webinars, slide decks, infographics, and analyst reports, you might end up with various types of content scattered across your website.

This is exactly where a content resource center, or a repository, comes in. A content resource center is a section of your website where you can organize and publish your content. This makes it easy, for your audience, and for your team, to find and share the content they need.

A content resource center can either be built directly on your website, or you can use a content management system like Uberflip or Kapost. The important thing is that you can easily upload, organize, access, and share each piece of content you create.

86 PUBLISH AND PROMOTE CONTENT REPOSITORIES

To Gate, or Not to Gate? Inviting visitors to download Reasons to Gate content from your website is a The pros of gating are fairly Once someone has downloaded great way to generate interest. But obvious: if you ask someone to fill your gated content, you not only there are many perspectives about out a form, you get their have his or her information from whether to put a form in front of information, and then you can the completed form – you also content assets (known as “gating”). market to them. If you believe that know what kind of content the Some approaches include: gating by downloading a particular piece contact interested in. You can use all of your assets, only gating your of content, a visitor to your website that data to engage him or her product-focused assets, or asking is indicating real interest in your with similar, relevant content and a person to fill out a single form in product, it makes sense to grab his add that data point to your order to access your entire library. or her information and then send knowledge about that persona. There is no right or wrong way to an email. do this, and we find that it varies from company to company.

87 PUBLISH AND PROMOTE CONTENT REPOSITORIES

Reasons Not to Gate If you’re creating early-stage When you gate your content, you At Marketo, we only gate our content, your goal is to build brand put a barrier in front of it – which, mid-stage assets (like third-party awareness, credibility, and to earn of course, leads to fewer views. research reports, or product- the right to market to your And it isn’t just because filling out specific ebooks) because we are audience. An interest in early- forms is a hassle – many people offering something that we think stage, educational content assume that if they provide indicates interest. In most other probably doesn’t indicate an contact information, they’ll start cases, we offer our content un- interest in your product, so it receiving an endless stream of gated because we consider it a top doesn’t make sense to start emails and phone calls. of the funnel, educational piece sending emails to those viewers. that drives awareness and builds brand value.

Early Stage Middle Stage Late Stage Pre-Purchase Commit to Change Evaluation

Thought leadership and enjoyable Tools that help buyers find you Company-specific information to content to build brand, awareness, when they are looking for solutions help evaluate and reaffirm selection and desire

Blog, e-books, research data, Buying guides, RFP templates, Pricing, demos, services funny videos, curated lists, ROI calculators, definitive guides, information, 3rd party reviews, infographics, webinars analyst reports customer case studies

Gated? Gated? Gated? NO YES MOSTLY NO 88 PUBLISH AND PROMOTE CONTENT ALERTS AND STRATEGY DOCS PUBLISH AND PROMOTE CONTENT ALERTS AND STRATEGY DOCS

Your content is only useful if people actually use it. That’s why it’s important to keep your whole team aware of new content, and share insight about how it might be leveraged.

At Marketo, we send around an “Alert” email each time that we create a new asset. The email is sent to anyone who might possibly use the asset as part of their own strategy. Our email recipients include: the demand generation team, product marketing, the PR team, and members of our sales team, just to name a few.

To make each asset even easier to leverage, we also send our strategy document (see “Strategy Document” on p. 50) to anyone who might use the content.

90 PUBLISH AND PROMOTE PROMOTION PUBLISH AND PROMOTE PROMOTION Your promotion strategy will depend on your audience and your needs, but the best approach to promotion is a wide-reaching one.

In the same way that different people like to consume content in different mediums, they like to consume content in different places. That’s why a wide approach to promotion is best. You want to use inbound strategies to help your content get discovered – through SEO, Pay- Per-Click, and an easily navigated resource center – and outbound strategies like display ads, paid promotions on social networks, and content syndication.

92 PUBLISH AND PROMOTE PROMOTION

OWNED

Social Email Blog Social is a perfect place to share If you’re going to promote your Your company blog is a great place “When you’re promoting early-stage, educational and content in emails to your database, to promote your content and the entertaining content – and you you should segment your list and more educational and your content on social, control your social profile pages. send content only to individuals entertaining, the better. At Marketo, you should pay to Beyond simply posting about your who will find the content relevant we typically write a blog post to promote what’s working. I new content in an update, most and valuable. For example, we accompany and promote all of our pages allow for customizable send content in demand new content assets. But, don’t stop always say that organic is images – why not change your generation emails to potential after writing a few sentences and good, but paid is better. profile picture (or cover image on customers – early-stage content then throw in a link – why not use Adding a paid strategy can Twitter/Facebook) to a promotion for buyers early in the sales cycle, the opportunity to expand on one for your content? and mid and late-stage content for of your asset’s points, or highlight a give your content legs people who are closer to a key finding? Ideally, posts beyond your initial purchase. We also email our promoting your content will not audience, and with today’s current customers with content only entice your audience to about our platform, as well as download, but will offer value of targeting capabilities, content related to up-sell and their own. there’s no waste if you cross-sell opportunities. know who to target.” Jason Miller, Sr. Manager of Content Marketing and Marketing Solutions, LinkedIn

93 PUBLISH AND PROMOTE PROMOTION

PAID

Paid Social Content Syndication Paid promotions are when you pay charges fees based on audience You can pay third-party sites, such certain database respond positively to improve your content’s chances interaction with your posts – with as industry or news sites, to host (or negatively) to a specific type of of being seen on social. One of good click-through rates (CTRs), your content. You can syndicate a content? Because these email sends the biggest benefits of paid your ads are given preference and complete content asset, or can be expensive, be strategic about promotion is that you can specify served more often. With paid syndicate a snippet -linking the which content you include. which portion of a network’s social, you are always working page to your own website or blog. audience will see your ad. If you towards ads and content that Doing this provides you with the Search Marketing have specific demographics that attracts a higher CTR and have opportunity to promote your You can pay third-party sites, such you’re targeting, or there are higher engagement. Typically with content to new audiences – just Search marketing is the process of certain interests that indicate a good CTRs your ad is served more make sure the site’s audience is a gaining traffic by purchasing ads on good fit for your product or often, but it can vary from network fit for your product/service. search engines. Companies bid on service, many social networks to network. It’s important to be keywords and phrases that are most allow you to tailor your promotion strategic with your ad placement, Paid Email Programs relevant to their company and/or to those specific audiences. check in on their progress and Paid email programs are sent from products, and the highest bidder optimize them regularly. If you’re an external organization on your ranks the highest above search At Marketo, we put a portion of our reaching the end of your budget, behalf. Find an organization with a results. These are often called “Pay- marketing budget behind paid you’ll need to either allocate more high-quality database filled with Per-Click” or PPC ads, because you promotions across all our social money or pull the ad. members of your target audience, only pay when someone actually channels – as sponsored posts on and be as granular as possible. You clicks on your ad. Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. To determine how effective a should be able to target While ad products vary from campaign is, we recommend subscribers based on audience, network to network, the core taking the long view – are your topics of interest, and region. product for most networks impressions/click-through rates/ When you send your content in conversions dropping? If an ad isn’t paid email programs, pay close getting enough traction, you attention to the metrics – does a might want to switch it out.

94 PUBLISH AND PROMOTE PROMOTION

EARNED

Earned Social Media Pickups Influencer Mentions When you post your content to Any time another media source Every industry has its thought Writing your content to rank highly social, you want people to share it distributes your content – your leaders and influencers (see in search shouldn’t be your first with their own networks – when infographic gets shared on “Working with Influencers” on priority, but it should definitely be they do, it’s known as “earned” Buzzfeed or TechCrunch gives p.62), and their public praise is a on your list. This doesn’t mean social promotion. Earned social your latest guide a shout-out – boon to your brand. Make it easy stuffing your copy with keywords. promotion is difficult to get (you that’s an earned media pickup. If for influencers to share your Search engines like Google are can’t control how your audience your brand isn’t already well content by establishing smart enough to recognize behaves) , but highly valuable known, earning these pickups can relationships beforehand, include keyword-stuffed copy, and your because people trust content be a challenge. Tap into current them in your content when it’s audience is smart enough to be recommended by their peers events and conversations, appropriate, and alert them bored by it. more than content recommended differentiate your brand’s unique about content their audiences by brands. perspective, coordinate with your might enjoy. Search engines now factor in the PR team to develop a pitch plan, amount of time visitors spend on a and be sure that you’re promoting SEO (Search Engine webpage, and the rate at which your content across channels for Optimization) they “bounce” to other sites – both your best chance at exposure. SEO ensures that people can find of which are indicative of your your content. The more effective content’s quality, and its relevance you are at using the same to searchers. SEO best practices language buyers use when change all of the time, but to conducting a search, the more improve your ranking, the trends likely you are to rank highly in suggest that the you need search engine results. valuable, compelling, and relevant content.

95 MEASURE

Content marketing has a reputation for being difficult to measure, which can make it hard to obtain buy-in and support. But that’s no excuse for playing it by ear – there are plenty of ways to test and measure your content. Here’s how to measure your early, mid, and late-stage content. MEASURE THE CONTENT ROI MYSTERY MEASURE THE CONTENT ROI MYSTERY Many marketers struggle to prove the return-on-investment for their content. Rather than making ROI an afterthought, start solving the mystery at the gate.

In our experience, marketers Before you start measuring you struggle to justify their content content, take these steps: “This might sound overly simple, but the best way to marketing for one of two major reasons: • Define your content goals. Will measure content performance is according to the the content be used to build goals you’ve established for it. The problem in most 1. They don’t think about brand awareness, or to drive measurement during revenue? Establish goals and cases is that marketers create content without content creation. If you aren’t ROI estimates upfront, so accountability in mind outside of exposure.” creating a measurable you’ll know whether or not Lee Odden, structure/framework from expectations have been met. CEO, TopRank Online Marketing the beginning, how do you know what to measure? • Decide how you will measure results. Will you be measuring 2. They aren’t aligned on the reach, engagement, time on metrics that matter to key your website, PR mentions, stakeholders. Your CMO revenue, etc.? There is such a wants to hear about thing as measuring too much, opportunities, pipeline, so focus on the metrics and and revenue; your social data that will actually help you team wants to know about make decisions later. shares and views. Make sure you’re measuring and • Align key stakeholders. presenting the right metrics Measure what matters most to the right people. to your stakeholders. We recommend covering your bases by measuring early- stage metrics, and then tying them back to pipeline and revenue. 98 MEASURE METRICS FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF CONTENT MEASURE METRICS FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF CONTENT

Content at each stage of the funnel should be measured in differently – after all, each stage has different goals. Here are the basic metrics for early, mid, and late-stage content.

Early-Stage Metrics Early-stage metrics don’t tie Early-stage metrics to track: directly to revenue. The purpose of your early-stage content is to build • Traffic to your blog brand awareness, create and website preference for your brand, • Views and downloads of educate, entertain, and engage your content your audience. Shares, downloads, and views tell you whether your • Links to your content content is attracting attention, and • Social shares (Facebook whether people like what they see. shares, retweets, etc.)

• Social engagement (comments, Facebook “likes,” mentions, “favorite”-ed tweets, +1 on Google+, etc.)

• Followers on social/blog subscribers

100 MEASURE METRICS FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF CONTENT

Mid and Late-Stage Metrics Pipeline, opportunity, and revenue For late-stage content – such as allocation give you insight into customer testimonials, data how your content affects deals. sheets, feature guides, or demos “We maintain a close relationship with the people on the For mid-stage assets, you’ll want to – you’ll want to know that your front lines – our sales team. We meet twice a month to measure how your content is sales team is actually using your discuss lead nurturing efforts and to make sure that when generating new interest; for both content. Valuable content should mid-stage and late-stage assets help your sales reps sell, so work we create content to fill in the gaps, it features topics that you’ll want to know how your with them to make sure your truly speak to the needs of our target audience.” content is affecting your profits. content is resonating with late- Steve Peck, stage prospects. Meet with your Co-Founder and CBDO, Docalytics Using reporting like Marketo’s, you sales team regularly to gather can see the path new suggestions for content, and to opportunities or customers follow train them on the content you’ve to conversion – the Pay-Per-Click already created. ads they clicked on, the webinars they attended, the emails they Mid and Late-Stage Metrics received, and, of course, the to Track: content they downloaded or viewed. A robust reporting solution • Lead generation allows you to see the number of (mid-stage only) opportunities touched by your • Pipeline and content, and any revenue earned opportunity allocation from buyers that viewed or downloaded it. • Revenue allocation

• Sales use

101 ASK THE EXPERTS HOW DO YOU MEASURE YOUR CONTENT?

“The only metrics that matter to “While there is no ‘holy grail’ “Measuring the effectiveness of me ultimately are new leads and metric, I believe the subscriber your content marketing is one of new business. But at the same metric is the most valuable for us. the hardest – but also one of the time, I do pay some attention to Once we can attract someone to most important – things to do. so-called superfluous metrics like be a subscriber, we can start to Unfortunately, too many shares and likes – because they see behavior changes – are they marketers rely solely on page deliver a gut reaction to what buying? Are they buying more? views and social shares. While resonates with people. That Are they engaging in the content? these can provide some insight, helps me jack up my content Does that affect buying behavior? we have to stay focused on the creation muscles – they’re like a The majority of our revenue end goal – driving growth. The learning steroid. I learn a lot about comes from people that were only way to do that is to what works by watching what first subscribers to our content. effectively measure key growth others like.” Subscribers drive our business.” metrics like lead and customer conversion rates, and the overall Ann Handley, Joe Pulizzi, number of leads you’re Chief Content Officer, Founder, Marketing Profs Content Marketing Institute generating from your content.” Hana Abaza, Director of Marketing, Uberflip MEASURE METRICS FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF CONTENT

First-Touch and Multi–Touch Attribution Using Marketo’s Revenue Cycle But content can influence Explorer, we track our own opportunities at any stage in the content’s success using First- process, which is why we also Touch (FT) and Multi-Touch (MT) track Multi-Touch influence. attribution. If a buyer’s first Basically if a buyer becomes an interaction with our marketing opportunity after downloading is to download a piece of content at any point in the cycle, content, and that buyer the content still gets credit if it becomes an opportunity, the successfully influences the content gets First-Touch credit for contacts associated with that that opportunity. opportunity. (Note: to do this properly, you need to tag which content assets are associated with each program that touches the account.)

103 MEASURE METRICS FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF CONTENT

In the report below, you can see (FT) OPS (MT) OPS how various content assets was Program Name Created Influenced the source of new opportunities (FT OPPS Created), or influenced The Definitive Guide to Engaging Email Marketing 16.7 35.3 the creation of opportunities (MT OPPS Influenced). The Definitive Guide to Marketing Metrics and Marketing Analytics 10.2 30.8

Gartner Magic Quadrant for CRM Lead Management 11.8 33.7

The Definitive Guide to Marketing Automation 15.6 43.6

Contagious Content: What People Share On Facebook and Why 2.2 8.2

Defending Your Marketing Budget 1.1 8.2

20 Quick Tips for Improving Your Email Programs 0.1 0.8

The Definitive Guide to Lead Nurturing 2.6 19.6

Workbook: Graduating from Email to Engagement: Using Marketo 0.6 1.0

The Definitive Guide to Social Marketing 4.1 12.6

File: “Opportunities created”

104 MEASURE METRICS FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF CONTENT

We also take a look at how content affects actual revenue. If you’re Program Name (FT) OPS (MT) OPS Created Influenced facing skepticism about content marketing’s effectiveness, or you’re having doubts yourself, The Definitive Guide to Engaging Email Marketing $139,975 $341,111 there’s nothing like tying content directly to closed-won deals. The Definitive Guide to Marketing Metrics and Marketing Analytics $89,677 $366,900 Below, you can see a report we ran in our Revenue Cycle Explorer, Gartner Magic Quadrant for CRM Lead Management $55,489 $366,803 which tells us how the same assets have contributed to revenue so far. The Definitive Guide to Marketing Automation $103,884 $514,526 The “FT Revenue Won” column refers to revenue generated from Contagious Content: What People Share On Facebook and Why $5,478 $126,168 customers who originally entered our database by downloading that Defending Your Marketing Budget $1,156 $74,413 particular asset. The “MT Revenue Won” column refers to revenue 20 Quick Tips for Improving Your Email Programs $151 $9,893 generated from customers who downloaded that asset at some point during the buying cycle. The Definitive Guide to Lead Nurturing $24,545 $225,444

Workbook: Graduating from Email to Engagement: Using Marketo $0 $12,787

The Definitive Guide to Social Marketing $9,694 $144,314

File: “Revenue won” 105 MEASURE METRICS FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF CONTENT

Of course, with this type of your content is consistently reporting, it’s important to keep in tanking in certain types of mind that it will take time for your programs, it’s probably time to sit content to generate opportunities down with your team to figure or revenue, depending on the out what’s going wrong. If your typical length of your sales cycle. content is performing beautifully, Rather than comparing an asset you’ll want to keep up the you created a year ago to an asset good work. created six months ago, check in on the metrics of both assets six months after they’re published – and compare those numbers for an accurate view.

Finally, you’ll also want to see how programs using your content (such as email programs that used your content as an offer) performed. There are a lot of factors involved in an asset’s performance in programs – the relevance of the content to the audience who received an email, the email’s subject line and copy, etc. But if

106 MEASURE METRICS FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF CONTENT

In this illustration on the right, you Program New FT Pipeline can see how five different content Program Name Content Asset Cost Names Ratio assets performed, all sent within the same paid email program. Awesome Email Program V1 Marketing Metrics Success Kit $7,500 593 1 From this report, we can see that for “Awesome Email Program” (not Awesome Email Program V2 Content Marketing Cheat Sheet $7,500 1,068 7 its real name!), our Definitive Guide to Marketing Automation brought in a high number of new names, Awesome Email Program V3 Graduate From Email Marketing $7,500 200 2 and the highest FT Pipeline Ratio. Our Content Marketing Cheat Awesome Email Program V4 Lead Scoring Checklist $7,500 320 8 Sheet, on the other hand, brought us the most new names – but those names didn’t turn into Awesome Email Program V5 Definitive Guide to Marketing Metrics $7,500 945 12 pipeline (note: it may take months before you see your programs pay File: “Program Content Analysis” off in pipeline, depending on the length of your sales cycle).

107 CONCLUSION In today’s digital, social, and Marketing, you have the tools mobile world, buyers are more you need to get started and build empowered than ever before. a successful content marketing Armed with an abundance of strategy. Get to know your information, buyers self-direct audience, and plan a variety of their journeys – sometimes as content for every stage of their much as 90% before a brand journey. Use your content to tell knows they are interacting with a continuous story about your them. In order to capture the brand, and offer it on the buyer’s attention and interest in channels your audience prefers. today’s noisy market, content Give every content asset a clear marketing mastery isn’t just a purpose, and system of “nice to have,” but a must. measurement – and do it without sacrificing efficiency or An effective content marketing quality. Finally, remember that strategy helps your brand the heart of content marketing is engage with potential customers value. Go use the best practices early in the buying cycle and and strategies laid out in this build a relationship with them Definitive Guide. It’s time to over time as they move through engage your audience with their lifecycle with your brand. content that educates, inspires, After reading this Definitive and begs to be shared. Guide to Engaging Content APPENDIX

Ann Handley Heidi Cohen Lee Odden Robert Rose Chief Content Officer Chief Content Officer CEO Chief Strategy Officer www.marketingprofs.com www.heidicohen.com www.toprankmarketing.com www.contentmarketinginstitute.com @annhandley Actionable Marketing Guide @leeodden @robert_rose @heidicohen Brian Solis Michael Brenner Scott Rutherford Principal Analyst Jason Miller Head of Strategy Director of Marketing & Communications www.altimetergroup.com Senior Manager of Content www.newscred.com unex.uci.edu @briansolis Marketing and Marketing Solutions @BrennerMichael @sjrutherford www.linkedin.com Byrony Seifert @JasonMillerCA Michael Gerard Stephanie Schwab Publisher, France & Germany CMO Founder www.techtarget.com Jay Baer www.curata.com www.crackerjackmarketing.com @byronyseifert President, Social Media & @michaelgerard @stephanies Content Marketing Strategist Dave Chaffey www.convinceandconvert.com Mutesa Sithole Steve Peck CEO @jaybaer Global Content Marketing Manager Co-founder & Chief Business www.smartinsights.com www.mynewsdesk.com Development Officer @DaveChaffey Jesse Noyes @mutesas www.docalytics.com Senior Director of Content Marketing @1StevePeck Doug Kessler www.kapost.com Patricia Travaline Director & Co-founder @noyesjesse VP of Marketing Tara Nicholle Nelson www.velocitypartners.co.uk www.skyword.com VP of Marketing @dougkessler Joe Pulizzi @travwin www.myfitnesspal.com Founder @taranicholle Hana Abaza www.contentmarketinginstitute.com Rebecca Lieb Director of Marketing @JoePulizzi Digital Advertising & Media Analyst www.uberflip.com www.altimetergroup.com @hanaabaza @lieblink

109 ABOUT THIS GUIDE

Written By: Designed By: About Marketo: Maggie Jones Davis Lee Marketo (NASDAQ: MKTO) provides the leading marketing Content Marketing Specialist, Creative Director, software and solutions designed to help marketers master the Marketo Marketo art and science of digital marketing. Through a unique @maggiejonezzz @designsbydavis combination of innovation and expertise, Marketo is focused solely on helping marketers keep pace in an ever-changing Additional Contributors: Lynn-Kai Chao digital world. Spanning today’s digital, social, mobile and offline Jon Miller Graphic Design Specialist, channels, Marketo’s® Engagement Marketing Platform powers Founder, VP of Marketo Institute, Marketo a set of breakthrough applications to help marketers tackle all Marketo @kaitanium aspects of digital marketing from the planning and orchestration @jonmiller of marketing activities to the delivery of personalized Special Thanks To: interactions that can be optimized in real-time. Marketo’s Chandar Pattabhiram Heidi Bullock applications are known for their ease-of-use and are VP of Product & Corporate Marketing, VP Demand Generation, complemented by the Marketing Nation®, a thriving network of Marketo Marketo more than 320 third-party solutions through our LaunchPoint® @chandarp @HeidiBullock ecosystem and over 50,000 marketers who share and learn from each other to grow their collective marketing expertise. Ellen Gomes Matt Zilli The result for modern marketers is unprecedented agility and Content Marketing Specialist, Director, Product Marketing, superior results. Headquartered in San Mateo, CA with offices in Marketo Marketo Europe, Australia and Japan, Marketo serves as a strategic @egomes1019 @mattzilli marketing partner to more than 3,300 large enterprises and fast-growing small companies across a wide variety of industries.

For more information, visit www.marketo.com.

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