10 Essential Content Marketing Q&As

A free ebook for B2B marketers & strategic communicators. In which I answer the 10 most frequently asked content marketing questions from my clients and prospects over the past 12 months - in a handy .pdf format.

STEVESEAGER.COM

Strategic communication consultant: smarter business & communication strategy, positioning, content marketing, editorial-based strategy & storylining.

Storylining? The step that comes before story-telling. It ties all your messaging together, strategically - for more synergy & impact.

I work with clients & agencies, across sectors. Ofttimes writer, musician & film buff Is content marketing great content in the next few builds credibility and reputation finally coming of age? years. by adding real value. Typically this Bear in mind that once you’ve is the stuff you publish in your published, the longer your content blog. Nielsen stats show that I think so. Over the past six is around, the more natural links it content marketing drives three months I’ve noticed a definite will gather - which is great in times the sales of digital upswing in the quality of ’s eyes. And remember advertising. So lead generation questions. We’ve sure moved on and Panda sure happens here. from: “What is content marketing, updates are there for two reasons: iii. ‘Features and Benefits’ anyway?” 1. To penalise those producing collateral is the stuff that most Down below I’ve answered the rubbish, spammy or overly SEO’d marketers know best. It’s designed 10 most frequently asked content 2. To reward those who specifically for sales oriented call- questions I encountered in client produce original, shareable, to-actions. This type of content and prospect conversations and valuable content. articulates your value proposition: trainings last year. They are, I Price, Quality, Service/Support believe, the questions that every and Delivery. This is the stuff that social marketer and 2. What is the role of typically sits in your main website. communicator should be able to content in lead Lead generation also happens answer in 2013. generation? here. In my client experience conversion on this content is 1. What is the shelf-life of Not all types of content dropping year-on-year. But you great content? directly generate leads. But every know best. type of content plays an important role throughout the funnel. Tricky question. Assuming you To sum up: ‘Promotional’ The split in types of content don’t change industry, or radically content grabs eyeballs and pulls adjust business strategy, great I’m about to propose might seem a them into your content loop. bit odd, but remember, the old content could last years. ‘Trust’-based content fills the funnel is dead. People buy at all Great content shows you truly funnel over time, drives people stages of the funnel. understand the challenges your through their decision-making/ prospects/customers are going purchase cycle and also generates Here’s that split: through, and offers valuable more sales than ‘Promotional’ insight into how to meet those i. ‘Promotional’ content is content. And ‘Features and challenges. traditionally used to build Benefits’ content? Well, it does As long as your content awareness. However, display ad what it does. But it’s no longer marketing is oriented around click through rates are pretty enough alone, that’s for sure. valuable content, and doesn’t just abysmal these days. Many argue pump out 100% traditional that that goes for pretty much all 3. How should I decide on ‘features and benefits’ content forms of digital advertising. So formats? (which does often have a shorter lead generation? Not so much. shelf-life), your content will You probably know from your own Here’s the Gospel: Thou Shalt remain valuable to you for a long ROI, right? Always Separate Messaging time to come. ii. ‘Trust’-based content Development from any Talk of One of the best current (content marketing collateral) Formats. examples of this is the American actively drives people through Never start by thinking ‘I’m Express Open Forum - ‘Powering their decision-making or purchase going to create a .pdf for Scribd’ or small business success.’ It’s great cycle. It shows people you a ‘video for ’. content now. And it will still be understand their business. It

SHARE THIS EBOOK! Instead, think about your goal. best communications people you Your audience. What you need to can. say to reach your goal? Develop If we’re talking about inbound your core messaging first. marketing - publishing valuable Then, think about: and relevant content - then outsourcing to an agency is not i. Your content hub. likely to help. I.e: your website or blog. This In this scenario, the people is the ‘home-base’ of all your who make content unique are the content. Think about what you people within your organisation: need to say. Consider the length and complexity of what you are Sales have unique client and trying to communicate. Will a blog prospect knowledge and insights Three post be best, or a whitepaper? Will on why people buy, and what visuals help? Audio? What format really floats their boat. Essential works best to tell your story? Your line managers have unique knowledge and experience Reads ii. Your current or desired of your business, market, trends reach in other channels. and movements. Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Your support departments Scribd, Slideshare or LinkedIn all have unique insights into your have formats for those specific product and service quality - the channels. Where do you have the problems people face, and how best reach? Focus there first. they are solved. Presentation: The Basics Adapt your messaging to the As a content marketer it’s your Of Social Media ROI, channel. And repurpose your role to surface and shape this Olivier Blanchard content for eNewsletters, email - knowledge and experience and and even face-to-face events. translate it into great content. Wherever you publish, be sure to More accurately; communication. link back to your content hub. 5. What’s the difference To sum up, formats should be between traditional decided upon based upon their ability to reach the people you marketing content and Free Chapter: THE need to reach - with messaging content marketing Content Strategy book, adjusted appropriately for the content? Halverson/Rach format for best impact.

Great question. And one that 4. How do I make my comes up almost all the time. The content unique? main difference is in the value to prospects or customers. If we’re talking about You could argue that your traditional features and benefits product sheets are valuable to marketing content then the most your customers. But only if they Free pdf: The Anatomy of likely answer is that creativity, are ready to buy, right? If they’re Great Content, Steve Seager design and great copywriting will not, what content is valuable help. For that you need to hire the then? That’s what you need to ask.

SHARE THIS EBOOK! Content marketing content ii. Change support of these people, you can is not focused just on selling to The biggest cost is in switching develop content that is much more mass audiences in the traditional your operation around from valuable than your standard sense. Content marketing content: traditional marketing to content marketing collateral. marketing. The actual costs i. Targets specific personas depend on the size of your 7. Is there any proof that within the prospect organisation organisation. content marketing works? ii. Is tailored to the stage If you are a small business, of your target’s purchase/ Toprank have some useful advice. Yes. Yes for big brands like decision-making cycle If you are a bigger business, the GE or Kraft, growing tech iii. Is optimised for search folks at SEOMOZ have a useful companies, B2C. You name it, engines to a keyword strategy framework on how to build and there’s a case study. Google it! iv. Is atomisable across operate a content marketing many channels, with messaging machine. 8. What content marketing adapted appropriately for the Regardless of this, I have two themes can I become best format. recommendations that work for all known for? sizes of marketing departments: And there’s more. But if The first person you should Everything starts with a clear you first consider these four bring on board is a business goal or objective targeted elements, you should start making communications - not a marketing on a specific group of people. Look step-improvements towards great based - leader for your team. for the intersection between: content marketing. Why? Communicators are trained in tailoring messaging for - The specific themes (topics) 6. How much does content personas and smaller target that will help you reach your marketing cost? groups - perfect for social. They’re business goals used to interviewing and - What your audience really That’s a bit like asking how unlocking knowledge from your values (based on data) - What you are competitive on long is a piece of string. There’s no organisation. They know content and how to manage it. They’re (from keyword analysis) easy answer. But think in two broad chunks: used to thinking like a media outlet - which is at the heart of There’s two main steps: i. Cash content marketing. They can help Data analysis: break all your You know what your current you resurrect your marketing communications to a more social data down (CRM, site/traffic, marketing costs are, right? Ok. online competitive analysis) to HubSpot tell us that content model. look for repeating topics in the marketing’s cost per lead drops The second thing you need to 80% after the first five months. do is secure the cooperation of subject matter. Data synthesis: build those And there’s much more where that internal subject matter experts. These people often come from topics back up into broader came from. themes that tie to business goals. So it’s not only about costs, it’s sales and customer service about results. You absolutely need oriented positions rather than to start measuring ROI. Start with proposition managers or suchlike. It will take some structured comms skills to find the right slice Olivier Blanchard’s brilliant and They spend most of their day in direct contact with your customers and dice. Your resultant themes easy-to-read presentation on should form the backbone of your social media ROI. Work out from and prospects. So they really content and editorial marketing there. understand what floats the boat of your audiences. By securing the strategy.

SHARE THIS EBOOK! 9. What sort of sources are content marketing program is on Successful content marketing best for great content? the road. takes skills that cut across The most important things to marketing and strategic measure are the tangible impacts communications. By far and away the best on the bottom line: Content marketing strategy source is unique content (see has to be based on proven point 4) that you create yourself. - Net new customers demand. Actual insights. Data. As a general rule of thumb you - New product sales The way we develop strategy should focus on finding the right - New online orders has to be both coherent, and mix of the following that works - Loyalty logical. best for you, your resources and - Customer Content marketing cuts across budget: satisfaction organisational silos. It requires the participation of people who have i. Created: Valuable, original That’s the stuff that really insider knowledge of your content from the smartest people really counts. business, customers and within your organisation that prospects. genuinely adds value to your We need to apply structured target audience A caution for anyone who’s communication skills to create ii. Curated: Stuff you grab thinking that content hierarchy and synergy within from others using aggregation marketing is the ‘Next Big messaging. tools, and (preferably) repurpose Thing’ Once you have a solid and republish with an additional editorial strategy, great content is insight Content marketing is most easier to produce. Social media iii. Promoted/Paid: definitely not easy, despite what marketing tactics seem obvious. Punctuate your created content the self-proclaimed gurus say. And if you’ve done it well, it with news/advertising on To quote Olivier Blanchard; will show in your bottom line. upcoming events, milestones in products, services - or even “The same hacks and posers A final thought: publicise your own ‘free’ content. who faked it all through 2012 ... will continue to lie and sell There’s two words in content 10. How do I measure the bullshit in 2013. Why? Because it’s marketing. And content comes results of content easier.” first. Make your content great and marketing? the marketing part becomes a whole lot easier. Marketers typically put way too much - Steve emphasis upon ‘likes’, ‘sentiment’, ‘engagement’, ‘reach’ and so on. While developing content marketing “The single biggest strategies I tend to leave problem in communication these ‘softer’ metrics to is the illusion that it has taken the social marketing place.” team to make step George Bernard Shaw improvements once your

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