3. “The tools of social
Content Marketing
networking: These are
the digital campfires
around which the A Brief History of Content Marketing
audience gathers to
hear our story.”
—Marco Tempest Think like a publisher or storyteller
Build and serve your community (customers)
Focus on engagement to create brand love
“As long as we are
engaged in storytelling
that moves the culture
forward, it doesn’t
matter what format it
is.”
— Levar Burton
4. Types of Content Redbull (entertaining)
Opportunity Detroit
Entertaining content (community
Informative content storytelling)
GE (info, story)
Story content (emotional
content) A healthier MI (info,
community story)
User generated content
Most Important:
Sharable content
5. Cooking up content
Visual Media
Blog posts, photos, info graphs, videos,
subject matter articles, webinars, emails,
Newest social media
sites heavily visual newsletters, and more.
Visuals are being shared more than
Double the share rate
double the rate on social media. It is just
Memes, videos, as important to use visuals as you are
graphics, info graphics
important for content
words.
What are content tools to use?
What visuals can you
use to tell a story?
Michipreneur tool list.*
7. Steps for your strategy
Tips for
getting started 1. Audience analysis
Never dive in without 2. Find the larger story and tell yours
knowing your audience 3. Create your subject matter niche
Figure out what 4. Content guide for channels
resources you have and
your networks around 5. Set short term & long term goals
you online, leverage 6. Measure and adjust strategy
those (content partners)
Pay attention to
communities already
online
Create a purpose, an
emotional connection
8. Audience Analysis: Who’s your buyer?
Audience Analysis Sally’s Yoga Studio
Sally’s yoga studio is trying to
Who is your audience? Buyer
reach those interested in
persona? Demographics? healthy living, exercise, and
What are their needs and well-being. Her audience is not
interests? concerned with weight loss as
What problems are they trying to much as choosing a healthy
lifestyle.
solve?
What type of info would they
They will search for ways to live
want? stress free, eat healthy,
What are they searching for meditate, and balance
online? life/work.
9. Sally’s next steps
Larger Story
examples Craft a story for her brand business online
Buy local movement,
present through website, and marketing
(See: Shinola) channels of choice.
Detroit rebirth story Create her niche for publishing content.
(Quicken Loans) What is your niche? What is your story?
Women in technology
(Lean in movement)
Think about the
national conversations,
local conversations,
trends, topics, for
subject material and
where your brand fits .
10. Short term & long term goals
Getting started Kicking it up
Launch a website that tells her Publish an ebook or create a
brand’s story, marketing as a video. Offer a resource such as
lifestyle and informational free class, free webinar, free
resource for well-being. ebook in exchange for email.
Continue to publish and focus
Publish blog posts and use
on multiple resources/content
social media to create channels throughout year. Engage and
that share inspiring and grow the community.
informational content. Leverage content partners to
Get started with goal of share and endorse content.
building a few hundred Aim for thousands of followers
followers and measure SEO. and build up the email list.
11. Premium Content
Types When to use
Video or video series Video is good for instructional and
entertainment purposes, keep it
White paper short, series for training
eBook White paper for research-drive
In depth articles reports
eBook visual and more interactive
Podcasts than whitepapers
Webinars Podcast series information or
Tutorials/guides entertaining
Tutorials/guides problem-
solving/how tos
Webinars for Q & A, workshops,
tutorials
12. Content guide
6 values of
sharable content Consistent voice + consistent publishing
Social currency (cool
insiders)
What’s your style? Tone? Language? Visuals?
Triggers (everyday
reminders of an Themes and topics that fit your story?
item/idea) How often are you publishing, responding,
Emotional resonance and active online?
(wanting to share with
your friends)
Observability (highly
visible, advertises itself)
Usefuless (practical or
helpful info
Storytelling (embedding a
product in a narrative)
14. Using Wordpress
You should
have…
Ideal for startups and small businesses.
A clear and simple logo Customizable with plugins, forums for help.
Easy to read, navigate, Themeforest for themes.
and mobile-friendly site
Use of visuals and Plugins to use: All in One SEO, disqus
short, short copy
comment system, spam protection (akismet),
Calls to action (connect, BWP, Jetpack, Contact Form 7, woo
sign up, follow, free
commerce, code cannon
SEO audit)
SEO always, always,
always
Notes de l'éditeur
Why do we go online? To be informed or entertained. Who clicks on advertisements or makes a purchase after watching an ad? Studies show we are much more likely to purchase through word of mouth endorsements (social media) and are more likely to remember a story (blog content) than an advertisement. Content also positions you as an expert that people can talk to and trust. What kind of people do you like to purchase from? Hard sales vs. inform?What is content marketing? Content marketing is how you can meet the needs and interests of online users. It is the creation of content that is published in order to acquire new customers. We go online to be informed and entertained. This is where you meet your audience, and offer a value in your market. Marketing with a purpose.
When we think about content, especially when starting out, it’s important to forget about numbers first. Focus on creating really good content and building an audience to share the content and promote it for you.
What kind of content do you share? Like/tweet/email out? Examples above show active blogs, social networks, and publishing powerhouses. Redbull is a little extreme with their videos and entertainment. There’s even a Red Bull house of Art in Detroit. These four give a good of example of some of the different types of content out their and active communities we are probably already familiar with. Good content spreads, creates brand endorsements online. More on sharable content later.
These are a few steps for getting started with a content strategy. Most important to tell a story about your brand or business and to publish in your niche. This helps give you a part of the story. More on content partners, which are others already in your area with similar audiences. They are likely to share and spread the word about your product, and vise versa. Good to have.
Create a buyer persona based on what you understand about your buyer. Think about demographics. Try creating a character that represents your target audience to help you think through all of their needs, desires, concerns, etc. and how you can market to them.
The Larger brand story is based off of what’s going on around the ecosystem of your product/business. For the Sally example, say if she’s a business in Midland she should research what the local media is talking about, everything from newspapers to social media in MI. What’s the national conversations? Are there local blogs? What does she want to attract and carve as her niche? Some questions for finding the story: What’s the history of your field? The concerns of your audience in relation to our culture/time? What trends are currently going on in your field? Where do you fit into all of this?
The goal is to create a larger story around your brand/product, and content to help share and spread online. A content guide is good for when you may be outsourcing work, or hiring someone to the team. I’d recommend writing it out just so you’ve thought through what the voice of the brand will be and how you can use this throughout. The 10 Marketing Truths to Embrace Today: help others, be honest, express sympathy, be present (online + in person), Be clear and concise, reflect on feedback, remember community, Remember audience (inspire/entertain/inform), serve a larger purpose, express personality. (Social Media)