Learn Inbound is Ireland's foremost digital marketing conference. It was also the platform from which Zazzle founder Simon Penson launched a new campaign against the current 'misuse' and 'misunderstanding' of what content marketing is, and how it should be delivered.

4. Name: Simon Penson
Occupation: MD, Zazzle Media
Career: Print editor turned
digital agency
founder
Contact: @simonpenson
Not Tom Cruise.

6. Content Marketers
celebrate this…

7. “Look how much
coverage I got, nan.”
25 high metric PR
placements including:
The image part

11. To understand
we need to go back...

12. What we do.
@simonpenson

13. @simonpenson
Look at the evolution
of mass media.

14. 1945
@simonpenson

15. 15@simonpenson
The same is happening
right now online.

16. Initial obsession
with technology.
Content Future

18. Defining the
approach.
“Think like
a publisher.
Imagine your
brand owns the
biggest selling
magazine in your
industry. What
does your content
look like?”

19. Content Marketing to date.
Paid strategy
is not
‘always on’
Other
content just
‘happens’
Distribution
designed to
attract shares,
links and
visits. Not
long term.
A series of
campaigns
are created in
no particular
order
Content Ideas
Produced
@simonpenson

20. Brand as Publisher is different.
Designed
to build
long term
audience
Everything
from social to
email and PR
is integrated
Off page
is more
than just
campaign
content
Full mix of
strategic
content
produced
Central
Editorial Plan
@simonpenson

22. Step 1
Audience
The five step plan.
Step 2
Editorial Mission
Step 3
Short Form
Content
Step 4
Hero Content
Step 5
Content
Flow

24. Marketing is about people.
All marketing starts and ends with an understanding of people. We use our own tools
and combine with existing data to paint a clear picture of who it is you are marketing to.

25. Add insight from Facebook.
Age and gender split vs UK Facebook average.
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
18-­‐24 25-­‐34 35-­‐44 45-­‐54 55-­‐64 65+
age
Female Age Demographics
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
18-­‐24 25-­‐34 35-­‐44 45-­‐54 55-­‐64 65+
age
Male Age Demographics
moz.com/blog/forget-­googles-­games-­make-­social-­a-­primary-­traffic-­source

26. Understand their other
interests.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Technology Fashion
&
Shopping
Food Sports Music Films Travel Property
Facebook

27. Mix in more data.
We can use YouGov survey data to help further our understanding of your audience…

28. Comscore sets the agenda.

29. Global Web Index helps.
This is a very digitally-­active audience, especially when it comes to gathering
information. They’re also using digital extensively for entertainment activities.
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Monthly online activity
Audience % AvantCreditUK Audience % UK Average

30. Tells us what they want.
Your audience want content that improves their knowledge.
Their second preference is for entertaining content.
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Be
part
of
routine
Connect
you
with
people
Inspire
you Entertain
you
Provide
personal
service
Help
organise
your
life
Improve
your
knowledge
Keep
you
informed
Make
you
influential
Provide
relevant
content
Provide
real
life
experiences
Talk
to
me
like
a
real
person
Provide
tailored
content
Audience
%
AvantCreditUK
Audience
%
UK
Average

31. David Bernand
34
Works in sales
Frequent traveller to
meetings
Married with children
Amelia Thomas
43
Part time nurse
Weekends away
organiser
Married with older
children
Corinna Weber
18
Student
Uses trains to go home
and see friends
Needs ‘cheapest’
Add a human face to the data.

34. The crystallisation
of your content values
and objectives.
The editorial mission statement.
What does it do and how does it work?

35. Example statement
Your audience want content that improves their knowledge.
Their second preference is for entertaining content.
vv

36. Editorial Pillars

37. The Zazzle Mag!
What our ‘magazine’ may look like…

38. And define the framework
What content do you need?

39. Hero
Hub
Hygiene
Large scale ‘go big’ moments designed
to generate mass awareness.
Static URL content
designed to increase
rankings, conversion,
usability, usefulness.
So we create the right content mix
SEARCH DATA LED
ANSWER CONTENT +
AUDIENCE QUESTIONS +
MAGAZINE CONTENT
FUNCTIONAL CONTENT +
EVERGREEN CONTENT
BIG BANG CAMPAIGNS
Regular engaging content
demonstrating brand benefits
and to make the consumer
smarter.

40. Hero
Hub
Hygiene
At the right time…
The importance of Hub, Hero and Hygiene varies as time goes on – as does it’s
share of resource allocation.
CONTENT MONTH 1-­3 4-­7 8-­12 13+
HYGIENE 80% 60% 20% 0
HUB 20% 30% 50% 50%
HERO 10% 30% 30%
INFLUENCER 20%

42. Regular content is
centred on the blog. It is
the ‘hub’ of the content
strategy and can include
a myriad of content types.

43. Useful tools to define the opportunity.
Research will provide the answers to the questions your audience are asking and to
which you need to provide an answer!
@simonpenson
“keyword” +
“powered by
vbulletin”
LSIGraph.comSEMRush
Keyword
Studio/Moz
Keyword
Explorer
Answer the
Public/Google
Suggest

44. Tap into Micro Moments.
I want to know. I want to do. I want to buy. I want to go. Understand each and brainstorm
based on audience insight.

45. Structure long tail planning.
By categorising what people are searching for we can determine what kind of content
should be included on the page – and beyond.
“Which type of ticket do I need
to travel at any time?”
Technical information
“Which stations go direct to
Paris in Germany.”
Situational
“Which train is best to avoid
overcrowding?”
Use
“How do I claim delay
compensation?”
Problem solving
“Can I use Apple Pay on Eurostar?”
Tech/innovation
“Who invented the train?”
History/general
Source: answerthepublic.com

46. And create ‘magazine’ content.
Examples
Interviews with key industry experts.
List features.
Lightweight data vis on key industry trends and information.
News and opinion.
Features and ’how to’ content.

48. ‘Hero’ or ‘Big Bang’
campaign content is
designed to create
massive reach by
leveraging search, social
and influencer channels.

49. Campaign planning overview.
The creative comms team should work in harmony to design integrated
campaign plans for all off page content to maximize reach and resonance.
Digital PR reaches
the biggest sites.
The social team works on
paid and earned strategy
Blogger specialists work
with niche influencers
The Creative
Comms Plan
Paid specialists create
the biddable media plan

50. Idea validation.
Do we have a hook? Does it provoke an emotional response?
Do we have unique data? Does it tell a story?
Do we have media buy in? Why this idea right now?
Is the idea open to ambiguity? Where, and who, is the audience?
Is it credible? What supporting content can we create?
Sense check your ideas to ensure sure they fly. Read the book Will it Stick
for more!

51. Cover paid, owned and earned.
@simonpenson

52. Create a campaign plan.
Our campaign planner captures every element to ensure we leave no stone
unturned and maximize reach and impact. Multiple tabs capture every detail.
FREE DOWNLOAD
FREE
DOWNLOAD

54. Content flow is this.
Major industry survey.
List feature Short form post

55. Reverse engineer magazines.
This is how you plan ‘flow’ for a magazine. The process helps digital strategy.
FREE
DOWNLOAD

56. Use our matrix to help.
The Content Matrix helps you understand the
strengths and weaknesses of content types..
FREE
DOWNLOAD

57. Test Flow like this.
CONTENT THEME WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4
LIST FEATURES
DOWNLOADABLE GUIDES
INFOGRAPHICS
MONEY SAVING 'HOW TO'
TOOLS AND TEMPLATES
SURVEYS/DATA LED CONTENT
HUMAN INTEREST
SIMPLE GUIDES

58. moz.com/blog/content-­analysis-­google-­analytics/
And use data to help. Content
Groupings

60. FREE
DOWNLOAD

63. Thank you.
Keep in touch. @simonpenson