Learn how content marketing can benefit your business and the exact steps you need to take to get the most from this low cost and highly effective marketing tactic that Google loves and so will your customers!
Increase your website's SEO, the value of your Social Media accounts, your reputation and your businesses profit margins with well written and planned content.
2. What you will learn
What is content marketing
How will content marketing benefit my business
What is a content marketing strategy
How to create a content marketing strategy
What is successful content
How to create successful content
Image: deviantart/Crumpled white paper texture/melemel
3. ATTENDEE QUESTIONS
1. How do I link my website blog to social
networks and use it effectively?
2. Does copying content from another website
affect my Google ranking?
3. Can I update website content myself or do I
always have to use a web developer?
4. Is it better to embed YouTube videos on my
website or should I simply have a link?
Image: www.assistmybusiness.netwp-contentuploads201010question-mark
5. WHAT IS CONTENT MARKETING?
A.
Educational, informative content
to attract attention
and build a solid
reputation with potential customers
Image: flickr/welcomebackstevejobsillustration/photogiddy
6. E.G. 5 ways to travel like a local
Image: www.lostgirlsworld.com/2010/12/travel-like-a-local/
7. What is content marketing?
B.
Great content
and quality information to
market a product or service
Image: www.sellsellblog.blogspot.com
8. What is content marketing?
C.
Use of valuable content
to generate revenue for
your business
Image: flickr/AUD100
9. LESSON: Know your customers and help them think differently about how and when
they use your product. In Kraft’s case, this translates to making life easier by suggesting
new dishes that can be made easily.
10. What is content marketing?
A. Educational, informative content to attract attention and build a
solid reputation with potential customers
B. Great content and quality information to market a product or service
C. Use of valuable content to generate revenue for your business
D. All of the above
11. What is content marketing?
Lastly,
It is not just text
Image: deviantart/Crumpled white paper texture/melemel
12. What is content marketing?
Photos Videos Audio
Image: deviantart/Crumpled white paper texture/melemel
22. Which
Test
Won?
A
“Last minute discounts”
B
Source: www.whichtestwon.com
23. Winner
Version B, without the additional bottom
button, got a 28.7% lift in paid hotel bookings.
B
“While you may influence more people to take an action on your test page, you want
to be sure it doesn’t hurt your ultimate ability to get the final conversion step.”
Source: www.whichtestwon.com
32. of an article
Are you ready to
utilise all of the
facilities available to
maximise your
content?
Image: www.elliance.com/The-Life-of-an-Article-on-the-Web
34. WHO
will be creating the content
Image: flickr/write/designsquid
35. WHO
is your target market
Image: flickr/targets/archeon
36. WHO
will people contact if they are
interested in what you have to say
Image: flickr/SCRTD – Customer Relations Open House RTD_1802_03/metrolibraryarchive
37. WHAT
Things to do
New regional facilities
topics will you be speaking about
38. WHAT
are your overall aims?
Image: flickr/sweet dunk/ joshme17
39. WHEN
will you be creating content
Image: flickr/what’s on my desk/valerierenne
40. WHEN
will you be publishing content
Image: flickr/empty head/koalazymonkey
42. WHY
are you writing about each topic
Image: flickr/writing/jjpacres
43. WHY
is your target market going to read
your content Image: Flickr/ story time with uncle derek/ meemal
44. HOW
Social
Direct Contact Social Media
Bookmarking
• Business • Facebook • Digg
Newsletters • Twitter • StumbleUpon
• Regional • YouTube • Delicious
Newsletters • LinkedIn • Reddit
• Local newspaper • Flickr • Technorati
• Email Subscriptions
• RSS Feeds
are you going to share your content
with others
45. HOW
Writers, editors
and publishers
Schedule Topic ideas
are you going to plan for the long term
46. HOW
are you going to publish content
Image: http://phillihp.com/2011/05/25/vs-joomla-drupal-wordpress-pick-one/
47. ATTENDEE QUESTION
Can I update website
content myself or do I
always have to use a
web developer?
Image: www.assistmybusiness.netwp-contentuploads201010question-mark
49. The structure of the content
Well written with
images, keywords, links, references, SEO attributes
and F-pattern. Is shared across multiple platforms
and bookmarked naturally.
The impact of the content
Achieves the goals and desired outcomes that were
outlined in your Content Marketing Strategy.
50. but, I'm busy!
Image: Flickr/Hardcover book gutter and pages/Horia Varlan
51. GREAT CONTENT
Provides
credibility
Achieves desired
Is actionable
outcomes
Begs to be
Is shared
Shared
58. LET IT RAIN IDEAS
Your Products and Services Your Customers
Testimonials
New products or services.
Shared experiences
New or updated website
Recommendations
Changes in pricing or special offers/discounts
News and current topics.
New releases of your products
Local events
Industry awards Current related news
Predict where you think your market is going
Link to something controversial or oppose a common belief
59. LET IT RAIN IDEAS
Your Staff Marketing
New staff joining Any exhibitions or trade shows
Awards won by employees. Perform a survey
New training programs Publish a white paper
Retirements Speaking engagements
Staff Picks
Your Business or Office
Community Activities Move or expansion
Community sponsorship or activities An interview or meeting with a celebrity
Charities you may support Certification or awards of your business
Fund raising days Industry associations you may have joined
Any of your staff performing something charitable
60. GROUP EXERCISE
Lets take 5 minutes to come up with 10 topics that
you feel would be suitable for your web content
within your industry.
Image: flickr/dearmiami
61. WHO SHOULD WRITE THE CONTENT?
I will write it I will hire a
myself! professional!
Image: okaygeek.com/ Storage/Apple Mac
66. 5 WAYS TO MAKE IT EASY TO READ
1.
Use bulleted lists to summarize content
• Point one
• Point two
• Point three
Image: deviantart/Crumpled white paper texture/melemel
67. 5 WAYS TO MAKE IT EASY TO READ
2.
Highlight selected keywords to help scanners
move through your web copy
• Bold
• Italic
• Underlining
Image: deviantart/Crumpled white paper texture/melemel
68. 5 WAYS TO MAKE IT EASY TO READ
3.
Write meaningful subheads
(as opposed to amusing or clever ones)
Image: deviantart/Crumpled white paper texture/melemel
69. 5 WAYS TO MAKE IT EASY TO READ
4.
Present one idea per paragraph
Image: deviantart/Crumpled white paper texture/melemel
70. 5 WAYS TO MAKE IT EASY TO READ
5.
Use the inverted pyramid style of writing
Present key points and conclusions first,
followed by less important information
and background material
Image: deviantart/Crumpled white paper texture/melemel
71. CHOOSE YOUR VOICE
BE CONSISTENT
“Conversational style is recommended”
81. ATTENDEE QUESTION
Does copying content
from another website
affect my Google
ranking?
Image: www.assistmybusiness.netwp-contentuploads201010question-mark
82. WRITING FOR SEO
Google Panda fights against content robbers
(copy-and-paste) and spammers
You can lose up to 75% of your site traffic
http://afterpanda.com/content/smx-advanced-seattle-panda-notes-and-panda-22-prediction
85. Which Facebook Ad Got a Huge Lift in Click Through Rate?
A B
(Different Headlines & Copy)
whichtestwon.com
86. Version B lifted the click through rate by 2,666%
Active headline
B
Clear benefits
Call to action
Version A’s copy defined what the program is, not what the program does.
whichtestwon.com
91. ATTENDEE QUESTION
“Is it better to embed YouTube videos on my
website or should I simply have a link?”
Image: www.assistmybusiness.netwp-contentuploads201010question-mark
94. 1. Understand What You’re Measuring
Know your baseline and set
a goal - Increase bookings?
How many are you getting
now and from what sources
Source: http://mashable.com/2011/07/04/how-to-measure-roi-content-marketing-strategy/
95. 2. Use Proxies to Measure Initial Success
E.G. Proxies for measuring a blog’s ROI
• Facebook likes
• Retweets
• LinkedIn and other shares
• Reblogs
• Links back
• Comments
• Time spent on page
• Average page views per visitor (especially if you’re effective at
internal linking of your posts)
• Followers
• @mentions
Source: http://mashable.com/2011/07/04/how-to-measure-roi-content-marketing-strategy/
96. 3. Measure Both Primary and Secondary
Conversion Indicators
Primary Indicators
• New enquiries or bookings this months vs. last month
Secondary Indicators
• Quality of leads
• Retention period
• Lifetime value per lead
• Length of sales cycle
• Number of new customers referred by lead
Source: http://mashable.com/2011/07/04/how-to-measure-roi-content-marketing-strategy/
97. Don’t take your word for it!
Where are the
What does directions!
this mean?
How much value the website can generate from it’s customers
Everything in marketing is a test
Provide information about your businesses applicability to various niches – this means that you can use your blog to talk about how great your accommodation business is for weddings, elderly couples, family holidays, group get-togethers, international visitors, weekends away and extended trips all while making each different group of people feel as though your business is catered just for them
Publish content that can be shared across social media platforms to keep your contacts engaged and interested in what you have to say
Travel content is information that excites, transports, and guides people, but as publishers and travel brands understand, context is everything. “There are opportunities to engage consumers in transit—what we call ‘transumers’—throughout the journey cycle,” says Basu. “The challenge is to strike a balance between too little or too much content—and to be relevant and useful at all times.”ref:http://www.spafax.com/blog/travel-and-content-marketing-spafax-media-at-center-of-growing-trend
Your go to reference when writing, populating and planning content
Who will write your content? - Do you have writing capabilities/ an interest in writing? - Are any of your employees interested in writing, budding bloggers, a wannabe author etc? - Do you have family members or friends that are good with words? - Do you have an intern or access to an intern to help? - Do you have a budget to get content written for you by a professional?
Who is your target market - how old are they - are they single, married, divorced? - are they on a budget - are they looking for accomm at your place because of a nearby event etc - are they eco-conscious - are they interested in outdoors or do they want to sit-back and relax
Who will people contact if they are interested - Can they post a comment on your blog post - are contact details supplied for specific team members - do you have the resources to manage any requests - is the purchase / buying process easy for someone to find and undertake
What topics will you be speaking about? - seasonal changes - renovations/ upgrades - your products/ services - accomplishments - new menu items - news and current topics - local events
What are your overall aims? - Increase the number of bookings, enquiries and conversions - Create or grow your customer database - brand exposure - generate traffic to your site - customer communication - SEO (higher ranking, visibility) - increase first time purchases v increase return visitors - increase purchases of a specific product i.e. 3 night stays as opposed to weekly family holidays
When will you be creating content? - create them in blocks of 5 posts at a time - schedule 2 hours a week for content creation - topic brainstorming session with the team and designated due dates for posts - provide copywriters blocks of 10 topics at a time
When will you be publishing content? - on a weekly, bi-weekly, monthly basis - in line with specific events, seasons, high season v low season etc
Where will you be publishing content? - company website blog (recommended with introductions and links from other sources) - company external blog - other website blogs - direct to a newsletter - newspaper articles - direct to social media etc
Why are you writing about each topic? - What is the planned impact of writing about each topic (list the reasons down beside each topic) - after you have asked why, ask if this is in line with the businesses plans (growth, focus on family holidays v one night stays etc)http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjpacres/ - writing
Why is your target market going to read your content? - Entertainment - Education - Special deals or offers - Limited access resources
How are you going to share your content with others? - Just because you write and publish it, doesn’t mean that people will instinctively come looking for it
How are you going to plan for the long term? - how often will you update your content marketing schedule - how will you manage a change of staff/ resources - how will you come up with and collect new topic ideas (read other content on a similar topic etc)
How are you going to publish content? - not all websites are created equal, you need a CMS and blog / technical capabilities - do you have the ability to add and edit content on your site frequently - do you have a tool to help ensure that your content is best optimised and written
We’re not meant to judge a book by a cover but when it’s come to your website all bets are off! A study by researchers at Carleton University in Ottawa show that first impressions count in website design. They showed that people form opinions about the look of your website in 1/20th of a second. The aesthetic of your design is therefore an important factor in the success of your website and online business.
Think of the last coffee shop you went toWhat kind of feelings/emotions did it evoke?Was there a certain sense of style?Vintage? Modern? Cheap?
You need to provide interesting, enjoyable and relevant information and activities which connect emotionally with visitors
New products or servicesNew or updated websiteChanges in pricing or special offers/discountsNew releases of your productsDifferent or new applications for your service or product
New products or servicesNew or updated websiteChanges in pricing or special offers/discountsNew releases of your productsDifferent or new applications for your service or product
Now that you have ideas for your content, someone needs to write it.You have threeways of going about it:Write it yourselfHire a professionalGuest writers – experts in the field
If you haven’t already heard of it, conversion optimisation is the process of improving your website’s conversionsto improve the capture of revenue. Often through a series of simple, small changes, websites see increased revenues. Too many times we focus on building the website, or integrating the booking engine and overlook essential items that will increase the chance a user will take action.HeadlinesCall to ActionCopyImagesGraphicsButton LookButton TextButton LocationNo LinksPress QuotesTestimonialsPricingFlow Through ProcessAnd morersion points faster and more directly.
This was a great example of how usability can trump marketing.
Keywords, keywords, keywords
Keywords, keywords, keywords
Size mattersAim for 400 – 1000 words
Compress your images and use the ALT tag
Link to other articles within your blog and to othersDon’t post the whole URL
You are not limited to your images only. You can use stock photos or photos licenced under creative commons and remember to attribute accordingly
Publish your content to other sitesFacebookTwitterYoutube
Publish your content to FacebookIf it is a blog post, the links automatically create a thumbnail image with a short descriptionIf it is a link to a YouTube video, it automatically embeds the video into the post
We think Version B won because of its active headline, clear explanation of the program’s benefits, and “learn more” call-to-action at the end. Version A’s copy defined what the program is, not what the program does.
Publish your content to TwitterLink only due to character restrictions Use hashtags
Publish your content to YouTubeSecond biggest search engineLinks last longer on YouTube than on any other social network (for example, once you have tweeted a link, it only stays in your followers timeline for a limited amount of time, whereas with YouTube your website link will always be embedded into the video description)
Play Video – Excellent example of user generated content and a potentially missed opportunityexplain how to maximise marketing reach of content assetsContent isn’t king - optimised content is king
When you come across quality user generated content like this have a plan in place to get as much mileage from it as possible.Perform some keyword research to see what terms people are searching for that are related to your story and get 1 or more blog article’s written.Then distributeOnce you have a plan you can reuse it for each new story
Publish your content to LinkedInTalk about Adam posting the SlideShare link on LinkedIn and it automatically gained popularity and landed on the first page
I think it’s more important to show you the breadth of what makes up an effective online marketing strategy as opposed to trying to drill into specific how to details.
Explain the options and play video example of a live site being tested
Ok that’s the end of Phase 4. Can I ask everyone to spend 5 mins and total up each column into the Section totals then summarise any high and medium priority tasks. Then calculate your final totals from each phase and identify the 3 items you plan to implement.