@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
Words + Pictures:
3 Tips to Improve Your
Visual Content
Strategy
Buddy Scalera
@BuddyScalera
The Annotated
Version!

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
Disclaimer
The views expressed here do not necessarily
reflect the views or opinions of my employer.
All views and examples are my own.

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
Delivered to
the American
Marketing
Association of
New Jersey.
About the Annotated Version
The Annotated Version includes modifications to prepare it for Slideshare & ebooks. It is slightly different from the live presentation.
All content, unless otherwise noted, is © 2017 Buddy Scalera.
BuddyScalera.com
Delivered to:

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
Content Marketing
“A strategic marketing approach focused on
creating and distributing valuable, relevant,
and consistent content to attract and retain a
clearly-defined audience — and, ultimately,
to drive profitable customer action.”
http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/what-is-content-marketing/

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
The web is a visual medium.
Pictures are visual.
Designs are visual.
Words are visual.
Humans are visual.

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
30-60%60%
http://www.quora.com/How-much-of-the-brain-is-involved-with-vision
30%
http://discovermagazine.com/1993/jun/thevisionthingma227
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/brain-games/articles/brain-games-watch-this-perception-facts/

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
We See Images (Really) Fast
13ms100ms
Neuroscientist Dr. Brad Wyble
(https://twitter.com/bradpwyble)
measured that the brain can
identify images seen for as little as
13 milliseconds.
http://bit.ly/2oq3Qad
Approximately how
long it takes to blink.

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
Three Tips
1.Know Why
2.Include Designers
3.Follow Process

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
Infographics Can Be
Stories...
But They Aren’t Always
Stories
Infographics
by Ivan Ruiz.
Infographics can be an effective
content marketing tactic, if they
are part of a multichannel
marketing strategy.

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
Story is not an
autobiography
about your brand
Brand
storytelling.

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
is about your customers.
Your brand is just a
plot point in their story.
StoryCustomers are
on their own
hero’s journey.

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
This is Who and Why
Let’s talk Where, When, & How
What they
need
User Journey User Journey Continued…
Content X Goes Here
What
you
have

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
Content Marketing is about
behavior change.

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
Behavior Change
• Try my product
A
• Use my product
moreB
• Tell a friend about
my productC
• Who
• What
• Where
Content = X
• Why
• When
• How

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
So
why
are you creating content?Content made for
the purpose of
marketing should be
intended to motivate
behavior change.

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
Three Tips
1.Know Why
2.Include Designers
3.Follow Process

What Failure Looks Like
…and Why

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
Wait, wait, wait…GO!
Creative Timeline
Big
Idea
Brain
storming Concepts Revisions Approval Design
This is how stock art
happens to good ideas.
Lame statistic here.
Process Fail.
Just Say No to Stock Photography
http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2015/06/create-authentic-images/

What Success Looks Like
…and Why

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
Align Content Strategy to User Journey
+UX
Strategy
Research:
Data, analysis, process
UX
Strategic
Insights
Personas
Pre-Seeker Seeker Considerer Active Evangelist

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
User Journey. Like a Funnel. Only not.
Pre-Seeker Seeker Considerer Active Evangelist
Lead Prospect Evaluation Purchase

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
A sales funnel
is about you.
A user journey
is about the customer.

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
A sales funnel,
is about selling.
A user journey,
is about telling.

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
Content for the User Journey
Pre-Seeker Seeker Considerer Active Evangelist
About your
product.
Features &
benefits.
Comparison.
Details, getting
started.
Qualified leads.
Category
content &
keywords.
Tell a friend.

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
Strategists Own Tactics
Content
Strategy
Editorial &
Copy Strategy
Content
Engineering
Strategy
Content
Distribution
Strategy
Media
Strategy
Measurement
Strategy
Design
Strategy
Creation LinkingPlanning
Maintenance
Technology
Publishing
Taxonomy
Syndication
Repurposing
Social
Media RelationsPaid Media
Analytics
Design
Branding
UI
UX
Maintenance
KPIs & Reporting
@2013 Buddy
Scalera
For more information on
this diagram, contact
Buddy Scalera at
www.buddyscalera.com.

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
Three Tips
1.Know Why
2.Include Designers
3.Follow Process

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
Process at the Enterprise Level
•Documented process
•Creative templates
•Style guides
•Governing body

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
UNIVERSAL GOVERNANCE
• File naming
• Version control
• Source files
• Ownership
• Manager
• File metadata
• HTML Alt tags
• HTML title & captions
Filename:
Vis_Story_Info-1x5_600x900-v3a.jpg
Version:
Revision: v3a
Source:
//sharepoint/folder/images/infographics/Vis_Story_Info-1x5_600x900-
v3a.psd
Owner:
Corporate communications
Manager:
Design
File metadata:
Infographic, gorilla, 1 of 5, corporate, corporate communications,
visual storytelling
Alt Tag:
Visual storytelling infographic #1 of 5 with 800 pound gorilla.
Title:
Visual Storytelling: Plot Your Presentation
Caption:
Before you start creating your story, plot your ideas. Also address
the question of software and desired output.
Digital Asset Management
Pro Tip:
This is not where
creativity happens.

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
Content Strategy Alignment
CONTENT STRATEGY
• User journey & relevance
• Related content
• Reuse across multiple owned
platforms (web, mobile, print,
video, live events, etc.)
• Reuse in social, open graph tags
• Visual standardization across
paid channels & landing pages
User:
Persona A
User Journey:
Seeker
Linking Strategy:
Section 2.4
Relevance:
Reflects brand paid advertising campaign
Usage:
Website, owned
Convention booth
Social:
Twitter, Facebook
Instagram
Channels:
Owned
Paid, banner
Paid, print
Related content:
Image 1 of 5 in series

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
Three Tips
1.Know Why
2.Include Designers
3.Follow Process
Content
Strategy
Editorial &
Copy Strategy
Content
Engineering
Strategy
Content
Distribution
Strategy
Media
Strategy
Measurement
Strategy
Design
Strategy
@2013 Buddy
Scalera

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
how
to put content here…
Don’t just ask

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
why
you want to be here.
Ask

@MarketingBuddy • #CMWorld@BuddyScalera • #amanj
Thank You.
Buddy Scalera
Sr. Dir. Content Strategy
The Medicines Company
The Annotated
Version!