The complete post can be found here - http://bit.ly/cmi-interview - The mission of the Content Marketing Institute (CMI) is to advance the practice of content marketing. And what does that mean, really? Have you ever had one of these questions? What IS content marketing? What ISN’T content marketing? How do I justify the additional costs involved with starting a content marketing strategy at my company? How can I measure, clean up, or improve my existing content marketing approach? These are the questions the team at CMI live with everyday. Their aim is not only to provide practical guidance and research in the short term, but also the latest news, advances, and information that sets healthy strategy in the long term. I interviewed Cathy McPhillips, Marketing Director at Content Marketing Institute and manager of their LinkedIn group. If you are looking to engage other professionals in the trenches of content marketing, you will find this group worth your while.

1. Content Marketing
LinkedIn Group Helps
You Stay Up To DatePhoto Credit - https://www.flickr.com/photos/8242062@N07/2395065989/

2. Group Manager: Cathy McPhillips
Marketing Director
@cmphillips
An interview with Cathy McPhillips, manager of
Content Marketing Institute’s LinkedIn group
Group Name: Content Marketing Institute
Type: Professional Group
Membership: 11,400+

3. What is the goal of the Content
Marketing Institute?
The Content Marketing Institute’s (CMI) mission is to advance the
practice of content marketing.
The LinkedIn group is an extension of that mission.
You can expect practical guidance, advice from experts, and an
active community for discussing the latest news, information, and
advances that are moving the industry forward.

4. By the way, you can download the full
post and get the answer to the bonus
question here:
→ Take me to the full post now ←

5. When did you start
the LinkedIn group?

6. The Content Marketing Institute
Group formed in March of 2012.

7. Why?

8. LinkedIn is an ideal channel for us to
educate, inform and learn from the
content marketing community.

9. What do you feel makes your
community special?

10. We take great pride in the content
that is shared within this
community. Our high standards in
the posts shared by others has
proved useful to the community.

11. No sales pitches, no gated content,
just useful information that sparks
great conversations. Isn’t that the
point of a LinkedIn group?

12. If you could magically give all of
your community members one thing
in this world, what would it be, and
why?

13. A ticket to Content Marketing
World in Cleveland.

14. I think it would help the content
marketing industry – all of us –
to be under one roof....

15. listening to the experts, thought
leaders, and practitioners who
are in the trenches creating
content marketing each and
every day

16. There’s something magical about a
building full of competitors, by
definition, willing to share their
secrets, learnings, successes and
failures. It makes us all better.

17. If you could ask your group
members ONE thing and get an
answer from all of them, what
would that question be?

18. How has this LinkedIn group
helped you?

19. What could we be doing differently to
help you advance the practice of
content marketing within your
organization?

20. Who are some of your
“power-users” or
most active members?

21. There are ebbs and flows within our
group, but some constants are Ben
Hollom,

22. Anthony Gaenzle,

23. and Shannon Doubleday.

24. These members not only add
valuable content, but also
contribute to conversations. It’s
really necessary to do both within a
LinkedIn group, and they
understand that.

25. What are some of the hot topics
that seem to always be discussed
within the group?

26. Workflow, employment and
department structures are all hot
topics. How can we structure our
marketing departments – and
beyond – to be set up to create the
best content for our customers?

27. For someone new to this
community, how do they get the
most out of it?

28. Jump on in.

29. Monina Wagner, CMI’s Community
Manager, has done a great job with
some posts so the group can get to
know each other, give members a
chance to share why they are active in
the group, etc.

30. Other than that, find some
discussions that interest you and
comment. You might just comment on
a post by a brand new member to the
group!

31. Has anything surprised you
about owning a forum about
content marketing?

32. Initially, I was surprised by the
number of members who joined solely
to blast out their content, but didn’t
stick around to engage – not exactly
an ideal scenario when trying to
reach content marketers.

33. With our more stringent moderating
of the group, this has subsided.

34. *Bonus Question*
For those who want to get the most
out of their content marketing
strategy what tools would you
consider "must-haves"?

35. Download this post and get the
answer to the bonus question.
Wanna know the answer?

36. Group Manager: Cathy McPhillips
Marketing Director
@cmphillips
A special thank you to Cathy McPhillips, manager of
Content Marketing Institute’s LinkedIn group
Group Name: Content Marketing Institute
Type: Professional Group
Membership: 11,400+
Interested? Join the group here → I want to join

37. Download the full post and get the
answer to the bonus question here:
→ Take me to the full post now ←