If you want your content marketing to take your business closer to its goals, it helps to have a game plan – a strategic selection of plays you can rely on to help you beat the competition and score points with your target audience. Each year, our Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends research reveals which tactics marketers are currently using. And while it’s clear that certain platforms and plays are likely to cycle in and out of popularity over time, we’ve noticed an alarmingly consistent trend that seems to impact nearly all of them: Content marketers are experiencing a large gap between using a tactic and getting effective results from it. Our newest Playbook aims to help all content marketers better understand the value proposition of content marketing tactics and achieve greater success with their efforts.
This is the presentation that I gave to the Young Planners at Cannes 2014. The data herein is taken from survey distributed through @cheiluk, @yellif and @cr
Planning Hype - Engineering hype before a product launchJulian Cole
For more strategy resources sign up to Planning Dirty at https://www.planningdirty.com/newsletter
The following is a guide for how to create excitement around a product before it has launched.
This is critical for how to market music, movies and games where the first-week window is critical.
The presentation was created by Julian Cole and Melissa Pepers.
50 planners to watch in 2014 - The Planning SalonJulian Cole
Twitter list of the 50 Planners - https://twitter.com/emma_hines/top-50-planners/members
thanks @emma_hines and @E_for_M
50 planners to watch in 2014 was picked by The Planning Salon.The list is a mix of the top planning talent from across the globe as well as the next generation of planners. The list has diverse mix of planners from big markets like London and New York to emerging markets like Athens and Cape Town.
The Planning Salon is a platform for all planners around the world to meet and learn from our industry's greatest minds. It was started in 2013 to showcase some of the biggest stars of the industry, guests such as Gareth Kay, Rob Campbell and Heather LeFevre. Check out the interviews here; http://theplanningsalon.com/
What's the ROI of a Piano? What's the ROI of a YouTube channel? What's the ROI of anything!? After you read this deck you'll be able to answer all these questions easily.
In a time when consumers have been confined to their homes and social contact has been limited, influence has been pulling to the forefront of our increasingly virtual reality. But now that we are beginning the slow transition out of lockdown, how should brands be preparing to future-proof their influence for a post-COVID-19 world?
Jonathan Lee, Managing Director, Brand Strategy, and Ken Allard, Managing Director, Business Strategy at HUGE, gave this presentation at "Ambidexterity 2," the VCU Brandcenter's Executive Education program for account planning on June 24th at the VCU Brandcenter in Richmond, VA.
This is the presentation that I gave to the Young Planners at Cannes 2014. The data herein is taken from survey distributed through @cheiluk, @yellif and @cr
Planning Hype - Engineering hype before a product launchJulian Cole
For more strategy resources sign up to Planning Dirty at https://www.planningdirty.com/newsletter
The following is a guide for how to create excitement around a product before it has launched.
This is critical for how to market music, movies and games where the first-week window is critical.
The presentation was created by Julian Cole and Melissa Pepers.
50 planners to watch in 2014 - The Planning SalonJulian Cole
Twitter list of the 50 Planners - https://twitter.com/emma_hines/top-50-planners/members
thanks @emma_hines and @E_for_M
50 planners to watch in 2014 was picked by The Planning Salon.The list is a mix of the top planning talent from across the globe as well as the next generation of planners. The list has diverse mix of planners from big markets like London and New York to emerging markets like Athens and Cape Town.
The Planning Salon is a platform for all planners around the world to meet and learn from our industry's greatest minds. It was started in 2013 to showcase some of the biggest stars of the industry, guests such as Gareth Kay, Rob Campbell and Heather LeFevre. Check out the interviews here; http://theplanningsalon.com/
What's the ROI of a Piano? What's the ROI of a YouTube channel? What's the ROI of anything!? After you read this deck you'll be able to answer all these questions easily.
In a time when consumers have been confined to their homes and social contact has been limited, influence has been pulling to the forefront of our increasingly virtual reality. But now that we are beginning the slow transition out of lockdown, how should brands be preparing to future-proof their influence for a post-COVID-19 world?
Jonathan Lee, Managing Director, Brand Strategy, and Ken Allard, Managing Director, Business Strategy at HUGE, gave this presentation at "Ambidexterity 2," the VCU Brandcenter's Executive Education program for account planning on June 24th at the VCU Brandcenter in Richmond, VA.
You can now download the presentation directly from Slideshare.
*Disclaimer this is just my imaginary example of a Comms Plan for the Puma work and not the actual strategy that was created by Droga5 for Puma. I had nothing to do with that plan and am just a fan of their work.
What is Comms Planning? is a presentation that provides a clear answer of the role of the Comms Planner within an Advertising Agency. I use the example of the Puma Social campaign to prove the point.
Great content is rooted in your audience's natural language, delivering a great content experience, search discoverability, and engaging storytelling. Quality, informative content that educates, persuades, entertains, or converts content consumers is the way forward for content creators hoping to engage with their audience.
L.E.S.S. Stands for:
Language
Experience
Search &
Storytelling
Marketing effectiveness 2019 Wim Vermeulen and Peter Field Part 1wimvermeulen
Presentation for the Marketing Effectiveness 2019 event of BAM on February 5th, 2019.
The post-truth world has engulfed marketing. The self-appointed apostles of the digital revolution have led us badly astray; even the Mad Men and Women have lost the plot.
A counter revolution is underway, we call it the evidence-based way. Come along and hear what Wim and Peter have to say about what has gone wrong and what needs to change.
Peter Field explains why the current marketing model is broken and makes the case for getting back to marketing effectiveness, Wim Vermeulen talks about the way forward and examines today's most effective communication model and the TapForward effect.
Omnicom Creative has been named Company of the Year and DDB Worldwide Network of the Year. Somesuch, USA won this year’s Palme d’Or while Apple secured the Creative Brand of the Year.
Not just another buzzword…product-led growth is an important go-to-market strategy that underpins some of today’s most successful businesses. Think Dropbox, Slack, Intercom, Expensify and Datadog.
At OpenView, we define product-led growth (PLG) as a strategy that puts the product front and center when it comes to how a company acquires, expands and retains customers. Relying on a product-led strategy yields rapid, extremely efficient growth.
Although similar to a freemium approach, a product-led growth strategy doesn’t actually require that you offer your product for free. It does however necessitate an amazing product and customer experience. In fact, PLG companies make it frictionless for users to start using their products. They deliver value extremely quickly and target users rather than buyers.
Social has played an essential, introductory role in brands’ digital transformation. It has shown tangible results and allowed to track change and progress.
But how can you leverage any social media operation to transcend beyond its direct impact? This webinar explores the future and evolution of content studios, from social only to full-on digital.
We make brands stronger and brand leaders smarter. Here's how we can help:
1. We lead workshops to define your brand, helping you uncover a unique, own-able Brand Positioning Statement and an organizing Big Idea that transforms your brand’s DNA into a consumer-centric and winning brand reputation.
2. We lead workshops to build a strategic Brand Plan that will optimize your resources and motivates everyone that touches the brand to follow the plan.
3. We coach on Marketing execution, helping build programs that create a bond with your consumers, to ensure your investment drives growth on your brand.
4. We will build a Brand Management Training Program, so you can unleash the full potential of your Marketing team, enabling them to contribute smart and exceptional Marketing work that drives brand growth.
5. Our Executive Coaching program is designed to help Marketing Leaders get smarter, and then drive stronger performance on their brands. Executives can use their increased knowledge to help their own teams get smarter.
60 Minute Brand Strategist: Extended and updated hard cover NOW available.Idris Mootee
This book includes the very latest thinking on branding and brand strategy. It has been published in different many languages and use by top global brands to train their brand managers. New updated hard cover version is not available from Amazon May 2013
Pls view in full screen mode. Published in more than 5 languages.
An overview on what to expect from growing social media network TikTok and how brands can utilise their ads manager to increase brand awareness and improve customer relationship.
AMC and the Amazon Sphere: What You Did in 2020 Won’t Work in 2023Tinuiti
We all know the Amazon landscape has changed vastly since 2020 – but has your strategy adapted accordingly? Because the old playbook won’t cut it anymore.
During this session, hear from Tinuiti’s Marketplaces expert and digital marketing forecasting agency, Stratably, to hear what 2023 will look like and the tactics you need to leverage so you don’t miss out on new sales and stay ahead of the curve.
Top 3 ways to use your UX team - producttank DFW MeetupJeremy Johnson
As a product owner or manager how should you be using your User Experience team? In this quick talk I go over the top three ways to use your UX team to support you in building better products.
I was sifting through some old files of mine and found this guidebook I put together for my junior planners when I was still working in Korea.
The presentation deck might be a bit old (it's in 4:3 format), and slightly more tailored to how I saw the state of strategy & planning in Korea, but a lot of its content should still hold true today.
Hope you enjoy the read!
Marketplaces are one of the main online shopping destinations for consumers. Now present in all regions of the world, marketplaces have fundamentally changed the commerce landscape, the way we shop, and how businesses go to market with their products and services. And although marketplaces are based on the same concept of first- and third-party selling, they are vastly different from each other. But how do brands accelerate growth? And what are the requirements for success
Introduction to Digital Marketing | #IntroToDigital +22 Free Tools insideNicolas J. Chevalier
INTRO TO DIGITAL - In this presentation, you will find an introduction to digital marketing / online marketing. Through SEM, Display, Content Marketing, E-CRM, Digital communication, discover 22 free tools to do your own analysis.
10 Content strategy visuals that changed the worldSue Davis
Lightning talk slides from London Content Strategy Meetup 26 February 2013. Accompanying video of me talking through it is here: https://togetherlondon.com/talks/meetup/2013-02-26/davis
You can now download the presentation directly from Slideshare.
*Disclaimer this is just my imaginary example of a Comms Plan for the Puma work and not the actual strategy that was created by Droga5 for Puma. I had nothing to do with that plan and am just a fan of their work.
What is Comms Planning? is a presentation that provides a clear answer of the role of the Comms Planner within an Advertising Agency. I use the example of the Puma Social campaign to prove the point.
Great content is rooted in your audience's natural language, delivering a great content experience, search discoverability, and engaging storytelling. Quality, informative content that educates, persuades, entertains, or converts content consumers is the way forward for content creators hoping to engage with their audience.
L.E.S.S. Stands for:
Language
Experience
Search &
Storytelling
Marketing effectiveness 2019 Wim Vermeulen and Peter Field Part 1wimvermeulen
Presentation for the Marketing Effectiveness 2019 event of BAM on February 5th, 2019.
The post-truth world has engulfed marketing. The self-appointed apostles of the digital revolution have led us badly astray; even the Mad Men and Women have lost the plot.
A counter revolution is underway, we call it the evidence-based way. Come along and hear what Wim and Peter have to say about what has gone wrong and what needs to change.
Peter Field explains why the current marketing model is broken and makes the case for getting back to marketing effectiveness, Wim Vermeulen talks about the way forward and examines today's most effective communication model and the TapForward effect.
Omnicom Creative has been named Company of the Year and DDB Worldwide Network of the Year. Somesuch, USA won this year’s Palme d’Or while Apple secured the Creative Brand of the Year.
Not just another buzzword…product-led growth is an important go-to-market strategy that underpins some of today’s most successful businesses. Think Dropbox, Slack, Intercom, Expensify and Datadog.
At OpenView, we define product-led growth (PLG) as a strategy that puts the product front and center when it comes to how a company acquires, expands and retains customers. Relying on a product-led strategy yields rapid, extremely efficient growth.
Although similar to a freemium approach, a product-led growth strategy doesn’t actually require that you offer your product for free. It does however necessitate an amazing product and customer experience. In fact, PLG companies make it frictionless for users to start using their products. They deliver value extremely quickly and target users rather than buyers.
Social has played an essential, introductory role in brands’ digital transformation. It has shown tangible results and allowed to track change and progress.
But how can you leverage any social media operation to transcend beyond its direct impact? This webinar explores the future and evolution of content studios, from social only to full-on digital.
We make brands stronger and brand leaders smarter. Here's how we can help:
1. We lead workshops to define your brand, helping you uncover a unique, own-able Brand Positioning Statement and an organizing Big Idea that transforms your brand’s DNA into a consumer-centric and winning brand reputation.
2. We lead workshops to build a strategic Brand Plan that will optimize your resources and motivates everyone that touches the brand to follow the plan.
3. We coach on Marketing execution, helping build programs that create a bond with your consumers, to ensure your investment drives growth on your brand.
4. We will build a Brand Management Training Program, so you can unleash the full potential of your Marketing team, enabling them to contribute smart and exceptional Marketing work that drives brand growth.
5. Our Executive Coaching program is designed to help Marketing Leaders get smarter, and then drive stronger performance on their brands. Executives can use their increased knowledge to help their own teams get smarter.
60 Minute Brand Strategist: Extended and updated hard cover NOW available.Idris Mootee
This book includes the very latest thinking on branding and brand strategy. It has been published in different many languages and use by top global brands to train their brand managers. New updated hard cover version is not available from Amazon May 2013
Pls view in full screen mode. Published in more than 5 languages.
An overview on what to expect from growing social media network TikTok and how brands can utilise their ads manager to increase brand awareness and improve customer relationship.
AMC and the Amazon Sphere: What You Did in 2020 Won’t Work in 2023Tinuiti
We all know the Amazon landscape has changed vastly since 2020 – but has your strategy adapted accordingly? Because the old playbook won’t cut it anymore.
During this session, hear from Tinuiti’s Marketplaces expert and digital marketing forecasting agency, Stratably, to hear what 2023 will look like and the tactics you need to leverage so you don’t miss out on new sales and stay ahead of the curve.
Top 3 ways to use your UX team - producttank DFW MeetupJeremy Johnson
As a product owner or manager how should you be using your User Experience team? In this quick talk I go over the top three ways to use your UX team to support you in building better products.
I was sifting through some old files of mine and found this guidebook I put together for my junior planners when I was still working in Korea.
The presentation deck might be a bit old (it's in 4:3 format), and slightly more tailored to how I saw the state of strategy & planning in Korea, but a lot of its content should still hold true today.
Hope you enjoy the read!
Marketplaces are one of the main online shopping destinations for consumers. Now present in all regions of the world, marketplaces have fundamentally changed the commerce landscape, the way we shop, and how businesses go to market with their products and services. And although marketplaces are based on the same concept of first- and third-party selling, they are vastly different from each other. But how do brands accelerate growth? And what are the requirements for success
Introduction to Digital Marketing | #IntroToDigital +22 Free Tools insideNicolas J. Chevalier
INTRO TO DIGITAL - In this presentation, you will find an introduction to digital marketing / online marketing. Through SEM, Display, Content Marketing, E-CRM, Digital communication, discover 22 free tools to do your own analysis.
10 Content strategy visuals that changed the worldSue Davis
Lightning talk slides from London Content Strategy Meetup 26 February 2013. Accompanying video of me talking through it is here: https://togetherlondon.com/talks/meetup/2013-02-26/davis
It's back! The annual Content Marketing Institute/Content Marketing research returns again to dissect content marketing benchmarks, budgets and trends for B2B marketers in North America.
How to tell your company's story infodoodles from ann handley of marketing profsMarketingProfs
Telling your company's story requires a little planning, talking, and listening. You can unearth the good stories about your company by asking yourself (or others in your company) the right questions.
To get your creativity flowing, Ann Handley, MarketingProfs chief content officer and author of Content Rules, suggest companies ask themselves specific questions.
We've put them in this colorful infodoodle slideshow.
Telling your company's story requires a little planning, talking, and listening. You can unearth the good stories about your company by asking yourself (or others in your company) the right questions.
To get your creativity flowing, Ann Handley, MarketingProfs chief content officer and author of Content Rules, suggest companies ask themselves specific questions.
1. What is unique about your business?
2. What is interesting about how your business was founded? About your founder?
3. What problem is your company trying to solve?
4. What inspired your business?
5. What aha moments has your company had?
6. How has your business evolved?
7. What's an unobvious way to tell your story?
8. What do you consider normal and boring that other folks would think is cool?
The Podcast Consumer 2015 is a report on podcast consumption, the demographics of listeners, and their other behaviors in mobile, social, and other digital media. It is derived from The Infinite Dial 2015 from Edison Research and Triton Digital.
The Millennial demand for real estate has been declining recently. Most Millennials don't believe or know if they can qualify for a mortgage. There are some great loan programs available to help borrowers buy a home with a great rate and low to nothing down.
This Social Media Survival Guide will give you the tools you need to make smart content marketing decisions as your brand explores the diverse social media landscape. This collection of expert insights, advice, and brand examples outlines the unique characteristics of each channel, helps you identify which platforms and practices are likely to work best for your particular business goals, and offers creative inspiration to ignite more successful and sustainable conversations with your target audience. Read on for an in-depth discussion on 12 of the top social media platforms content marketers are using right now.
Content Curation Scorecard for Content Marketing SuccessRoger Parker
Roger C. Parker's Content Curation Scorecard helps content marketers evaluate their content curation efforts in 10 important areas. Use this scorecard to make sure that you are providing helpful, relevant information on a consistent basis.
Regular use of the Content Curation Scorecard provides a fresh perspective, identifying areas of excellence as well as areas requiring attention.
B2C Content Marketing: 2014 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends—North AmericaMarketingProfs
Business-to-consumer content marketing is on the rise, with 60% of North American B2C marketers planning to increase content marketing spend over the next 12 months, according to the second annual B2C content marketing study. Get more details about the state of B2C content marketing, such as benchmarks, budgets, and trends in this downloadable PDF.
The Content Grid v2, created by Eloqua and JESS3, provides marketers with a framework for content marketing. The infographic visualizes the most popular types of marketing content, over which outlets they should be delivered, at what stage in the purchase process they make the most sense, and what KPIs should be used to measure their impact. The Content Grid v2 is a follow-up on last year's award-winning infographic, called The Content Grid.
Overview: The State of B2C Content Marketing IN NORTH AMERICA
Greetings Consumer Marketers,
In many ways, it’s a good year for B2C content marketers. Adoption rates of content marketing are on the rise and confidence has grown:
90% of B2C marketers are using content marketing, compared with 86% last year.
34% of B2C marketers consider themselves effective at content marketing—up from 32% last year.
B2C marketers have rated many tactics higher in effectiveness this year; in-person events and eNewsletters top the list of effective tactics.
B2C marketers are using all social platforms more often, with LinkedIn use registering the biggest jump (from 51% to 71%).
This confidence in content marketing also shows in terms of investment: 60% of B2C marketers plan to increase the amount they allocate to content marketing. Perhaps surprisingly, the least effective B2C marketers plan to increase their content marketing budgets more than the most effective ones (69% vs. 55%): another indication that marketers believe in the principles of content marketing, even if they have not quite figured out how to best execute.
Read on to discover not only how the B2C content marketing landscape has changed over the last year, but also to learn what the most effective B2C marketers are doing differently than their peers.
On with the content marketing revolution!
Designing Mobile Apps: A Prototype StoryGrapefruit
During "Design Jam: Autumn Edition" we presented a design exercise while refining a process on the go. The challenge was to create a fictional mobile application for contracting people to do your dirty work
*video game or other character images used for presentation only - no harm intended.
How to prototype interactive iPad applications in 30 minutes or less using Ap...Amir Khella
A simple guide on how to create iPad prototypes using Apple keynote and test them on the iPad without writing a single line of code.
Grab the free template at http://bit.ly/iPadSlideshare and get started today!
Leave me a comment with your feedback
100 Questions To Ask About Your DIGITAL BUSINESSCognizant
Do you know the key digital questions to ask about your business? Cognizant suggests the 100 key digital questions you need to be asking to connect the digital dots to help your customers!
Learn more about our latest thinking around digital transformation at http://cogniz.at/Perspective
B2B Content Marketing 2015 Benchmarks, Budgets & Trends - North America
Hello Content Marketers, Welcome to the fifth annual B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends—North America report. It’s hard to believe that it’s been five years since we first surveyed marketers on how they use content as part of the marketing mix. Since then, the survey has grown to reach marketers all across the globe. This year, we heard from more than 5,000 marketers—in 25 industries in 109 countries—from for-profit and nonprofit organizations. In this report, you’ll learn how the B2B marketers from North America responded. As you’ll notice, we made some changes to this year’s survey to better reflect how the industry is growing. We added new questions, changed the way we asked some of the prior ones, and even removed a few. We also asked content marketers about the initiatives they’re working on—and the list is long, as you will see… We’re thrilled to be with you on this journey.
Yours in content,
Joe & Ann
Joe Pulizzi
Founder
Content Marketing Institute
Ann Handley
Chief Content Officer
MarketingProfs
Sponsored by Brightcove
Information for small business owners and brands looking for digital marketing trends in 2016. This presentation includes information about USA and Thailand statistics.
With so many platforms to choose from, how do you know where to start? Or which one is best for your content? Senior strategists Kim Stockley and Lauren Zoltick uncovered the who, what, where, when, and why of your small business’s social media strategy. Business owners left with an understanding of social media best practices including how to understand your audience, develop a brand voice, and maximize your content’s reach.
Read more at: https://isl.co/2017/08/small-biz-big-impact-four-key-steps-to-build-your-brand
The Ultimate Guide to using Social Media Media AnalyticsSocialmetrix
How to get insights from quantitative data to improve your
social media performance.
-How do you measure social media?
-How to use quantitative data to improve your Audience.
-How to use your social analytics to create a Content MKT Strategy for social media.
-How to use quantitative data to improve your engagement.
-How to get valuable insights from your Competitors Analytics.
-How to get valuable insights from your Campaign Analytics.
This complete deck is oriented to make sure you do not lag in your presentations. Our creatively crafted slides come with apt research and planning. This exclusive deck with twenty-three slides is here to help you to strategize, plan, analyze, or segment the topic with clear understanding and apprehension. Utilize ready to use presentation slides on Brand Activation PowerPoint Presentation Slides with all sorts of editable templates, charts and graphs, overviews, analysis templates. It is usable for marking important decisions and covering critical issues. Display and present all possible kinds of underlying nuances, progress factors for an all-inclusive presentation for the teams. This presentation deck can be used by all professionals, managers, individuals, internal external teams involved in any company organization.
Social Listening in Practice: Social SellingBrandwatch
This paper, one of the Social Listening in Practice use case series, is going to show you how social selling will bring your business into the sights of the 81% of consumers who are undertaking pre-purchase research online right now.
Rehashing offline copy or boring marketing collateral for your website just doesn't cut it anymore. Your website, blogs, webinars, video and podcasts, social media, and other online content all offer you tremendous opportunities to connect with your customers and drive business. Sounds great right? It is. But only if you do it well, and create the kind of content that both resonates with your customers and meets your business objectives.
Chapter 1: Facts, Stats and Tips on Content MarketingTAG Marketing
Facts, Stats and Tips relevant to the small business content marketer on why brand assets in the form of quality content are driving the marketplace right now.
Navigating Marketing Right Now: How to adapt your brand messaging, channels a...Bridgette Borst Ombres
Learn how to adapt your brand messaging and channels for effective B2B marketing in today's world. Bridgette Borst Ombres at A2U and Jenna Chouinard at Datasmith discuss best practices in navigating the new digital landscape by focusing on recent shifts and trends, audience-first mindsets and more.
Content Marketing tactics, ideas, tools to grow your business with Toni NavarroToni Navarro Consulting
Are you struggling to create consistent content to connect with your ideal client?
Due to the current situation, people are consuming even more content than ever on social media, blogging, and other platforms too.
Also, nowadays people are searching for more specific information and solutions on google, so you have to optimise content to be visible to your audience.
But the reality is that many business owners and marketers are finding it hard to get the inspiration and time to put together the content that actually connects with your audience, and more importantly, the one that brings them leads and sales.
Do you feel the same way?
As Christmas is around the corner, Toni Navarro will be sharing with you some great ideas and tips for content creation, not only to promote your business on Christmas, but all year around.
In this webinar you’ll learn:
1- How and where to find Content Marketing ideas
2- Great content ideas for Christmas.
3- Content tactics to use all year around.
4- Tactics to promote and distribute your content
5- Content Marketing tools
6- Q&A’s time: to ask questions to Toni Navarro
For the last eight years brands have invested billions into social media programs and now many are scratching their heads… “What's the ROI of this content?”
In this webinar we break it down for you.
How to Overcome the 3 Most Common Content Marketing Barriers to Increase Traf...MarketingSherpa
"Our customers … are really the best ambassadors …We want to make sure that we’re connecting with those people when they’re engaging in conversations online and make sure that we’re supporting them.”
– Shannon Hughes, Senior Director of Marketing, Udemy
MarketingSherpa reporters interview more than 250 marketers every year to find out what really works across marketing channels. In this session, Daniel Burstein, Director of Editorial Content, MarketingSherpa, will share how leading brands connect with their customers using content marketing as part of a multichannel strategy based on lessons from:
Udemy’s 43% increase in mentions across social media channels
IBM’s 291% increase in social referral traffic
River Pools & Spas’ 80% conversion rate
MarketingExperiments’ 232% increase in blog traffic
And many more B-to-B and B-to-C case studies
Accenture PoV: 55m conversations over 55 days - Making Social Media Matter Mac Karlekar
Accenture’s latest report analyzes effective social media tactics to help consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies drive higher consumer engagement.
We studied 80 CPG brands (Coke, Nestle, Unilever, P&G, Tesco, Amazon, Walmart) from the athletics, alcoholic beverages, fashion and luxury, food and non-alcoholic beverages, personal care, and snacks and chocolates categories. The selection of brands represent a sampling of brands that are very active in social media, those that are ramping up their social activity, and those that are not yet active.We also monitored the five retailers that are most active in social media.
Overview: Many companies’ social media efforts are not designed to increase sales or even facilitate socializing. Fan pages and brand communities many times look more like broadcast vehicles than interactive social vehicles.
The bottom line is that companies may need to revisit their social media strategy to generate engagement and move from pure social listening capability to derive actionable insights across departments.
Accenture Social Media PoV - 55m conversations in 55 days Mac Karlekar
While it should come as no surprise that many major CPG brands and retailers are among the top 50 most active social media brands, this new point of view finds different brands are at varying levels of maturity in having a two-way dialogue with consumers. According to Accenture research, consumers want to engage more with CPG brands than with retailers. The success of consumer engagement is making sure fans feel part of the overall brand voice.
There’s one question on every marketer’s mind: “How do I connect?”
We’ve all been seeking connection since the pandemic struck. Stuck at home, working from kitchen tables and converted closets, marketers have been fighting to create and maintain connections with their audiences.
Despite all the upheaval, content remains a tried-and-true way to generate demand. After all, it’s content-driven experiences that build those precious connections, no matter what’s going on in the world outside.
Connection is more important than ever. And as you’ll find out in this report, successful marketers are beginning to make it easier for prospects to purchase at any stage of the buyer’s journey — messages are shifting from why to buy to how to buy.
This has been another tough year. One negative headline after another has drained audiences’ emotional reserves. They need an escape. Marketing content can offer that empathetic, emotionally stirring olive branch they’re searching for.
As you read on, you’ll discover that blogs, podcasts, and videos are the content types that are most effective at the early stages of the buyer’s journey, where brands are fighting to establish customer awareness and audience interest.
The reason is simple: These content types foster connection. They tell a story, they evoke emotion, and they present a face that the audience can relate to. And the strength of the connections that these content types create helps carry buyers through the rest of their journey on a wave of engagement and investment.
In conclusion: Connection lies in content. The last Content Marketing for Demand Generation survey report (2020) talked about creating desire and holding attention. This year, we talk about making it easier for customers to purchase across all stages of the buyer’s journey.
By providing audiences with earnest and engaging content, you can build lasting connections in 2022 and beyond that drive demand to new heights.
Welcome to the Technology Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends: Insights for 2022 report. This report looks back on the last 12 months and includes expectations for 2022.
The research suggested that due to lockdowns and work-from-home mandates, content marketing piqued the interest of many who were previously unaware of its power. With more people than ever spending time online, content marketing presented a prime opportunity to get and stay in front of audiences.
As in the previous year, nearly one in three technology marketers said their organization was extremely or very successful with content marketing. These marketers, our “top performers,” have certain characteristics that set them apart from their peers (see page 4). Some of the biggest things they do differently than their peers:
◾ Document their content marketing strategy
◾ Do an excellent/very good job demonstrating the ROI of their content marketing initiatives
◾ Prioritize their audience’s informational needs over their organization’s sales message
◾ Differentiate their content from the competition
◾ Nurture subscribers/audiences/leads
No matter how successful they are at content marketing, most respondents plan to invest in video in 2022: 72% of all technology respondents forecast investment in this area followed by investment in events (69%), paid media (65%), and owned-media assets (63%).
And, yes, challenges remain. The top challenges are:
◾ Creating content that appeals to multi-level roles within the target audience
◾ Accessing subject matter experts to create content
◾ Internal communication among teams/silos
These internal challenges point to a greater need for technology marketers to formalize content operations within their organizations.
Welcome to the Enterprise Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends: Insights for 2022 report. This report looks back on the last 12 months and includes expectations for 2022.
The research suggested that, due to lockdowns and work-from-home mandates, content marketing piqued the interest of many who were previously unaware of its power. With more people than ever spending time online, content marketing presented a prime opportunity to get and stay in front of audiences.
As in the previous year, nearly one in three enterprise marketers said their organization was extremely or very successful with content marketing. These marketers, our “top performers,” have certain characteristics that set them apart from their peers (see page 4). A few of the biggest things they do are to differentiate their content and use content collaboration/calendaring/workflow tools.
No matter how successful they are at content marketing, most respondents plan to invest in video in 2022: 72% of all enterprise respondents forecast investment in this area followed by investment in events (62%), paid media (59%), and owned-media assets (55%).
And, yes, challenges remain. The top challenge, which is the same as it was two years ago, is internal communication between teams/silos (57%). It indicates a pressing need to formalize content operations in enterprises that have not yet done so.
Welcome to the B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends: Insights for 2022 report. This report looks back on the last 12 months and includes expectations for 2022.
Our research suggested that, due to work-from-home requirements, content marketing piqued the interest of many who were previously unaware of its power. With more people than ever spending time online, content marketing presented a prime opportunity for businesses to get and stay in front of audiences. Some B2C marketers discovered new audiences altogether.
Short articles and videos were big over the last 12 months with the B2C marketers we surveyed. In addition, expect a lot of B2C investment in video in 2022: 72% forecast investment in this area. Paid media came in a distant second.
Although most B2C marketers reported success with content marketing in the last 12 months, there are still challenges. Respondents said their top two content marketing challenges were creating content that appeals to multi-level roles within the target audience (42%) and internal communication between teams/silos (41%).
If B2C marketers can overcome these challenges, they’ll improve their odds of achieving greater content marketing success in 2022.
Welcome to the Manufacturing Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends with Insights for 2022 report. This report looks back on the last 12 months and includes expectations for 2022.
This year’s research suggested that the pandemic awoke a sleeping giant – content marketing, that is. Without in-person events and face-to-face selling, many who had previously paid little attention to content marketing suddenly became aware of its power. More content marketers got a seat at the table and helped keep many businesses on their audiences’ radar. Some discovered new audiences altogether.
Videos and virtual events/webinars were big over the last 12 months with the manufacturing marketers we surveyed. In addition, 85% expect continued investment in video in 2022, making it the top area of predicted investment.
Yet manufacturing marketers continue to face content marketing challenges within their organizations: 51% said they are challenged with creating valuable content instead of sales-oriented content as well as with overcoming the traditional marketing and sales mindset. Fifty percent said they are challenged with accessing subject matter experts to create content. If manufacturing marketers can overcome these challenges, they’ll improve their odds of achieving greater content marketing success in the coming year.
Welcome to Content Marketing Institute’s first Video & Visual Storytelling Survey. In this report, you’ll learn how content marketers are using videos, how they’re getting them produced, where they’re seeing results, and more.
Are you using video strategically? Are you paying as much attention to your video distribution plan as you are to video creation? Are you measuring results to see what works? All are important to overall video marketing success. Here’s to yours!
Welcome to the 12th Annual Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends: Insights for 2022 report. What a year it has been.
This edition of our report looks back on the last 12 months and includes expectations for 2022. Throughout, you will see quotes from the many rich, qualitative responses we received to the question, “What did the pandemic change most about your organization’s content marketing strategy/approach?” In all, 75% of respondents took the time to answer this question and we are ever so grateful. What amazing insights it yielded!
The key theme that emerged was this: The pandemic awoke a sleeping giant – content marketing, that is. Without in-person events and face-to-face selling, many who had previously paid little attention to content marketing suddenly became aware of its power. More content marketers got a seat at the table and helped keep many businesses on their audiences’ radar. Some discovered new audiences altogether.
The research also confirmed what many of us already knew: Content marketers are some of the fiercest business pros around. In the most difficult of times, they get the job done – and many come through more creative and stronger than before.
Congratulations, content marketers, for a job well done in the most difficult of times. Our entire team salutes you!
By day, you’re in the office, cooking up content. By night, you’re in the kitchen, preparing a satisfying meal. But what if we combined the two?
Developing a content marketing strategy is like creating a dinner menu. You start with the basic ingredients and build upon them. You perfect your technique, exercising balance while adding a dash of flavor. And don’t forget, presentation is key. You must distribute and plate your meal beautifully.
So, what are people making and how are they making it? We asked the Content Marketing Institute team to share their favorite content-inspired dishes. Whether you are a first-time cook or a seasoned chef, these recipes will give you new perspective on processes, measurement and ROI, technology, and more. They are definitely ones you want in your repertoire.
We’ve put together the ultimate cookbook for content marketers, filled with tasty (and mildly entertaining) recipes. We hope you enjoy it. Bon appétit!
The 2021 Content Management & Strategy survey gives a snapshot of how marketers use tech to help create, manage, deliver, and scale enterprise content and marketing.
Welcome to our annual Technology Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends report, based on our latest annual content marketing survey conducted in July 2020.
The study showed that technology marketers, in the throes of adjusting to business changes presented by a global pandemic, put more emphasis on using content marketing to generate demand and leads than they had the previous year. They also were looking more closely at conversion and marketing qualified lead (MQL) metrics to track the performance of their content.
These insights suggest that tech marketers were increasingly called upon to use content marketing for demand and lead generation. It makes sense, then, that their use of virtual events (83%) increased by nine percentage points over the previous year, as virtual relationship-building and selling took a front seat. In addition, livestreaming video finally took off (one-third of all tech respondents—and 53% of those working in large companies—reported using it).
It’s too soon to tell if these will be lasting shifts. Priorities are likely to change again as restrictions caused by the pandemic ease up. We look forward to exploring these topics in our next round of annual content marketing research.
Welcome to our annual Enterprise Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends report. Here we present the findings from enterprise marketers (those who work in organizations with 1,000+ employees) who replied to our 11th Annual Content Marketing Survey.
At the time of the survey, content marketers had just made it through the first half of 2020. Most reported that their organization made quick changes when the pandemic hit, most notably by changing their targeting/messaging strategy, adjusting their editorial calendar, and changing their content distribution/promotion strategy. The majority (57%) expected to spend about the same on content marketing during the second half of 2020 as they spent in the first half (17% expected a decrease).
Team size hadn’t changed drastically compared with the previous year (48% said it stayed the same); yet, another 35% reported an increase.
Overall, one-third of the enterprise respondents reported high levels of content marketing success. These top performers said the top two factors contributing to that success in the last 12 months were “the value our content provides” (79%) and “website changes” (62%).
Looking forward, 74% of respondents felt the pandemic would have a major or moderate long- term impact on their organization’s overall content marketing success. It will be interesting to see how enterprise marketers rise to the challenges in 2021.
Welcome to our annual B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends report. Here we present the results from B2C marketers who replied to our 11th Annual Content Marketing Survey. The events of 2020 have certainly reshaped how organizations conduct their marketing. At the time of this survey, content marketers were still reeling from the events that took place during the first half of 2020. As we usher in 2021, we are still facing constant change and uncertainty.
Many B2C marketers reported adjusting quickly when the pandemic hit; perhaps their companies were doubling down on digital, heavily engaging in virtual events, or trying to keep on top of rapidly changing analytics resulting from more people being at home and online. All these scenarios created the need for new content, formats, and strategies.
As we move into 2021 in a world where most gatherings are still limited, direct-to-consumer will continue to drive B2C. Successful B2C marketers will focus on creating content experiences and building relationships in the digital world.
What makes CMWorld special? The people. Our speakers, attendees, and sponsors are smart, witty, and fun to be around. Networking is something we all are wanting right now, and CMWorld Bingo gives you a way to have those conversations that make CMWorld great.
Welcome to the 11th Annual B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends report. You may notice this year’s report feels different than past years and that’s by design. A year like no other required an approach like no other.
As in past years, we fielded the survey during the summer. We asked many of the same questions as last year but added new ones to see how content marketers were faring several months into the pandemic.
Although the data did not reveal drastic reductions in content marketing resources, many respondents shared in the fill-in comments their challenges of having to do more with less. Others shared their concerns about trying to reach audiences in an overcrowded virtual world.
Nevertheless, one thing stood out: Content marketers are resilient. Most have met the challenges of the pandemic head-on: They’re adapting quickly—and they believe in the value their content provides.
Virtual conferences and events provide new opportunities for you
to showcase your product or service, meet 1:1 with your current
and potential customers, and listen to the needs of the industry. With such a large investment of time, money, and human resources, it’s no surprise that management expects great returns on each event that your company sponsors.
On behalf of the Content Marketing Institute team, we’re all here to help you. We’re ready for exciting experiences, great ROI for sponsors, and new ways for customers to advance the practice of content marketing because of partner relationships built at our events.
Welcome to Technology Content Marketing 2020: Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends. This report is based on the findings from our 10th annual content marketing survey. Technology marketers continue to make progress with content marketing. Approximately one-third rate their organization’s overall content marketing as extremely or very successful, and 76% report they are much more or somewhat more successful compared with one year ago. What makes them successful? When we look at the top performers, we see they treat content marketing as a strategic business function, craft content thoughtfully, experiment with distribution, and measure their results. They use content marketing not only to create brand awareness and generate leads, but also to build loyalty and subscribed audiences.
When Content Marketing Institute (CMI) first reported on manufacturing in 2014, we noted that manufacturers were later to adopt content marketing than other industries we studied. They’ve certainly come a long way since then.
As you’ll see in this report—based on the results of our 10th annual content marketing survey—manufacturing marketers have become more strategic with their content marketing and are feeling less challenged with communicating complex content. Many are reporting success with their overall approach to content marketing. The ability to craft content for different audiences across various stages of the buyer’s journey—and distribute that content with precision—will be important to continued success in 2020.
Welcome to our annual B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends—North America report. We’re excited to present you with the findings from our latest content marketing survey.
Content marketing has changed a lot since we launched this research nearly a decade ago. We marketers are still focused on content creation, but our thinking about the audiences for whom we create that content has evolved. So, too, have the ways we distribute, measure, and improve upon our content marketing. Technology has played a big role, along with the knowledge we’ve gained through our content marketing experiences.
As you’ll see in this report, some organizations are more developed than others with their content marketing. But you’ll also recognize your own practices reflected in many of the findings. Where does your company stand? What do you need to get to where you want to be? If you need help, let us know!
Unpredictable algorithm shifts. Falling reach and lower engagement rates. Growing consumer mistrust from fake news and data breaches.
Despite woes like these, people still use social media platforms – and marketers are still drawn to their relationship-building powers. In fact, in 2019 research from Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs, 61% of B2B marketers and 69% of B2C marketers say they’ve increased their use of social media for content marketing compared with one year ago.
However, navigating the social media landscape is like entering a dark forest without a map. If you aren’t familiar with the terrain and don’t have a solid plan, you can’t expect to reach your destination, let alone make it out of the woods unscathed.
This guide is full of tools that will help you find the best path to success, from planning your social media explorations, to growing legions of brand fans, to engaging them in meaningful ways.
We’ll cover the top content marketing opportunities in the social sphere, including:
- Landmark locations like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn
- Video viewing-centric channels like YouTube and Twitch
- Streaming media sites like Snapchat Stories and Instagram Stories
- Emerging social platforms like Vero True Social and WeGather Online
Welcome to B2C Content Marketing 2019—Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends. This report presents the results from the B2C marketers who took our ninth annual content marketing survey.
Our research has consistently shown that creating brand awareness is a top goal for B2C content marketing. However, many of this year’s survey respondents also reported strong concern for using content to solidify existing relationships (see page 13).
Content that can be effective at building loyalty takes many shapes and forms today, for example:
- Videos and social media stories that entertain
- In-person events that create a sense of community and belonging
- Podcasts that inspire
- Live or virtual experiences that evoke emotion
- Articles, guides, newsletters, etc., that provide information
Obviously, the list goes on. The point is, that while driving people to content is critical, giving them reasons to keep coming back will grow long-term success!
10 Video Ideas Any Business Can Make RIGHT NOW!
You'll never draw a blank again on what kind of video to make for your business. Go beyond the basic categories and truly reimagine a brand new advanced way to brainstorm video content creation. During this masterclass you'll be challenged to think creatively and outside of the box and view your videos through lenses you may have never thought of previously. It's guaranteed that you'll leave with more than 10 video ideas, but I like to under-promise and over-deliver. Don't miss this session.
Key Takeaways:
How to use the Video Matrix
How to use additional "Lenses"
Where to source original video ideas
The session includes a brief history of the evolution of search before diving into the roles technology, content, and links play in developing a powerful SEO strategy in a world of Generative AI and social search. Discover how to optimize for TikTok searches, Google's Gemini, and Search Generative Experience while developing a powerful arsenal of tools and templates to help maximize the effectiveness of your SEO initiatives.
Key Takeaways:
Understand how search engines work
Be able to find out where your users search
Know what is required for each discipline of SEO
Feel confident creating an SEO Plan
Confidently measure SEO performance
Search Engine Marketing - Competitor and Keyword researchETMARK ACADEMY
Over 2 Trillion searches are made per day in Google search, which means there are more than 2 Trillion visits happening across the websites of the world wide web.
People search various questions, phrases or words. But some words and phrases are searched
more often than others.
For example, the words, ‘running shoes’ are searched more often than ‘best road running
shoes for men’
These words or phrases which people use to search on Google are called Keywords.
Some keywords are searched more often than others. Number of times a keyword is searched
for in a month is called keyword volume.
Some keywords have more relevant results than others. For the phrase “running shoes” we
get more than 80M relevant results, whereas for “best road running shoes for men” we get
only 8.
The former keyword ‘running shoes’ has way more competition from popular websites to
new and small blogs, whereas the latter keyword doesn’t have that much competition. This
search competition for a keyword is called search difficulty of a keyword or keyword
difficulty.
In other words, if the keyword difficulty is ‘low’ or ‘easy’, there won’t be any competition
and if you target such keywords on your site, you can easily rank on the front page of Google.
Some keywords are searched for, just to know or to learn some information about something,
that’s their search intention. For example, “What shoe size should I choose?” or “How to pick
the right shoe size?”
These keywords which are searched just to know about stuff are called informational
keywords. Typically people who are searching this type of keywords are top of a Conversion
funnel.
Conversion funnel is the journey that search visitors go through on their way to an email
subscription or a premium subscription to the services you offer or a purchase of products
you sell or recommend using your referral link.
For some buyers, research is the most important part when they have to buy a product.
Depending on that, their journey either widens or narrows down. These types of buyers are
Researchers and they spend more time with informational keywords.
Conversion is the action you want from your search visitors. Number of conversions that you
get for every 100 search visitors is called Conversion rate.
People who are at different stages of a conversion funnel use different types of keywords.
Videos are more engaging, more memorable, and more popular than any other type of content out there. That’s why it’s estimated that 82% of consumer traffic will come from videos by 2025.
And with videos evolving from landscape to portrait and experts promoting shorter clips, one thing remains constant – our brains LOVE videos.
So is there science behind what makes people absolutely irresistible on camera?
The answer: definitely yes.
In this jam-packed session with Stephanie Garcia, you’ll get your hands on a steal-worthy guide that uncovers the art and science to being irresistible on camera. From body language to words that convert, she’ll show you how to captivate on command so that viewers are excited and ready to take action.
Monthly Social Media News Update May 2024Andy Lambert
TL;DR. These are the three themes that stood out to us over the course of last month.
1️⃣ Social media is becoming increasingly significant for brand discovery. Marketers are now understanding the impact of social and budgets are shifting accordingly.
2️⃣ Instagram’s new algorithm and latest guidance will help us maintain organic growth. Instagram continues to evolve, but Reels remains the most crucial tool for growth.
3️⃣ Collaboration will help us unlock growth. Who we work with will define how fast we grow. Meta continues to evolve their Creator Marketplace and now TikTok are beginning to push ‘collabs’ more too.
Top 3 Ways to Align Sales and Marketing Teams for Rapid GrowthDemandbase
In this session, Demandbase’s Stephanie Quinn, Sr. Director of Integrated and Digital Marketing, Devin Rosenberg, Director of Sales, and Kevin Rooney, Senior Director of Sales Development will share how sales and marketing shapes their day-to-day and what key areas are needed for true alignment.
Most small businesses struggle to see marketing results. In this session, we will eliminate any confusion about what to do next, solving your marketing problems so your business can thrive. You’ll learn how to create a foundational marketing OS (operating system) based on neuroscience and backed by real-world results. You’ll be taught how to develop deep customer connections, and how to have your CRM dynamically segment and sell at any stage in the customer’s journey. By the end of the session, you’ll remove confusion and chaos and replace it with clarity and confidence for long-term marketing success.
Key Takeaways:
• Uncover the power of a foundational marketing system that dynamically communicates with prospects and customers on autopilot.
• Harness neuroscience and Tribal Alignment to transform your communication strategies, turning potential clients into fans and those fans into loyal customers.
• Discover the art of automated segmentation, pinpointing your most lucrative customers and identifying the optimal moments for successful conversions.
• Streamline your business with a content production plan that eliminates guesswork, wasted time, and money.
How to Run Landing Page Tests On and Off Paid Social PlatformsVWO
Join us for an exclusive webinar featuring Mariate, Alexandra and Nima where we will unveil a comprehensive blueprint for crafting a successful paid media strategy focused on landing page testing.With escalating costs in paid advertising, understanding how to maximize each visitor’s experience is crucial for retention and conversion.
This session will dive into the methodologies for executing and analyzing landing page tests within paid social channels, offering a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical insights.
The Pearmill team will guide you through the nuances of setting up and managing landing page experiments on paid social platforms. You will learn about the critical rules to follow, the structure of effective tests, optimal conversion duration and budget allocation.
The session will also cover data analysis techniques and criteria for graduating landing pages.
In the second part of the webinar, Pearmill will explore the use of A/B testing platforms. Discover common pitfalls to avoid in A/B testing and gain insights into analyzing A/B tests results effectively.
Most small businesses struggle to see marketing results. In this session, we will eliminate any confusion about what to do next, solving your marketing problems so your business can thrive. You’ll learn how to create a foundational marketing OS (operating system) based on neuroscience and backed by real-world results. You’ll be taught how to develop deep customer connections, and how to have your CRM dynamically segment and sell at any stage in the customer’s journey. By the end of the session, you’ll remove confusion and chaos and replace it with clarity and confidence for long-term marketing success.
Key Takeaways:
• Uncover the power of a foundational marketing system that dynamically communicates with prospects and customers on autopilot.
• Harness neuroscience and Tribal Alignment to transform your communication strategies, turning potential clients into fans and those fans into loyal customers.
• Discover the art of automated segmentation, pinpointing your most lucrative customers and identifying the optimal moments for successful conversions.
• Streamline your business with a content production plan that eliminates guesswork, wasted time, and money.
AI-Powered Personalization: Principles, Use Cases, and Its Impact on CROVWO
In today’s era of AI, personalization is more than just a trend—it’s a fundamental strategy that unlocks numerous opportunities.
When done effectively, personalization builds trust, loyalty, and satisfaction among your users—key factors for business success. However, relying solely on AI capabilities isn’t enough. You need to anchor your approach in solid principles, understand your users’ context, and master the art of persuasion.
Join us as Sarjak Patel and Naitry Saggu from 3rd Eye Consulting unveil a transformative framework. This approach seamlessly integrates your unique context, consumer insights, and conversion goals, paving the way for unparalleled success in personalization.
SEO as the Backbone of Digital MarketingFelipe Bazon
In this talk Felipe Bazon will share how him and his team at Hedgehog Digital share our journey of making C-Levels alike, specially CMOS realize that SEO is the backbone of digital marketing by showing how SEO can contribute to brand awareness, reputation and authority and above all how to use SEO to create more robust global marketing strategies.
The What, Why & How of 3D and AR in Digital CommercePushON Ltd
Vladimir Mulhem has over 20 years of experience in commercialising cutting edge creative technology across construction, marketing and retail.
Previously the founder and Tech and Innovation Director of Creative Content Works working with the likes of Next, John Lewis and JD Sport, he now helps retailers, brands and agencies solve challenges of applying the emerging technologies 3D, AR, VR and Gen AI to real-world problems.
In this webinar, Vladimir will be covering the following topics:
Applications of 3D and AR in Digital Commerce,
Benefits of 3D and AR,
Tools to create, manage and publish 3D and AR in Digital Commerce.
For too many years marketing and sales have operated in silos...while in some forward thinking companies, the two organizations work together to drive new opportunity development and revenue. This session will explore the lessons learned in that beautiful dance that can occur when marketing and sales work together...to drive new opportunity development, account expansion and customer satisfaction.
No, this is not a conversation about MQLs and SQLs. Instead we will focus on a framework that allows the two organizations to drive company success together.
Digital marketing is the art and science of promoting products or services using digital channels to reach and engage with potential customers. It encompasses a wide range of online tactics and strategies aimed at increasing brand visibility, driving website traffic, generating leads, and ultimately, converting those leads into customers.
https://nidmindia.com/
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PLAY TO WIN
If you want your content marketing to take your business closer to its goals, it helps to have a game plan
– a strategic selection of plays you can rely on to help you beat the competition and score points with
your target audience.
Each year, our Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends research reveals which tactics marketers are currently
using. And while it’s clear that certain platforms and plays are likely to cycle in and out of popularity
over time, we’ve noticed an alarmingly consistent trend that seems to impact nearly all of them: Content
marketers are experiencing a large gap between using a tactic and getting effective results from it.
Our newest Playbook aims to help all content marketers better understand the value proposition of content
marketing tactics and achieve greater success with their efforts. On the following pages, you’ll find:
▶ Descriptions of 24 popular content marketing tactics
▶ The latest stats on their usage across multiple industry segments
▶ Insights that will help you decide whether a given tactic should play a part in your strategic plan
▶ Targeted tips to help you optimize your content’s performance
▶ A best-in-breed example that we hope will inspire you to achieve greater success in the year to come
Now, take the court, and learn how to make every content marketing play a winner.
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SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT
THE PLAY:
For the second year in a row, the top tactic content marketers are leveraging is social media content – no
surprise, considering how entrenched social networks have become in the lives of consumers and brands
alike. No matter what the special interest is, chances are there’s a devoted social community out there
somewhere, just waiting for content worthy of their attention – making this channel ideal for engaging them in
meaningful, relevant brand conversations.
0 20 40 60 80 100
B2B
North America
B2C
North America
Nonprofit
North America
Australia
UK
Percentage who use Percentage of users who find this effective
93%
90%
92%
94%
97%
50%
66%
66%
64%
70%
Source: Content Marketing Institute 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Research
Content Marketing Play: Social Media Content
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SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT
HOW TO USE IT TO SCORE A GOAL:
Before planting your brand flag on a particular social playing field,
follow these guidelines to make sure your efforts are positioned for
optimal content marketing success:
1. Carefully cultivate your social soapboxes: Understand the unique
characteristics of each social platform you consider working with,
and decide on a case-by-case basis whether it’s a good fit for your
outreach intentions.
2. Listen and learn: Spend time joining conversations and building
relationships before you start to share your content; and be prepared
to join in the banter without sounding uninformed, self-promotional,
or out of touch with other members of the social community.
3. Don’t be afraid to get creative: Instead of just pasting in pieces of
your typical business content, try creating something original and
less formal, such as a peek behind the scenes at one of your
company’s social functions, or an informal photo tour of your office
facilities.
Case studies that earn extra points:
MINI Answers
MINI USA leverages a variety of content creators and
techniques to promote the iconic car brand and its
passionate community of drivers. For example, MINI
created a series of Instagram videos in which fans
can ask questions, and the MINI Cooper S automobile
itself offers the answers. Cleverness, humor, and great
production quality make this series stand out and
provide plenty of content to engage the company’s social
media followers.
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CASE STUDIES
THE PLAY:
Case studies were a marketing mainstay long before the internet was even a twinkle in the eye of Tim Berners-
Lee. But despite the maturity of this tactic, there’s still a lot of wisdom to be had in leveraging examples of
the great work your company has produced. These benefits aren’t lost on over 80% of B2B marketers in North
America and the UK, as case studies still feature prominently in their content marketing mixes.
0 20 40 60 80 100
B2B
North America
B2C
North America
Nonprofit
North America
Australia
UK
Percentage who use Percentage of users who find this effective
82%
38%
70%
82%
36%
65%
51%
67%
63%
57%
Source: Content Marketing Institute 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Research
Content Marketing Play: Case Studies
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CASE STUDIES
HOW TO USE IT TO SCORE A GOAL:
A good marketing case study not only highlights outstanding work,
it can also serve as a teaching tool that gives readers a better
understanding of the ways your products and/or services can help them
achieve success.
Here are some tips for making case studies easier to create while also
making them more interesting and impactful:
▶ Start by interviewing a real, live person: Case studies have
narrative storytelling value, but need to be rooted firmly in the
experience of the customer – something that’s easier to understand if
you spend time talking to one.
▶ Use photos or videos: Multimedia can make your case studies
more engaging and give you a way to connect with auditory and
visual learners.
▶ Sprinkle in how-to tips: Instead of just explaining how your
customer implemented your solution, offer advice on how others can
do the same.
Case studies that earn extra points:
Think With Google
Google has played a role in many of the most innovative
marketing campaigns; yet Google itself relies on the
tried and true case study to offer testimony to its
marketing prowess. With its straightforward approach,
Google highlights the need-to-know takeaways of each
campaign – its goals, approach, and results – then
uses video to take viewers deeper inside the strategy,
execution, and other dynamics that led to its success.
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BLOGS
THE PLAY:
Blogging is one of the most fundamental points of entry into the content marketing game: It’s a versatile
technique with a lot of creative possibilities; and although it takes hard work to produce and maintain a
successful blog, it doesn’t require a lot of complicated equipment or technological know-how to get started.
It’s also a powerful means of building an audience for your brand and sustaining their interest over time.
Perhaps these benefits are why 81% of B2B marketers in our 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends study say
they are blogging as part of their content program, with other sectors reporting similarly high usage rates.
0 20 40 60 80 100
B2B
North America
B2C
North America
Nonprofit
North America
Australia
UK
Percentage who use Percentage of users who find this effective
81%
77%
74%
84%
64%
59%
53%
69%
48%
69%
Source: Content Marketing Institute 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Research
Content Marketing Play: Blogs
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BLOGS
HOW TO USE IT TO SCORE A GOAL:
While you shouldn’t expect today’s time-constrained visitors to read
every word of your blog posts, the trick is to create content that’s
intriguing enough to compel them to return, again and again.
Consider these tips from Neil Patel on how to communicate so that your
point comes across whether readers skim, scan, or savor your article:
▶ Write a strong headline to spark their interest.
▶ Summarize the main point in the beginning. A lot of people skim the
beginning of the article and then fizzle out.
▶ Reinforce your message with the images you choose to accompany
the post.
▶ Restate your points in bulleted or numbered liststo make it easier for
skimmers to absorb the information.
▶ Use subheadings to emphasize the supporting points of your
argument.
▶ Summarize your main point at the conclusion, for readers who
jump right to the end.
Case studies that earn extra points:
Saddleback Leather
It takes a tough leather company to create a blog full
of tender-hearted tales. Focused on topics of interest
to founder Dave Munson – like family, philanthropy,
solid craftsmanship, and travels he took with his
faithful dog, Blue – the Saddleback Leather blog
doesn’t just talk product, it highlights the aesthetic
of adventure and the love of a life well-lived. Not only
does this content position Saddleback as a purveyor
of high-quality, ethically-sourced leather goods that
will help travelers go the distance, it demonstrates
just how far its employees will go to live and breathe
the causes they support.
9. 9 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
E-NEWSLETTERS
THE PLAY:
Email is an essential structure that supports and strengthens all your other content efforts. It’s also one of
the best techniques for building a subscriber base – which helps foster deeper engagement and lasting brand
loyalty. But, just like any critical system, success with email is tied to proper maintenance and upkeep – if you
fail to keep pace as consumption trends shift, even your most faithful followers may start to overlook your
e-newsletters in their crowded inboxes, or opt out altogether.
0 20 40 60 80 100
B2B
North America
B2C
North America
Nonprofit
North America
Australia
UK
Percentage who use Percentage of users who find this effective
81%
83%
84%
87%
94%
60%
67%
54%
69%
65%
Source: Content Marketing Institute 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Research
Content Marketing Play: E-Newsletters
10. 10 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
E-NEWSLETTERS
HOW TO USE IT TO SCORE A GOAL:
Like blogs, your e-newsletters need to be published consistently and
should be customizable to each subscriber’s delivery preferences. But it’s
also a good idea to incentivize reader interest by offering them something
of value in exchange for the personal information they provide.
Here are a few ideas for stellar e-newsletters:
▶ Foster a sense of belonging among your readers: Publish your
favorite reader comments, give shout-outs to top customers, or
highlight other ways they can get involved in your brand and the
community it serves.
▶ Provide exclusive content or benefits that aren’t available
anywhere else: Give them access to discounts, downloads, insider-
only information, or other special assets and offers.
▶ Use progressive profiling: Slowly and unobtrusively collect
additional data on your subscribers; then, use that information to
customize your email experience to better suit their needs and
interests.
Case studies that earn extra points:
Woot! Daily Digest
What makes the content from daily deal site Woot!
stand out from the competition? It comes down to
one word: monkeys. The company’s website and
daily newsletter are crawling with them, telling
jokes, offering product advice, and adding a bit of
humor and personality that transforms each email
from a product-focused alert into an entertaining
conversation.
11. 11 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
IN-PERSON EVENTS
THE PLAY:
While marketers tend to spend much of their time in cyberspace, there’s simply no substitute for providing tangible,
memorable experiences IRL (in real life) or engaging in authentic, face-to-face interactions with your audience.
In-person events such as conferences, master classes, networking events, and other live experiences help
brands demonstrate their insights and extend their influence while creating a space where like-minded
consumers can gather, interact, learn, and further their passions.
0 20 40 60 80 100
B2B
North America
B2C
North America
Nonprofit
North America
Australia
UK
Percentage who use Percentage of users who find this effective
81%
73%
75%
74%
91%
75%
67%
69%
77%
72%
Source: Content Marketing Institute 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Research
Content Marketing Play: In-Person Events
12. 12 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
IN-PERSON EVENTS
HOW TO USE IT TO SCORE A GOAL:
Not only can live events help marketers create real-world value that goes
beyond a brand’s products and services, they can also serve as a platform
for additional online content creation – increasing the impact and
relevance of each event and helping keep your business top-of-mind for
longer periods of time.
Here are a few tips for transforming events into powerful content
generation engines:
▶ Engage prospective attendees online before they arrive. Share
travel tip lists, event maps, mobile apps, or other tools that will get
them excited about your event and make the experience easier for
them to manage and enjoy.
▶ Find ways to keep the conversation going after the event takes
place, such as publishing photos from your networking events or
offering on-demand access to popular sessions
▶ Repurpose conference presentations into videos, e-books, social
media posts, and other forms of content that can help them remember
what they’ve learned, or catch up on what they may have missed.
Case studies that earn extra points:
Williams-Sonoma Cooking School
At the Williams-Sonoma Cooking School, small groups
of students prepare, cook, and share meals together
in a fully outfitted kitchen. Open to gourmets of all
skill levels, classes range from cooking quick and easy
summer meals to crafting a traditional French bistro-
style meal. By offering a fun, relaxing, and educational
environment in which foodies can master their craft,
Williams-Sonoma brings passionate patrons in the door,
and sends them away feeling full of culinary inspiration.
Read more: Live Experiences Reinvent the Way
Customers Interact With Brands
13. 13 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
WEBSITE ARTICLES
THE PLAY:
Your website is your home turf – the place where your best content, your brand advantage, and your unique
business perspective should all come together to demonstrate your worth to consumers. Every article you publish
on your site should reflect the value proposition you offer, and should strive for optimal engagement. Though your
site visitors may only represent a small component of your content marketing audience, if you use the platform to
deliver a memorable experience, they’ll recognize the benefit of spending their precious time with your business.
0 20 40 60 80 100
B2B
North America
B2C
North America
Nonprofit
North America
Australia
UK
Percentage who use Percentage of users who find this effective
79%
81%
87%
79%
87%
56%
55%
58%
50%
56%
Source: Content Marketing Institute 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Research
Content Marketing Play: Website Articles
14. 14 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
WEBSITE ARTICLES
HOW TO USE IT TO SCORE A GOAL:
Using your website articles to tell a fascinating story about your business
is a great way to attract the attention of readers. But unless you also have
a plan for converting those delighted readers into qualified leads and
loyal customers, there will be no happy ending in terms of reaching your
marketing goals.
Here are a few tips Bumbl’s Greg Miles suggests for helping your
website articles move the needle in the right direction:
▶ Write a compelling call to action: Opt for more creative and original
choices that speak your customers’ language.
▶ Add click triggers: Product ratings, testimonials, or other bits of text
thatfostertrustcanreassurevisitorsabouttheirdecisiontoworkwithyou.
▶ Simplify your lead forms: Make the process of converting as simple
as possible for your customers – even if it means sacrificing some of the
information you would like to gather.
▶ Optimize for mobile: Use responsive article design and streamline
your website experience to make it easy for visitors to read your
articles, navigate through your site, and take action when working on
small screens.
Case studies that earn extra points:
Everlane’s Factory Tours
Every item on the Everlane website includes the
story about the factory where that particular item of
clothing was manufactured. As you read the stories,
you’ll learn details about how long the factory has
been in existence, how Everlane came to work with it,
what materials it uses, information about the owner,
and how many people work there. It’s this type of
transparency that helps Everlane’s consumers feel
confident that they are supporting a company that
cares about ethical working conditions.
Read more: 3 Ways to Use Transparency in Content to
Cut Through the Noise
15. 15 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
VIDEOS
THE PLAY:
Video is a powerful storytelling medium, helping to bring your brand’s mission, vision, and values to life in an
attention-grabbing way. But just because you film it, doesn’t mean the customers will come flying to your door
(talking heads rarely have an impact). The video competition is tough, so your offerings need to be relevant,
memorable, strategic, and purposeful – not just entertaining – if you’re going to see any returns on your video
investment.
0 20 40 60 80 100
B2B
North America
B2C
North America
Nonprofit
North America
Australia
UK
Percentage who use Percentage of users who find this effective
79%
82%
78%
83%
87%
62%
59%
56%
65%
70%
Source: Content Marketing Institute 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Research
Content Marketing Play: Videos
16. 16 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
VIDEOS
HOW TO USE IT TO SCORE A GOAL:
A widely-viewed viral video is often thought of as the holy grail of
marketing success. But beyond YouTube, there are plenty of other ways to
use the combination of sound, motion, and emotional resonance to drive
deeper, more satisfying interactions with your brand. Here are a few ideas:
▶ Help customers overcome their practical challenges with a
helpful demo.
▶ Educate viewers on the issues relevant to your business by offering a
video tutorial on the topic.
▶ Include a video on the About Us page to give website visitors a glimpse
of what makes your team unique and special.
▶ Record your responses to sensitive public relations issues. Video press
releases can convey the appropriate emotional tone in a way that text
alone just can’t manage.
Case studies that earn extra points:
Gatorade’s 360-degree Bryce Harper Virtual
Reality Experience
To allow baseball fans to experience what it feels
like for a Major League Baseball player to step up to
the plate, Gatorade created the 360° Bryce Harper
Virtual Reality Experience. Using YouTube 360, this
three-minute video puts viewers inside the head of
Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper as he goes to
bat with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning of
a tie game. Created using a combination of real-action
video and computer-generated imagery, the video
isn’t just immersive, it’s interactive – fans can click
and drag the screen to see what a clutch play looks
like from Harper’s full perspective. (Read more in the
February 2016 issue of Chief Content Officer magazine.)
17. 17 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
ILLUSTRATIONS/PHOTOS
THE PLAY:
Anyone who has seen a picture of a cave drawing knows that humans have a long history of communicating with
pictures and illustrations. But with today’s shorter attention spans coupled with the need for businesses to stand
out in a noisy, crowded marketplace, these visual messaging vehicles have become more essential than ever when
it comes to conveying a message that your audience will want to consume.
0 20 40 60 80 100
B2B
North America
B2C
North America
Nonprofit
North America
Australia
UK
Percentage who use Percentage of users who find this effective
76%
87%
85%
75%
86%
55%
66%
48%
76%
57%
Source: Content Marketing Institute 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Research
Content Marketing Play: Illustrations/Photos
18. 18 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
ILLUSTRATIONS/PHOTOS
HOW TO USE IT TO SCORE A GOAL:
Here are a few techniques that Neil Patel recommends for maximizing the
power and impact of your photos, illustrations, and other visual assets
– on social networks or any other content platform:
▶ Use a featured image at the beginning of every article or blog post
you publish – and make sure it’s included in the snippets that appear
on your blog page.
▶ Break up long blocks of text by adding one image for every
350 words.
▶ Create a signature style for your visual content, which becomes part
of your brand’s familiar look and feel.
▶ Add your logo and/or a link to custom images and illustrations, so
viewers can trace it back to your brand, no matter where it gets shared.
▶ Add the proper alt tags to every image, so your images will be more
likely to display in search results.
Case studies that earn extra points:
The Geek’s Guide to London
London Technology Week stands as a celebration
of tech innovation and entrepreneurial talent. To
connect with the event’s tech insiders, Ion Interactive
created an online map of London’s hidden science and
technology gems – from museum exhibits, to virtual
reality experiences, to walking tours. By including an
interactive event planner for events, eateries, and
social soirees all over the city, the guide also helped
London’s tech elite speak geek without getting lost.
(Read more in the December 2015 issue of Chief Content
Officer magazine.)
19. 19 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
WHITE PAPERS
THE PLAY:
Rich, substantive content that educates, rather than sells – this is the cornerstone of a successful content
marketing program, and white papers offer it in spades. Though they may not be as exciting as a video or as
socially sharable as a photograph, what white papers may lack in viral virility, they more than make up for
in their ability to drive the kind of lasting – and lucrative – value that can have a measurable impact on your
brand’s bottom line.
0 20 40 60 80 100
B2B
North America
B2C
North America
Nonprofit
North America
Australia
UK
Percentage who use Percentage of users who find this effective
71%
32%
42%
52%
27%
63%
41%
57%
53%
52%
Source: Content Marketing Institute 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Research
Content Marketing Play: White Papers
20. 20 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
WHITE PAPERS
HOW TO USE IT TO SCORE A GOAL:
White papers enable brands to offer highly detailed, fact-focused
conversations that few other formats can manage. Follow these tips from
Farland Group’s Roanne Neuwirth to meet your marketing goals while
delivering on your consumers’ informational needs:
▶ Jettison the fluff: Scattershot ideas, poorly researched perspectives,
rehashed promotional materials, and other low-quality, self-serving
content will earn your white papers a time-out – in the trash can.
▶ Select the right topic and point of view: Carefully choose topics that
will enable you to highlight your unique expertise while proving to
readers that you are a credible voice on the issues at hand.
▶ Use it as a jumping-off point: Once your paper has established
your perspective on the topic, you can build a range of accompanying
content pieces to expand on key themes and drive separate-yet-related
conversations.
▶ Consider collaborating with your customers: Clients can play the
role of expert research panel, adding unique fodder to enhance and
strengthen your perspective.
Case studies that earn extra points:
IBM Marketing Cloud White Papers
It can be hard to get enthusiastic about the standard
white paper – by nature they are highly detailed
and crammed with important data; but this means
they can often come off as stuffy and stiff instead of
imaginative and engaging. Yet IBM’s white papers
manage to defy the stereotypes without sacrificing
the deep insights and analysis that CMOs need in
order to understand the complexities of the today’s
marketing landscape and manage the tasks at
hand. Using a fresh, conversational tone and vivid
visuals, IBM illustrates essential information without
intimidating its audience.
21. 21 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
INFOGRAPHICS
THE PLAY:
Part picture, part data, and all-powerful, infographics are an ideal format for demystifying even the most
complex concepts, as well as for distilling large volumes of information into stimulating, memorable, and
highly shareable conversations. Furthermore, when well designed and executed, these versatile content
pieces can be used to fuel your social media and demand-generation programs, or attract relevant link-backs
– a great way to build your brand influence.
0 20 40 60 80 100
B2B
North America
B2C
North America
Nonprofit
North America
Australia
UK
Percentage who use Percentage of users who find this effective
67%
62%
64%
71%
71%
58%
63%
52%
59%
51%
Source: Content Marketing Institute 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Research
Content Marketing Play: Infographics
22. 22 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
INFOGRAPHICS
HOW TO USE IT TO SCORE A GOAL:
Beyond posting them on your blog posts and social channels – here are
some additional channels LinkedIn’s Jason Miller recommends leveraging
if you want your infographics to reach a receptive and relevant audience:
▶ SlideShare: This presentation-sharing platform can be used to host,
display, and share infographics right from your company’s profile page.
▶ Infographic directories: These allow you to display and then track
traffic from your infographic back to your website or other call-to-
action destinations.
▶ Press releases: Creative visual renderings of information are more
likely to attract the attention of story-seeking journalists than
standard, text-based coverage requests.
Case studies that earn extra points:
The Author Rank Building Machine
Think infographics are all checklists and cartoony
graphics? This example from Vertical Measures will
have you thinking again. Using GIF animation, the
graphic brings the idea of a productive content
engine to life, while walking viewers through all the
technical steps that factor into the ranking process.
Though more complex to create, the eye-catching
effects – and deeper engagement potential – make it
well worth the effort.
Read more: Go Beyond Infographics: Here’s How to
Make a Bigger Impact With ‘Gifographics’
23. 23 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
ONLINE PRESENTATIONS
THE PLAY:
Online presentations can be built from practically any content assets you have on hand – including blog posts,
video clips, sound clips, animations, photos, live event transcripts, and more. They also help make every
story more easily scannable, enabling your business to dig deeply into the details of complex topics without
requiring readers to pore over long blocks of text before they reach your key messages and takeaways.
0 20 40 60 80 100
B2B
North America
B2C
North America
Nonprofit
North America
Australia
UK
Percentage who use Percentage of users who find this effective
65%
48%
57%
63%
41%
58%
58%
45%
52%
55%
Source: Content Marketing Institute 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Research
Content Marketing Play: Online Presentations
24. 24 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
ONLINE PRESENTATIONS
HOW TO USE IT TO SCORE A GOAL:
The world’s highest-traffic online presentation site is SlideShare. It’s
over 70 million users consume a lot of business content; yet with over 18
million uploads, there’s also a lot of competition for their attention. Try a
few of these SlideShare secrets to help stack the decks in your favor:
▶ Grab attention right off the bat with a powerful headline.
▶ Keep your story simple and concise so readers don’t lose interest
before they reach the last page.
▶ Emphasize imagery over text by incorporating video, infographics,
photos, and other static images.
▶ Insert a clickable call-to-action link in your slides to make it easy
for the user to take the next desired step.
Case studies that earn extra points:
The Evolution of a Salesperson
Salesforce takes full advantage of the storytelling
potential of SlideShare with this imaginative
presentation on how its connected selling solutions
can help teams overcome the complex challenges of
selling in the digital age. Designed using 8-bit-style
animation, viewers rapidly click through the slides to
simulate a story being told in the style of a flipbook.
It’s an artful example of how to deliver useful,
practical information that the audience can quickly
scan through without missing a single detail.
Read more: SlideShare Secrets to Stack the Decks in
Your Favor
25. 25 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
WEBINARS/WEBCASTS
THE PLAY:
Like online presentations, webinars let viewers do a deep dive into a topic without the expense of travelling
to a conference. They are also among the more responsive content marketing vehicles available, since
these targeted, topical conversations truly start to come alive once they are launched in real time – when
participants can put their own questions and concerns up for discussion.
0 20 40 60 80 100
B2B
North America
B2C
North America
Nonprofit
North America
Australia
UK
Percentage who use Percentage of users who find this effective
66%
40%
37%
43%
28%
66%
54%
49%
63%
59%
Source: Content Marketing Institute 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Research
Content Marketing Play: Webinars/Webcasts
26. 26 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
WEBINARS/WEBCASTS
HOW TO USE IT TO SCORE A GOAL:
Because their interactions take place at a designated place and time,
webinars are one of the few content formats that have an innate urgency.
But that doesn’t mean their value can’t be extended by repurposing the
various components into more evergreen formats and discussions:
▶ Questions posed by participants can become topics for additional
content creation.
▶ The main talking points of the presentation can be repurposed into a
SlideShare deck.
▶ Video webinars can be edited into multiple clips you can post to your
YouTube channel, or add to relevant blog posts.
▶ The audio track can be turned into a podcast.
▶ You can archive past webinars on your site, and offer on-demand
access.
Case studies that earn extra points:
ASCD
The Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development (ASCD) is a global community
dedicated to excellence in learning, teaching, and
leading. Given its education focus, it’s no surprise
that webinars are featured prominently among its
content meant to help members stay at the head of
the class (so to speak).
The organization’s robust professional development
online resource center features a rich collection of
webinars addressing timely and relevant topics like
student engagement, classroom technology, and
instructional strategies. By offering these learning
opportunities for free – including its open access
events, as well as members-only lessons – ASCD
is promoting the value of life-long learning, and is
teaching that lesson by example.
27. 27 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
MICROSITES
THE PLAY:
Part branding site, part independent online experience, microsites are ideal when exploring a topic that’s
highly relevant to a specific component of your audience but isn’t necessarily about your business itself. With
looser ties to your core operations than an official company website can get away with, microsite content
represents a way to freshen things up creatively and pivot in an exciting new direction.
0 20 40 60 80 100
B2B
North America
B2C
North America
Nonprofit
North America
Australia
UK
Percentage who use Percentage of users who find this effective
47%
52%
55%
39%
42%
51%
56%
50%
59%
54%
Source: Content Marketing Institute 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Research
Content Marketing Play: Microsites
28. 28 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
MICROSITES
HOW TO USE IT TO SCORE A GOAL:
While microsites can be imaginative, experimental, and even whimsical
at times, they still need to reflect your brand value and help further your
business goals. Here are some important considerations to keep in mind
when creating these content assets:
▶ Focus on your key buyer personas. Each microsite should have
a clear idea who it’s targeting, and why, and should keep the content
focused on feeding consumers’ unmet needs and interests.
▶ Include features to drive participation: Microsite content works
best when it’s aligned with your audience’s passions. Enabling them
to contribute their own ideas, images, and inspirations makes the
experience more personally rewarding, which will make them more
willing to take action.
▶ Keep the customer’s needs in focus. Successful microsites aren’t built
on content that’s focused on your brand’s product or service; they
should be carefully constructed to feed a consumer’s unmet needs and
interests.
▶ Don’t abandon the audience you attract. Like any content, a
microsite is a content promise to your customers. So don’t just build a
microsite if you aren’t dedicated to seeing it through – create a
strategic plan for publishing consistently, and on an ongoing basis!
Case studies that earn extra points:
Visit California’s Road Trips
Capitalizing on iconic images of the California coast,
mountains, and vineyards, Visit California’s Road
Trips microsite offers sample itineraries for travelers
interested in exploring the diverse natural landscapes
the state has to offer. Combining jaw-dropping
photography, inside information about each stop on
the journey, and links for more local information, Road
Trips is just the right balance of useful information and
inspiration – a distinction that earned the campaign
both a Content Marketing Award for Best Integrated
Program and a 2015 Webby Award. (Read more on Page
35 in the December 2015 issue of Chief Content Officer
magazine.)
29. 29 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
RESEARCH REPORTS
THE PLAY:
Few tactics showcase a brand’s authority, insight, and influence as powerfully as original research
reports. Their benefits don’t come cheap, and they need to be rigorously designed and scientifically
sound. But in return for the time and effort you put in, you’ll be rewarded with increased credibility,
trustworthiness, and plenty of data-driven proof that your brand can deliver on the informational and
educational needs of your industry.
0 20 40 60 80 100
B2B
North America
B2C
North America
Nonprofit
North America
Australia
UK
Percentage who use Percentage of users who find this effective
49%
36%
50%
48%
47%
61%
44%
63%
47%
51%
Source: Content Marketing Institute 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Research
Content Marketing Play: Research Reports
30. 30 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
RESEARCH REPORTS
HOW TO USE IT TO SCORE A GOAL:
Research reports are high-value content assets in and of themselves. But
the data you generate by conducting surveys, polls, interviews, and other
statistically significant methods can also be repurposed into myriad other
content formats and used for multiple marketing purposes. For example:
▶ Use visualization techniques like charts, graphs, heat maps, and
infographics to place your data into a relevant and easy-to-understand
context.
▶ Write a blog that teases out the top-line results of your research,
and link to the full study for readers who want to explore the data more
deeply.
▶ Publish your research findings as a gated e-book to help with lead
generation.
▶ Combine your statistics on a particular topic with other relevant data
and create a guidebook of relevant facts on a given topic.
Case studies that earn extra points:
PwC’s Annual CEO Surveys
Released at the World Economic Forum’s Annual
Meeting in Davos each year, the PwC CEO Survey
provides access to insights from more than 1,000
business and government leaders. But it’s also a
stellar example of how a brand can repurpose the
data it generates from a single research activity into
dozens of different content options – from full reports,
data charts, and video roundtables to key findings
summaries, statistics snapshots, microsites, and
custom research projects.
31. 31 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
PRINT MAGAZINES
THE PLAY:
With businesses increasingly shifting their focus, and funding, to delivering content online and on mobile
devices, print magazines have become a wide-open playing field. Given the opportunity to capture
attention with vivid visuals and high-quality writing, and the ability to accommodate a wide range of
creative storytelling techniques, it may come as a bit of a surprise to see that so few marketers are taking
advantage of this powerful and proven content marketing tactic.
0 20 40 60 80 100
B2B
North America
B2C
North America
Nonprofit
North America
Australia
UK
Percentage who use Percentage of users who find this effective
36%
41%
42%
35%
49%
36%
57%
32%
63%
42%
Source: Content Marketing Institute 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Research
Content Marketing Play: Print Magazines
32. 32 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
PRINT MAGAZINES
HOW TO USE IT TO SCORE A GOAL:
Given the comparatively less-crowded playing field, print magazines
represent a tremendous opportunity for marketers to stand out from the
competition and create a delightful content experience to an engaged
audience of eager recipients. But remember: Creating “hard-copy”
content is hard work, so prepare to deliver on these expectations:
▶ Design and visuals: The look and feel of your magazine doesn’t
just need to be compelling and eye-catching; it must align with all the
qualities readers would expect from your brand.
▶ Relevance: Make sure you are covering topics that are timely and in
step with the topics readers are likely to be thinking about when they
receive your magazine in the mail.
▶ Size and scope: Aim for issues to be large enough to tackle a few
subjects that are important to your audience, without expecting them
to have to absorb too much information if they decide to read it while
on their morning commute or afternoon lunch break.
▶ Easy access to digital assets: Tie your print content to what you are
publishing on your other channels, and use techniques like short-links
and PDF versions to make it as easy as possible for readers to go back
and forth between your content worlds.
Case studies that earn extra points:
Sherwin-Williams’ STIR
This Cleveland-based paint-and-coatings powerhouse
has a long legacy of quality content marketing. The
company launched its first monthly print magazine,
Home Decorator, in 1910 to inform customers about
contemporary design and decorating trends. Though
it shelved the magazine in the 1950s in favor of other
forms of promotion, Sherwin-Williams resurrected
it in 2004 as STIR, and never looked back. Today, the
magazine is available in both print and digital formats,
and is focused on the needs of decorators and design
professionals.
Read more: 2016 Will Be the Year of Content Marketing M&A
33. 33 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
PRINT NEWSLETTERS
THE PLAY:
Print newsletters enable marketers to achieve many of the same competitive advantages and marketing
benefits as print magazines offer, but with fewer production resource requirements and greater ease of
delivery. However, despite being versatile and cost-effective, they are among the least-used tactics by
marketers who operate outside the nonprofit space.
0 20 40 60 80 100
B2B
North America
B2C
North America
Nonprofit
North America
Australia
UK
Percentage who use Percentage of users who find this effective
22%
35%
25%
19%
45%
32%
46%
22%
57%
34%
Source: Content Marketing Institute 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Research
Content Marketing Play: Print Newsletters
34. 34 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
PRINT MAGAZINES
HOW TO USE IT TO SCORE A GOAL:
While print magazines can explore a wide variety of topics in each issue,
print newsletters are more appropriate for serving a single, narrowly
focused point of interest to your audience.
Consider creating a print newsletter when you need a way to:
▶ Discuss your brand’s unique perspective on common industry issues
▶ Offer advice on specific customer challenges your audience might
typically encounter
▶ Introduce a new product line or service offering to your current
subscriber base
▶ Test out new creative ideas to see if they are worth developing further
▶ Explore relevant topics that may lie a bit outside of your brand’s
usual purview
Case studies that earn extra points:
The Bathroom Minutes
What better way for Dollar Shave Club to extend its
influence over men’s grooming habits than to give
its razor service subscribers an entertaining read
that’s perfectly suited for use during their daily “me”
time? Full of grooming tips, puzzles, and hygiene-
related factoids, the monthly print newsletters also
give special recognition to some of its customers’
personal interests, as well as their notable
achievements (i.e., those that take place outside the
confines of the water closet).
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DIGITAL MAGAZINES
THE PLAY:
Whether they’re meant to be consumed online or on phones and tablets, digital magazines can be
customized to suit nearly every marketing purpose and reader personality. More than just words on a
page, articles can incorporate multiple media formats – like audio, video, gifs, and graphics – and are
easily shareable on social media.
0 20 40 60 80 100
B2B
North America
B2C
North America
Nonprofit
North America
Australia
UK
Percentage who use Percentage of users who find this effective
29%
31%
34%
29%
41%
38%
56%
44%
50%
28%
Source: Content Marketing Institute 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Research
Content Marketing Play: Digital Magazines
36. 36 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
DIGITAL MAGAZINES
HOW TO USE IT TO SCORE A GOAL:
Though many digital magazines have evolved from their print-based
counterparts, their versatility allows brands to branch off in new creative
directions, as well. Here are some possibilities to explore:
Consider creating a print newsletter when you need a way to:
▶ Digital magazines don’t always have to mean original content.
Content on a particular topic or theme can be curated from around the
web and compiled into a one-stop collection of need-to-know info your
audience will truly appreciate.
▶ Go off on a relevant topical tangent. Magazine content doesn’t have
to be directly related to the products and services your brand offers.
Consider building your editorial around things like current events
and issues that impact your industry or social causes that your
audience might be interested in.
▶ Help your stories leap off the page: Just because you call it a
magazine doesn’t mean it has to look or feel like those things you flip
through at the dentist’s office. Liven up your text and images by adding
gifs, sound, video, or other interactive components.
Case studies that earn extra points:
Van Winkle’s
Mattress retailer Casper launched a web-based
magazine (and a companion e-newsletter) devoted
to all things sleep-related – from reporting the latest
scientific findings on dreaming, to investigating the
things that keep us awake at night. Cleverly named
Van Winkle’s, it operates completely independently
of its e-commerce parent, avoids any overt
promotion of Casper’s products, and is managed by a
talented team of experienced journalists who take an
eye-opening and newsworthy approach to “exploring
sleep with our eyes wide open.”
37. 37 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
MOBILE APPS
THE PLAY:
Think of mobile apps as ever-present content companions – tiny tools that enable on-the-go consumers
to access helpful information, interact with friends, accomplish necessary tasks, and engage in whatever
interests them, whenever and wherever they want to do so. By providing a fast track to achieving their goals,
apps give brands the chance to play the hero in the customer’s journey of discovery. And since every download
is an opt-in invitation to engage, the impact of your content marketing is more measurable.
0 20 40 60 80 100
B2B
North America
B2C
North America
Nonprofit
North America
Australia
UK
Percentage who use Percentage of users who find this effective
28%
43%
33%
27%
36%
49%
59%
47%
34%
44%
Source: Content Marketing Institute 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Research
Content Marketing Play: Mobile Apps
38. 38 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
MOBILE APPS
HOW TO USE IT TO SCORE A GOAL:
It can be time-consuming, expensive, and technologically challenging
to develop a killer mobile content app, let alone get it into the hands of
the right audience. So before you jump in, make sure your effort will be
aligned with your brand’s strategic goals – and well worth your users’
limited cellphone space.
▶ Play to the platform’s strengths: Build your experience around
easy-to-accomplish actions – like tapping, swiping, viewing photos, or
voting – rather than requiring users to do a lot of typing or tasks that
can be tedious on the small screen.
▶ Enable your app to play on all devices: Though availability on iOS is
de rigueur, remember that Apple (and its app store) isn’t the only
player in the app economy.
▶ Remember it’s not all about play: While a branded parody of the
latest trendy game may give you some temporary street-cred,
providing real-world utility – things like maps, to-do lists, on-demand
advice, product comparison tools, or helpful hacks – is a surer path to
long-term engagement.
Case studies that earn extra points:
OPI’s ColorChat
When the success of your cosmetics line depends on
its ability to communicate through color, even the
most-subtle distinctions between shades can speak
volumes about the wearer. So OPI smartly developed
its ColorChat smartphone app to help nail polish-
obsessed fans engage in IM conversations and raise
self-expression to a unique and colorful art form.
Through the app, each letter and character typed in
a text message gets transformed into a colorful drop
of nail polish in one of OPI’s signature shades. The
abstract shapes form an alphabet that can be used
to write coded messages – perfect for enabling nail
artists to share their trade secrets with one another.
(Read more on Page 69 in the August 2015 issue of
Chief Content Officer magazine.)
39. 39 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
BRANDED CONTENT TOOLS
THE PLAY:
Putting your brand name on a clever, useful convenience tool – like a map that’s pre-loaded with points of
interest, an auto-response generator, a product configurator, or even a personalized set of emoji that helps
speed up your instant messages – invites consumers to think of you in a favorable light every time they use it.
0 20 40 60 80 100
B2B
North America
B2C
North America
Nonprofit
North America
Australia
UK
Percentage who use Percentage of users who find this effective
42%
46%
47%
38%
33%
50%
49%
60%
58%
44%
Source: Content Marketing Institute 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Research
Content Marketing Play: Branded Content Tools
40. 40 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
BRANDED
CONTENT TOOLS
HOW TO USE IT TO SCORE A GOAL:
This form of content works best when businesses emphasize the “tool”
part of the equation, rather than the “brand”:
▶ Add value, not vanity: Focus on creating something people will
want to use or share with others again and again, regardless of where it
came from.
▶ Make it a hype-free zone: If it’s more self-serving than
customer-serving, you’re doing it wrong.
▶ Enable personalization: Let users take your original idea and add their
own flair to make it something they’ll truly want to share with others.
Case studies that earn extra points:
Westin’s Out of Office Generator
Out of office emails started as a simple way to
manage the expectations of clients, customers, and
other contacts during rare times when you may not
be able to respond right away; but they have grown
to become a de facto way to creatively express your
personality in absentia. Trying to conceive of just the
right message can pile on the pressure – especially
when your pre-vacation to-do list is already a mile
long. Thankfully, you can easily cross off this creative
task with a little help from Westin. By partnering with
the master humorists at McSweeney’s, the travel
brand’s helpful tool provides clever little anecdotes
that can be used to suit any out-of-office experience,
and do so with memorable style.
41. 41 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
BOOKS
THE PLAY:
Writing a book takes a tremendous amount of time, effort, dedication, and know-how. But if you are looking
to become THE authority and market leader on a particular topic of interest to your audience, there’s no
substitute for being the brand that “wrote the book” on it. Not only will a published tome make a strong
impression on your audience, books also create a deep well of content assets you can draw from and
repurpose for years to come.
0 20 40 60 80 100
B2B
North America
B2C
North America
Nonprofit
North America
Australia
UK
Percentage who use Percentage of users who find this effective
30%
31%
32%
32%
25%
47%
51%
50%
31%
58%
Source: Content Marketing Institute 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Research
Content Marketing Play: Books
42. 42 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
BOOKS
HOW TO USE IT TO SCORE A GOAL:
Want to give your book a boost when it comes to securing shelf space?
Here are some suggestions from Jim Kukral, founder of the Author
Marketing Institute:
▶ Consider self-publishing: Unless you are looking to take your book
on tour, you’ll have the same shot at getting sales whether you have a
publisher or go the DIY route.
▶ Invest in a good editor who specializes in your genre.
▶ Create a killer cover design: When readers can browse dozens of book
choices on Amazon in a matter of seconds, an eye-catching cover will
give you an edge at getting discovered.
▶ Go for a series: Instead of one long book, certain topics work better
when they are broken down into micro-content. Alternately, if your
advice applies across multiple areas of expertise (think the …For
Dummies series), consider writing multiple books, each targeted to a
different industry.
Case studies that earn extra points:
Tealium’s Taming the Digital Marketing Beast
Enterprise tag management provider Tealium found
a fun, retro way to cut through the content clutter:
a children’s book. The company launched Taming
the Digital Marketing Beast to give away at industry
trade shows. The book is meant for attendees to take
home to their kids, and includes a reference guide
for adults on how the company’s digital marketing
technology streamlines complexity and helps unify
marketing applications and data.
43. 43 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
PODCASTS
THE PLAY:
What do you get when you combine sound, expert insights, a little food for thought, and a distinct brand
voice (literally)? You get the podcast, a stimulating, strategic content format that listeners can take with them
wherever they go – online or off. Focus your podcasts on a niche topic that your brand is uniquely passionate
about, and you’ll create a one-to-one conversation that your audience will truly look forward to immersing
themselves in, again and again.
0 20 40 60 80 100
B2B
North America
B2C
North America
Nonprofit
North America
Australia
UK
Percentage who use Percentage of users who find this effective
23%
21%
27%
25%
19%
40%
51%
43%
41%
41%
Source: Content Marketing Institute 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Research
Content Marketing Play: Podcasts
44. 44 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
PODCASTS
HOW TO USE IT TO SCORE A GOAL:
High quality podcasts are easier than ever to produce and distribute,
thanks to the availability of inexpensive recording software and sound
equipment. But if you want your show to make it to the top of this
increasingly popular trend, here are some tips Lush Digital Media’s Sarah
Mitchell recommends following:
▶ Be ready to make a long-term commitment: You can’t build an
audience if you quit after only a few episodes.
▶ Publish consistently: If you want your audience to keep your show on
their listening schedule, each episode needs to arrive at the designated
time.
▶ Use text transcripts: Audio-only content doesn’t get indexed by search
engines.
▶ Set up a Twitter feed for your show to prompt listeners to tune in.
Include a photo for each episode in your tweets to improve
engagement.
▶ List your podcast in as many directories as possible: In addition to
iTunes, try Stitcher, Libsyn, SoundCloud, and smaller directories, too.
Case studies that earn extra points:
GE’s The Message
To raise its profile among a younger, tech-savvy
audience, GE produced an eight-episode sci-fi
podcast called The Message. The story follows a
70-year-old message that came from outer space,
the decoding of which is achieved by the members
of Cypher – a fictional encryption think tank,
whose experts rely on real ultrasound technology
(developed by GE) to get the job done. Andy
Goldberg, GE’s global creative director, astutely
describes the effort as “science fiction meets real
science.” (Read more in the February 2016 issue of
Chief Content Officer magazine.)
45. 45 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
VIRTUAL CONFERENCES
THE PLAY:
There are some complex subjects that require a more immersive educational experience than the typical live
conference allows for. That’s where virtual conferences come in handy. They allow eager participants from all
over the word to come together, focus their time and attention on the topic at hand, gather helpful insights
from renowned experts… and then get right back to business without skipping a beat.
0 20 40 60 80 100
B2B
North America
B2C
North America
Nonprofit
North America
Australia
UK
Percentage who use Percentage of users who find this effective
25%
26%
18%
19%
15%
50%
41%
27%
44%
33%
Source: Content Marketing Institute 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Research
Content Marketing Play: Virtual Conferences
46. 46 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
VIRTUAL EVENT • 2.24.16
#ContentTECH
Learn about today’s cutting-edge technologie
that will help you fuel your content marketing
FREE REGISTRATION!
VIRTUAL CONFERENCES
HOW TO USE IT TO SCORE A GOAL:
Though running a virtual conference means you don’t have to worry
about buying blocks of hotel rooms, securing a large enough venue, or
providing evening entertainment, there are still plenty of logistical details
to pay attention to. Make sure attendees have a memorable experience –
for all the right reasons:
▶ Book, and confirm, your speakers as early as possible to avoid
potential scheduling conflicts.
▶ Double-and triple-check your technology. Nothing frustrates
attendees more than poor sound quality, weak video feeds, or other
technical difficulties that keep them from getting the content they
signed up for.
▶ Take multiple time zones into account. If you want both East and
West Coasters to attend, make sure your event doesn’t start too early,
or end too late in the day
▶ Extend the experience by offering on-demand access to those who
were unable to participate at the time of the live event.
Case studies that earn extra points:
ContentTECH
While the content marketing industry’s largest
event, Content Marketing World, covers a lot of
ground when it hits Cleveland each year, CMI
realized that there are some tech-related topics that
require a much deeper dive for marketers to master
confidently.
Enter ContentTECH, a free virtual conference that
enables attendees to immerse themselves in the
mechanics of content marketing – without ever having
to venture into the daylight. Held each February,
keynote speakers bring attendees up to speed on the
latest technological trends and advances impacting
the industry, while a series of live webinars offers
insights and advice on more-practical aspects of
working with today’s marketing tools.
47. 47 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
E-BOOKS
THE PLAY:
E-books enable you to sell your story directly to an audience without first having to shop it around to a
publisher. While a crowded market for business-focused books means physical shelf space in your content
niche might be at a premium, e-books can be downloaded from just about anywhere, and are available
immediately after purchase, providing instant gratification as a reward for your online audience’s interest.
0 20 40 60 80 100
B2B
North America
B2C
North America
Nonprofit
North America
Australia
UK
Percentage who use Percentage of users who find this effective
39%
30%
34%
38%
14%
56%
43%
49%
41%
58%
Source: Content Marketing Institute 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Research
Content Marketing Play: E-Books
48. 48 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
E-BOOKS
HOW TO USE IT TO SCORE A GOAL:
Because e-books are typically highly detailed long-form efforts, they are
ideally suited to being broken up and turned into additional content
assets. The resulting micro-content can then help you cross-promote your
e-book – and your overall insight on the topic – in multiple ways.
Here are a few top-of-the-funnel promotion ideas to get you started:
▶ Post the first chapter on SlideShare as a teaser for the full version.
▶ Record someone from your team reading selected chapters and launch
the recording as a podcast or audio book.
▶ Compile some of the e-book’s useful tips and tricks into an infographic.
▶ Turn your best quotes into tweets, with a link to your landing page.
Case studies that earn extra points:
37 Ways Brands Use Bitly
We all know how useful link shortener Bitly is when
we need to cram a few extra characters into a tweet
or add an easy-to-type URL into a graphic we plan
to share on social media. But did you know it can be
used to help marketers track leads, or even find the
best channel to push a particular product promotion
to? Bitly leveraged the e-book format to highlight the
unexpected ways its little links can be used to make
a big impact on branding, social media, metrics
and content marketing efforts. By including over
30 third-party examples, along with perspectives
from marketers who are personally using the service
for their business, the company makes a pretty
compelling case for marketers to buy-in to Bitly.
49. 49 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
GAMES/GAMIFICATION
THE PLAY:
Gamification puts your audience directly at the center of the action, using interactive activities like games,
quizzes, contests, and social media challenges to drive interest and engagement. Personalized gaming
experiences are a win-win for both marketers and fans alike: Players get to have a little fun with the content
you create, while your business gets a platform for building customer conversations your audience will be
passionate about.
0 20 40 60 80 100
B2B
North America
B2C
North America
Nonprofit
North America
Australia
UK
Percentage who use Percentage of users who find this effective
12%
22%
8%
13%
9%
27%
34%
47%
25%
30%
Source: Content Marketing Institute 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends Research
Content Marketing Play: Games/Gamification
50. 50 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
GAMES/GAMIFICATION
HOW TO USE IT TO SCORE A GOAL:
Though they can be expensive and time consuming to develop, when
pulled off well, this tactic can take the concept of immersive content to a
whole new level. Here are some ideas to explore:
▶ Expand the story of familiar characters. If you have a company
mascot, or characters your fans would be familiar with, games are a
great way to let fans go deeper into their backstories.
▶ Consider tying your game play to rewards players can earn in real
life. For example, Entertainment Weekly’s Front Row community earns
points for answering survey questions, which can be redeemed for gift
cards from Amazon or iTunes.
▶ Make it easy for players to bring friends in on the fun by including
sharing tools in your game interface, or providing the ability to “ask a
friend” for help advancing their game play.
▶ Use a leaderboard to let fans track their progress against
other players.
Case studies that earn extra points:
Rick & Morty’s Rickstaverse
Part interactive photo album, part hidden object
game, part Choose Your Own Adventure-style
experience, this innovative Instagram effort enables
fans of the subversive Adult Swim cartoon, Rick and
Morty, to join the intrepid intergalactic imbeciles on
an exploration of 11 different planets. Built through
a web of linked Instagram accounts, the game lets
fans dive in and out of photo-powered versions of
locations seen on the show and access a galaxy’s
worth of exclusive content, Easter eggs, and hidden
in-jokes.
51. 51 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
For more expert advice from leading B2B and B2C brands on
how to increase your content marketing success, join us for
Content Marketing World 2016. Register using the code PLAYBOOK for
$200 off main event and all-access passes.
52. 52 2 0 1 6 C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G P L A Y B O O K
ABOUT CONTENT MARKETING INSTITUTE
Content Marketing Institute is the leading global content marketing education and training
organization, teaching enterprise brands how to attract and retain customers through compelling,
multichannel storytelling. CMI’s Content Marketing World
event, the largest content marketing-focused event, is
held every September in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, and the
Intelligent Content Conference event is held every spring.
CMI publishes the bimonthly magazine Chief Content
Officer, and provides strategic consulting and content
marketing research for some of the best-known brands
in the world. CMI is a 2012-2015 Inc. 500/5000 company.
Watch this video to learn more about CMI.
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