Take a look at my key takeaways and highlights from Content Marketing World 2014 in Cleveland, OH, which took place September 9 and 10, 2014. #CMWorld

1. presents
Content Marketing World 2014
Summary and Highlights
presented
by
Thomas J. Armitage

2. Big Takeaways
CMWorld, Cleveland, OH
• 2,500 attendees from 50
different countries. Double
the size from last year.
• Most popular words used
throughout the week were:
moment of inspiration,
integration, experience.
• #CMWorld trended
nationally on all three days
of the conference.

3. Opening Keynote
Joe Pulizzi, Founder of Content Marketing Institute
• Document a strategy and
keep to it.
• Study: Effective content
marketers publish more
often. Still make sure it is
high quality though.
• Need an integrated strategy
to selling – print, digital and
in-person.

4. How Brilliant Storytellers Create a Sudden Urge to Act
Andrew Davis, Author
• Search is still the center of
our universe, but it’s
evolving.
• Searches take place all over,
not just in Google.
• We tend to create content
close to the moment of
purchase. Consider earlier in
the cycle. Create a moment
of inspiration.

5. The ROI on Content
Julie Fleischer, Director of Data/Content/Media at Kraft Foods
• Integrated approach is best.
Touch many channels.
• Days of free organic reach
are coming to an end. If you
don’t want to put money
behind it, why do it?!
• Does it drive business and
pay for itself? Only stat you
really need to know.

6. Sorry Did You Say Something? Future of Content Is Writing
Ann Handley, Chief Content Officer of MarketingProfs, Author
• Market to individuals, not
segments. Write a blog post
with one reader in mind.
• Some great writers are not
great copy editors. And
that’s okay. Get help.
• Keep asking “so what?”
until you figure out your
goal for each content idea.

7. How to Write Blog Posts that Get Read and Shared
Gini Dietrich, Author
• Difference between
newsjacking and a news
hook. Do the latter.
• Turn sent emails into new
blog posts.
• When asking to be a
contributor, comment on
the sites first, share on
social, personalize the
email, keep it short.

8. Implementing a B2B Content Marketing Strategy
Emmanuel Laroche, VP of Marketing at Symrise NA
• Utilize survey service to ask
questions to customers.
Leverage that information.
• Mine through internal
documents to find things to
turn into content.
• Testimonials are important.
Make them high quality.
Names, titles, company, etc.
Do videos, if possible.

9. The Agency Model is Dead
Kirk Cheyfitz, CEO of Story Worldwide
• Every company is the same:
“We have great employees.
We are honest. Etc.” You
have to instead focus on the
real differentiators.
• Use dollar figures when
measuring. Period.
• Give emphasis to new
platforms that are thriving
and make sense for client.

10. 10 Most Common SEO Mistakes Content Marketers Make
Stephan Spencer, Author
• Pillars of SEO include: links,
site architecture, and really
great content.
• Make content as evergreen
as possible so it is useful for
months/years to come.
• Use keyword tools that look
beyond Google. For
example, soovle.com.

11. Storytelling & the Next Level of Content Marketing
Shane Snow, Founder of Contently
• Those who tell the stories,
rule the world.
• Need to feature a story in
all pieces of content. It
helps connect reader to
writer, buyer to brand.
• Stories > Content >
Engagement > Relationship
> ROI > Happiness.

12. B2B Blogging Driven by Employees
Rick Short, Director of Marcom at Indium
• Everyone involved has to
understand the goal. Have
internal transparency.
• To beat Google, be the
answer today, to the
question your customer will
ask tomorrow.
• Don’t be afraid to add fields
to forms. Leads go down,
but quality leads remain.

13. How to Make Twitter Your Content Marketing Best Friend
Mark Schaefer, Author
• Build it and they will come is
a terrible marketing
strategy. Find the people to
share the content.
• Twitter is the single fastest
way to build a targeted
audience.
• Use Twitter Advertising to
ignite your content and be
seen by new targets.

14. How to Work with Virtual Staff to Buy More Time
Chris Ducker, Author
• On average, it takes 4 hours
extra to beautify, SEO and
promote each blog post.
Have someone else do this!
• You get what you pay for.
Hire quality talent.
• Re-purpose content always.
Rip video audio for podcasts,
infographic based on blog
post idea, etc.

15. Creating a Seamless Video Strategy on a Budget
Tim Washer, Producer and Comedy Writer
• Use humor in videos,
especially if your
brand/product is dull, dry,
boring.
• Corporate meeting are
stifling. Keep groups small.
Chat over coffee.
• Basic accessories to camera
equipment can make a big
difference (mic, lighting,
editing software, etc).

16. The 7th Era of Marketing
Robert Rose, Chief Strategist at Content Marketing Institute
• Only 23% of people feel
they have good
relationships with brands.
• No correlations between
the number of interactions
with a brand/customer and
depth of the relationship.
• Recent marketing era has
focused on relationships.
Next will be on experience.

17. Data, Digits and Dummies
Scott Stratten, Author
• The speed at which we
reply is almost as important
as the message.
• People only reacting is
what's killing social. Instead,
actively participate.
• QR codes…just don’t. Unless
they serve a valid purpose
(i.e. mobile ticketing).

18. Closing Keynote
Kevin Spacey, Actor
• If a great movie plays in an
empty theater, is it a great
movie? Content is nothing
without the audience.
• Consumers want control of
what they watch, how they
watch it, when they watch
it. See Netflix vs. NBC.
• All content needs conflict
and authenticity.