Traditional marketing channels have becoming ineffective in capturing and engaging the attention of today’s perpetually connected consumers. Today's businesses must adapt their marketing strategies in an effort to build brand advantage in the face of the consumers’ rapidly changing media consumption landscape. Additionally, today’s millennial generation does not trust traditional advertisements, only 6% of millennials consider advertising even to be credible. In this class, you will learn how to develop, promote and take advantage of branded content delivered through a strategic social media plan that will allow your business to engage today's generation, building a trusted relationship, and become unmistakable and essential in their eyes. In this session, you will learn how to create content based on your strategic plan for your content marketing and social media efforts.

1. BRIAN HUONKER
WWW.LINKEDIN.COM/IN/BRIANHUONKER
WWW.SLIDESHARE.NET/BKHUONKER
48X48

2. Thanks to the proliferation of social media,
brands are no longer competing against each
other. They are competing against every form of
messaging.
Consumers (particularly Millennials) know when
they are being marketed to, and anything that
sounds like a pitch will be ignored.
Peer opinions, in fact, are considered two to three
times more reliable than brand messaging.
THREE FACTS

3. BREAKING THROUGH THE SOCIAL
CLUTTER
◻ SO… A BUSINESS NEEDS CONTENT THAT:
¤ Captures the business’s persona through branded
storytelling.
¤ Enables social sharing through brand advocates.
¤ Enables brand discovery through consumer
exploration.
¤ Connects the brand to consumers in context
through cultural, relevant and valuable content.
¤ Changes and enhances the consumer experience.
¤ Creates visible brand value through the content

4. BREAKING THROUGH THE SOCIAL
CLUTTER
START BY PAINTING A
STORY
◻ Create content that is valuable
in customers’ eyes using data
gained from audiences.
◻ Discover what makes your
business unique and weave it
in.
◻ Begin work on your content
brand at the point of
transaction (talk to them as if
they were a customer).
◻ Write for the Millennial and
post-Millennial generation (aka
“bathroom copy”).
◻ Create culturally relevant

5. BREAKING THROUGH THE SOCIAL
CLUTTER
ENSURE ITS WHAT YOUR
CUSTOMERS WANT TO
HEAR
◻ Answer “What’s in it for them”
◻ What keywords are they using to
search you out?
◻ What questions are customers
asking when you talk to them?
◻ What are they saying about you
already in social media?
◻ What problems do they have?
◻ What are they saying about your
competitors?
◻ What are your competitors saying
about you?
◻ What is industry experts saying?
◻ What comments are customers
leaving?

6. BREAKING THROUGH THE SOCIAL
CLUTTER
ENSURE YOUR
CUSTOMERS CAN RELATE
THE STORY
◻ A Simple Q&A with a customer.
◻ Showcase good (and bad)
examples.
◻ Share how obstacles are
overcome.
◻ Utilize visuals. Illustrate the main
points (people skim… remember,
bathroom copy)
◻ How to videos. Helps explain
processes or instructions easier
than written (HowToPlay)
◻ Summaries of industry research.
You are an expert through those

7. BREAKING THROUGH THE SOCIAL
CLUTTER
DEVELOP ONCE, DISECT AND
REUSE EVERYWHERE
¤ Hero Content.
■ Developed a few times a
year. Deeper, richer in
nature and allows the
customer to gain awareness
of a subject from a high
level
¤ Exploration Content
■ Pulled out of Hero content
and allows the customer to
explore further.
¤ Cultivating Content.
■ Simplest in nature but most
effective, content is
designed to continuously
engage.
■ Shares easily on social
networks.
■ Slideshows, infographics,
listicles

8. THE HOW TO BOOK
Steps for Success

9. STEPS FOR SUCCESS
Step 1: Choose a Topic
¤ What questions are people
asking you?
¤ Ask your customer support
staff.
¤ Ask your receptionist.
¤ Ask your maintenance staff
¤ Customer Surveys
¤ Mine your own data
¤ Google Analytics
¤ Keywords
¤ Social Landing Page
¤ Google Trends
¤ Facebook Analytics
¤ Mom Keyword Explorer
¤ Mine your competitor’s data
¤ They have ideas too.

10. STEPS FOR SUCCESS
Step 2: Find Popular
Content
¤ Buzzsumo. Allows you to see
what content is being shared.
¤ Note: Put phrases in quotes to
constrain it to those words.
¤ Watch your competitors blogs
and social media.
¤ Watch your suppliers blogs
and social media post.

11. STEPS FOR SUCCESS
Step 3: Write the Headline
¤ X Ways to [DESIRED END
RESULT] in [TIME PERIOD]
¤ 19 Ways To Cook a
Nutritious
¤ Dinner in 15 Minutes or
Less
¤ X [TOPIC] Ideas That Will
[DESIRED END RESULT]
¤ 22 DIY Projects That Will
¤ Increase the Value Of Your
Home
¤ X Ways to [DESIRED END
RESULT] Without
[UNDESIRED RESULT or
CONSTRAINT]
¤ Example: 5 Ways to Purify
Water Without
¤ Having To Build a Fire

12. STEPS FOR SUCCESS
Step 3: Write the Headline
¤ X [THINGS] That Will
[DESIRED END RESULT]
¤ 11 Skin Care Products That
Will Remove Wrinkles
¤ X Ways to Rid Yourself of
[UNDESIRED RESULT]
¤ 19 Ways to Rid Yourself of
Credit Crushing Debt
¤ Blogs: 6-8 words, 55-66
characters
¤ H1 Tag uses primary keyword
¤ Meta Title: 50-70 characters
¤ Email Heading (Subject): 50
characters

13. STEPS FOR SUCCESS
Step 4: The Body
¤ Introduction. Create a simple introduction
to the post --- nothing fancy. Get the
reader to the list as quickly as possible
by using a short, punchy introduction that
simply tells the reader what the post is
about and why it’s important.
¤ Could be your social media post
¤ Subheading – Each list item needs a
subheading that explains what the
original post is about.
¤ Description – Quickly (1 or 2 sentences)
summarize what the original post is about
and what the reader will find if they visit
that original post.
¤ Image(s) – Use an image (get permission
if you are concerned about fair use of
images) from the original post or create
your own images using Photoshop or
Canva. Alternatively, buy stock images
from sites like DreamsTime or
iStockphoto.
¤ Links - To other articles. To other sites,
especially experts sites. Get them to link
back
¤ Closing - Keep it simple by simply asking
the reader to take an action

14. STEPS FOR SUCCESS
Step 4: The Body
¤ 1, 600 words minimum for
Hero Articles
¤ 400 words minimum for
Exploratory content
¤ Images with alt tags
¤ Primary Keywords should be
used at least three times
¤ At least once in the H1 tag
¤ Secondary Keywords should
be used at least one time in
the copy
¤ Link to sources of facts,
figures, quotes, etc…
¤ Link to sites with additional
information.
¤ Link to articles on your site

15. STEPS FOR SUCCESS
Step 5: Dissect the article
¤ Create social post (text) from
the introduction with link to
article
¤ Create social post (image)
from image in article with a link
to article
¤ Pick out 1-3 more main points
form article and link to article.
If listicle, one post for each list
item.
¤ Post 1-2 to the article each
week.
¤ Post during the times you get
the most interactions
¤ Social Post (Micro blogs)
¤ Facebook: 40-50
characters
¤ Twitter: 71-100 characters
¤ LinkedIN: 80-120
characters

16. STEPS FOR SUCCESS
Additional Article Types
¤ Infographics
¤ Photoshop
¤ Canva Infographic Maker
¤ Vizualize
¤ Google Charts
¤ Easel.ly
¤ Piktochart
¤ Tips
¤ Show, don’t tell with one key
message
¤ Data and/or factoids to back up
message
¤ Focus on the flow
¤ Prioritize typography
¤ Simple Color Rules
(the rule of 3)
¤ Minimalism reigns supreme
¤ Follows the same rules as a blog
article with the exception of the
body copy.

17. STEPS FOR SUCCESS
Additional Article Types
¤ Video Tools
¤ iMovie (mobile and
desktop)
¤ Windows Movie Maker
¤ Fimlora’s list
¤ Video Tips
¤ Get to the point quickly,
users have the control.
¤ 5-7 times to move a key
message from temporary to
permanent memory, in
different audible and visual
format.
¤ Text for key messages
alongside voice over.
¤ Short and simple. 30
seconds for blog, 7-14
second for social.
¤ Provide a next step, firm
CTA.