How to evaluate past the click 
@msweezey 
Learning how to prove value
@msweezey 
Mathew Sweezey: 
Author & Evangelist 
Salesforce.com 
-Marketing Automation for Dummies 
-Byline for ClickZ.com 
-B2B marketing Evangelist 
-Co-Founder Eventide Brewing
Proving Value Past The 
Click 
-Why do we even do content marketing? 
-Why Marketing is the first department to get fired 
-New Breed of Reporting 
-Tactically how to do it 
@msweezey
Understanding why we create content is 
where we have to begin to fully understand 
how to show value. 
@msweezey
5000 impressions 
How many ad impressions your exposed to 
on a daily basis in 2014. This was 350 in 
1975. 
@msweezey
10 seconds 
You have 10 seconds to show value once 
someone has engaged. 
@msweezey
@msweezey 
WHY? 
Because there is no better way to engage.
Free: 
Creating is free 
Publishing is free 
Distribution is free 
@msweezey
Accessible: 
More people have access to a cell phone 
than have access to clean drinking water, or 
electricity. 
@msweezey
Ubiquitous: 
Every time you log on to Facebook there are 
1500 stories waiting for you 
@msweezey
How do 
brands see 
content? 
@msweezey
@msweezey 
onepagers 
webinars 
SEO 
Backlinks 
Whitepapers 
video 
ebooks 
Short form 
AMA 
infographics
How do 
consumers see 
content? 
@msweezey 
e
@msweezey
@msweezey 
“Consumers want 
honest and authentic 
experiences” 
-Joseph Pine III
71% of B2B buyers have 
been disappointed by content 
@msweezey 
-Pardot research 2014
25% of those B2B buyers 
who have been disappointed 
by your content will never 
read content from you again 
@msweezey 
-Pardot research 2014
1/Escape 
People wanting to escape will lean on self discover and 
social channels. They are looking to escape their work, 
life, job, and take a short break. No barring on sales 
readiness. 
@msweezey
@msweezey
2/Learn 
People wanting to learn are looking on ways to do their 
job better. This can also take place during an escape. 
May be an early sign of sales readiness if they move to 
research. 
@msweezey
@msweezey
3/Research 
People wanting to research will dedicate time to search, 
learn, and solve. They are looking for content to help them 
solve for a problem. Shows sales readiness 
@msweezey
@msweezey
@msweezey 
Daily content consumption. Usually is Learn, and 
Escape. Happens across all media channels. 
How we engage with Research content.
Methods to report on 
content marketing 
@msweezey
Metrics to create better 
content: 
• Baselines 
• Reach 
• Engagement 
• Obtainment of Goal 
@msweezey
Baselines 
Your content marketing should be measured to your 
previous efforts. You need to set baselines, and keep up 
with your improvements. What worked, and why. 
@msweezey
Evergreen 
Evergreen content should be measured on a timeframe. 
So if you have a video on “XYZ” you should measure it 
every 30 days to see how it compared to the previous. 
This will tell you if you need to update, change, or 
promote it. 
@msweezey
1/Reach 
@msweezey
@msweezey
Reach 
Is a metric to help you evaluate your 
strategy. But it should not be a metric you 
use to evaluate the effectiveness of content 
marketing, but rather the execution or 
strategy of your distribution. 
@msweezey
2/Engagement 
@msweezey
Engagement 
Is a metric to help you evaluate your 
strategy. But it should not be a metric you 
use to evaluate the effectiveness of content 
marketing, but rather the image, topic, and 
copy. 
@msweezey
@msweezey 
How many opens did it get = Subject line 
How many clicks did it get = Copy and CTA 
How many shares, likes, comments = Topic 
How many page views did it get = Image and CTA 
How many likes, shares, new fans = Image and CTA 
How many likes, shares, new fans = Copy and Image 
How long did someone watch it = Story
3/Goal 
@msweezey
Goal 
How many people actually did what you 
wanted them to do. Was this a lead gen 
piece, did you drive leads? Was this an 
engagement piece, did people engage? This 
is a measure of your story line, execution of 
content, and CTA. 
@msweezey
@msweezey 
Daily content consumption. Usually is Learn, 
and Escape. Happens across all media 
channels. 
How we engage with Research content.
STRATEGY CREATIVE CTA 
Reach 
Low impact report, 
and will not tell you 
the effectiveness of 
your content, but if 
your distribution 
strategy was correct. 
@msweezey 
Engagement 
Medium level report 
to show you if your 
image and call to 
action were correct. 
Engagement is what 
you want. Fans, 
Likes, Shares, 
Comments…. 
% of Goal 
What percent took a 
next step. This can 
either be to continue 
the experience, or 
this could be a 
conversion. This tells 
you was your 
experience correct or 
not.
Phone Calls 
The only real way to find out if your content had the effect 
you really wanted. They only way to test branding. 
Ask: Is it what you were expecting, was it helpful, how 
can it be better. 
@msweezey
Business 
Value 
@msweezey
1/ROI 
@msweezey
ROI 
Is not a basic of report. There is no direct 
cost to creating content, and no direct tie to 
it’s return, so tying it to pipeline is guess 
work at best. The idea is sound, the current 
methodology is not. 
@msweezey
2/Attribution 
@msweezey
Attribution 
In theory sounds great, in practice is not. 
Not a business metric, puts you in a sliver 
bullet mindset, deemphasizes holistic 
marketing, does not provide actionable 
metrics, and assumes way to much. 
@msweezey
3/Velocity 
A better way to show the return on your investment 
@msweezey
@msweezey 
Velocity 
How fast does 
someone move 
thought your funnel. 
• TVM is a business metric 
• Accounts for holistic efforts 
• Predicts future outomes
4/Efficiency 
Showing real business value by creating more quality 
leads on the same amount of work. 
@msweezey
@msweezey 
Efficiency 
How many leads go in 
the top of each stage, 
and how many come out 
the bottom. 
• 1.6% is best in class 
• Identifies holes in content 
strategy
Barriers to this 
approach: 
@msweezey
1/Your boss 
• Work to gain buy in on new reporting 
methods 
• Show possible ways to track Velocity 
• Show it’s ability to predict future outcomes 
• Show 
@msweezey
2/Your Content 
• Make sure your content is tied to the stages 
in the buying cycle. 
• Set up phone interviews with your 
customers to better understand creating 
future content. 
• Know the keywords they search for in each 
stage. 
@msweezey
@msweezey 
Daily content consumption. Usually is Learn, 
and Escape. Happens across all media 
channels. 
How we engage with Research content.
3/Your Tools 
• You need to have all of your content 
tracked, and data collected 
• Marketing automation will be the backbone 
• CRM is a must for aligning sales data back 
to your efforts 
@msweezey
Conclusions 
Content marketing isn’t just about creating 
content. It is a highly tactical marketing 
method which requires a very astute 
understanding of your buyer, buy in from your 
business as to how you will prove its’ value, 
and a new set of tools to execute on it 
effectively. 
@msweezey
Thank you! 
Now lets get to questions 
@msweezey

How to show value on content marketing

  • 1.
    How to evaluatepast the click @msweezey Learning how to prove value
  • 2.
    @msweezey Mathew Sweezey: Author & Evangelist Salesforce.com -Marketing Automation for Dummies -Byline for ClickZ.com -B2B marketing Evangelist -Co-Founder Eventide Brewing
  • 3.
    Proving Value PastThe Click -Why do we even do content marketing? -Why Marketing is the first department to get fired -New Breed of Reporting -Tactically how to do it @msweezey
  • 4.
    Understanding why wecreate content is where we have to begin to fully understand how to show value. @msweezey
  • 5.
    5000 impressions Howmany ad impressions your exposed to on a daily basis in 2014. This was 350 in 1975. @msweezey
  • 6.
    10 seconds Youhave 10 seconds to show value once someone has engaged. @msweezey
  • 7.
    @msweezey WHY? Becausethere is no better way to engage.
  • 8.
    Free: Creating isfree Publishing is free Distribution is free @msweezey
  • 9.
    Accessible: More peoplehave access to a cell phone than have access to clean drinking water, or electricity. @msweezey
  • 10.
    Ubiquitous: Every timeyou log on to Facebook there are 1500 stories waiting for you @msweezey
  • 11.
    How do brandssee content? @msweezey
  • 12.
    @msweezey onepagers webinars SEO Backlinks Whitepapers video ebooks Short form AMA infographics
  • 13.
    How do consumerssee content? @msweezey e
  • 14.
  • 15.
    @msweezey “Consumers want honest and authentic experiences” -Joseph Pine III
  • 16.
    71% of B2Bbuyers have been disappointed by content @msweezey -Pardot research 2014
  • 17.
    25% of thoseB2B buyers who have been disappointed by your content will never read content from you again @msweezey -Pardot research 2014
  • 18.
    1/Escape People wantingto escape will lean on self discover and social channels. They are looking to escape their work, life, job, and take a short break. No barring on sales readiness. @msweezey
  • 19.
  • 20.
    2/Learn People wantingto learn are looking on ways to do their job better. This can also take place during an escape. May be an early sign of sales readiness if they move to research. @msweezey
  • 21.
  • 22.
    3/Research People wantingto research will dedicate time to search, learn, and solve. They are looking for content to help them solve for a problem. Shows sales readiness @msweezey
  • 23.
  • 24.
    @msweezey Daily contentconsumption. Usually is Learn, and Escape. Happens across all media channels. How we engage with Research content.
  • 25.
    Methods to reporton content marketing @msweezey
  • 26.
    Metrics to createbetter content: • Baselines • Reach • Engagement • Obtainment of Goal @msweezey
  • 27.
    Baselines Your contentmarketing should be measured to your previous efforts. You need to set baselines, and keep up with your improvements. What worked, and why. @msweezey
  • 28.
    Evergreen Evergreen contentshould be measured on a timeframe. So if you have a video on “XYZ” you should measure it every 30 days to see how it compared to the previous. This will tell you if you need to update, change, or promote it. @msweezey
  • 29.
  • 30.
  • 31.
    Reach Is ametric to help you evaluate your strategy. But it should not be a metric you use to evaluate the effectiveness of content marketing, but rather the execution or strategy of your distribution. @msweezey
  • 32.
  • 33.
    Engagement Is ametric to help you evaluate your strategy. But it should not be a metric you use to evaluate the effectiveness of content marketing, but rather the image, topic, and copy. @msweezey
  • 34.
    @msweezey How manyopens did it get = Subject line How many clicks did it get = Copy and CTA How many shares, likes, comments = Topic How many page views did it get = Image and CTA How many likes, shares, new fans = Image and CTA How many likes, shares, new fans = Copy and Image How long did someone watch it = Story
  • 35.
  • 36.
    Goal How manypeople actually did what you wanted them to do. Was this a lead gen piece, did you drive leads? Was this an engagement piece, did people engage? This is a measure of your story line, execution of content, and CTA. @msweezey
  • 37.
    @msweezey Daily contentconsumption. Usually is Learn, and Escape. Happens across all media channels. How we engage with Research content.
  • 38.
    STRATEGY CREATIVE CTA Reach Low impact report, and will not tell you the effectiveness of your content, but if your distribution strategy was correct. @msweezey Engagement Medium level report to show you if your image and call to action were correct. Engagement is what you want. Fans, Likes, Shares, Comments…. % of Goal What percent took a next step. This can either be to continue the experience, or this could be a conversion. This tells you was your experience correct or not.
  • 39.
    Phone Calls Theonly real way to find out if your content had the effect you really wanted. They only way to test branding. Ask: Is it what you were expecting, was it helpful, how can it be better. @msweezey
  • 40.
  • 41.
  • 42.
    ROI Is nota basic of report. There is no direct cost to creating content, and no direct tie to it’s return, so tying it to pipeline is guess work at best. The idea is sound, the current methodology is not. @msweezey
  • 43.
  • 44.
    Attribution In theorysounds great, in practice is not. Not a business metric, puts you in a sliver bullet mindset, deemphasizes holistic marketing, does not provide actionable metrics, and assumes way to much. @msweezey
  • 45.
    3/Velocity A betterway to show the return on your investment @msweezey
  • 46.
    @msweezey Velocity Howfast does someone move thought your funnel. • TVM is a business metric • Accounts for holistic efforts • Predicts future outomes
  • 47.
    4/Efficiency Showing realbusiness value by creating more quality leads on the same amount of work. @msweezey
  • 48.
    @msweezey Efficiency Howmany leads go in the top of each stage, and how many come out the bottom. • 1.6% is best in class • Identifies holes in content strategy
  • 49.
    Barriers to this approach: @msweezey
  • 50.
    1/Your boss •Work to gain buy in on new reporting methods • Show possible ways to track Velocity • Show it’s ability to predict future outcomes • Show @msweezey
  • 51.
    2/Your Content •Make sure your content is tied to the stages in the buying cycle. • Set up phone interviews with your customers to better understand creating future content. • Know the keywords they search for in each stage. @msweezey
  • 52.
    @msweezey Daily contentconsumption. Usually is Learn, and Escape. Happens across all media channels. How we engage with Research content.
  • 53.
    3/Your Tools •You need to have all of your content tracked, and data collected • Marketing automation will be the backbone • CRM is a must for aligning sales data back to your efforts @msweezey
  • 54.
    Conclusions Content marketingisn’t just about creating content. It is a highly tactical marketing method which requires a very astute understanding of your buyer, buy in from your business as to how you will prove its’ value, and a new set of tools to execute on it effectively. @msweezey
  • 55.
    Thank you! Nowlets get to questions @msweezey