Posts archived in Content Marketing

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April 10, 2013

10 tricks to show writer’s block who’s boss

crushed paper - writer's block - crumpled paper with unfocused background
Photo credit: Planetofsuccess.com  via Flickr

If your job requires any type of content creation, you’ve probably experienced writer’s block at one point.

This productivity killer affects us all. Even great writers suffer through it.

A recent Hubspot presentation outlined some tips on how to tackle this debilitating problem. Here are 10 tips from the presentations and my take on them.

1.  Create an editorial calendar — and stick to it.

If you’re not sure what to write about, an editorial calendar keeps you on track.

I’d also suggest using Evernote or another similar app where you can jot down ideas on the go. Good ideas can come at random times.

Also, have a handful of backup topics at any given time. Pin future topic ideas on a Pinterest board, or bookmark recent infographics and Slideshare presentations that have caught your eye. These are all possible sources of content you can write about.

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March 28, 2013

4 Notable Stats From BCAIM’s 2012 State of Marketing Survey

F5 Expo 2010: BC Business
Photo: jeremylim.ca

Last month, the B.C. Association of Integrated Marketers (BCAIM) and Ipsos ASI released a study that revealed the state of marketing in the province.

The study, which you can download via BCBusiness.ca, is the first-ever survey of local marketers in B.C.

Here are four stats from the study that caught my attention.

1. 80% of BC marketers get their marketing news from LinkedIn

In the past couple of years, LinkedIn has transformed itself from just another social network to a content powerhouse. It’s no wonder that marketers in Metro Vancouver are taking notice.

LinkedIn Today does a great job of aggregating news by topic and industry based on what your professional network is already sharing — an important curation tool given the amount of content being produced everyday. The addition of the Influencer program on the site last year gives LinkedIn users another compelling reason to check the site regularly.

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February 26, 2013

Content marketing 101: Your A-Z guide

Content marketing is not exactly new, but people have been talking about it more lately.

This year, digital marketers plan on spending more on content marketing, surpassing budgets for social media or SEO.

What best describes your company’s budget plans for the following digital marketing channels or disciplines in 2013?
Source: Econsultancy

I’m not surprised that content marketing — which is industry experts might also refer to as inbound marketing or content strategy — is finally getting its time in the spotlight. Social media should have always been part of a bigger content marketing plan.

So what exactly is content marketing? Here’s the definition from Content Marketing Institute (italics added for emphasis):

Content marketing is a marketing technique of creating and distributing relevant and valuable content to attract, acquire, and engage a clearly defined and understood target audience – with the objective of driving profitable customer action.

If you’re not familiar with content marketing, here are some concepts to keep in mind:
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December 27, 2012

Writing content for the web: The ultimate rookie’s guide

How to write for the web

Writing for the web is increasingly becoming an essential skill for young PR and marketing pros. Jobs such as “Content Strategist,” “Content Specialist,” and “Community Manager” require web-writing skills from candidates.

Unlike writing an essay, however, writing for the web requires a different skill set.

Not sure how to write content for the web? Here are some beginner tips to keep in mind:

1. Be concise.

Generally, shorter is better when it comes to web content. Readers want to get the information that they need quickly and efficiently.

To write clearly and concisely, use the active voice as much as possible. Passive voice makes for weak writing, but use it sparingly to vary the tone of your sentences.

Avoid redundancy and cut unnecessary stuff. Also, keep your paragraphs short. Anything more than 3 to 6 lines can look text-heavy.

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November 19, 2012

How do you use marketing to earn your customers’ love?

Can't Buy Me Love - SEOmoz presentation

Once upon a time, marketing was all about who has the loudest voice. Buy the most newspaper ads and you’ll likely get the biggest market share. Use the largest newswire to release your latest public release and you have the public’s ears.

But then something happened. Customers started tuning out ads. Brands started creating their own content. And people, just in general, started doubting brands.

Rand Fishkin, CEO of SEOmoz, recently uploaded a presentation entitled “Can’t Buy Me Love” on Slideshare.  The presentation, which was first presented at Distilled’s Searchlove 2012, walks through SEOmoz’s winning formula for winning people’s hearts — and wallets — without spending a fortune on marketing.

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