Brand Strategy

12/01/201503/26/2018

Stop What You’re Doing And Read Google’s Latest Search Quality Rating Guidelines

Do words like “search engine spiders” and “Quality Raters” send shivers down your spine? Do you sit up at night paranoid that Google is trolling your website, looking for excuses to knock it down in the SEO rankings?

If so, it’s not surprising. Trying to stay in good graces with Google’s ever-changing search engine optimization (SEO) policy can certainly feel daunting—especially if you’re new to the content marketing game. Continue reading “Stop What You’re Doing And Read Google’s Latest Search Quality Rating Guidelines”

11/25/201503/26/2018

Is There Enough Time To Start A Content Strategy in 2015?

We’re just days away from some of the biggest shopping events of the year, Black Friday and Cyber Monday—the two days which officially kick off the holiday season. Many marketers are therefore scrambling for last minute ideas to promote their businesses and gain a leg up on the competition before swarms of shoppers hit retail and online stores in search of deals.

It’s around this time of the year when marketers tend to turn to content marketing to either resurrect their sluggish online presences, or start building one from scratch. The question is: Is there enough time left in 2015 to start a content marketing strategy?

Here’s our take on the matter: Continue reading “Is There Enough Time To Start A Content Strategy in 2015?”

11/10/201503/26/2018

Why You Should Consider Trying That ‘Meh’ Marketing Tactic You’ve Been Thinking About

The other day I was preparing a dish of halved avocado filled with cottage cheese and a drizzle of sriracha sauce, and offered a bite to my fiancé. He was pretty reluctant to try it at first, saying that he had never eaten avocados before and they looked like they would taste bad. However, one small, hesitant nibble turned into the plate being finished off completely.

As it turns out, he likes eggplant and zucchini, too.

So, what does trying new veggies have to do with content marketing? Most organizations tend to have content marketing tactics that they love using because they sit well on the palette—like blogs, social media and case studies. Then there are those tactics that seem like they’ll taste funny. For your organization, this may be a tactic that you consider unconventional or have overlooked, like an infographic or eNewsletter. For your marketing team, a first response may be “meh” rather than “yeah!” Continue reading “Why You Should Consider Trying That ‘Meh’ Marketing Tactic You’ve Been Thinking About”

11/06/201503/26/2018

Tips For Building A Lasting Relationship With Your Content Producer

Once you sign up for content marketing and are introduced to your dedicated content producer, you’re bound to enter into the “getting to know you” phase.

During this phase, you’ll want to approach your content producer just like you are onboarding a new member of your organization. The goal is to get acquainted as quickly as possible with one another, so that you can build trust and start brainstorming creative ideas for your brand.

Here are some tips that you can use to ensure that you get off to a great start with your new content producer: Continue reading “Tips For Building A Lasting Relationship With Your Content Producer”

10/27/201503/26/2018

Three Types of Engaging Content You Can Begin Producing Today

According to the Content Marketing Institute’s (CMI) “2016 Benchmarks, Budgets and Trends—North America” report, B2B marketers continue to be heavily focused on creating engaging content. In fact, 72 percent of marketers surveyed by CMI claimed it’s their top priority for 2016.

So, what exactly is engaging content?
That is, what kind of content should teams be producing to attract and, more importantly, retain readers? And how can content then convert those readers into repeat customers and loyal brand advocates?

Continue reading “Three Types of Engaging Content You Can Begin Producing Today”

10/12/201503/26/2018

CEO’s: Why You Need to Cast Your Voice and Tell Your Story

You know those people who create fake email accounts in order to avoid being inundated with messages from companies on a daily basis? Well, I’m not one of those people.

There’s nothing wrong with being this kind of person, but I’m glad I’m not one of them. Sure, I get slammed with emails everyday from all sorts of companies—many that I admittedly am no longer interested in—but some of these messages really grab my attention. These digital diamonds in the inbox rough, if you will, are intermittent reminders of why I opt to add my name to email subscription lists. I received one such email last week from clothing retailer GAP.

Continue reading “CEO’s: Why You Need to Cast Your Voice and Tell Your Story”

09/11/201503/26/2018

Understanding a Blog’s Position in the Sales Funnel

A lot of people ask me, “should my business be blogging?”

It leads me to believe that there is still, amongst the majority of professionals—particularly at the small-to-medium sized business level—a fundamental misunderstanding as to how blogs fit into the sales funnel.

If you don’t grasp how the sales funnel works, it can be easy to dismiss a blog as a frivolous expenditure and thus, a gigantic waste of time. But rest assured, blogs have an important place in the sales process.

Here is how a blog fits into the sales funnel. Keep in mind that the sales funnel works from the top-down: Continue reading “Understanding a Blog’s Position in the Sales Funnel”