Social media blunders can be extremely funny—until your organization is on the wrong end of the joke. In 2014 a large number of brands found themselves in the unenviable position of apologizing for social media gaffes which garnered negative media attention. Here are five of the worst social mistakes of 2014:
Continue reading “The Top Five Social Media Blunders of 2014”
Investing in technology for your small business can be overwhelming—and that’s an understatement. From computers to phone systems to Internet applications, it can be difficult to determine what technologies best fit your company’s needs and budget.
Luckily, there’s eTechHelp, a global technology consulting and Internet services company that provides a wide range of technology services for business of all sizes. Continue reading “eTechHelp Talks Technology at Content Boost’s Content Marketing Crash Course”
We are in the middle of a quiet content marketing war, as organizations are fiercely competing for brand awareness and relevancy online.
This was the critical message delivered by TMC CEO and Group Editor-in-Chief Rich Tehrani during his opening remarks at Content Boost’s first Content Marketing Crash Course, Dec. 4 in Norwalk, Connecticut.
“Online marketing battles are being won and lost constantly,” explained Tehrani, adding that many companies think they are winning the battle for attention when they are actually losing without even realizing it.
Tehrani’s remarks set the tone for the riveting Crash Course, in which local business leaders and marketers were invited to participate in full day of hands-on content marketing seminars and group discussions, as well as strategizing and networking activities with key members of the Content Boost team. Attendees were also treated to 30-minute one-on-one brand reviews and consultations, as well as brand video interviews. Continue reading “Key Takeaways From Content Boost’s First Crash Course”
I get asked the question all the time, even by my wife and parents: What is content marketing? If you’re hearing the term for the first time, the best place to start is a basic definition: Content marketing is a marketing strategy centered on creating and distributing valuable, relevant content designed to attract and acquire consumers. But to understand this hot term further, it’s critical to understand how content marketing differs from traditional marketing in the way it actually attracts and acquires those customers. Continue reading “Content Marketing: Teach, Don’t Preach”
Chances are you’ve heard or read about the term “content marketing.” After all, almost every major news publication from Forbes to The Huffington Post has written about it and companies are increasingly investing in it. According to research from the Content Marketing Institute, 46 percent of businesses plan to increase their spend on content marketing, while 32 percent have already made a commitment to keep their budgets the same.
But what exactly is content marketing and how does it work? Continue reading “Are You New to Content Marketing? Stop By Our Content Marketing Crash Course, Dec. 4th”
When I first heard of the Inbound Marketing Summit, designed for content marketing visionaries and evangelists like myself who love to convene, share, collaborate and learn, I was all in. As the Boston-hosted event neared and the agenda was posted, I was particularly intrigued with how intimate the event appeared to be.
As someone who attends a fair amount of trade shows, I am used to darting feverishly between track sessions, networking on massive trade show floors and finding the most comfortable pair of flats I can locate to survive the miles of walking. So you can imagine my curiosity when I discovered this show had zero tracks and was being held in a historic castle. But, I have to say, it was a nice change of pace.
Continue reading “Overarching Theme at Inbound Marketing Summit 2014: Content is the Future”
Businesses across all industries have gradually accepted the fact that in order to be successful, they really don’t have much of a choice other than to begin forging their content marketing strategies. But there’s a catch: A vast majority of them admit they’re not really good at it.
Marketers exist to promote their products and ultimately generate new revenue streams. To do this, they’ll place ads in newspapers and on websites, pay for radio and television commercials and write pertinent blog posts, among many other things.
The mistake, it appears, is that many marketers approach digital mediums the same way they approach traditional ones. As a result, their blogs—the cornerstones of their content marketing efforts—often end up more like really long ads than engaging, beneficial content. Continue reading “Hungry Yet? What Chef Jamie Oliver Can Teach You About Content Marketing”
After months of anticipation, I finally had the chance to see the blockbuster “Interstellar” last week. The film is a Sci-Fi adventure, directed by Christopher Nolan starring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway, which explores the possibilities for deep space travel and the mysteries of our physical universe.
Continue reading “What ‘Interstellar’ Taught Me About Content Strategy”
Right around the time Content Boost started holding content marketing breakouts, keynotes and panels at various trade shows—including our very own ITEXPO events—we got asked the same question by many attendees: do we ever hold seminars or training courses throughout the year? The short answer was no, but the long answer was… not yet.
Quickly, we started to pick up on a very common trend in the industry: people did not want to have to wait until conferences or trade shows to receive best-in-class content marketing training. Perhaps more importantly, they didn’t want to have to pay hundreds and hundreds of dollars for one-off seminars. Instead, they wanted a way to stay current with the latest industry trends and strategies for improving upon their existing marketing efforts.
Continue reading “Will We See You at Our Dec. Content Marketing Crash Course?”
Once again, Halloween has come and gone. Are you feeling down about having to wait a whole year to dress up as a zombie or Walter White? I don’t blame you. But here’s a consolation: Today is National Sandwich Day in America. In my opinion, this is the most underrated holiday in the world and it’s a cause for celebration.
Here’s what I love about sandwiches, perhaps more than any other food, and how it relates to content marketing:
They’re practical: You can eat a sandwich whether you’re on-the-go or at home. Everything you need can be placed neatly in between two pieces of bread (or in a wrap, if you prefer).
Your content should work the same way. Remember that you’re not trying to serve your readers a multi-course “meal” of content. Craft articles that are long enough to keep your readers satisfied, yet concise enough to be read on a mobile device. Your goal is to inform and entertain your readers, above all else. Continue reading “Content Marketers: Stop What You’re Doing and Go Eat a Sandwich”
