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Inspiring Content Attracts Inspirational Influencers

crayons-SIZED1280Two words that describe the Crayola brand are imaginative and artful. Since the company’s beginnings in the early 1900s straight through to today, these descriptors have remained relevant despite the fact that the company’s products have continually changed. From simple wax crayons to the newfangled Digital Light Designer, Crayola’s “true north,” according to Vicky Lozano, VP of Corporate Strategy, is “to help parents and teachers raise creative and inspired kids.”

Continue reading “Inspiring Content Attracts Inspirational Influencers”

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Don’t Forget to Pack Your Content Strategy for Interop

Your bags are packed for Vegas. Your out of office reply is queued. It’s the Friday before Interop, where you’re headed to showcase your company’s latest innovations. The only thing left to do is check your flight and make sure you get to the airport on time. Right?

checklist-911841_1920.pngWrong! Roll up your sleeves: You have some last-minute marketing points to hone before you board the plane. After all, you don’t want to arrive without all the tools in hand to deliver the best impression possible to your key targets.

Follow this advice to optimize Interop for your brand: Continue reading “Don’t Forget to Pack Your Content Strategy for Interop”

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Which Content Marketing Strategy Are You Taking Into Battle?

In order for your organization to take its rightful spot on the throne and be a leader in your industry, you’ve got to draw up a superior battle plan to vanquish your enemies—or, at least give your business a competitive edge. When it comes to content marketing, there are many weapons at your disposal—each with its own unique advantages.

castle-1176423_1920In the spirit of celebrating the much-anticipated Season 6 premiere of HBO’s award-winning series “Game of Thrones,” now just one week away, find out which character best represents your content marketing strategy. Continue reading “Which Content Marketing Strategy Are You Taking Into Battle?”

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Does Your Content Warrant Applause?

applause-297115_1280It was the beginning of the end for Jeb Bush on Feb. 3 when he felt compelled to ask his New Hampshire audience to “please clap” after delivering this line: “I think the next president needs to be a lot quieter but send a signal that we’re prepared to act in the national security interests of this country to get back in the business of creating a more peaceful world.” Continue reading “Does Your Content Warrant Applause?”

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The Super Bowl Is Over. Next.

There were plenty of impressive statistics from the big game last night. The Denver Broncos, for instance, became the ninth NFL franchise to win three Super Bowls. Denver also won the game with just 194 offensive yards, setting a record for the fewest ever in a Super Bowl victory.

rugby-596747_1280But enough about the actual game.

The statistic worth beating to death, from a marketing perspective, is the one about how much it takes to advertise during the Super Bowl. This year, a 30-second video clip cost an astounding, and record-breaking, $5 million— or about $166,666 per second. The cost of advertising, in fact, has doubled in the past decade. Continue reading “The Super Bowl Is Over. Next.”

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Three Reasons Your Brand’s Storytelling Strategy Is Utterly Failing

A few months ago, you were tasked with implementing a “brand storytelling” strategy in your marketing department. Now, you’re waiting for social shares and comments to begin rolling in. But they’re nowhere to be found.

megaphone-1019915_1280If this is happening, take heart. Brand storytelling is a new and often misunderstood phrase that shamelessly gets tossed around, often incorrectly. It’s difficult, too. Many companies are now using it, but are finding it much harder to pull off than they expected.

Here are three reasons why your own brand storytelling strategy may be struggling:   Continue reading “Three Reasons Your Brand’s Storytelling Strategy Is Utterly Failing”

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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?

google-485611_640If 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”

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Target’s “OCD” Holiday Sweater Stirs Up Controversy

If there is one thing people love about the holidays, it’s ugly sweater parties (or maybe that’s just me). And, over the years, Target has met consumers’ unfashionable, but festive, demands by selling “ugly” sweaters throughout this time of the year.

These swoooopps2eaters are usually a big hit amongst holiday shoppers, but this year one sweater‘s message is creating chaos on social media.

The controversial sweater reads “OCD Obsessive Christmas Disorder,” and it’s generating a storm of backlash on Twitter. This is because the message seems to blatantly trivialize mental illness, specifically Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

For example, one angry individual responded on Twitter by saying “Hey @Target this sweater isn’t cute or funny. OCD is a serious mental illness that shouldn’t be mocked.”

Continue reading “Target’s “OCD” Holiday Sweater Stirs Up Controversy”

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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.

mehSo, 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”

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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.

shutterstock_114687277During 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”