As you read this, your competitors are Instagramming. They’re carefully filtering photos, sharing videos that are unique to their brand and garnering “likes” for the custom-tailored content they’re delivering to an audience of over 100 million users. For those of you who have aptly adapted to this online photo- and video-sharing/social networking service, you deserve a hearty pat on the back. However, for those of you who still linger outside of the Instagram universe, you’re unfortunately charging toward a very rude awakening. Continue reading “Why Every Brand Needs Instagram: As Told by a Newly Addicted Instagrammer”
Follow Me Friday: Are You Following Your Industry’s Top Players?
Not only has Twitter become a powerful tool for lead generation and brand awareness, but it’s also become a hub for valuable information. Where else could you read about the latest Anthony Weiner scandal, a cat video gone viral and the turmoil in Syria all in one place?
As content marketers we are always looking for fresh, new ideas and a lot of our inspiration comes from Twitter. But this tactic isn’t just for us content explorers; it’s also a great tool for businesses.
Following the right accounts on Twitter is almost as important as composing the perfect tweet. For businesses, connecting with other industry players, trendsetters and dare we say it, competitors, is a great way stay ahead of the game, keep an eye on your competitors and see what customers are saying about your brand. Not only does this establish your company as a thought leader, but it also helps promote your brand awareness.
However, with 150 million worldwide active users and over 400 million tweets per day, this “tweet-tastic” platform can be overwhelming, especially for newbie’s. Let us walk you through some helpful strategies…
Continue reading “Follow Me Friday: Are You Following Your Industry’s Top Players?”
What Content Marketers Can Learn from Pope Francis’ Twitter Account
Move over Barack Obama – there’s a new sheriff in the Twittersphere.
The leader of the free world has been overthrown by the Vatican’s newly elected Pope Francis, who now stands as the world’s most influential leader on Twitter. The President of the United States still ranks among the top of influential world leaders, though, currently boasting over 34 million Twitter followers (and who can forget when he obliterated Twitter statistics with his iconic “Four more years” tweet during the 2012 U.S. election?)
Continue reading “What Content Marketers Can Learn from Pope Francis’ Twitter Account”
Three Effective Content Marketing Lessons from Your Favorite Scary Movie
I love scary movies.
Of all the summer blockbusters in theaters this summer, the one I most early anticipated was The Conjuring. When I finally got to the movie theatre – five minutes late and forced to sit in the neck-craning third row – I spent half the movie curled in a ball; heart racing, palms sweating and uncomfortably squirming as I peeked through my fingers ready to cover my eyes at a moment’s notice. Yet as soon as the credits rolled, I was grinning ear-to-ear, laughing at my own ridiculousness and confidently claiming I knew what would happen the whole time. It was only later that night in the solitude of my own room that visions of the movie had me clutching my comforter over my head for protection… And still, I love scary movies.
Why do we do this to ourselves?
Continue reading “Three Effective Content Marketing Lessons from Your Favorite Scary Movie”
5 Content Marketing Statistics That Your Boss Can’t Ignore
Last week we gave you three reasons your boss would say ‘yes’ to content marketing to help you work up the nerve to march down to the corner office and propose a content marketing initiative.
Hopefully your boss saw the light and you’re busy developing a killer content marketing plan with his or her full support.
But if not, and your boss still needs convincing, read on for five content marketing statistics that simply can’t be ignored: Continue reading “5 Content Marketing Statistics That Your Boss Can’t Ignore”
Three Reasons Your Boss Will Say ‘Yes’ to Content Marketing
We feel for you, we do. It can be incredibly daunting to walk down the hall to the office to ask your boss to trust you when you say that your company needs to start a new initiative, head down another path, or launch a new product. You will undoubtedly be asked countless questions to figure out if your “gamble” is worth the bet and you will unequivocally be second guessing your proposal as the questions get fired.
But, if your idea is content marketing, hold your ground because here are three reasons your boss will say yes:
1. Your competitors are already doing it.
There is nothing worse than playing catch up… especially when it comes to business. But facts are facts and the content marketing ones don’t lie. Here’s an impressive one: 91 percent of B2B marketers are already leveraging content marketing to bolster their corporate identities. Continue reading “Three Reasons Your Boss Will Say ‘Yes’ to Content Marketing”
HBO’s ‘Girls’ as Content Marketers: Who Would You Be?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m a proud HBO addict. Every single Sunday night of the year is strictly set aside for curling up on the couch and watching one of my favorite HBO series, one of which is Girls. A relatively young series, Girls follows the life of four 20-something Brooklynites – Hannah, Jessa, Marnie and Shoshanna – as they confusingly navigate through life. Each character has chief characteristics that make her stand out and seem relatable to all of us – whether you have a bad case of the mid-20’s or are old enough to be these girls’ parent. This got me thinking…what would the foursome of Girls look like if they were all content marketers?
Continue reading “HBO’s ‘Girls’ as Content Marketers: Who Would You Be?”
Mastering the Art of Writing Shorter
Hands down, the biggest challenge for me throughout college was learning how to write shorter. Prior to mastering this art, I would sit down, get comfortable and then go to town on my assignment. Whether it was an end of the year research paper for my American history course, a short essay for that Intro to Philosophy class or a story for my fiction writing seminar, it always turned out the same: pages proliferated with beautifully unnecessary jargon that made the final product spill over into an insanely long document. While it was well-crafted and still read fluently, it was invaded by words that could have been omitted, sentences that could have been consolidated and phrases that sometimes didn’t even belong. Ouch.
Statistics Show that SMS is an Underrated Marketing Tool
When one thinks of newer marketing strategies in the 21st century, Facebook and Twitter instantly come to mind, alongside podcasts, webinars, blogs and infographics. Yet among an ever-widening landscape full of marketing tools and techniques, there currently remains a content marketing strategy filled to the brim with untapped potential. What is this secret marketing tool that has been so subtly stashed away? Short Message Service (SMS), or text messaging.
Continue reading “Statistics Show that SMS is an Underrated Marketing Tool”
Bringing High Fashion into Reality with Content Marketing
There’s something to be said about a great storyteller—someone who draws you in from the very first word and keeps you on your toes until the last moment, leaving you begging for more. Believe it or not, marketing and storytelling go hand in hand. Similar to how a storyteller connects with his or her audience through interesting characters and unpredictable twists and turns, brands today are creating creative, engaging content that speaks to their customers. The art of telling a great story is no easy task, but no one does it better than the fashion industry. Continue reading “Bringing High Fashion into Reality with Content Marketing”