I never in a million years thought that text message marketing was still a “thing.” Oh, but it is. It is a very real thing. I didn’t come to realize this fact until I became part of an SMS marketing campaign that was executed perfectly. Allow me to tell you the story of how I was awakened to the world of text message marketing potential.
Continue reading “SMS Marketing Isn’t Dead, and I’ve Got the Proof That Says So”
I love Twitter. It wasn’t love at first sight, but after getting to know the social platform better and, more importantly, understanding how it can optimize my content marketing agenda, it quickly stole my heart. However today, it’s not enough anymore to just follow people on Twitter. It’s not enough to follow Gartner if you’re in the tech space; you’re missing the mark if you’re only following Bobby Flay as an aspiring chef; and it just doesn’t cut it anymore to follow that top social media influencer or communications strategist as a content marketer.
Content marketers are being pushed now more than ever to proactively find exciting content and deliver this content to its target audience as quickly as possible. In other words, there’s always a way to further surpass standard practices to find those “diamonds in the rough” type of material. While Twitter is great to get you started, it’s certainly not an end-all solution. This is where platforms like Hootsuite come in.
I might just be addicted to Hootsuite. In my ever-filled tab bar throughout the day, Hootsuite’s infamous owl icon serves as my content marketing compass. It’s a directional guide of which I can always return to manage, organize and discover new content from those I’m following and keeping a close eye on.
Have you ever been on the Web and seen an article that really appeals to your interests, only to find that it’s an advertisement? All of a sudden that really funny, interesting, insightful article you couldn’t wait to explore is stripped bare, exposing its true identity: A fallacious marketing ploy to gain your attention. This type of scheme – called an “advertorial” – can feed a customer’s distrust in a company rather than destroy it. And that’s exactly where native advertising comes into the picture.
Continue reading “The Rise of Native Advertising for Content Marketing”
Yesterday, TMC CEO Rich Tehrani and I had the pleasure of spending our afternoon with marketing directors, CMOs, social media managers and a group of dedicated content producers for a Content Boost webinar titled “9 out of 10 Companies Leverage Content Marketing. Be in the 10% who do it Right.” If you were able to take the time out of your busy work day to listen in, we sincerely hope it was worth the pause from your normal work flow! And if you missed us yesterday we wanted to give you a quick recap of what we covered.
Thursday’s webinar pulled back the curtain on the new marketing landscape that is content marketing. We started with the basics, enlightening everyone about what exactly content marketing is—a comprehensive marketing strategy that involves creating and sharing relevant, customized, insightful copy, with the end goal of helping a company bolster brand awareness and drive profitability.
Before there was Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, fashion fanatics had to score a ticket to Fashion Week and sneak behind the forbidden curtains in hopes of getting a glimpse of their favorite designers. Today, however, is a different story. From Burberry to Micheal Kors to Bergdorfs, retail companies are giving customers an all-access pass into the world of design. And let me tell you, it’s even more fabulous than you imagined!
Continue reading “Fashion Brands and Instagram: A Match Made in Marketing Heaven”
If you haven’t heard yet, YO! Sushi, a London-based chain, is setting the bar for virtually everyone on how to keep things fresh, exciting and innovative.
It isn’t uncommon for pioneers of a ground-breaking movement to feel that their efforts go to waste once the trend they carefully fostered becomes widespread. In doing so, some feel that a once a game-changing decision can become devalued after going mainstream. Think about it; the commercialization of grunge rock in the 90’s, the emergence of social media over the last decade, and the advent of the smartphone.
Ever wondered what it would be like to work for Google? There’s a movie for that!
In The Internship, Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson play the type of slacker, manchild-types you’ve seen in dozens of films like Wedding Crashers, Old School, Hall Pass, etc. The twist this time around is that, despite being in their 40s and decidedly un-techy, the guys land internships at Google. Hilarity, presumably, ensues. Continue reading “Content Marketing Lessons from Vince Vaughn’s The Internship”
We all have a pretty set list of qualities we look for in future employees: dependable, inquisitive, passionate, intelligent, professional, charismatic… the list goes on and on.
We sift through resumes, reading between the lines to figure out whether their previous work experience intimates that they are “A” team workers, go-getters, self-starters and team players. We dissect every word of their interview, wondering if they will fit nicely into our work culture, understand the nuances of our company offerings and become an integral member of the team.
Continue reading “What Kind of Content Marketer Should You Be?”
When we think about fear, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s iconic statement from his first inaugural address undoubtedly comes to mind: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
It’s an incredibly simple but powerful statement. After all, why fear something that is out of our control? Why play the “what if” game instead of simply living life? We spend so much time worrying about something that can happen as opposed to just dealing with adversity when it comes our way.
Continue reading “Afraid of Striking out at the Content Marketing Game? Don’t Be”
Over time, we have shifted from traditional marketing campaigns (i.e. mail-ins, door-to-door and print advertisement) to a world filled with competitive online strategies. It’s no surprise this move to the digital realm has shaken up the brand strategies of many. In fact, when recently asked what their current biggest marketing challenge was, 43 percent of marketers noted that they struggle with differentiating themselves in the marketplace and 29 percent reported that they experience difficulty defining target audiences.
Today marks the 43rd anniversary of the Beatles’ final album release, “Let it Be.” So, if you’re facing some corporate branding roadblocks, consider these words of wisdom for getting your name in the minds of your online audience. When it comes to content marketing strategy, let it be…
Continue reading “Your Content Marketing Mantra for Today – ‘Let it Be’”
