content marketing

10/16/2013

Is Your Content Making a Point?

Have you ever read through an article only to walk away asking yourself what the real point was? If this sounds familiar then you’re not alone. I recently read what I thought was going to be a compelling article judging by its witty title, however, when I finally got to the end I thought to myself, ‘Wow I didn’t learn a thing I didn’t already know.’

In content marketing, you hear the word storytelling a lot. While every story needs a beginning, middle and end, it also needs a point. As a business, your goal is to persuade a customer to take action, whether it’s downloading your latest whitepaper or ebook or leaving a comment on your latest blog post. Continue reading “Is Your Content Making a Point?”

10/15/2013

How to Build Your Content Marketing A-Team

Assembling a department of workhorses who bring out the best in each other—and possess an uncanny ability to work cohesively as well as independently—is certainly no small feat. But those are exactly the ingredients you need to create your content marketing A-Team because anything less will be of grave disservice to your brand and its messaging. So how do you even begin putting together your industry-leading content marketing team? By making sure you have the following team members on board:

Continue reading “How to Build Your Content Marketing A-Team”

10/14/2013

Customers Will Judge Your Content Marketing by its Cover

Readers are constantly warned about the pitfalls of judging a book by its cover. But let’s face it: everybody does it. Just like a book needs to sell itself to a customer walking through an isle full of other novels, your content has to do the same thing to someone who is browsing the Web.

Are you having trouble keeping your readers glued to the page? Here is a look at some strategies that authors employ to keep their readers moving along from the title to the last word:

You Need a Beginning, Middle and End

When it comes to sound content marketing production, your best bet is to avoid experimental strategies. Your content should be easy to navigate, like a Stephen King novel—not meandering, like Dickens. Set your reader up with a beginning, have a middle to flesh out your ideas and end it by backing up the point you were originally trying to make. Keep it simple, and remember that you are trying to sell a product or service. While content marketing can be edgy and different, it’s not a platform for an existential rant.

Continue reading “Customers Will Judge Your Content Marketing by its Cover”

10/11/2013

What are the Top Five Content Marketing Trends for 2014?

2013 has been a breakout year for content marketing. The “star” marketing strategy has now become a staple in many companies’ inbound marketing efforts. In fact, the number of U.S. companies with a comprehensive content marketing strategy in place jumped from 28 percent in 2012 to 49 percent in 2013, according to IMN’s “2013 Content Marketing Survey Report.”

So, what can we expect from this marketing gem in the coming year? Recently, Forbes compiled its top 10 content marketing trends that will dominate in 2014. We chose our favorite four and weighed in on what we think is in store for the coming year. Continue reading “What are the Top Five Content Marketing Trends for 2014?”

10/03/2013

A Tale of Two Companies and How Each Captured My Heart

Hi, my name is Allison Boccamazzo and I’m a Kate Spade addict. I’m a LUSH addict, too. I tried good and hard to give them up, but I just can’t. And so here I am, writing (yet again) about how amazing these companies’ customer service – and content marketing strategies – are. I swear to you that there’s no paid advertising going on here. This is just the simplistic power of content marketing coupled with superior customer service.

My relationship with these two companies escalated quickly and blissfully, like going out to dinner with a complete stranger on a sporadic Saturday night to falling head over heels by the time you reach the front door. In an effort to explain to you how to capture your customers’ hearts, I have to explain how these two companies consistently knock it out of the park for me. And, in turn, why I’m always willing to open my wallet for them.

Continue reading “A Tale of Two Companies and How Each Captured My Heart”

09/27/2013

Anthropologie: A Master in Fashion and Content Marketing

I have to give it up to fashion retailer Anthropologie. Not only does the fabulously quirky retailer offer today’s best fashion designs, but the company has mastered the art of content marketing. Blogs, videos, photo galleries, social media – you name it, Anthropologie has it. The fashion maven offers its customers custom creative content across a multitude of platforms, which has undoubtedly placed the brand ahead of the curve.

Let’s take a look at three ways Anthropologie has built its success using content marketing, as well as some helpful tips you can implement into your very own marketing strategy.

All about the Customer

Knowing their customers’ wide-range of interests, Anthropolgie’s blog “Anthro” is the go-to spot for the latest trends in everything fashion and culture. From “The Perfect Sunday Dinner Outfit” to the “Ultimate Road Trip Playlist” to “Designer Spotlights” to “The Summer Sendoff Margarita,” Anthro has a diverse mix of content for every type of customer.

Let’s face it; your customers don’t want to read a blog filled with promotional content. They want a place to go to read about the topics they like without being bombarded by ads. Content marketing is all about finding a happy medium between promotional and informative content. Continue reading “Anthropologie: A Master in Fashion and Content Marketing”

09/25/2013

Even Horse ebooks Has a Content Strategy

I’m sure by now you’ve heard of the Internet phenomenon that has been the apple of Google Search’s eye over the last 24 hours. Of course, we’re talking about Horse ebooks. In a perplexing occurrence, Horse ebooks went from being barely recognized one day to sole obsession of the mass public the next – with myself included. And if you’re anything like me, you had – or perhaps still have – no clue as to what Horse ebooks even is.

Just so you’re no longer in the dark, Horse ebooks is a widely perceived spam Twitter account which was originally intended to promote ebooks. However, the ways in which the account did this were particularly unconventional and included odd –albeit amusing – non sequiturs. These non sequiturs (see below) were apparently an effort to evade spam detection, which results in the shutdown of an account. The account also tweeted multiple times per day – most of which receive hundreds of re-tweets and favorites.

Continue reading “Even Horse ebooks Has a Content Strategy”

09/24/2013

Why This Bride Thinks Your Venue Needs a Content Marketing Strategy

I’m going to be really candid; after all, isn’t that what blogging is all about? If you are in the hospitality industry—I’m talking hotels, resorts, restaurants or event planning—you need to have a blog. And, more importantly, you need to make sure it works.

Though you already know this, it is important to always remember that you are in perhaps one of the most competitive industries out there. From hosting conference parties to networking events to catered dinners, there is no end to the service you provide an ever-growing base. And I haven’t even touched upon the wedding facet of your business yet.

Let me paint you a picture… I am getting married four weeks from Saturday (yes, I am both beaming and bopping in my seat a bit as I write this). These past few months of engagement bliss have unquestionably been the best time of my life, as mom, grandma, coworkers, wedding photographer, hair dresser, accountant, stranger on the street, [insert anyone really] has told me. And they are right. Continue reading “Why This Bride Thinks Your Venue Needs a Content Marketing Strategy”