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The Measure of a Brand: Content

mixer-medium_1280Marketers have a couple major hurdles to overcome: generating traffic and leads, and proving the ROI of marketing activities. According to a HubSpot survey of 4,500 marketing and sales professionals, these were the top two challenges agreed upon by 65 percent and 43 percent of respondents.

To address these challenges, successful companies are turning to marketing automation (MA) software, which is also known in some quarters, aptly, as “lead generation software.” While MA is certainly a boon to marketers—helping them to shorten the sales cycle and close deals more quickly—it is only as good as the content it supports. Continue reading “The Measure of a Brand: Content”

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Are We Still Arguing More or Less in Content Marketing?

qualification-543661_1280Maybe I’m getting old or have been in the content marketing business too long, but are we really still arguing whether more or less content is the issue—vs. the value of the content itself?

Content marketers: Your goal is to write—or have your in-house staff or outsourced content producers write—succinct content until you’ve made your point/concluded your argument with reasonable premises and so forth. This is the well-established standard for good writing. Even Shakespeare told us that “brevity is the soul of wit.”

Continue reading “Are We Still Arguing More or Less in Content Marketing?”

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Would Your Content Be Good in Bed?

girl-MEDIUM768680_1280What is good content? You know it; you’ve been lucky enough to read it most of your life. I believe it consists of three primary characteristics: It is engaging, fulfilling and strengthens relationships. Today’s leading content marketers incorporate these attributes into their brand messaging to drive consumer interest in their products and services. Otherwise, they’d be missing opportunities to connect with key targets in a meaningful way. And I couldn’t help but note that these same characteristics brought to bear in the bedroom would lead to successful outcomes there as well. Continue reading “Would Your Content Be Good in Bed?”

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The Content Doctor Will See You Now

contentdoctorDear Content Doctor: I was recently hired to join the marketing department of a reputable, well-established organization in my hometown. When I accepted the position, it was with the understanding that marketing would be enabled to do its job with the full cooperation of the C-suite. I believed that any company of note in today’s day and time would understand the need to leverage forward-thinking marketing strategies to get a leg up on the competition.

Continue reading “The Content Doctor Will See You Now”

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Three Ways to Make Your Content Blossom This Spring

tulip-690320_1280Springtime is a light at the end of a dark and seemingly never-ending tunnel for residents of New England. Though we are used to crazy weather, the wintry mix of snow, sleet and arctic winds can quell the spirits of even the staunchest optimists among us. Spring’s long, warm days and blossoming flowers are a welcome relief after the cold and ice.

Continue reading “Three Ways to Make Your Content Blossom This Spring”

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Marketers: Are You Ready to Excel in 2Q16?

ducks-in-a-row-236325_1280If the first quarter of 2016 didn’t knock your socks off, I have a few tips for ensuring 2Q16 moves your marketing team in a better direction.

Many bumps in the road can be attributed to poor planning. So, let’s make sure that your content marketing strategy is headed in the right direction. A recent Curata infographic has removed some of the guesswork by foretelling 2016 content marketing trends.

Continue reading “Marketers: Are You Ready to Excel in 2Q16?”

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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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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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Three Types of Engaging Content You Can Begin Producing Today

According to the Content Marketing Institute’s (CMI) “2016 Benchmarks, Budgets and Trends—North America” report, B2B engagement picmarketers continue to be heavily focused on creating engaging content. In fact, 72 percent of marketers surveyed by CMI claimed it’s their top priority for 2016.

So, what exactly is engaging content?
That is, what kind of content should teams be producing to attract and, more importantly, retain readers? And how can content then convert those readers into repeat customers and loyal brand advocates?

Continue reading “Three Types of Engaging Content You Can Begin Producing Today”