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#ContentWritingChat Recap: Leadership & the Future of Marketing with Gene Petrov

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Leadership & the Future of Marketing with Gene Petrov

by | Feb 8, 2019 | ContentWritingChat

For this round of #ContentWritingChat, it’s all about leadership and marketing!
It doesn’t matter if you’re building (or working for) a large or small company… Leadership is still crucial for keeping a team together and ensuring you’re able to experience big results. And of course, you have to get smart with your marketing strategies if you want to be seen online!
So, how exactly do these two things overlap? And what does it mean for you? That’s what you’re going to learn in this recap.

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Leadership & the Future of Marketing with Gene Petrov


Our guest host for this month’s chat was Gene Petrov. Gene is an active member of the #ContentWritingChat community and this was his second time stepping in as our guest host. As a leadership coach for marketers, he had tons of valuable advice to share with us, so let’s dive into all the tips!

Q1: What role do you think leadership plays in marketing?

To kick off the chat, we wanted to get everyone to share their thoughts on leadership and its role in marketing overall. How important is it? What does it actually mean for all of us? Well, here’s what you need to know:


Gene knows leadership is critical when it comes to marketing. As he pointed out, many bigger companies will have a position specifically dedicated to this to keep things in line when it comes to marketing, sales, and operations.


But even if you’re running or working at a smaller company, leadership is still fundamental. It’s an investment that’s going to impact your organization overall and really keep things running smoothly.


You also have to think outside of leadership within your team, and think about your audience as well. As Gene said, you need to consider how your marketing efforts are working. Are they helping you to create a connection with your audience, develop relationships with them, and nurture your community?


Whether you’re managing a team or it’s just you, being able to lead is still an essential skill. Marketers need to be able to share information, communicate constantly, and effectively represent brands and people.


Sarah was spot-on with her answer. As she said, good leaders educate, help, and encourage others, while also leading by example.


With proper leadership, Tamara said it will ensure everyone on the team is being heard and that everything is going to be organized and executed correctly.

Q2: What are the basics of leadership?

If you want to be a great leader yourself, you have to know the basics! These tips are going to help you out with that:


Gene feels communication is one of the basics of leadership. He also mentioned some other skills he feels are important, such as coaching, mentoring, and team building. Not only that, but he thinks a leader should create an atmosphere in which a team feels safe.


A great leader will listen, provide guidance, and be ethical.


In order to be a great leader, you need to know your goals, guide others, communicate the purpose, and listen to and weigh in on varying opinions.


Leaders should be able to hold their team accountability and trust them to get the job done without micro-managing. This is why it’s important to give your team the confidence they need to get the job done.


Other basic elements of great leadership include being able to take action, knowing when to delegate, and putting people first.


Ken feels there are a few key things successful leaders must have. They need to be able to establish goals, make sure the team knows their role in reaching those goals, and cutting out the drama so people can get the job done.


Leaders need to be willing to take responsibility for their actions and for their team.


Gaby’s basics include vision, communication, authenticity, accessibility, and innovation among others. These are all great answers!

Q3: How have things changed in leadership?

We know that the world of marketing changes often, but the same goes for leadership. Here’s how things have changed recently so you can stay up to speed:


Gene feels leadership has evolved from authoritarian to being more open to hearing alternate views. After all, the best leaders are going to involve their team in the decision making process.


Andrea said there’s been a shift to a more empathetic approach.


Leadership isn’t all about the boss anymore! Instead, Caitlin thinks it’s about fostering the growth of others and helping them to step into their own roles as leaders as well.


Being a leader isn’t a title you’ll necessarily be assigned. It’s something you truly have to earn.


As Colton pointed out, hierarchy doesn’t imply authority. You have to focus on building a strong bond with your team in order to become a great leader.


Leadership is a mentality of ownership and making positive change.

Q4: Where do you see the overlap of leadership and marketing?

Now the question is, how are these two overlapping? In what ways does leadership impact marketing and vice versa? Here are some responses from the chat:


Gene said leaders focus on how to serve their team (internal), while marketers are geared towards their audience (external). While leaders are guiding those on their team, marketers are guiding the community. Both are important roles, and as he pointed out… Effective leaders are effective marketers and vice versa. Each skill is crucial to your success!


A leader will provide a compelling vision and path toward your goal. In turn, Colton feels this provides the marketing team with the tools to shape the brand and the content that brings that vision to life.


You need leadership to create voice, strategy, a message, a mission, a product, and a goal. From there, you use all of that information to strengthen your marketing and make it more effective.


Good leaders and good marketers make the needs of others the top priority. They’re both responsible for building trust in order to inspire others to take action.


Both leaders and marketers can influence people to change when they do well at their jobs.

Q5: Why do you see leadership as vital to the future of marketing?

To help you understand why leadership is so important (and why you need to take it seriously), check out this advice:


Gene feels leadership is vital to the future of marketing because technology is quickly evolving. While he sees how beneficial tools can be to the job, he knows that building a community and nurturing relationships will take time.


Just like Gene said… Marketing that connects to and serves people is a differentiator these days!


With changes happening all the time, Sarah feels it’s important to have a leader that’s flexible and open to new ideas. And you also want to be able to admit when you’re wrong and try again.


If you don’t have leadership, your marketing might not have the cohesion or connection it needs to deliver results.


Markters needs to evolve and innovate and a great leader can help foster that and encourage all of the creatives and big thinkers.


Tamara said leadership aids in organization efforts while also being fundamental to growth and development within individuals and a team overall.


The online space is only going to get noisier and you have to stand out in order to grab attention. You need powerful marketing in order to cut through the noise and reach your target audience.

Q6: How do we sharpen the saw when it comes to leadership?


Gene said it’s not about having a fancy title. You can strengthen your leadership skills within your daily life. For example, Gene knows that being a father has helped him become a better leader, as well las building a business and serving others.


Another option is to educate yourself through books, blogs, podcasts, webinars, conferences, etc. Consider how you do your best learning!


Lexie mentioned the importance of communication and asking questions. It’s all about improving yourself and taking constructive feedback as an opportunity to do better next time.


Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback because it’s really the best way for you to grow!


This is great advice about taking every opportunity you have and using it as a learning lesson. Embrace your wins and failures and learn how you can continue to grow and strive to do better every time.


It can also be beneficial to spend some time around the leaders you look up to. Kathryn suggests learning from them and putting their tips to use. Figure out what works for you!


And of course, you have to be willing to try new things and be adventurous.


Sarah agrees that it’s just about getting out there and giving it a go.


And make sure you’re staying updated with any changes going on in the industry. You don’t want to fall behind!


Zachary’s advice is perfect. Never stop asking questions. It’s okay to be curious and to want to learn. Just make sure you’re always evolving and getting better at what you do.

Q7: How do we elevate the marketing industry?

Ready to do your part in elevating the marketing industry in 2019? It may sound like an impossible task, but together we can make amazing things happen! Here are some tips:


Gene feels it’s time to change people’s ideas about what a marketer is. It won’t be easy, but it would be worth it.


This idea of talking with your neighbors is a great way to look at things!


Remember: marketers are ultimately supporting the customers by delivering what they need.


You have to move away from self-promotion and focus on the people in your audience and their experience with you and your brand.


Leaders need to listen to what customers are saying and then cater content and offerings to their needs and desires.


Gaby said we can elevate the marketing industry through authenticity, innovation, fluid communication, creativity, collaboration, and more. All of these are essential!

Q8: Who are some leaders you admire and why?


For Gene, he really admires his parents and the work ethic they instilled in him. He also looks up to others such as Zig Ziglar, Simon Sinek, and more.


There’s no denying that Gary Vaynerchuk is one entrepreneur that truly stands out in this space.


Jade has been lucky to have some amazing leaders in his life, which is even more reason to surround yourself with incredible people on a daily basis.


Tim looks up to Mark Schaefer and others when it comes to inspiring leaders.
Are you wanting to join us for the next #ContentWritingChat? It happens on Twitter on the first Tuesday of every month at 10 AM Central! Follow @ExpWriters and @writingchat so you don’t miss anything!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: 2019 Content Trends with Julia McCoy

#ContentWritingChat Recap: 2019 Content Trends with Julia McCoy

by | Jan 11, 2019 | ContentWritingChat

For the first #ContentWritingChat of 2019, it only makes sense that we would take time to reflect on the content trends for the year ahead.

After all, we want to make sure you’re creating your best content this year. That includes blog posts, videos, and even podcasts! These tips will help you truly stand out online.

So, are you ready to dive in and produce amazing, brand-building content that your audience will absolutely love? Then let’s check out the recap!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: 2019 Content Trends with Julia McCoy

Our guest host for this month’s chat was Julia McCoy. She’s a blogger and author, and of course… The CEO here at Express Writers! Julia is the queen when it comes to online content creation, which means she had some great advice to share for the year ahead.

Q1: What are the top trends you have your eye on for this year when it comes to the content marketing world?

To kick off the chat, we asked everyone to share the trends they’re most excited to incorporate into their content strategies for 2019. Here’s what a few of our chat participants had to say:

For Julia, she’s focused on three key things when it comes to Express Writers and her personal brand this year. She’s committed to creating high-quality content (as always), putting readers first, and knowing her why.

Jason is wondering if 2019 will be a great year for email marketing in terms of ROI. He’s also going to be paying close attention to the cost of social media advertising, as well as the platforms that are going to be popular.

Warwick is putting his efforts into both video and podcasting. Both are great opportunities for brands to expand into, especially if their audience is interested in these content formats.

Voice search, micro influencers, video, and chatbots are all hot trends to watch!

Tamara also agrees that video and micro influencers will be two of the big trends this year. She’s also watching out for artificial intelligence and virtual reality.

Interactive content could be a great way to get creative in 2019!

Thanks to some inspiration from Seth Godin, Bill is focused on intent and empathy. Very important for all brands!

Q2: 47% of buyers view 3-5 blogs or other pieces of content before starting the buying process. How can we create strong, valuable blogs in 2019?

Since blog posts play such a huge role in your business and making sales, it’s important that every piece of content is high-quality. How can we make that happen though? Follow these tips:

To ensure your blog posts are a success this year, there are a few key things Julia thinks we should all keep in mind. You need to know your keywords for each post, create comprehensive content to lower your bounce rate and increase traffic, and be focused on your reader.

For anyone who needs help with SEO, she has the perfect course to guide you! The Expert SEO Content Writer Course has all the tips every online creator needs.

If you want your content to be discovered, it’s all about effectively optimizing your content. Spend some time studying the best SEO practices and put them to use.

As Sarah mentioned, knowing your audience is crucial to your success. In order for your blog posts to be a hit, you have to create the content your audience is searching for and deliver tremendous value.

Maria agrees, as she said consumer-focused content will always reign supreme.

Take the time to answer the questions your audience is asking. In time, you’ll become the go-to resource in your niche and you’ll establish trust with your target readers.

Make sure you answer any and all potential questions your customers might have. You need to use your content to break down any obstacles that might be standing in the way of them making a purchase.

And of course, you need to ensure your website is providing a great experience for visitors. If not, they’ll be rushing to exit your website and they’ll never give your content a chance.

Q3: If you’re thinking about adding a new content format to your brand’s online presence this year, which one will you go for and why?

Is 2019 the year you add video to your content strategy? Or maybe you want to give podcasting a go? These are the content formats some of our chat participants will be focusing on:

If you’re torn between video or podcasting, Julia thinks video is the way to go. Just make sure you get strategic about what you’re posting and focus on serving your audience.

Tim agrees that it’s all about video. He said it’s great for vlogs, telling stories, sharing testimonials, etc. You can really get creative here!

For Warwick, 2019 is all about podcasting!

Tamara is also interested in podcasts because of their convenience. They’re so easy to consume, especially because you can listen while doing other tasks.

Lexi recently directed her focus onto podcasting, but she’s also going to be doing webinars this year. Both are great opportunities to connect with your audience. Plus, cross-posting your content will help you get the most traction.

Getting creative with visuals can be a great way to go this year as well. You can experiment with video, GIFs, graphic design, photography, and infographics.

One final piece of advice for you… To choose which content formats are right for your brand, consider your audience. Get to know them and what they want. How do they want to receive and consume content? Once you figure that out, you can start testing to see what works and what doesn’t.

Maria agrees! If you aren’t sure what your audience wants, ASK THEM. It’s that simple.

Q4: What are a few Google-focused SEO trends in 2019?

Getting back to the topic of SEO, these are the trends you’ll want to focus on when creating content this year:

Julia published a post on our blog all about the SEO trends to watch for 2019. Definitely check that out if you want to learn more! But a few of those trends included: being mobile-ready for mobile-first indexing, featured snippets rankings going up in value, and creating high-quality content.

Lexie agrees that having a mobile-friendly website is crucial. Considering we often access content on our phones or on tablets, we need to make sure our websites are providing a great experience for visitors.

And to convince you even more… Having a mobile-friendly set is necessary for SEO and brand success.

You’ll want to consider apps, featured snippets, structured data markup, and technical SEO.

Besides being mobile-friendly, other trends to keep an eye on include voice, page speed, feature snippets, data protection, etc. All of these are great suggestions from Gaby!

Q5: When it comes to social media, which platforms are worthy of your attention in 2019? And how can you ensure that you stand out?

With so many social media platforms, it can often feel overwhelming trying to keep up with everything. So, where should you direct your attention? And how do establish your presence and build an audience that cares? Just follow these tips:

First, you need to consider which platforms your audience is actively using. You need to be where they are, otherwise you’re wasting your time. Julia also said that trends should direct your platform habits and your audience should direct your platform placements.

Sarah agrees that it’s all about knowing your audience. For the ThinkSEM team, they love Twitter for sharing content, but Facebook is their go-to for ads.

Twitter is definitely a strong platform, but what people are missing out on is video. That’s one sure-fire way to stand out there!

For Warwick, he’s focused on LinkedIn and wants to try using YouTube Live.

Gene is focused on using Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for building relationships. He likes Twitter for chats, Instagram for DMing, and Facebook for groups.

Because it’s a powerful search engine of its own, Pinterest is worth your attention!

Q6: What strategies can all brands use in 2019 to better understand and connect with their audience?

Getting to know your audience and building a relationship with them is crucial to your success. But how do you do that? These strategies are really going to help you out!

Julia’s advice is to get strategic with your content and marketing habits. You need to have a strategy and knowledge of how your audience is and what they want.

Don’t be afraid to ask your audience questions. Whatever you want to know about them, just ask and they’ll deliver the answers.

Make sure you’re engaging with your audience regularly. You want to address their concerns, answer questions, and acknowledge what they have to say. It makes them feel appreciated.

If you aren’t listening to your audience, you’re doing it wrong!

Listen to your potential customers and current customers to determine what they want. As Annette said, they aren’t data point on a graph… They’re real people and deserve to be treated as such.

Jason’s focus? Empathy!

Get clear on your niche and work on personalizing your content to your audience. It’ll really speak to them that way.

You also need to create an experience for users, appeal to them with the right message, and solve their pain points.

Q7: It’s important to expand your knowledge, so what would you love to learn about this year?

Since we want to make sure we’re being of service to you, we asked everyone to share the topics they’re most interested in learning about this year. You just might see some of these become #ContentWritingChat topics!

Sarah would like to improve her skills on the technical side of SEO.

Chatbots, copywriting, and FB/IG/Google ads are all great topics to study!

Gene thinks it would be great to learn more about psychology, the brain, and neuroscience. These can all play a role in leadership and marketing, which is Gene’s field.

Annette is right there with Gene in having a passion for the psychological side of things.

Shelly wants to learn more about product design.

Q8: And finally, what are your content-related goals for this year? Share them now and we’ll hold you accountable!

These are the goals our amazing #ContentWritingChat community is working on this year:

Julia is busy working on her third book, preparing for some big changes for Express Writers, and plans to write for more major publications.

Tamara is aiming to be more consistent with her content this year, plus she wants to do more collaborations.

Caitlin says she wants to create long, thorough pieces of content this year. As she mentioned, these can be broken down into smaller snippets for sharing on various platforms.

And for Tony, his goal is to write one blog post per month, create one video per month, and he wants to launch a video series where he interviews entrepreneurs.

Want to join us for the next one? #ContentWritingChat happens on Twitter on the first Tuesday of every month at 10 AM Central! Follow @ExpWriters and @writingchat to stay updated.

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Creating Content That Builds Your Brand Authority with Maria Duron

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Creating Content That Builds Your Brand Authority with Maria Duron

by | Apr 6, 2018 | ContentWritingChat

It’s no secret that content is important.

What we publish on our blogs and anywhere else online plays a role role in building our authority as a brand.

That’s why we need to take it seriously and put the effort into creating content that truly shines.

And in this week’s #ContentWritingChat, we’re showing you how to establish your authority with the content you produce.

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Creating Content That Builds Your Brand Authority with Maria Duron

Our guest host this week was Maria Duron. She’s a marketing coach and speaker.

Q1: Why does content play such an important role in establishing your brand?

To kick off the chat, we asked everyone to share why content is so important for our brands. Here are a few of the responses we received so you can see just how valuable content can be:

As Maria pointed out, your content is an opportunity for people to sample your character. They get to know who you are through your blog posts, videos, and social media posts.

Jason said content is your voice, your personality, how people will judge you, and how they’ll decide whether or not to follow you. It’s essential for building your brand online.

As Bill said, your brand is the perception others have of you. You’re truly missing out if you aren’t publishing content that showcases your expertise.

Content helps readers understand what you do, while also building trust with them.

Lexie pointed out that content helps build authority and trust when you can provide content your readers find useful. When you do this, they’re more likely to come back time and time again.

Amanda agrees that content is all about trust!

Through the content you produce, you can position yourself as an expert in your industry.

Megan said content is how your target audience gets to know you. They can learn all about your brand’s personality and values this way.

Q2: What does it mean to have content that builds your brand authority?

So, what exactly can content do for you? Here’s what you need to know:

Maria’s advice is to know what your unique promise of value is. Determine what makes you unique and incorporate that into the content you publish. Think about why people go to you and how you can help them.

As Julia said, you can’t build your brand with crap content. You need to put your best work out there to build a loyal audience.

Lexie knows that great content is going to stick with your audience for a long time.

Sarah also agrees that great content will stick with people and help them remember you.

Your content is also an opportunity to showcase your skills. Amanda said the work you publish should also move people to act, to think, and to change their own lives for the better.

Content is essential in helping your brand emerge as a leader in the industry.

Q3: What are the key elements every piece of amazing content should have?

Now that you know the importance of content, we need to talk about what makes your content truly great. These are the key elements that everything you publish needs to have:

As Maria pointed out, your content needs to be spoken or written in your brand’s voice.

Gaby feels great content serves a purpose, offers value, is consistent with brand values, is relevant, communicates the brand’s USP, and generates engagement.

Maria knows that content is all about providing value to your audience. Her trifecta consists of consistency, value, and relevancy.

Jason knows it’s important to educate your reader. You want them to take something away from the content they’ve consumed.

Your content should provide value to your reader. You can do this by educating them on an industry topic, providing a how-to on a product or service, or giving them a solution to their problem.

Make sure you’re giving people an answer they’re searching for, while also being relevant and tapping into their emotions. As Sarah said, your work should inspire readers to take action.

Great content should be helpful, thorough, visually appealing, and easy to repurpose.

Lexie knows that good grammar is important! Your blog posts should also be easy to read.

Make sure your content is always actionable and scannable. Amanda knows that wasting your readers’ time is a big no-no.

Q4: How can storytelling play a role in creating content that establishes your brand authority?

How does storytelling come into play for your brand? Check out these responses from the chat:

As Maria pointed out, stories sell. That’s why they’re worth incorporating into your content strategy.

She suggests using the children’s book formula. “Once Upon a Time” sets the stage for something that happened where you were able to save the day. “Suddenly” addresses any obstacles or issues that were experienced along the way. “Luckily” details how you were able to save the day or solve the problem.

Instead of focusing on what you do, your story tells the audience WHY you do it.

Gene feels storytelling is an opportunity for transparency and vulnerability.

You can use stories to give your audience more background to provide them with a better understand of your brand. This can be key in building a relationship with them.

Storytelling is a great way to keep your audience engaged.

Even Julia sees the value in storytelling, as she uses this tactic to start off her blog posts.

Q5: What does your brand-building content marketing strategy look like?

We asked everyone to share what their content strategy looks like and here’s what a few of them had to say:

It’s all about getting to know your audience first! As Lexie said, you need to determine what your audience wants from you and how you can help.

Researching your target persona is an essential first step in creating content that’s relevant to them.

Julia’s content strategy includes a number of steps, which all starts with surveying her audience.

Carla shared some great advice about reviewing questions your audience has been asking. You can then provide answers through your email newsletters, blog posts, etc.

Honesty and delivering what your audience wants are two key features of great content.

Q6: Once you’ve published new content, how can you spread the word to get more traction on the work you created?

Your blog post is live, now what? These tips will help you get more traffic to your posts:

Maria’s advice is to use your established social media networks to spread the word. Think about where your audience is and share your work there.

One great way to get more traction is to send your new blog post to your email list.

Social media, email campaigns, and guest blogging are just a few great ideas that Narmadhaa shared with us.

Make sure you’re choosing the right social media platforms so you can actually reach your audience.

Don’t be afraid to share your content again shortly after the first post. You want to get as many eyes on your post as possible.

You can even go live on Facebook and do a little teaser of your new blog post. Share a few tips from the post to entice them, then lead them to your post to read the rest.

Don’t forget to contact anyone who was featured in the post. Odds are, they’ll want to share it with their audience too.

Share your content repeatedly to spread the word. You can also experiment with different hashtags to see what gets the best results.

Q7: How will you know if you’re seeing the desired results from the content you create? What does successful content actually look like?

To determine whether or not you content is a hit, keep this advice in mind:

What’s your end goal? As Maria pointed out, you need to know what you’re working to achieve in order to track the right metrics.

Kathryn’s steps include defining your goals, taking action, measuring your results, and then seeing how your content performed.

When you know where you want to go, you’ll be able to understand if you’re getting closer.

Keep an eye on engagement, as this can be a great indicator of success if your mission was to spark conversation.

For many people, they want to see those conversions rolling in.

As Jade said, many times it’s all about the sales or leads you’re generating.

Every piece of content you produce can have a different view of success. Eddie said it could be page views, comments, email sign-ups, etc. It all depends what you’re working toward.

Q8: Which brands create stand-out content in their industry? And what can we learn from them?

These brands are worth watching to draw inspiration from! Make sure you check them out:

Disney and Cinnabon are two brands that stand out to Maria.

Lexie kindly mentioned our team here at Express Writers!

Amanda is a fan of Buffer, ConvertKit, and Teachable.

For Julia, some of her favorites include BuzzSumo, Content Marketing Institute, CoSchedule, and Smart Blogger HQ.

Narmadhaa reads content from Buffer, SEMrush, and Express Writers.

Some of Terry’s go-to brands include Gary Vaynerchuk, Pat Flynn, and Marie Forleo.

Come join the fun! #ContentWritingChat happens every Tuesday at 10 AM Central on Twitter! Just follow @ExpWriters and @writingchat for all the latest.

Best Strategies on How to Use LinkedIn for Your Brand

#ContentWritingChat Recap: The Best Strategies on How to Use LinkedIn for Your Brand with Warwick Brown

by | Mar 30, 2018 | ContentWritingChat

What are your thoughts on LinkedIn?

Are you actively using this platform as a tool to build your brand online?

If not, you might want to reconsider! It can be a fantastic way to generate brand awareness, as well as bring in leads for your business.

However, the key to success with any social media platform is to know how to use it effectively. And that’s exactly what we talked about in this week’s #ContentWritingChat!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: The Best Strategies on How to Use LinkedIn for Your Brand with Warwick Brown

Our guest host this week was Warwick Brown. He helps account managers find success by sharing tons of skills and tips with them. Warwick has also been a member of the #ContentWritingChat community for some time now, so it was great having him step into the guest hosting role. He’s very knowledgeable on LinkedIn and he shared a lot of great tips during the chat. So, let’s go ahead and dive into the recap!

Q1: How does LinkedIn feature in your content marketing or social media strategy? Is it a priority?

To kick off the chat, we had to see just how many people were already taking LinkedIn seriously. Responses were all across the board, with some who love LinkedIn and are active on the platform, and others who aren’t fully invested. Here are a few of the answers we received:

For Warwick, LinkedIn is his biggest priority when it comes to social media. And that should really come as no surprise, otherwise we couldn’t have invited him to speak on the topic for our chat! Because of his passion for the platform, he’s learned a lot about using it effectively.

Warwick went on to say it’s a great place to hang out and find like-minded people within your industry. It can be fantastic for anyone looking to make new connections.

Jade said LinkedIn is a top priority for him as well. He’s very active there and see a lot of engagement as a result.

For Amanda, LinkedIn has been helpful in reaching potential clients and connecting with other freelancers.

Corina said LinkedIn is a must for her as well, primarily for making new connections.

Gene said he’s trying to learn more about the platform in the year ahead.

Suze is also wanting to learn more about LinkedIn to use it more seriously, as she sees the potential it has to offer.

For Narmadhaa, LinkedIn isn’t exactly a necessity.

The main reason many people hold themselves back from using LinkedIn is because they aren’t sure how to use it effectively for their brands. Rachel feels the same way.

Q2: Do you publish content on LinkedIn articles? What do you like (or dislike) about the publishing platform?

Next, we moved into talking about publishing content on LinkedIn’s platform. It’s something that many people have experimented with, but is it worth investing your time into? Here’s what some of our chat participants had to say about it:

Warwick feels LinkedIn has one of the easiest content publishing platforms. He finds it to be very user-friendly, which could make it worth trying out.

Janine also loves how easy it is to publish on LinkedIn, mentioning how straightforward the feature is to use. She’ll share blog content through LinkedIn.

As Ben pointed out, this is a great platform to share your thoughts and position yourself as a thought leader within your industry.

Amanda said she’ll publish specific LinkedIn articles on occasion, but she struggles with an issue many other content creators face… Not having the time to do so consistently!

Maria tries to post articles to LinkedIn often, so she’s obviously seeing great results from her efforts.

For Jenn, she gets a little creative when it comes to her LinkedIn articles. She said she’ll provide two or three paragraphs as a teaser to the full content, which will be shared on her blog. It’s a simple way to drive more traffic to your website.

Unfortunately, Andrea didn’t see the best results when publishing original content to LinkedIn. Repurposing blog content, however, has been well-received.

Even Julia has published to Pulse before, but she’s scaled back her efforts there. Previously, she’d post once per month to the platform, but now only does once per quarter.

Q3: Have you used video on LinkedIn? What were the results?

Video on LinkedIn has been a hot topic lately. Have you tried it out yet? That’s what we asked everyone during the chat and here are some of the responses:

It should come as no surprise that Warwick has been testing out video on LinkedIn. He’s also been seeing some great results from it with 2,000+ views on his videos.

His advice is to keep your videos short, use captions, and post only one or two a week. You don’t have to go overboard when it comes to video content. He also suggests making sure your videos provide value to your audience or teach them something. You can also spark a debate with your videos.

Andrea has repurposed some blog posts into short, native videos on LinkedIn. This could be a great way to get started with video on LinkedIn.

The team at Source Media has noticed videos are getting more engagement than the other posts they’ve done. That’s a good sign that it’s wroth the effort!

Scott has also been happy with the results he’s seen by sharing videos on LinkedIn. He’s been seeing a great amount of views, as well as engagement.

Ben hasn’t tried video yet, but he’s seen the value it’s provided to others. And who knows, maybe this chat will inspire him to post his first LinkedIn video!

Brent also hasn’t tried video, but he has noticed they grab more attention that text or photos. It’s worth giving it a shot to see how your audience responds.

Q4: Do you think Groups are dead? What’s been your experience?

Have you tried out any LinkedIn groups? Do you have thoughts on them? Check out these responses from the chat and you can decide if joining LinkedIn groups is a smart move for you:

Warwick said he’s disappointed with groups on LinkedIn. He doesn’t see much engagement taking place in them, so he feels they need a major revamp in order to be successful.

Chaim pointed out that groups are hard to find, which could be one reason people aren’t actively using them as much as LinkedIn would probably like.

Shelly isn’t convinced that groups are worthwhile either. In order for a group to take off, meaningful conversations need to be taking place and this doesn’t seem to be happening in most cases.

Lexie pointed out that LinkedIn groups aren’t dead, but Facebook’s groups have certainly taken over. It seems to be the go-to for building connections.

Michelle feels that LinkedIn’s groups are nearing the end of their run.

On the flip side, Ben has found groups to be very useful. He’s been able to initiate conversations and receive plenty of value from some of the groups he’s participated in.

Jade also likes to refer to groups for information. It can be a helpful way to learn something new if you know where to look.

Jenn hopes LinkedIn groups aren’t nearing the end because she’s found them to be very beneficial.

As Narmadhaa pointed out, it all depends on the group. Some may be active and highly valuable, while others are total flops.

Q5: Have you heard of the LinkedIn Social Selling Index? Do you use it and why?

If you haven’t already, you’ll want to check out LinkedIn’s Social Selling Index. After asking this question during the chat, it became clear many people hadn’t heard of this tool or use it before. Here’s what you need to know about it:

Warwick feels the SSI tool is worth checking out! He shared the link so you can access it and get your score. It’s a great opportunity to see where you can improve on LinkedIn.

For Jade, he’s seen his score as high as 83!

Ankitaa discovered SSI earlier this year. It can be a great way to see what’s working in your LinkedIn strategy.

Q6: What makes a good LinkedIn profile? What are your tips?

If you want to stand out on LinkedIn, you obviously want to polish up your profile a bit. It needs to be able to catch the eye of your intended audience and keep them around! To help you out, check out these tips you can implement:

A good photo is obviously a must because this is the first thing people are going to notice about your profile!

Warwick also says to ditch the CV. He recommends talking about how you enjoyed a previous role and what you did, but doing so in a conversational way. He encourages you to tell stories because this is going to make your page more exciting to read.

Just two of the tips that Chaim offered were to make sure you have a professional headshot and use your headline as an elevator pitch.

Make sure you optimize your profile with relevant keywords to help you be discovered.

Use LinkedIn to inform and engage with your audience.

Jade said a professional photo and brief descriptions of prior jobs are a must. He also said to post relevant, original content as well to share your knowledge.

Iain’s advice is to update your connections with the progress you’re making. He said to let your passion for the projects you’re working on shine through. That’s a surefire way to see results.

Brent said to write a headline that explains who you help and what you do. Overall, your profile should explain your vision, who you are, and why you do what you do.

Make sure you stand out from the crowd. Jenn said to use your headline to communicate more than just the position you currently hold. Use it as a chance to grab the attention of others.

Q7: What are some mistakes you’ve made (or seen) on LinkedIn?

We all make mistakes when it comes to social media, but it’s certainly one thing you want to avoid! To help prevent you from making any major blunders, here’s what you should keep an eye out for?

Warwick shared a number of major LinkedIn mistakes with us, but his number one is not having a point of view.

He also said you shouldn’t send people away from LinkedIn. His advice is to share more photos and videos, as well as write articles on LinkedIn. This can drive greater results than just sharing links. Warwick also said that never commenting is a mistake as well because you want to add to the conversation.

And the final mistake he shared was not having fun! He said there’s nothing wrong with telling stories and being light-hearted.

Not headshot, no bio or introduction… That’s a red flag for Julia as a ghost profile. Make sure you’re filling out your profile, otherwise people won’t bother.

Gene said not being active is a huge mistake. Make sure you’re putting in the time to grow your connections.

When a company doesn’t have a LinkedIn page, but there audience is there in full force, that’s a big no-no! It’s also not doing you any favors to have a company page that isn’t active.

Q8: What are your tips for growing your network and making relevant connections?

You’ll obviously want to build your network on LinkedIn, but how can you make sure you’re seeing results? These are some great tips to use:

Warwick’s advice is to: see what’s happening in groups, respond to messages, check out who is viewing your profile, and check your activity stats. These are tasks you should be doing weekly.

Kathryn said you need to have a plan in place for your LinkedIn strategy. Without a plan, how will you know what purpose your presence there is serving?

Don’t forget to engage with other people!

Ankitaa also agrees that engagement is a priority.

Amanda suggests building your connections by starting with people you already know. This is a great way to get the ball rolling, then you can work on expanding your network even more.

Want to join us for the next #ContentWritingChat? We’re hanging out on Twitter every Tuesday from 10-11 AM Central Time. Follow @ExpWriters and @writingchat and we’ll see you there!

How To Implement Successful Livestreaming Into Your Content Marketing Strategy

#ContentWritingChat Recap: How to Implement Successful Livestreaming Into Your Content Marketing Strategy with Ross Brand

by | Mar 23, 2018 | ContentWritingChat

Have you been using live video as part of your brand’s online strategy?

If not, now is the time to jump on the bandwagon because it certainly isn’t going away!

But if you’d like some tips to help you become a livestreaming master, we have everything you need to know right here! This week’s #ContentWritingChat is filled with valuable advice that’s worth reading before you hit that “Go Live” button.

#ContentWritingChat Recap: How to Implement Successful Livestreaming Into Your Content Marketing Strategy with Ross Brand

Our guest host this week was Ross Brand. He’s behind the site, Livestream Universe, which is all about helping businesses leverage the power of livestreaming.

Q1: Why is livestreaming a valuable component of a content strategy?

If you’re not convinced that livestreaming is worth your attention, you’ll start thinking otherwise after reading these responses! We asked everyone to share why they think it plays such a big role in their overall content strategy. Here’s what a few chat participants said:

As Ross pointed out, live video is a great way to build the Know, Like, and Trust Factor with your audience. It allows them to get to know you better and see what you’re all about.

Jason said live videos can add a human element to your content. It’s raw, unedited footage and your viewers can relate to what they see since they’re getting the real you.

Maria also agrees that livestreaming humanizes a brand. She also feels it strengthens your credibility and maximizes transparency.

Iain said it gives people a window into your company. They’ll get to see what things are like behind-the-scenes.

As Amanda pointed out, people want to get to know the person behind the brand. And going live is a fantastic way to show people what you’re like!

Live video also gives your audience a unique vantage point.

It’s all about helping you connect with your audience in a more personal way.

Everyone in your audience is different! And as Lexie pointed out, some may really appreciate a live video because they consume content better that way.

Q2: How does someone get started with livestreaming? What gear do you need?

Now that you’re sold on the value of livestreaming, it’s time to get started with your first broadcast! But what exactly do you need before you can go live? Here are some tips:

As Ross said, there’s no need to spend a bunch of money on livestreaming if you’re just starting out. You can absolutely use your smartphone to go live, as well as a pair of headphones with a built-in microphone.

If you do want to splurge on some new gear, Ross suggests getting a good microphone. Audio is important, after all!

Kelly said you can get a new microphone, invest in lighting, and purchase a better camera if you want to step-up your production quality.

As Varun said though, your smartphone and a good internet connection is really all you need to get started.

Don’t be afraid to just keep it simple when you’re starting out!

A good phone, good content to share, and an audience to watch is really all you need.

Kathryn’s advice is so important. Don’t wait until you have all the perfect, high-quality gear. Get started with exactly what you have right now.

Q3: What skills are helpful for success with livestreaming?

There are a few skills that really come in handy when you’re livestreaming. What are they? Check out these responses from the chat:

Ross said livestreaming is part broadcasting and part social media with a little tech thrown in. Going live allows you to provide value to your audience, showcase your personality, and so much more. But it’s also your opportunity to engage with your audience and build a relationship with them.

He feels tech is the smallest element here. But he does think it’s necessary to know enough about your gear and any software you’re using. This will come in handy in case of technical difficulties.

Being a great communicator is definitely important! You also want to have knowledge and passion for what you’re talking about.

Be personable! That’s what will help draw people in.

Julia said it’s all about having a fun, engaging personality. You want to be yourself and enjoy the time when you’re live. People will resonate with that.

Varun’s advice is to be prepared to interact with your audience, have knowledge of your topic, and be ready for any criticism. You never know what could come up with a live video, so be ready.

Chris feels problem-solving skills are a must. This will come in handy if something goes wrong.

Don’t overthink anything. You don’t want your livestream to feel forced, so just let things flow.

And remember this key advice from Terry! Don’t be afraid to fail or look silly. We all make mistakes and that’s something your viewers can relate to.

Q4: What platform do you recommend for people starting out with livestreaming?

There’s Facebook Live, Instagram Live, YouTube, Twitch, and more! How in the world are you supposed to determine which one is right for your business? Here’s some advice:

Ross said that both Facebook and Instagram are great options for going live. It’s worth trying each one to see what works best for you. Plus, Instagram has built-in capabilities for adding a guest, which is a huge plus.

Brian’s advice is to start where you’re comfortable. He also said to consider the format and the features and make sure they match your needs. In time, you’ll become more comfortable and you can start going live wherever your audience is most active.

Brian also shared this great piece of advice with us. These are all great factors to consider when choosing a platform for live video.

Lexie’s advice is to go live where your audience is hanging out. This is sure to help you reach them!

Sarah agrees that it’s all about where your audience is spending their time. After all, you want to make sure they have the opportunity to tune in!

Varun said to try Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube if your audience is using those platforms.

Facebook is certainly great for live video, as you can view metrics afterwards. Plus, you can always practice going live on your personal Facebook page before doing so for your business.

And there’s no harm in practicing your live video skills in the mirror!

Q5: How can you monetize livestreaming?

Since many of us are looking to make money online, you might be wondering how you can use livestreaming to increase your profits. Check out these tips, which will come in handy for your next live video:

For Ross, he feels there are three different paths you can use to make money with your livestreaming efforts.

His first suggested path is to directly sell products within your live videos. These videos are focused on making the sale and he said they could be a QVC style broadcast. Share the benefits of your product, give a demonstration, and answer questions people may have.

For his second path, Ross said to focus on providing value and building relationships with your audience. When you share your knowledge, you begin to gain trust and credibility. People are more likely to purchase when trust is involved.

He also suggests trying what he calls the portfolio method. Create live videos that you can repurpose. Build your digital footprint and show potential clients what you can do for them.

As Brian said, people will buy from people they can relate to and livestreaming helps you build that relationship and trust much faster.

Talk about your products and services during your live video. You can also encourage people to join your list and follow-up with them later about your offerings.

Terry said to view your livestream as a funnel to your offer. You can share helpful tips and encourage people to join your email list, which will allow you the chance to promote something afterwards.

Julia created a book launch party on Facebook to boost sales of her book when it launched.

Kelly has a friend who does live demos and tutorials, which helps increase sales. You can do the same for your products.

Q6: What are some of the best use cases for livestreaming on behalf of a business?

Need some ideas for your next live video? Here are some great suggestions:

Ross shared tons of great ideas from doing client interviews, showcasing employees, and giving viewers the behind-the-scenes. Find ways to be creative!

Jade said to share your knowledge with people to help build trust.

Give people a behind-the-scenes into your business through live videos.

You can do a Q&A with customers for the ultimate in engagement.

These are all fantastic ideas for building your brand and helping people build a relationship with your company.

Zala’s suggestions are all worth trying out, from workshops, announcements, and so much more.

Q7: How do you recommend repurposing livestreaming content?

You don’t want to do an amazing live video and then let it collect virtual dust, do you? You can get more eyes on your video after it’s ended by repurposing it. These tips will help:

Ross suggests downloading the video and uploading it to YouTube. He also said to share shorter snippets to social media platforms.

Turn your livestream into a blog post or even a podcast!

Amanda said you can even create a mini-course with your live videos and sell them as a bundle.

Warwick suggests breaking the videos down for social media. Promote them across the platforms you use.

Kathryn said to use the audio recording for short podcast episodes.

You can create an eBooks from the livestream, embed the video into a blog post, and so much more.

Doris shared a great tip about creating Pinterest pins for your live videos.

Another great idea is to add it to an email or share it via a messenger bot for those who missed it.

Q8: What role does writing play in livestreaming?

So, where does writing fit into all this? These are some of the responses we received to close out this week’s chat:

Ross feels outlines are better than writing. You want to be present in the conversation and give it a more relaxed feel, instead of it being like you’re reading from a script.

He also suggests scripting your intro and outro so things go smoothly.

As Sarah said, writing plays a role in every aspect of marketing.

Even having bullet points will help you stay on track during your live video.

For Carla, she keeps her notes nearby so she doesn’t ramble once she’s live.

Keep it authentic and real! Don’t give yourself an entire script to read, but jot down key talking points instead.

Ready to join us for the next #ContentWritingChat? We’re live on Twitter every Tuesday at 10 AM Central Time! Just follow @ExpWriters and @writingchat so you can join in!