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Delivering Amazing Customer Service Using Social Media

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Delivering Amazing Customer Service Using Social Media with Scott Ayres

by | Mar 2, 2018 | ContentWritingChat

Have you ever reached out to a brand via social media for a customer service request?

Odds are, that answer is yes!

Social media has become an easy way to connect with your favorite brands, ask questions, and seek help when you need it. However, that doesn’t mean all brands are handling their customer service requests effectively.

In this week’s #ContentWritingChat, we talked all about delivery amazing customer service using social media. You’ll learn how to manage all the different platforms, how quickly you should be replying to inquiries, and so much more.

Let’s dive into the recap!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Delivering Amazing Customer Service Using Social Media with Scott Ayres

Our guest host this week was Scott Ayres. He’s part of the team over at AgoraPulse and he knows a thing or two about managing a social media presence. Scott shared some great tips with us that all brands can implement for handling customer service using social media.

Q1: How has social media impacted customer service?

There was a time when your only option was to call a brand on the phone and wait on hold until someone was able to serve you. These days, social media has changed the way we handle customer service requests as a brand. Here’s how:

As Scott pointed out, social media requires brands to deal with their customer service issues in the public eye. What was once handled privately, the world can now see.

He also said that it’s easier for complaints about a company to spread now. If a customer starts talking negatively about your brand, others may pick up on it and start sharing the message.

Social media has allowed brands and customers to connect with one another in real-time. Plus, it’s easier on the customer’s part since they no longer have to wait on hold or check their inboxes for a reply.

Iain feels social media allows brands to not only solve their customers’ problems, but they also get to show their human side.

As Lexie pointed out, customer service using social media has become a 24/7 job.

Just keep in mind that customers expect immediate responses to their concerns now!

While customer service matters were typically handled privately in the past (via phone calls), social media has allowed customers to have a voice. Their complaints can be shared for the entire world to hear.

Q2: How does customer service support on social media directly impact reputation management?

It’s become increasingly important for brands to be smart about how their managing their reputations online, especially with so many customer service requests rolling in. Here’s what you need to know to keep things going smoothly:

You have to be aware of what’s going on with your social media presence. As Scott said, one bad experience can spread. You need to do what you can to resolve issues as soon as possible.

Lexie brought up a great point about how everything is public now. Your audience can see the complaints you’re getting, as well as how you’re handling them. And how you respond to criticism says a lot about your brand.

As Maria pointed out, there’s no where to hide! Everything is on display for the world to see when it comes to social media. That’s why it’s so important, now more than ever, to handle customer service requests with care.

How you handle customer opinions and complaints says a lot about your brand. Kathryn had her opinion of a brand completely changed when they took the time to reach out to her. It shows that you care about your customers.

If you don’t take action fast, it can turn off your audience. The last thing you want is for them to spread even more complaints. Julia’s advice is to treat any issues with the highest priority.

Don’t lose your customers because you failed to address their issues on social media. Respond in a timely fashion and do so with kindness.

Make sure you’re actively listening for issues that you can address before they get too out of hand. Don’t wait for people to come to you. And don’t expect them to always tag you when they’re talking about your brand. Search your brand name to ensure you don’t miss a thing.

Q3: How can businesses use social media to support objectives and build/maintain customer relationships?

As a brand, how can social media allow you to build stronger relationships with your customers? These tips are great to keep in mind:

Scott knows that being human goes a long way. Your audience doesn’t really want to talk to a bot. Be yourself and be helpful as you resolve any issues they may have.

A little personality ensures the customer service will truly stand out.

When you spend time interacting with your audience, it’s almost like you become a friend of theirs. And you really can’t beat that!

You can also use surveys, polls, and Q&A sessions to learn more about your audience.

Don’t be afraid to just ask what their pain points are to determine where you can make improvements.

Cheval suggests joining Twitter chats because they’re a great way to get to know your audience better.

A positive customer service experience can lead to a long-lasting relationship, so treat every situation with care. Don’t risk losing your customers.

Social listening is a fantastic way to see what your audience is talking about and what they may think of your brand.

A happy customer is sure to spread the word about your brand. And you really can’t go wrong with that kind of word-of-mouth exposure.

Q4: How can a small business maintain a high level of customer service without outsourcing?

If you’re a small business, you might not have the funds to outsource customer service using social media. However, that doesn’t mean you’re doomed! Check out this advice from the chat to help you better manage it all:

Ideally, you want to designate someone to handle your social media presence. This way, you’ll always have someone ready to tackle anything that comes up.

If you can’t dedicate one single person to the task, you can always have employees take turns manning this role. Just be sure to provide some sort of guidelines so they understand how to respond while also staying on brand.

Lexie suggests using tools to make the job easier. There are plenty that can help you monitor mentions of your brand.

Sarah also suggests finding tools to help you out. Social media is much easier to manage this way.

Cass shared some great tips that are also worth implementing. You can add your customer service hours in your bio, which allows your audience to see when you’re online. Having alerts helps notify you when a message comes through. And keeping an updated FAQ page should help limit the amount of customer service requests you receive.

Varun’s advice is to prioritize one or two platforms and really direct your focus there. You don’t need to overwhelm yourself by being everywhere.

Just don’t forget to set up those alerts so you see any mention of your brand that gets posted!

Q5: How can small businesses keep up with all the social media platforms available today?

With so many platforms out there, how can we possibly stay updated with everyone? Here’s some advice that’ll help you out so you don’t get overwhelmed:

Scott says you don’t need to be everywhere. Spend time where your audience is and you’ll have the best results with your efforts.

Ben agrees that you should focus on the platforms that are relevant to your business. Then, you can concentrate on those to provide value to your audience.

Clones could certainly help! However, Gene knows it’s best to focus on just a few platforms. Eventually, you can expand to others when you have the resources to do so.

Cass agrees, saying you should focus on two or three platforms and then branch out later on when you have the ability.

Just because a new social media platform comes on the scene, it doesn’t mean you have to jump on it right away!

Sarah’s advice is to get some tools to help you manage it all. TweetDeck and Hootsuite can be life-savers for those working in social media.

Q6: How fast should companies be expected to respond on social media?

When handling customer service using social media, people expect quick responses. And that can be a little intimidating to brands, especially since they have other things to work on. Here’s how quickly you should aim to respond:

As Scott said, you really need to reply as fast as you can. Your customers don’t want to be kept waiting, nor do they want a canned response or a reply from a bot.

Lexie made a great point that it depends on the size of your brand. Larger brands will likely have more resources than a small business. However, no matter your brand’s size, you still need to reply promptly.

Cheval said it’s best to answer customer service requests within one day.

For Iain, he says responding within the hour is ideal. However, he recognizes that it all depends on the resources you have.

For major issues, Julia likes to respond within 15 minutes. For sales or new client inquiries, her goal is to get a same-day response.

Randy pointed out that response times can also vary by industry. Some really need to respond faster than others, especially services like an airline.

Whatever you do, don’t rush to send out a poor response. You need to reply in a timely fashion, but make sure you’re still addressing the issue at hand.

If there’s ever any delay in your response, kindly apologize to your customer and then provide any help they need.

Q7: What companies are crushing it with customer service on social media?

You can learn a lot from the brands that are already succeeding at customer service using social media. Check out these brands to see why they stand out:

Brands that stand out to Scott include Wendy’s, Nike, JetBlue.

Lexie has seen Starbucks, Fitbit, and other brands doing a great job with customer service using social media.

Buffer is definitely a great example!

Jade has had great experience with Apple, plus he was impressed with how KFC in England handled their own fiasco.

Canva shines when it comes to customer support.

Applebee’s, Buffer, and DiGiorno are just a few brands Julia thinks have done a great job.

Gene got a pretty impressive display when he complained about one company’s main competitor!

Eddie also mentioned that some of the best companies are the ones who have dedicated service handles on Twitter. This helps to keep your main feed free of clutter.

Q8: What tools do you use to monitor social media and handle customer service?

Luckily, there are some amazing tools to make all of this hard work easier. These are some great suggestions we received during Tuesday’s chat:

The team at AgoraPulse obviously uses their own tool, but they rely on Intercom as well.

Julia is a big fan of MeetEdgar, BuzzSumo, and TweetDeck.

TweetDeck, Hootsuite, and analytics are go-to tools for Sarah. However, she also said that email and phone calls are effective as well.

SproutSocial is a great one to check out.

Eddie relies on Hootsuite to get the job done.

Just like Eddie above, Cheval also likes to use Hootsuite to monitor social media conversations.

Would you like to join the next #ContentWritingChat? Follow @ExpWriters and @writingchat and be sure to join us every Tuesday at 10 AM Central!
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Direct Response Copywriting

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Direct Response Copywriting with Eddie Shleyner

by | Feb 23, 2018 | ContentWritingChat

Are you familiar with direct response copywriting?

Would you like to learn more about it?

Well, you’re in luck! That’s exactly what we discussed during this week’s #ContentWritingChat!

We talked about how you can apply direct response writing principles, a simple formula you can follow for writing copy, and shared some great resources to learn from!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Direct Response Copywriting with Eddie Shleyner

Our guest host for this week was Eddie Shleyner. He’s a direct response copywriter and a content marketer. And Eddie is the founder of VeryGoodCopy. He shared some great tips during the chat, which you’ll want to check out! So, let’s go ahead and dive into our recap!

Q1: What is direct response copywriting?

To kick off the chat, we asked everyone to share what direct response copywriting is. Some of our participants were familiar with it, while others were not. It was a great opportunity to see who was new to the world of direct response. Here are a few responses we received:

As Eddie said, direct response is when you create copy that speaks directly to your target audience. He mentioned you need to grab attention, keep your readers engaged throughout your message, and persuade them to take immediate action afterwards.

Lexie know direct response copywriting is a way to get a swift reaction from your reader. You may push them towards making a purchase or something else.

Sarah agrees that it’s all about causing a direct response in the reader, which is typically done by tapping into their emotions.

As Julia pointed out, the action is immediate when it comes to direct response. There’s no waiting around here!

It’s going to eliminate the fluff and get straight to the point, which is a time saver for your readers.

Marijana said the purpose of direct response copywriting is to get people to take an action, which will be based on a goal that’s connected to your business objectives.

Q2: So is Don Draper from Mad Men a direct response copywriter?

Many of us are familiar with the Don Draper character from Mad Men. But was the work he did also direct response copywriting? Check out these answers:

Eddie said Don Draper was more of an in-direct response copywriter. His goal was to create copy that lingered in the mind until the consumer was presented with a buying decision.

Julia agrees with Eddie when it comes to Don’s work. He certainly knew what he was doing when it came to the campaigns he created.

Terry said Don was able to tell a story that made customers think they couldn’t live without a product. When it came time to buy, they recalled the copy he’d crafted.

Q3: What’s the greatest advantage direct response copywriters have over their in-direct counterparts?

Direct response copywriting can certainly have its advantages. But for those who aren’t familiar with it, they might wonder what those benefits are. Here’s what you need to know:

Eddie knows that those in direct response can easily measure an ad’s effectiveness through trackable actions. Being able to see those results come in is a great feeling!

He also encourages A/B testing on a single variable to see which one performs the best. You can tweet headlines or CTAs to determine which leads to the best conversion rate.

As Lexie pointed out, you’ll be able to tell right away if your efforts are working because your copy should lead to quick actions.

Although your content strategy is crucial, it’s more challenging to prove the success of a long-term campaign. As Marijana pointed out, you’re going to see results much sooner with direct response.

The immediacy of direct response means you’re going to see those sales coming in much sooner.

After all, there’s nothing better than meeting and exceeding your goals!

Q4: Can direct response WRITING principles be applied to an article, for instance, or another piece of business content that is not intended to drive immediate action?

Now that you see some of the benefits of direct response copywriting, you might be wondering if you can apply those tactics to other copy you’re creating. Here are a few responses that will guide you in the right direction:

Eddie’s advice is to be clear, be concise, and be compelling. This is always important to remember, no matter what kind of copy you’re creating.

Cut the fluff and get straight to the point! Don’t waste your time or your reader’s time.

Danielle pointed out that you need to know your audience in direct response copywriting, as well as their paint points. That’s going to be important no matter what you’re creating!

Lexie agrees that knowing your audience is crucial!

Using a compelling call to action is important, whether it’s direct or indirect copywriting.

As Terry said, you can apply the principles to anything. You can use direct response to trigger emotions or bring up a pain point. And that’s something you can use in a variety of formats.

If the copy doesn’t grab attention, it won’t read, understood, or revisited.

Q5: What’s a big mistake writers who are new to direct response often make?

If you’re just getting started with direct response copywriting, you’ll want to avoid making some big mistakes! These are ones to be aware of so you can make sure you don’t do them:

Eddie said writing in the first person is definitely a mistake. you want to write in the second person to allow your prospect to see themselves in the copy.

Cheval knows that failing to know and understand your audience is a big mistake.

Lexie agrees with Cheval. Knowing your audience is crucial, no matter what. You have to understand their needs in order to create copy that resonates.

As Julia pointed out, failing to educate yourself is a bad move. You always have to learn and improve your skills if you want to become better at what you do.

For Sarah, using clickbait headlines is a big no-no!

Telling your audience to buy something without making it clear what’s in it for them won’t get you very far.

Felicity knows subtly is key instead of shoving your product in your reader’s face.

Q6: What’s an effective, yet simple, direct response formula for beginners?

If you’re looking for an easy formula to help you get started with direct response copywriting, you’ll want to check out these responses!

Eddie recommends following the PAS formula by covering the problem, agitation, and the solution.

Marijana recommended a formula she learned through another business owner. It’s all about painting a picture of where the consumer is and where they want to be.

Know how you can help your audience and how their situation will improve with your offering. That’s a great way to secure results with your campaigns.

As Cheval knows, you can do any of these steps without first knowing your audience. Spend time researching them to see what they’re talking about and what they need help with.

Address their pain points and offer the solution you can provide to them.

Make sure you keep it simple and highlight the benefits your offering provides to your audience.

Q7: Besides Ogilvy, who are the best direct response copywriters to study?

There are plenty of people you can learn from to brush up on your skills! Here are some great copywriters to check out:

Eddie has a few recommendations that are definitely worth checking out.

As Sarah said, Neil Patel knows what he’s doing!

These are some go-to people for Terry to learn from. Add them to your list to check out!

For Julia, she loves reading content from Copyhackers.

Q8: What’s the fastest way to internalize a master copywriter’s voice, ton, style, and overall approach?

To wrap up the chat, here’s some final advice for you to take along on your direct response copywriting adventure:

Eddie suggests transcribing a copywriter’s work word-for-word.

Felicity has also been taught to use the same technique of writing their work over and over.

Lexie’s advice is to set some guidelines based on what you know about your audience. That will really help you and other writers on your team when you’re crafting copy.

Marijana said to learn from the building blocks within another copywriter’s work. You can review both direct and indirect response copywriters to better your skills.

Never stop learning, so make it a priority to ready copy from some of the masters out there. Don’t forget to test and experiment to see what works best for you.

Annette knows how important learning is, as it’s the best way to help you develop your own voice.

Do you want to join the next #ContentWritingChat? Follow @ExpWriters and @writingchat for all the latest! And be sure to hang out with us on Twitter every Tuesday at 10 AM Central.

How to Create Amazing Online Video Content for Your Brand

#ContentWritingChat Recap: How to Create Amazing Online Video Content for Your Brand

by | Feb 16, 2018 | ContentWritingChat

It’s was our monthly Community Chat during this week’s #ContentWritingChat!

That means we gave our audience the chance to vote on which topic they were most interested in dicussing.

And the one that came out on top?

Video creation tips!

It’s no surprise this was the chosen topic, considering video continues to be the HOT content format for brands across the web. So, if you want to step-up your YouTube and live streaming game, this recap is for you!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: How to Create Amazing Online Video Content for Your Brand

Our chat discussed video platforms to focus on, how to create captivating videos people want to watch, and more. Now, let’s dive into this recap!

Q1: Do you currently create video content for your brand? If not, do you plan to start using video in 2018?

To kick off the chat, we decided to gauge just how many people were currently using some form of video and how many were ready to get in on the game. Here are some of the responses we received:

Here at Express Writers, our CEO is working to build her presence on YouTube. She recognizes it’s a valuable platform to be on, as video content provides an amazing way to connect with your audience.

Eddie focuses on both edited and live video, which is a great way to reach your audience. Plus, live video adds that element of real-time engagement, which is always nice.

Jade is all about video content, which is pretty awesome!

For Cheval, he records his podcast every week when he has a guest live streaming on Facebook. It’s a great way to repurpose your live stream.

Zachary stepped up his video presence by uploading one video a week to his YouTube channel last year. Very impressive!

Zala knows video is where it’s at! She’s created short videos, long videos, and even live videos. This is a great way to make sure you’re creating content that resonates with your audience.

Ankitaa creates videos for her clients, but she hasn’t branched out to do it for herself yet. Hopefully 2018 is the year she makes it happen!

Paul has only done one promo video so far, but he’d love to create more this year.

Iain hasn’t gotten started with video either, but he’s planning to later in 2018.

Q2: What types of video are you most focused on this year? (YouTube, Facebook Live, etc.)

With so many platforms where you can utilize video, it can be difficult to determine where to direct your attention. These are the types of video some of our chat participants will be focused on:

As Narmadhaa said, YouTube is a search engine itself. It’s a worthwhile platform to be on if you want your content to be discovered.

For Julia, it’s mostly about YouTube because she knows it’s beneficial to get videos ranking there. However, she also recognizes the power of Facebook Live. Being able to do those and connect with your audience in the moment is very special.

Eddie also loves Facebook Live because it’s a great way to humanize your brand. Your audience truly gets to see your personality through each live broadcast.

Putting more effort into Facebook Live this year is definitely a good idea if your audience is tuning in. It’s one way to ensure you’re standing out with their tricky algorithm.

Ray is planning to primarily do webinars in the year ahead, which are an amazing way to provide tremendous value to your audience.

Just keep in mind that it’s important to focus on the platforms your audience is actively using! That’s how you’re going to find the most success.

Maria agrees that it all depends where your audience is spending their time. Figure out where they’re most active and where they engage and try it out for yourself.

Q3: To get started with video, how do you determine which topics you should talk about?

You’re ready to film some video, but what on earth should you talk about?! To help you come up with some great ideas, check out these tips:

Ray knows that a great video addresses the needs and wants of your audience. They wouldn’t bother watching otherwise! You need to deliver what they want in order to hold their interest.

Julia focuses on finding the biggest pain points for her audience and she addresses them through videos. It’s the best way to leave them wanting more.

Sarah suggests seeing what your audience is already engaging with. It’s a good sign that they’ll be likely to tune into a video on the same topic.

Eddie agrees that it’s worthwhile to check out your analytics. You can easily see what people are interested in through engagement rates.

If you still aren’t sure what your audience wants to see, ASK THEM! As Elise suggested, a simple survey will get you all the answers you need.

Doris like to turn to Facebook groups, which allows her to directly ask people in her audience what their biggest concerns are. It’s just like conducting a survey, but done through social media.

You can also see which topics are trending in your industry. That’s a great way to get people to tune in since it’s relevant and timely.

Paul is looking into repackaging old content that’s been successful in the past. If it’s evergreen, it’s a good sign it might perform well as a video too.

You can always dig through your blog’s archives to find popular posts that would make fantastic videos. It’s an opportunity to expand on them even more.

Q4: How do you get people to tune into your video and make sure they continue to watch?

You’ve got the topic, but now you need to get the viewers. Is there a secret to getting people to tune into your video and watch all the way through? Here’s what you need to know:

Make sure you’re sharing your videos on the platforms your audience is actively using. Otherwise, you risk them not seeing it at all. Sarah also suggests offering a teaser or a promise of a solution, which will intrigue them enough to keep watching.

Don’t forget to be smart about your title and video description. That’s the first thing people will see and it’ll likely be the deciding factor in whether or not they watch.

Paul shared some great advice from knowing your hook and wrapping everything up with a call to action.

Your screen presence makes a huge difference as well. If you’re boring to watch, people won’t tune into your videos.

Always be yourself!

Warwick suggests cross-posting, mentioning influencers, creating custom thumbnails, and more. These are all amazing tips to get more views.

Having a consistent schedule allows your audience to anticipate when your next live broadcast will be. It’s also great for YouTube channel as well since viewers will know your upload schedule.

Julia agrees that consistency is key. She suggests creating a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly schedule to stay in front of your audience.

Eddie’s advice is to promote your video beforehand. It’s a great way to build excitement and get people to tune in.

Jeff agrees that promoting your videos ahead of time is key!

Make sure your videos have a purpose. If they don’t, why would anyone bother watching?

Q5: When it comes to video creation, what does your process look like to plan, record, and publish your work?

Now, let’s dive into your video creation process! These are the steps some of our chat participants take to create amazing videos:

Who, why, when, and where. These are all great things to consider when creating video content.

Zachary’s process includes brainstorming ideas and then deciding how to film. Sometimes you might create a video script to help with the filming process. From there, it’s time to edit and upload.

Terry focuses on writing out ideas first. It’s important to see which topics are going to be the most valuable to your target audience.

Chloe tends to condense her content into short talking points to guide her during the filming process.

Writing out video scripts beforehand is very beneficial because it gives your team time to review it.

Batching is a major help since you’ll be able to knock out filming in a short window of time.

Q6: Which metrics will help you determine the success of your video?

Your video is live, but now you need to measure its success. Which metrics should you pay close attention to? These are great ones to track:

You’ll want to pay attention to metrics such as watch time, link clicks, and audience engagement. And hey, if your viewers get bummed when you cancel a video, it’s a good sign they love you!

On Facebook, you’ll want to see if people turned the sound on and when they dropped off. This will provide good insight into the success of your video.

Cheval pays attention to the number of comments and minutes watched on the video.

It’s smart to see where people stopped watching because it allows you to see if there’s something you can change.

Are people funneling to your website or engaging with the video in some way? That’s important to look out for!

The meaningful discussions that spark as a result of your video are definitely the best.

Maria focuses on view time and the number of comments.

You can even compare one video’s performance to another video. It’ll allow you to see how you’re improving over time.

Q7: Are there any tools you rely on to create amazing video content?

Which tools help you be a video superstar? These are worth checking out:

Terry relies on iMovie to edit videos, which is a great tool to use.

Cass is a fan of Lumen5.

The Franco team loves Lumen5 as well for creating social media video content.

Lumen5 and Adobe Spark are two of Ankitaa’s favorites.

Cheval uses Blue Jeans Network to record his Facebook Live shows.

When he goes live, Eddie uses BeLive for optimal functionality.

Don’t forget to take advantage of YouTube’s free music library!

Q8: Which brands really shine with their video content? What can we learn from them?

For some major video inspiration, you’ll want to check out what these brands are doing!

Doris loves video content from Gary Vaynerchuk and Neil Patel

Mashable and Allen are favorites of Ankitaa.

Julia enjoys watching videos from Ai, Brian Fanzo, and Madalyn Sklar.

And if you’re a food lover, you can’t resist watching Tasty’s videos whenever you see them!

Cheddar is really making the most of live streaming to reach their audience.

How would you like to join us for #ContentWritingChat? Follow @ExpWriters and @writingchat for all the latest and be sure to join us every Tuesday at 10 AM Central Time!
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#ContentWritingChat Recap: Best of 2017 with Gini Dietrich & Madalyn Sklar

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Best of 2017 with Gini Dietrich & Madalyn Sklar

by | Dec 22, 2017 | ContentWritingChat

This week was the last #ContentWritingChat of 2017. *cue the tears*
We’ve had a tremendous year growing this community and connecting with so many amazing content creators from around the globe.
Throughout 2017, we’ve had amazing guests and topics week after week. And it’s only going to get better from here! However, before we move forward into 2018, we wanted to use this week’s chat to reflect on the past year.
So, let’s dive into the recap!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Best of 2017 with Gini Dietrich & Madalyn Sklar


To wrap up the year, we wanted to make sure we brought on some powerhouse guests. Two ladies that came to mind were Gini Dietrich and Madalyn Sklar. Both of them have hosted #ContentWritingChat in the past and provided great value to the community. It only made sense to have them join us again!

Q1: Which content marketing and social media trends really stood out in 2017? What was worth the effort for brands to implement?

To kick off the chat, we asked everyone to share the top trends they believed were worth the effort in 2017. Was it live video, podcasting, or something else? Here are a few responses we received:


Gini knows that video marketing and Facebook Live broadcasts really stood out in the past year. There’s no denying that this will continue to grow in popularity during 2018.


She also said there’s been a greater shift toward paid media. With the algorithms social media platforms have put in place, it’s almost become a requirement if you want your content to be seen.


Video, podcasting, and live streaming are the three trends that caught Madalyn’s attention this year.


Video was certainly one hot topic this year! As Andrea said, more brands started creating YouTube channels and sharing video content with their audience.


Besides YouTube channels, live streaming has been pretty popular. Brands started using tools like Facebook Live and Instagram Live.


But why was live streaming such a big deal? It’s a great way for brands to connect with their audience. If you haven’t tried it out, it’s worth it!


Brands were even using videos in their paid content on social media. And let’s face it, this isn’t going away anytime soon.


Doris said she’s noticed a shift in how brands communicate with their audience. Many have taken a more conversation appreciate instead of being stiff.

Q2: Were there any trends or platforms that kind of died off for you in the past year?

Was there anything you stopped doing in 2017? Were there any platforms you said goodbye to? Check out what a few of our chat participants ditched this year:


Madalyn said she stopped using Snapchat in 2017 and she isn’t alone.


Gini also dropped Snapchat this year.


Even Mike said that Snapchat dwindled for him as well. Although the platform is still active, many people have ditched it in favor of others. The “Stories” concept that Snapchat created has simply become more popular on Instagram.


Cristy said her team was pushing Snapchat and Geofilters at the beginning of the year, but realized it wasn’t worth it. As she pointed out, Instagram made major improvements which really stood out and drew more people in.


Organic posts on Facebook have taken a backseat due to their algorithm. Many brands have turned to live streaming on the platform as a way to expand their reach.


Facebook has become a difficult platform for many brands as of late. Many of its users are resorting to ads to get traction on their content.


Bill said he’s been able to show his clients that simply posting on platforms like Facebook isn’t a valuable strategy. You need to be focused on your audience to truly see results.


Producing generic content that is cross-posted to all social media platforms just won’t cut it. As Carla said, you need to create your content for a specific platform.


Andrea has scaled down efforts on LinkedIn.


Sarah also feels like LinkedIn just isn’t worth the hassle for her anymore.


Periscope was one of the platforms that really got people excited about live streaming. However, Facebook Live and Instagram Live have really taken over in the past year.


While influencer marketing is still a powerful tactic, Maria recognizes that many brands are focusing on micro-influencers instead of big celebrities.

Q3: What were your favorite publications to read and learn from this year?

Get your Feedly account ready! We asked everyone to share their favorite publications from the past year. So if you’re looking for some new resources to learn from, these are great suggestions to check out:


Madalyn’s list of favorites include Social Media Examiner, Social Media Today, TechCrunch, Buffer, and more.


For Gini, she loves to read content from Andy Crestodina, Moz, and many other sources.


You can find Julia reading posts from Content Marketing Institute, Smart Blogger, CoSchedule, and NewsCred. She’s also turned to a few live shows to expand her knowledge as well.


Lexie’s go-to publications include Search Engine Journal, SEMrush, Social Media Today, Moz, and our team here at Express Writers!


Entrepreneur was one of Cheval’s must-read sites in the past year.


Neil Patel, Search Engine Land, and Moz were just a few of Sarah’s favorites!


Tony enjoyed reading content from TechCrunch, Social Media Today, Flipboard, and Pocket.


Warwick’s go-to has been Barry Feldman’s podcast.


And who doesn’t love a little Daily Vee from Gary Vaynerchuk?


Another great way to learn is through Twitter chats. Finding the chats in your industry will help you make connections online and learn tons of valuable information.

Q4: Share a piece of your best work from the past year!

To spread the love, we asked everyone to share their best work from 2017. It could be a blog post, podcast, or something else they were really proud of. Here are a few things that were shared with us:


It sounds like Gini is pretty proud of a book she and her team are launching!


Madalyn shared one of her favorite episodes of her #TwitterSmarter podcast with us.


Jason has previously interviewed both Julia McCoy and Madalyn Sklar on his podcast. He shared those episodes, so you’ll want to check them out.


It should come as no surprise that Julia shared her brand new book, Practical Content Strategy & Marketing! It’s truly an incredible book that every content creator should own.


This blog post on internal linking was a top performer for the team at ThinkSEM.


Cheval’s post on the pros and cons of BeLive.TV and BlueJeans Network was a hit with his audience.


Jeff shared an article he wrote on Pinterest. If you need some help on the platform, give this one a read.


Erika said you shouldn’t use apps to automatically follow and unfollow people on Twitter. She shared why in this article she linked to.


Jenn shared a link to her podcast, which is all about mental health.

Q5: What was your biggest struggle when it came to content creation in the past year?

We all have struggles when it comes to content creation, which is a nice reminder that we aren’t alone when things are challenging. These are a few things our chat participants had difficulty with in 2017:


It’s safe to say everyone can relate to Madalyn on this. Not having enough hours in the day is something that plagues each and every one of us.


Gini also knows that time is a big struggle when it comes to content creation. Sometimes we just feel as though there isn’t enough time to get everything done.


If you struggle to stay consistent with your content creation, you aren’t alone. Having an editorial calendar and planning out your content certainly helps though.


Sometimes the struggle is just getting it done. When you balance so many other tasks, it can be hard to find time and energy to create amazing content.


Lexie knows that it’s challenging to create quality content for your company and for clients. It’s time-consuming for anyone to take on.


Not to mention, you have other work responsibilities that cut into your writing time!


Rebecca knows the struggle of balancing content and other work responsibilities all too well. She takes on many different things, which can make it challenging.


To manage your tasks and content creation, Julia feels it’s all about finding your workflow.


For Ellie, it’s also about short turn around times on content. It can be challenging to get things done in a short period of time.


Finding your voice on a topic that many others are already talking about can surely be a struggle. This is something that Jeff has dealt with himself.


With so many platforms and so many content formats, it’s hard to know what to focus on. In the end, it all comes down to what works best for you and what your audience enjoys.


Idea burnout can definitely happen to content creators. Cristy’s advice is to get a second opinion on the ideas you have to determine what to move forward with.


Finding inspiration can be a struggle as well. As Jenn said, you need to find the ideas that you are passionate about.


And sometimes getting started with writing is the hard part. Many of us experience self-doubt that holds us back from creating something amazing.

Q6: Which brands have really done an amazing job with their content in 2017?

Have any brands stood out to you in 2017? These are the ones that caught the eye of our Twitter chat friends in the past year:


CoSchedule and Lee Odden are a couple brands that impressed Gini this year.


Madalyn very kindly shared her love for us here at Express Writers!


Jenn said she’s learned a lot from Julia, Madalyn, and Gini.


Between Buffer’s blog, their podcast, and their Twitter chat, they really do a tremendous job.


Some of Julia’s favorites include Madalyn, Content Marketing Institute, and CoSchedule.


Wendy’s is one of the brands that stood out on social media this year.


PooPourri created funny content that made many of us laugh this year, including Erika.

Q7: How are you preparing for your 2018 content? Do you have a process you follow?

With 2018 fast approaching, many of us have already been planning for the year ahead. When it comes to content creation, we asked how everyone is preparing and if they have a set process they use. Here’s what a few of them had to say:


Madalyn ordered a large wall calendar to help her map out content. If you’re a visual person, this could help you out as well.


Gini is all about having themes for guest columnists and a proper editorial calendar. Not only that, but her team is also launching a podcast.


Erika follows Gini’s content planning process and plugs everything into her editorial calendar.


Conducting a reader survey will help you determine exactly what your audience needs from you.


Aleq is preparing for 2018 by observing audience trends. Then, it’s important to balance those ideas between video and blog content.


Updating older blog content and repurposing what you’ve created is a great way to see results in 2018.


Jason is planning to build a site for his brand. He’s also going to work on his planning and prioritization in the new year.


Cristy knows it’s smart to review reports from the past year to see what worked and what didn’t. This will help influence your plan for 2018.


Cheval plans to continue social listing to learn more about his audience. He also intends to continue writing twice a week on his blog.

Q8: What goals have you set for your content creation in 2018?

To wrap up the chat, we asked everyone to share some of their content creation goals for 2018. Read on to see a few of the responses we received. These just might inspire you to set a few goals of your own!


Madalyn’s goal is to focus more on videos and podcasts in the year ahead.


For Gini, it’s important to focus on business growth and revenue. You want to make sure you’re taking action on the things that’ll help you meet your goals.


Sarah’s goal is to do more of what works.


Lexie knows it’s important to keep your audience happy and engaged.


Consistency is something that many of us are aiming for next year.


Rebecca wants to create her schedule earlier and stick to it as much as possible.


Roselle said she plans to refresh, repurpose, and repackage content in 2018.


Doris has set a goal to get her sales teams more invested. She wants to show everyone the value of social media and setting goals.


For Jeremy, he’s focused on getting it done in 2018. He wants to jump in whenever inspiration strikes.


Cristy’s goal is to take more risks!
This was a fantastic way to end our 2017. We really enjoyed seeing everyone, and having two power influencers, Madalyn Sklar and Gini Dietrich, co-host Tuesday’s session. What a great hour!

Don’t Forget: #ContentWritingChat is Off Next Week! Merry Christmas!

Want to make Twitter chats part of your strategy for 2018? Join us for #ContentWritingChat every Tuesday at 10 AM Central. Follow @ExpWriters and @writingchat so you don’t miss a thing!
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#ContentWritingChat Recap: Content Marketing SEO

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Content Marketing SEO

by | Dec 15, 2017 | ContentWritingChat

This week, we had our monthly community chat for #ContentWritingChat!

There was a lot of great information shared during the busy hour over on Twitter. And we’re recapping it all for you!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Content Marketing SEO

We conducted a poll a while back to see which topics our participants were interested in. One of the topics that came out on top was Content Marketing SEO, so we made it the choice for this week.

Q1: How do content marketing and SEO work together? And why is it important to utilize both?

To kick off the chat, we asked everyone to share how content marketing and SEO go hand-in-hand and why both are important for content creators. Here are a few responses:

Jason knows that if you spend more time on one or the other, your content is going to suffer. It’s important to implement both content marketing and SEO if you want to see major results online.

As Sarah said, they work together to improve each other.

Good content isn’t worth much if it isn’t optimized for your audience to find it. Keep that in mind!

Julia said you can’t have high-ROI without a firm strategy and knowledge on how to use both.

You need great content and you need people to actually discover it. That’s why content marketing SEO is so crucial these days.

Q2: What are some tips to help you create content that truly resonates with your audience?

No matter what, it’s so important that your audience enjoys your content. To create content they’ll want to read and share, here’s what you need to know:

As Lexie said, it’s important to get to know your audience first. They will guide you when it comes to creating content they enjoy.

Once you know who your audience is, you can create with them in mind. Write about the topics they’re discussing to attract attention.

Cheval knows that listening to your audience is so important if you want to create amazing content.

Amanda also said listening is crucial. You can see what your audience responds to, what they comment on, what they talk about, and so much more. That can help guide the direction of your content.

When you pay attention to your audience, the answers will follow. Don’t be afraid to tweak your strategy to best suit them and their needs.

Debi knows it’s important to share content that showcases your expertise, authority, and trustworthiness.

Sarah suggests looking at your analytics. You can see what is grabbing their attention and earning conversions. Do more of what’s working to maximize your results.

If you’re feeling stuck for ideas, ask them! Danielle suggested surveying your audience to see what appeals to them. After all, they’re the best source to ask.

Make sure you’re answering questions people are asking. You want to deliver on an actual need that’s related to your business.

What is your target audience already talking about? Andrea suggests using tools like Quora or BuzzSumo to see what their conversations are centered around. This will give you a great starting point for your next piece of content.

Don’t forget to also check out industry trends. It can be very beneficial to talk about the hot topics of the moment.

Jason made a great point about putting yourself in your audience’s shoes. Figure out their pain points and what kind of information they’d like to have. Then, all you have to do is create it!

Q3: Does consistency matter to SEO when it comes to how often you post on your blog? If so, how often do you write new content?

Does it really matter how often you blog? Is there a magic number of posts you should be publishing each week? Check out this advice:

Julia knows that consistency is huge. You don’t want to drastically cut back on the amount of content you’re producing because your rankings can suffer as a result. However, you also shouldn’t publish somethings that’s rushed or low quality. You need both quality and consistency in order to succeed.

Sarah also knows how important quality is. No one wants to read fluff content. They want something that’s truly going to provide value.

Publishing regularly is great, but it’s only worthwhile if you’re publishing something that’s high-quality.

As Amanda pointed out, no one really wants to follow a blogger who isn’t consistent. Create a schedule that’s actually manageable for you and stick with it. That way, your audience will always know when to expect a new post.

Q4: What is one SEO tip more people should know and implement in their content creation?

Is there an SEO tip you wish more people would use? Our chat participants shared some great advice! Check it out:

More people need to learn how to effective conduct keyword research for their content.

Lexie’s advice is to tastefully use keywords within your content. You don’t want to fill your posts with keywords in a way that’s unnatural. It’ll turn off your readers.

Once you have your chosen keyword, you need to sprinkle it in a few key places throughout your blog post. Use it in the URL, image alt tags, the post title, meta description, etc.

A great headline makes all the difference! Include your focus keyword and make sure it’s something that intrigues people enough to click.

Sarah said you need to link to your new content somewhere else on your site. Internal linking is a big deal for SEO!

Don’t forget to give your images a description by adding alt text. It helps to make your images searchable.

You can also use an SEO plugin to help. Yoast is a great one for this if you’re on WordPress.

Q5: How has SEO changed over the years? Is there a tactic you used to use, but have ditched in recent times?

There are a number of old SEO tactics that are no longer acceptable to use. You’ll want to make sure you stay clear of them! Here are a few our chat participants have ditched:

Ranking blank pages and keyword stuffing are things of the past in the world of content marketing SEO.

Julia said the focus should be on your reader and the quality of your content.

Keyword stuffing, doorway pages, and cloaking… These won’t fly anymore.

Lexie said link building has changed in recent times. It’s important to get quality backlinks from reputable sites, as opposed to getting them from any old site.

It will surely be interesting how things change as the world of video and voice search continues to expand.

Make sure you’re always staying updated with the changes Google makes to their algorithm.

Q6: How do you know if your content is performing well? Are there certain metrics you like to track?

Once you’ve published a piece of content, it’s important to track how it’s performing. Metrics you’ll want to keep an eye on include:

What’s your end goal for your content? As Amanda knows, that’s what really matters because it’ll help you choose the right metrics to focus on. You might be looking for sales, comments, email subscribers, or something else.

Is your audience responding to the content? You want to know that what you’ve created is actually resonating with them.

Are you attracting attention from the right audience? It’s not doing you any good if you’re attracting all the wrong people.

Average time on site, click-through rates, and heat maps are just a few things you may want to watch.

You might even want to check out behavior flow charts to see how visitors move through your site.

Website traffic and email responses are just a couple metrics Devin likes to track.

Bounce rate, shares, comments, and more! These are all things any content creator may be on the lookout for.

Julia suggests tracking things like time on site, chats started for those running live chats, sales inquiries, and conversions.

Q7: Do you have any tools you rely on to create amazing, search engine-optimize content?

There are plenty of tools you can use to help with content marketing SEO. Which ones are the favorites among our chat participants? Check out these suggestions:

Lexie has a few essential tools in her arsenal, which includes Answer the Public.

You can’t go wrong with Google’s Keyword Planner, Google Analytics, and your brain power.

Yoast is a must-have for anyone on WordPress!

Yoast, Google Analytics, SEMrush, and Google Trends are tools Sabjan relies on.

Aisha is also a fan of Yoast, but she also likes to use Grammar Girl.

Debi knows that Google’s tools are essential for any content creator.

Anne also uses Yoast, Google Keyword Planner, and Google Analytics.

Quora, BuzzSumo, and Ahrefs, are also great tools to try out.

To make a splash with your headlines, use CoSchedule’s Headline Analyzer. Danielle also like Hemingway app.

Q8: Which resources do you turn to in order to learn more about content marketing and SEO?

To expand your knowledge on the latest with content marketing and SEO, check out these resources:

Lexie has a few resources she loves, which includes Neil Patel, Search Engine Journal, and even us!

Cheval turns to SEMrush, Search Engine Journal, and Rebekah Radice for all the latest in content marketing SEO.

Moz is another go-to resource.

Danielle loves to read content from HubSpot.

A few of Carla’s favorites include Content Marketing Institute and Medium.

Don’t forget to use social media to see what others are talking about online.

And in case you need another reason to join our next chat, Devin said one of his top resources is our very own #ContentWritingChat.

Twitter chats, blogs, and Google searches are all great, but sometimes it helps to just have a conversation with people in your industry.

Join us for the next #ContentWritingChat! The fun happens every Tuesday at 10 AM Central Time over on Twitter! You can follow @ExpWriters and @writingchat for all the latest.

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