Are you up-to-date on all the latest content marketing trends? In this week’s #ContentWritingChat, we shared all the hottest tips and trends you need to know for a successful content marketing strategy.
Does that sound like just what your brand needs right now? Keep reading for the recap of our latest chat! It’s filled with some amazing advice that you’ll want to implement ASAP!
#ContentWritingChat Recap: Content Marketing Trends for 2017 with Dennis Shiao
Our guest host this week was Dennis Shiao. Dennis handles content marketing at DNN Software. He shared some great tips with us throughout the chat, which you won’t want to miss! Let’s dive into the recap for everything you need to know on content marketing trends for 2017.
Q1: Why is it important to keep an eye on content marketing trends? How can it impact us as creators?
Not feeling convinced that you should be keeping up with the latest when it comes to content marketing trends? These tweets will show you why it’s important for all content creators:
A1 Watching trends help you plan strategy. Sometimes you ride the trend, other times you might go the other way #contentwritingchat
Keeping an eye on the trends will help you plan your strategy. As Dennis mentioned, sometimes you ride the trend and sometimes you go the other way. When you understand the current content marketing trends, it can even give you ideas on how to start a new one.
A1c General advice – don’t follow trends just to follow them. Most people do that. There’s value in being different #contentwritingchat
Julia knows that knowing the latest trends is essential for content creators. You want to stay updated on the platforms, tools, and SEO to better serve your clients.
As Lexie said, knowing the trends shows your clients that you stay on top of all the latest information. It’s going to help them see that you really know your stuff!
A1b: When you monitor marketing trends it means you always have something to test. And everyone should be testing! #ContentWritingChat
Maureen brought up a great point about testing. When you monitor and try out new trends, you can test to see how it works for you. You’ll know what’s the right fit for your brand and your audience.
A1: Part of reflecting and planning your future growth is looking at the past and present state of marketing. #ContentWritingChat
As Ray said, part of reflecting and planning your future growth is looking at the past and present when it comes to content marketing. It’s important to reflect to see where things have been, where they’re going, and how you can adapt.
Q2: What have been the top content marketing trends to implement into your strategy so far this year?
Have there been any game-changing trends you implemented into your strategy this year? Our chat participants shared a few that were essential for them to incorporate:
A2 My belief is that high quality wins. So I’ve been publishing less, but trying to do it better. #contentwritingchat
When you’re creating content, you also need to deliver what your audience wants. Bill is committed to focusing on his existing customers and learning what they need, instead of guessing on what he should be creating.
A2. Recycling content and iterating on what works. Embracing and testing new content formats (audio/podcasting, etc.) #contentwritingchat
Kristen knows that recycling content is a big trend that is really paying off these days. It helps you make the most of what you’ve published in the past. She also said testing new content formats, such as podcasts, is also beneficial.
A2d The other clear trend is podcasting. I haven’t started my own just yet. But I listen to a lot! #contentwritingchat
People are certainly getting more visual with their content this year, which is something that won’t be going away any time soon. Whether it’s graphics or video content, people are loving great visuals.
Interactive content is certainly a great way to engage your audience and get them to take action.
Q3: Many marketers have stepped up content production. What are your tips for managing the content planning and creation process?
With more people taking their content seriously, it can sometimes get tricky managing the content planning and creation process. If you need some help in this area, check out this advice:
A3 Small teams (3 or less), use solid processes. Medium or large teams (4 or more), use processes + software #contentwritingchat
Dennis knows the importance of having clear processes and software to help teams, both big and small. He also mentioned how crucial it is to have a great plan in place. It’s definitely going to help you stay on track in the long run.
Julia also recognizes the importance of great team members, as she’s managing a remote team that’s all across the world. When you have an amazing team behind you, you can really see major growth when it comes to your content.
A3: Have a calendar coordinator, or content manager conduct the symphony. Make sure that it adheres to a great strategy! #contentwritingchat
Maureen suggests having a calendar coordinator or a content manager to help bring everything together. Having someone dedicated to this role will help everyone stay on track and meet deadlines.
A3a. Find people who can help. Even if you are a team of one, there are experts who can provide information. #contentwritingchat
However, you aren’t doomed if you don’t have a team behind you. As Brittany mentioned, there are plenty of experts out there that can provide information that’ll help you out.
A3. Always map your content back to your goals. Planning quarterly goals and/or themes can help guide content too. #contentwritingchat
And editorial calendar is certainly helpful when it comes to the planning process. You need to determine how often you want to publish and what topics you’ll be focusing on.
A3: Stay organized! Editorial calendars are a huge help. Also do your research and keep your content relevant. #ContentWritingChat
As Lori mentioned, it’s great to have a plan, but you also need to be flexible. Be open to making last minute changes to create content for the topics that are relevant in the moment.
For Bryn, repurposing content is a must. It’s going to help you make the most of the older content you’ve already published. All you have to do is find ways to make it fresh again. She teams up with other departments to make this happen.
Q4: What should a content marketer do when they just aren’t seeing the results they hoped for?
If you aren’t seeing the results you hoped for, it’s important that you don’t just give up and quit. You need to figure out how to fix the situation. Here’s some great advice for you:
A4 First step: resist the urge to give up. Understand that content marketing is a long term endeavor #contentwritingchat
First, Dennis said you need to resist the urge to give up. As he pointed out, content marketing is a long-term endeavor. You have to hang in there and keep moving forward, despite any failures you may encounter. He suggests taking some time to reflect because you’ll return feeling refreshed and with new ideas.
A4c Next, consider whether you need to spend more time on distribution. You may be too focused on creation #contentwritingchat
Dennis also said to consider your distribution efforts. Could that be where you’re going wrong? You can’t just expect people to find your content. You have to be proactive about spreading the word. He also recommends talking to your readers, customers, and industry experts to receive feedback on the work you’ve done.
A4: Don’t be afraid to ask your audience for feedback. Getting feedback will help you give them what they want & need. #contentwritingchat
Varun’s advice is to stop, analyze, and restart. You can take inspiration from your niche and other industries, plus take feedback from your audience into consideration.
A4 First, analyze your expectations. Are you monitoring the right goals with the best metrics? Why are those your goals? #contentwritingchat
Lex said you need to ask yourself if you’re monitoring the right goals with the best metrics. You also need to know why those are your goals so you know that you’re working towards.
A4: Change your content writing strategy based off of what performs BEST. Look at the analytics and go from there. #ContentWritingChat
Going back to the advice Dennis shared, Danielle also recommends focusing on distribution. Find new ways to spread the word about your content so more people will check it out.
A4b. Promoting content/connecting w/ my audience via email has always been SUPER helpful in improving results. #contentwritingchat
As Dennis pointed out, there’s all kinds of content floating around these days. It’s not just about blogging because others are turning to live video, podcasting, and so many other formats.
A5. Expectations are higher than ever, which means your content better be worth your audience’s time. #contentwritingchat
Video continues to grow in popularity as the years go on. It’s something that won’t be going anywhere, whether it’s on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube.
A5: Video seems to have really taken off, especially on social. A winning strategy uses ? to promote/support content #ContentWritingChat
Max also agrees that video has taken off in recent years, especially on social media. You want to have a winning strategy for creating and promoting the video content you produce.
Content creators are expected to do so much these days. They have to be skilled not just with writing, but also with SEO, marketing, social media, and video among other things.
A5: Well, at least in my field, #smallbiz has taken content marketing seriously. That’s made it easier to educate them. #ContentWritingChat
Dennis sees content moving to non-traditional platforms, such as smart watches. As he mentioned, your content needs to appear when and where your audience needs it.
A6. Advanced personalization that provides a ridiculously customer-centric approach. #contentwritingchat
Dennis relies on Google Analytics and Excel to manage his content marketing strategy. He also likes to get on the phone and chat with customers. It’s a great way to learn more about them.
A7: To store content ideas and keep them organized, I rely on @evernote. It’s an essential for me. #ContentWritingChat
Do you have a content marketing strategy in place for your brand? If not, it’s time you create one! However, you might be wondering how to get started and that’s where we come in. In this week’s #ContentWritingChat, we talked all about the basics of creating a content marketing strategy of your very own. Keep reading for the recap!
#ContentWritingChat Recap: Content Marketing Strategy 101 with Julia McCoy
Our guest host this week was our very own CEO, Julia McCoy. As a content marketing expert herself, it’s no surprise that she had some amazing advice to share with everyone.
Q1: What is a content marketing strategy and why is it important for today’s brands?
To kick off the chat, we asked everyone to share their own definitions of a content marketing strategy. We also wanted to find out how important they felt it was to have a strategy and why. Check out a few of the responses we received:
A1 A content marketing strategy drives the guidelines, creation, execution and tracking of your content marketing. #ContentWritingChat
As Julia said, a strategy will drive the guidelines, creation, execution, and tracking of your content marketing. She knows it’s necessary if you want to achieve ROI and make goals happen with the content you create.
A1) Content Marketing Strategy is crafting a consistent schedule of content to tell your brand’s story to win customers. #ContentWritingChat
Annaliese said having a strategy in place gives you an established process for why you’re doing what you do, plus guidelines on how to do it.
A1 It’s knowing what to say, how to say it, where and to whom. Having a plan and executing it. #ContentWritingChat
— Maria Tereza Dickson (@terezadickson) June 20, 2017
As Maria pointed out, having a strategy is partly about knowing what you want to say, how to say it, where to say it, and who you’re saying it to. These are all essential things to figure out.
This is a great way to look at it! Jenn said your strategy is your road map from where you are to where you want to be. It’s important to set goals and create a plan of action to help you get there.
Q2: Before you can begin creating content and planning your strategy, what do you need to figure out?
Now that you know what a content marketing strategy is, you’re probably feeling ready and inspired to create one of your own. But before you can get started, there are a few essential things you need to figure out. Take a look at these tips:
Julia’s first tip is to figure out what makes you different from everyone else. When you know what your Content Differentiation Factor (CDF) is, you can embrace that and stand out from the crowd. (Read her Search Engine Journal article she linked to if you want to learn more!)
Next, she encourages you to discover who your audience is. She shares four key tips in the graphic she included with her post. You can learn about this more in-depth in the content course she’s creating.
Sarah knows it’s important to know key information about your audience. Who is your target audience and what do they need? Where do they hang out? What will make them convert? This is all important to figure out so you can create content accordingly.
A2: You need to figure out your audience. Learn who they are then you can determine what type of content to create. #contentwritingchat
Kyle also agrees that it’s important to know what your goals are ahead of time. Are you trying to increase brand awareness or land conversions? Is it something else? Figure that out beforehand so you can create the content that will help you get there.
A2: Know what success looks. Benchmarks? Goals? Objectives under goals? Tactics under objectives? #contentwritingchat
Jonathan chimed in about the importance of setting goals as well. Figure out what a successful piece of content looks like to you and what that means before moving forward.
This is a great answer from Jason. He said you want to determine who your audience is, including their demographics. You also need to establish your brand’s voice, the types of content you’ll be producing, and how everything will work together.
Gaby shared an impressive list of things you should figure out before creating content. She said you should understand: brand/content purpose, message, objectives, audience/target, content topic, industry, and brand voice.
Q3: What steps are required to develop a content marketing strategy for your own brand?
Now it’s time to get into the actual steps of creating a strategy that works. Here’s some helpful advice that will get you started on the right foot:
Julia recommends figuring out who your audience is, keywords, and your defined content types/costs. She also suggests having an editorial calendar, creating a content promotions strategy, and knowing how you’ll perform tracking and maintenance.
Brittany outlined her recommended steps and made it easy to follow along. She says to: gather your insights, outline your business goals, determine your budget and timeline, create personas, establish a process, create calendars, write and edit, and measure.
A3: Truly know the demographic of your audience, and the best way to cater toward them #contentwritingchat
— Roslyn Wertheimer ? (@RE_Wertheimer) June 20, 2017
Roslyn’s advice is to know the demographics of your audience and the best way to cater to them. This is essential in creating content that gets results online.
It’s also helpful to know how you’re going to differentiate yourself from everyone else around. With so many people talking about the same things online, you have to spin that content in a way that will stand out and attract your audience.
Q4: What content types are crucial to help your brand become an authority online?
If you ask any brand, most of them would say they’re on the path to establishing themselves as an authority online. They all want to become the go-to resource for their target audience. But what kind of content can you create to help make that happen? Check out these responses:
Julia encourages you to focus on your own website first. Create amazing content for your blog and then build content for other platforms. Other channels to direct your attention include guest blogging and building a presence on social media.
There are a variety of things that will dictate the types of content you produce. It can depend on your brand, objectives, messaging, your industry, your market, your audience, and also the resources you have.
Annaliese agrees there are a few factors that will dictate the types of content you produce. One thing to consider is what your audience prefers. Do they enjoy videos or are they bigger fans of written content? Figure that out because it’s going to play a factor for your brand.
Ultimately, what matters is that you create valuable content that addresses the questions your audience has. When you can deliver what they want and need, they’ll begin to see you as an authority in your field.
A4. A brand will only become an authority online by sharing relevant content for the audience, and engaging with them #contentwritingchat
It all comes down to sharing relevant content and taking the time to engage with your audience. That’s how you start making an impact in your industry.
Q5: How do you measure the effectiveness of your content? If you aren’t seeing results, how do you make improvements?
In order to know if your content is helping you achieve the results you want, you’re going to have to measure how well it’s performing. Even more important, you’ll need to know how to make tweaks if you aren’t seeing the results you’d hoped for. Here’s some helpful advice:
A5 I highly suggest setting up a tracking project in @semrush to analyze rankings you gain/lose and content success. #ContentWritingChat
Eddie’s advice is to set S.M.A.R.T. goals and objectives beforehand. This will allow you to see what you hope to achieve and which data you’ll need to track closely.
If you find you need to make changes, Annaliese suggests making simple changes. Tweak one thing at a time through A/B testing to see what’s working and what’s not.
A5) A/B testing is extremely helpful for determining what images/copy are effective. #contentwritingchat
Kyle also sees the value in running A/B tests to see which images and copy are the most effective.
Q6: What are the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to developing their content marketing strategy?
If you want to set up a strategy that’s successful, you’ll want to avoid some of the common mistakes that can be disastrous. Here are a few examples so you’ll know what to avoid:
Don’t be so focused on the money that you immediately start pushing the sale. You need to build trust with your audience first if you want them to convert.
It’s more important that you focus on your customers, as opposed to talking about yourself in a self-serving way all the time. Talk to your audience and listen to what they have to say. Learn from them.
Q7: Which tools, calendars, and other resources do you rely on when developing a maintaining a content marketing strategy?
With so many tools and resources available, you’re sure to finding something that will make creating and sticking to a strategy even easier. Take a look at these tools:
The Netvantage Marketing team relies on Google Docs as well as a few other tools to get their work done. It’s clear they know what works best for them.
Mallie keeps it simple with an Excel spreadsheet plus a pen and her paper planner.
Q7: At my last job, we used shared Google docs and sheets to track everything. Not fancy, but it worked.#ContentWritingChat
— Danielle Bullen Love (@daniellewriter) June 20, 2017
Danielle said her previously job relied on Google Docs. As she said, it’s not fancy, but it works. All that matters is that you use tools that are efficient and get the job done.
Q8: Which brands do you think are killing it with their content lately?
Which brands are doing an incredible job with the content they publish? Check out these:
The Rising Tide Society is one brand that consistently puts out great content.
Be sure to join us on Twitter every Tuesday at 10 AM Central Time for #ContentWritingChat! Follow our accounts for all the latest: @ExpWriters and @writingchat!
Did you catch the latest #ContentWritingChat? We had a great discussion all about internal communications tactics. This is one chat you’ll definitely want to check out if you manage or are part of a team so you all can work together effectively. Keep reading for the recap!
#ContentWritingChat Recap: Internal Communications Tactics for World-Class Content Marketing with Pam Didner
Our guest host for this chat was Pam Didner. Pam is a marketing strategist, speaker, and author. The topic of internal communications tactics was inspired by her book, Global Content Marketing.
Q1: Why is internal communication so important for successful content marketing?
To kick off the chat, we asked everyone to share why they felt internal communications was important when it comes to content marketing. We received some great responses and here’s what some of the chat participants had to say:
Pam knows that internal communication can help keep everyone on the team aligned. When everyone is on the same page and they’re all working together, amazing things can happen.
@ExpWriters A1 Great internal communication is THE single most important thing to awesome CM planning and execution, in a team. #ContentWritingChat
As Julia said, great internal communication is so important when it comes to content marketing planning and executing. It’s crucial for all of us here at Express Writers, especially as a remote team.
As Iva said, if you aren’t able to communicate well with your own team, how can you effectively communicate with your clients and your audience?
Q2: How would you define internal communication(s) in content marketing?
We know why internal communications plays such an important role within content marketing, but what does it all actually mean? Take a look at these responses from Tuesday’s chat:
A2 My def: Come together through strategy & work together via process and tools. It’s about following your workflows. #ContentWritingChat
Pam’s definition of internal communications in content marketing is: coming together through strategy and working together via processes and tools. She also states that it’s about following the workflows you have in place.
A2Internal housekeeping: the art of communicating ideas, value and relevancy of content to those across the organization #ContentWritingChat
Maureen said it’s the art of communicating ideas, value, and relevancy of content to those across the organization.
@ExpWriters A2 Having a framework & schedule. Frequent meetings to brain dump, curate ideas together. Ability to co-create content. #ContentWritingChat
When it comes to the Express Writers team, Julia loves to have frequent meetings to brain dump ideas and curate ideas as a team. It allows everyone to co-create.
A2: Having a system where every member of the mkt team is aligned in their efforts, on the same page, on the same sched. #contentwritingchat
For Elizabeth, it’s all about having a system that allows every team member to be aligned and on the same page. After all, it’s so important that everyone on a team is on the right track.
@ExpWriters A2. I would say providing clear directiion to your team and stepping back to allow them to shine #contentwritingchat
Providing clear direction to your team and stepping back to allow them to shine is all part of internal communications for Cheval. It’s great to collaborate as a team, but you also want to give everyone room to do what they do best.
Q3: What are some key steps in creating internal communication tactics?
To create internal communication tactics for your team, you’ll want to read through this helpful advice from the chat:
A3 Key steps:
-Align on comm. objective
-Agree on strategy & tactics
-Execute tactics
-Host Regular meeting/follow up#ContentWritingChat
Elizabeth’s advice is to find the right tools for your team to use. What works for one team might not be ideal for yours, so choose the tools that are going to be the most useful to the work you do. Then, take the time to train your team on how to use it so everyone can get the most from the tool.
Make sure you’re approachable with all members of the team. Create an environment where they feel comfortable opening up with questions and problems they might have by encouraging them to share.
@ExpWriters A3? Bring in EVERY team member w/o hierachy bias – you never know who will launch your next brilliant content idea. #ContentWritingChat
Pam’s advice is to apply those steps by knowing your business objectives, your products, and your team’s communication challenges. You can work together to create a process that’s ideal for your team.
A4: Know your goals + get the team involved. When you create an environment where they feel safe to share, they will. #ContentWritingChat
Know your goals and what you and your team need to achieve. Encourage them all to get involved and share thoughts, ideas, and opinions. You want your team to feel comfortable engaging with you.
@ExpWriters A4 Ask EVERYONE in your team for content ideas. Staff that talk to clients can contribute customer FAQs -> great topics! #ContentWritingChat
And remember, the fundamentals of communication can be applied regardless of business type. Stay in touch with your team and allow everyone the opportunity to let their voice be heard.
Q5: In your experience, what are some of the most efficient tactics?
What are some of the most efficient tactics for internal communications? Check out these responses from the chat:
A5 Face-to-face! When u see a person’s face & start talking, things just get easier. SHOW UP and TALK! #ContentWritingChat
Pam encourages face-to-face conversation. She feels this makes it easier to communicate with other members on your team. If you’re a remote team, you can always try video chatting to make it feel more like you’re with the other people.
Pam’s advice is to select content creation and management tools to aid communications. You then want to create a workflow and define the roles and responsibilities of your team members.
Sarah’s tool suggestions include: a messaging platform, email, team meetings, and a content calendar. She also recommends being honest, open, and accessible.
@writingchat A6: Face to face has been our go-to, but I’m going to employ slack because we have rotating WFH schedules. #ContentWritingChat
For Maureen and her teammates, they’ve relied on face-to-face communication. Since they do often work from home, she said they’re going to start using Slack to stay in touch outside of the office.
Iva recommends using the cloud, chat softwares, and a unified file system. She also encourages people to avoid email overload. After all, no one likes an out of control inbox.
A6: Google Drive is great for collaborating. So get a document going! #ContentWritingChat
Varun said the tools you use should depend on the size of your team and the complexity of communication, which is great advice. What works for one team might not work out so well for yours. He does, however, suggest checking out Slack, Trello, WhatsApp, and even Facebook for Business.
Be sure to start by setting your goals, then work backwards from there to figure out how you’re going to achieve them. This will help you get where you want to be.
A7: Company goals > marketing goals > content marketing goals. Make a flexible plan that aligns to objectives. #ContentWritingChat
Maureen suggests making a flexible plan that aligns to your objectives.
@ExpWriters A7 Deadlines = #1 way to make CM goals happen. Set realistic deadlines and make sure your staff are fully aware/prepped. #ContentWritingChat
As Pam said, the metrics you track the closest will depend on your marketing goals and objectives. Your might track shares, impressions, discount offers, and many others.
A8: Goals are personal. In our biz, we track placements, traffic, conversions and closed deals. #ContentWritingChat
In the latest #ContentWritingChat, we talked all about project management and content marketing. If you want to learn some tips that will take your project management workflow to the next level, this chat is sure to help you out. Keep reading for the recap!
#ContentWritingChat Recap: Project Management & Content Marketing: How to Have a Fluid Content Project Management Workflow with Brittany Berger
Our guest host this week was Brittany Berger. Brittany is a PR and Content Marketing Manager for Mention. She shared a ton of great advice with us, so be prepared to take some notes!
Q1: Why is project management important for content marketing?
To kick off the chat, we asked everyone to share their thoughts on why they though project management played an important role in content marketing. Here are some of the answers we received during the chat:
A1: Content mktg involves so many different assets at every stage of the funnel that there’s just SOO many moving parts #ContentWritingChat
— Brittany Berger ✨ (@thatbberg) March 14, 2017
A1. There are tons of opportunities for things to fall through the cracks or content to become misaligned w/ its goal. #ContentWritingChat
Brittany acknowledges there are many different moving parts when it comes to content marketing. For this reason, there’s always the possibility something could fall through the cracks or your content could become misaligned with the goal. With a project management strategy in place, you can keep everything working as it should be.
As Sarah said, project management helps to keep everyone aligned when it comes to timing. You want to ensure everything gets done on time and that people are meeting deadlines. Having a strategy in place will help you make that happen!
A1: Project Management allows for consistently met deadlines; as well as executable plans that keep goals realistic. #contentwritingchat
Mallorie agrees that it’s essential for consistently meeting deadlines. It gives you the opportunity to set goals and create plans to help you achieve what needs to be done.
A1. I think it helps you keep your content aligned, on time and on (under) budget. And it keeps the overwhelm at bay. #ContentWritingChat
— Bourbon & Honey (@BrittanyBrander) March 14, 2017
Benefits of project management: it keeps your content aligned, keeps you on or under budget, and keeps overwhelm at bay.
A1 Last year: organization went DOWN while content creation went up (CMI). A strong content PM workflow = more success. #ContentWritingChat
Without project management, Cassandra said content marketing becomes chaos. And you don’t want that, do you?
Q2: What does content project management entail?
Now that you know what project management is important to your content marketing, what exactly does it entail? Check out these responses from the chat:
A2 Content project management entails planning, organizing, and executing the different parts & content for a campaign #ContentWritingChat
Brittany said content project management entails planning, organizing, and executing.
A2 Structuring calendars, setting quantity, & deadline structure. Staying on top of the creation process + ppl involved #ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy ? (@JuliaEMcCoy) March 14, 2017
Structuring calendars, setting quantity, and deadline structure all are important aspects of project management. Julia also said you need to stay on top of the creation process and everyone involved.
Sarah said you need to have a goal, figure out your timeline, schedule and plan with your calendar, execute, and make sure you keep all team members on track.
Varun said you need to create your content calendar, know who will be contributing, important dates and events, deadlines you need to meet, as well as targeting and monitoring.
Brittany brought up a solid point for those of who are working solo. Just because you don’t have a team behind you, it doesn’t mean you can take advantage of project management. You should still have a great editorial calendar and assign deadlines to hold yourself accountable.
Q3: What tools are the best for content teams to stay organized?
The great news is, there are a ton of tools out there that can make project management a lot easier. We received some great suggestions in response to this question, so be sure to check these out if you haven’t already!
A3 Tools to communicate, store assets, & organize processes & SOPs will also help your team meet those dates on the cal #ContentWritingChat
— Brittany Berger ✨ (@thatbberg) March 14, 2017
Brittany recommends using tools that will help you communicate, store assets, and organize processes. There are many tools you can choose from to make each of these tasks easier!
She also shared that the team at Mention loves using CoSchedule, which is an amazing tool for planning out your content.
Evernote and Asana are two go-to tools for me. I use Evernote to store ideas and draft content, plus Asana keeps me organized when outlining larger projects and editorial calendars.
The HeyOrca! team loves using Trello, which is a handy app for planning projects and creating to-do lists. They also rely on Slack to communicate with one another.
For Shereese, she switches tools based on the work she’s doing. When handling client projects, she uses Wrike. However, Evernote is a go-to for her personal work.
Q4: How can content writers help prevent overwhelm when working on several projects at once?
The reality is, we often find ourselves juggling multiple projects at the same time. It can be a lot to manage, often resulting in feelings of overwhelm. To prevent that from happening, check out this advice:
A4 Look at each step in the process as its own thing – it can help make projects *feel* smaller and more manageable #ContentWritingChat
— Brittany Berger ✨ (@thatbberg) March 14, 2017
“Outlining and write chapter 5” isn’t as overwhelming as “Finish whole ebook.” You can handle that + more! #ContentWritingChat
Brittany’s advice is to look at each step in the process as its own thing. You want to break larger tasks into smaller, more manageable tasks. Not only is this less overwhelming, but it makes it easier for you to tackle the things on your to-do list.
Prioritize each of your projects and list them in order of importance. Start with what needs to be tackled first and focus on getting it done before moving onto the next.
A4: Timers can work well for this, or just dividing time into manageable chunks for different projects. #contentwritingchat
Beki suggests dividing your time into manageable chunks for different projects. You can use a timer to keep you on track.
A4: Ive found that the best thing I can do is block out times on my calendar and focus on one project at a time #ContentWritingChat
— Breonna Bergstrom (@bmbergstrom161) March 14, 2017
Breonna also agrees with blocking out time on your calendar. This ensures you dedicate ample time to each task so you can stay on track and make progress. She also recommends focusing on just one project at a time.
A4 TIME-BLOCKING. Dedicate the time each project/client deserves and commit yourself to it. Block yourself out time too! #contentwritingchat
Don’t take on more than you can handle. If you stretch yourself too thin, you become overwhelmed and the quality of your work will suffer.
Q5: How can teams maximize the amount of content they’re creating without burning out?
We all want to avoid burning out, especially when it come to content creation. So, how can we create plenty of content without crashing and burning? These tips will help you out:
A5 My favorite trick for avoiding burnout is really separating out the creative vs logistical parts of content creation #ContentWritingChat
— Brittany Berger ✨ (@thatbberg) March 14, 2017
A5 Collecting links, research, screenshots, etc. is completely separate from “writing time” for me, which helps a lot! #ContentWritingChat
Brittany shared some great advice with us. She said she separates the creative versus logistical parts of content creation. Collecting links, conducting research, getting screenshots and other similar tasks are separate from writing time.
Plan out your content in advance and then batch write blog posts, newsletters, etc. Once you get into that writing groove from writing one post, it’s much easier to keep going and write another. It’s a lot more productive to write three posts back to back then it is to write a blog post, complete another task, and then go back to writing blog posts.
A5 Get cozy repurposing & scaling your content. Break it out into content objects & plug & play into diff channels. #contentwritingchat
— Michelle (@michelletweet) March 14, 2017
Don’t forget to take advantage of the content you’ve already created. Michelle said you can repurpose and scale your current content, which will help you get more eyes on the stuff you’ve published in the past.
A5. Find your top-performing content, then recycle & repurpose it for multiple channels. #contentwritingchat
Never stop creating! Zala said you should always collect ideas and brainstorm. She also knows it helps to create content in advance and repurpose what you already have.
A5: Break long-form pieces of content down into smaller pieces of a series. This should buy you some time. #ContentWritingChat
— Javier Sanabria (@SanabriaJav) March 14, 2017
While some audiences love long-form content, others don’t resonate with it as much. If that applies to your audience, you can break up longer content pieces into multiples to create a series. It’s also a great way to keep your audience coming back to your website.
Varun knows collaboration is one key to success when it comes to content creation. He also recommends setting priorities and being open to discussions with your team.
A5: Be realistic. Idealism is great but don’t promise more than you can deliver. Underpromise. Overdeliver. #ContentWritingChat
— Jeremy Murphy (@jeremypmurphy) March 14, 2017
Jeremy’s advice is that you shouldn’t promise more than you can actually deliver. It’s better to under-promise and over-deliver on the content you create.
Q6: What’s the biggest mistake a content team can make when juggling multiple channels and formats?
There are a lot of mistakes a content team can make and we asked people in this week’s chat to share which ones they thought were the worst. Keep these in mind so you can avoid them!
A6 Thinking of each “thing” as a separate project and not looking at how they work and interact with each other #ContentWritingChat
Brittany said it’s a mistake to think of each thing as a separate project. She suggests looking at how everything works and interacts with each other.
A6: failing to openly communicate with one another, if your communication falls apart so will the project #contentwritingchat
— Breonna Bergstrom (@bmbergstrom161) March 14, 2017
If you aren’t communicating with your team, you’re setting yourself up for failure. You need to be open to working together and sharing ideas.
As Jason said, you shouldn’t assume someone has a task covered. This is where open communication comes into place. Keep in touch with your team to make sure everyone is on track.
Jim suggests designating tasks to the specialists and letting them do their thing.
A6: Neglecting a channel can be the biggest mistake. If you don’t have time for it, you shouldn’t have it. #contentwritingchat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) March 14, 2017
Don’t sign up for a platform and then fail to commit to it. If you join a platform, you need to post consistently and be present.
Don’t allow yourself to get discouraged because you can’t do it all.
A6: Trying to push quantity over quality is a mistake. Too many times we “Do it just to do it.” Do it, but, do it well! #ContentWritingChat
— Digital Natives Cast (@DgtlNativesCast) March 14, 2017
Quit pushing quantity over quality. Quality is always more important in the end.
Q7: As a content writer, how can you keep ideas straight when working on multiple, but similar, projects?
It can be tough to keep ideas straight when you’re working on multiple projects. Here’s some advice to help you out:
I’m a huge planner & outliner, and like mapping things out on paper. I like to get ideas out of my head ASAP! #ContentWritingChat
— Brittany Berger ✨ (@thatbberg) March 14, 2017
A7. I also try not to switch back & forth b/w projects too much in one day. Chunking my schedule works great! #ContentWritingChat
Brittany likes to get her ideas out on paper as soon as possible. This is great for ensuring you don’t forget anything and allows you to map everything out later. She also recommends not switching back and forth between projects too much. Chunk your schedule to work on similar tasks back to back.
Jason also agrees that chunking your schedule is helpful. He suggests scheduling blocks when you work on just one project, instead of jumping between different things.
Mallie is a fan of blocking off time on your schedule as well. She even thinks it’s a good idea to give each project its own folder to keep things separate.
Jeremy shared a bunch of great people with us. You’ll want to check them out if you aren’t already! We look forward to seeing you at the next #ContentWritingChat! Mark your calendars weekly for Tuesday at 10 AM Central Time for great chats centered around content writing and marketing. Follow @ExpWriters to stay updated on our new topics and guests!
It’s no secret that every brand needs to have an effective content marketing strategy if they want to see results within their business. However, many brands feel unsure of how to get started when creating a strategy of their own. This week’s #ContentWritingChat was all about the basics of creating a content marketing strategy, so there’s no more excuses. You can get started on yours today!
#ContentWritingChat Recap: Creating a Content Marketing Strategy 101 with Doug Kessler
For this Tuesday’s #ContentWritingChat, our guest host was Doug Kessler. Doug is the is Co-Founder and Creative Director of Velocity. He shared some great insights with our audience about content marketing, so you’ll want to read through these tips and start implementing them.
Q1: Discuss the importance of content marketing for brands in 2017.
So, how important is it for a brand to develop their own content marketing strategy? And what kind of results will it provide once they have? Check out these tips from Tuesday’s chat:
A1 Content marketing has gone from niche tactic to mainstream strategy. #ContentWritingChat
As Annaliese said, content marketing has become expected of brands. She feels it helps you to build an interested audience and can establish you as a thought leader in your industry.
@ExpWriters A1: Content marketing is crucial to build relationships with customers which will lead to more brand loyalty #ContentWritingChat
Content marketing can help you build relationships with your customers, which can ultimately lead to more brand loyalty. You’ll see these kinds of results when you do your content marketing strategy the right way.
— Digital Natives Cast (@DgtlNativesCast) March 7, 2017
The Digital Natives team said it’s key for establishing trust and adding value for your clients.
Q2: What’s the first major step(s) of a solid content marketing strategy for any business/industry?
When creating a content marketing strategy for your brand, there are a few steps you’ll have to take in the early phases. Here’s what you need to know in order to get started:
Doug said that the first step to creating a content marketing strategy is getting to know your audience. If you don’t know who your audience is, you can’t create the right kind of content to attract them.
Know your goals and who your audience is. Once you’ve figured out those two things, you can start planning how you’ll connect with them and what kind of content you’ll create.
Tony recommends finding ways your audience likes to read and access content. Once you’ve figured that out, you can create exactly the type of content they’re looking for.
Q3: Content marketing vs. traditional marketing (i.e., TV spot): Your thoughts? Is one higher ROI?
Today’s brands still invest in traditional marketing as part of their content marketing strategy. There’s no shortage of ads on television. But is it really the most effective tactic or is content marketing the way to go? Here’s what our chat participants had to say:
Kevin’s advice is to figure out who your audience is and where they’re spending their time. Once you know that, you’ll be able to create content and put it directly in front of them on the platforms they’re using.
A3 In today’s market, consumers want relationships with brands. Broadcasting is over. Sales are made in conversations. #contentwritingchat
Keira brought up a great point about how consumers now crave relationships with brands. Those relationships are what help to build trust, which ultimately turns a follower into a customer. Conversations are key to building relationships with your target audience.
A3: We have the ability to track the success of content marketing much easier than traditional marketing. #ContentWritingChat
— Roslyn Wertheimer ? (@RE_Wertheimer) March 7, 2017
As Roslyn said, it’s also easier to track the success of content marketing than traditional marketing. This will help you to really see the results you’re getting from your investment.
Q4: Discuss a few favorite channels/content types that work for you (live streaming, guest blogging, etc.).
The channels and content types that work best for one brand won’t necessarily be what works best for another. It’s important to experiment so you can see what works for you, then make it part of your content marketing strategy. Here’s what seems to be working well for our chat participants:
A4 Fave content types? I’m a big fan of Slideshare. And B2B still loves a chunky eBook. #ContentWritingChat
Doug is a big fan of SlideShade, which we’ve also used here at Express Writers. If you haven’t tried it for yourself, give it a shot and see how your audience responds.
He also mentioned video, which is still very powerful today. Whether you’re uploading videos to YouTube or doing live videos on a platform like Facebook Live, it’s great for your brand.
A4 Fave content marketing avenues: 1) writing authority content on guest blog sites + our own 2) #ContentWritingChat 3) authoring a book ?
As Julia said, she sees results from writing guest blogs for other sites and here on Express Writers. This Twitter chat and her book have also worked out well.
A4: *Consistently* blogging on our own site and guest blogging are great for our industry. #contentwritingchat
Annaliese has seen great results with guest blogging. It’s a fantastic way to increase your exposure since you’re able to get in front of a whole new audience. Social media engagement is also great!
Michelle loves joining Twitter chats. They’re actually a great way to connect with new people and to share your expertise. She also enjoys using the story features on both Instagram and Snapchat.
A4: For @Brandfolder, when we hit on the right customer pain point, our audience takes notice, especially through email. #contentwritingchat
Cheval knows that podcasting is great for building his authority within his industry. Even if you don’t see a return on your investment right away, it can happen over time.
Jeremy said it’s important to test the content you create. This allows you to see what’s working and what’s not. Make sure you’re also being helpful and serving others.
Don’t forget to engage with your audience regularly. It shows them that you’re human and helps to build a connection.
Q6: How can you identify if your content marketing strategy is actually working and generating results?
Once you’ve developed and implemented your content marketing strategy, how do you know if it’s working for you? These tips will show you what you need to track:
As Kristi said, this is where your goals come in. You need to set goals for the content you create so you can see if it was actually effective. If it is, great! If not, you need to make some changes.
We look forward to seeing you at the next #ContentWritingChat! Mark your calendars weekly for Tuesday at 10 AM Central Time for great chats centered around content writing and marketing. Follow @ExpWriters to stay updated on our new topics and guests!