The average cost of an ad is around $5 million. Marketing for one commercial spot can cost as much as $1.25 million.
That comes out to about $41,600 dollars / second.
$5 million for one short spot?
Could it be wasted money?
The truth, according to a Stanford study, is that commercials by soda and beer companies have an insignificant effect on revenue. And 80% of commercials do nothing to boost sales or purchase intent, according to Bloomberg experts.
Here’s my next question.
Could content marketing outperform a Super Bowl ad?
I think so.
In today’s post, I’m making the argument that it can, by comparing a two-year investment in content marketing ($37k) vs. a 1-second Super Bowl ad investment ($41k). Read on.
The High Cost of Being in the Super Bowl Ad Game
Companies justify the cost of advertising in order to keep pace with the competition, to give their brand greater visibility, and to keep consumers talking long after the winning touchdown is made.
To add to the mix, the rise of social media and advanced technology means we can share, YouTube, and tweet these commercials over and over again after companies have rushed to take the first place in line when commercial previews are unveiled in January.
Fun fact: the steep $5 million price tag is double what a Super Bowl ad cost ten years ago.
Can you afford to spend that much on content marketing?
The best of content creators could come up with a variety of efficient ways to spend $41,000 dollars in their efforts aside from a 30-second television spot.
Content marketing doesn’t have to be crazy expensive. And there are many ways a brand can spread a message that are both cost-effective and impactful.
Check out these incredible content marketing statistics:
61% of U.S. online consumers have made a purchase based on recommendations from a blog. (BlogHer)
70% of consumers say they prefer getting to know a company via articles rather than ads. (SlideShare)
Content marketing costs 62% less than traditional marketing. (Demand Metric)
See the pattern? Content marketing costs are less expensive and the preferred method for consumers to get to know a brand. This frees us up to explore other avenues in our quest to deliver authoritative and authentic copy.
Thankfully, those methods are cost-effective, allowing us to market a brand without a hefty price tag; we’ve gathered three effective tools and some powerful stats to show you how.
Ready to jump in?
The Math: Content Marketing Costs vs. Super Bowl Ad Costs
(Content costs based on our agency services at Express Writers. Keep reading for the breakdown.)
Why High-Quality Content Marketing Plays a Vital Role in a Brand’s Life (& 3 Winners)
Content marketers have proven time and again that they don’t need to spend thousands of dollars per second on flashy advertising in order to be successful. Reasonably-priced content marketing has the potential to make a difference to a brand’s online life.
High-quality tools like e-books, blogging packages, and social media can do wonders for a marketer’s efforts and bring a new vitality to a brand’s online presence for a non-millionaire price.
Here are three cost-effective, lead-generating content tactics you can use when you don’t have millions to invest in a Super Bowl ad.
1. Ebooks
With the right promotion and the support of a collaborative team, an e-book can not only generate leads, but also be the tool that converts. An e-book can set you apart as an authority in your field and can serve as a powerful source of information for your audience for years to come.
Another benefit of ebooks is the opportunity to deconstruct the content into smaller pieces, which could include:
a series of newsletters
blog posts
podcast series
a list of do’s and don’ts
Barry Feldman over at Convince and Convert calls this the “e-book equation.” He notes that while planning for your ebook, it should be formed in such a way to “cast a wide net over a fertile area that traces to one of your strengths,” then outlined, researched, and written with the knowledge that it will “foster offspring.”
2. Blogging
In the 2017 Content Marketing Institute Benchmarks report, 75% of B2C marketers noted that blogging was one of an average of seven marketing tactics used in their efforts; this fell just under the top answer of social media content
Just over half of those surveyed said blogging will be most critical to their content marketing success.
In their most basic form, blogs are easy to use and can cost almost nothing to maintain. As a converting tool, blogs can be the fuel that moves readers to your social media channels and sales pages. Blogs are the place where SEO is maximized.
Successful blogging in today’s world of content development is easier than ever. The accessibility of quality tools for content marketers leaves us with little excuse for delivering subpar content on an inconsistent basis.
Quora is a question-and-answer site that will help content creators with new ideas for topics. (link)
BuzzSumo allows you to enter a topic or website into the search box and find the key influencers to help promote your content. (link)
Canva lets users express creativity through custom-made images, and many of the elements are free. (link)
If used consistently and creatively, blogs can be a powerful tool in your arsenal. Why does consistent blogging win? Read more here.
3. Social Media
The rise of social media over the past several years has had both a direct and indirect impact on content marketing and search engine optimization. Having a social media presence is not only one way to build brand awareness, it also connects us more closely with our audience with opportunity for engagement.
In the CMI research mentioned above, social media channels followed email as the top for distribution of content, which means marketers are becoming more aware of how important it is to be linked to sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Why invest in social media?
Nearly 70% of Americans use social media to connect with others and engage with content. (Source)
Vision trumps our other senses. We remember 10% of what we hear and 65% of what we see. (Source)
Tweets with images received 18% more clicks than those without. (Source)
81% of marketers found that increased traffic occurred with as little as 6 hours per week invested in social media marketing. (Source)
Social media continues to be an important and affordable component of an overall content strategy, and with the right approach, it’s reach can be wide.
What A 2 Year Investment in Content Services Can Bring You
The services available from our own agency offer a higher value for the cost, and our clients receive much more than they would with other avenues. Our team is made up of trained and committed writers, designers, and social media experts who combine their trained approach with industry knowledge to deliver top-notch content for your needs.
Here are just a few of the high ROI services available from our specialists at Express Writers.
Ongoing blogging plan: Choose this plan and we will provide your website with 16 blogs per month with up to 1000 words each. Includes branded imagery, meta descriptions, and publishing. Every blog is SEO optimized, written by our engaging blog writers, and includes high-quality links and reader-friendly formatting (H2s / H3s). Proofreading by our editorial staff is included. Price: $980 per month. Additional services include content planning and expert writing. (See it here)
Authority blogs: Receive up to 4500 words backed with keyword strategy and research by our trained Content Strategists who will find a low competition, high opportunity long-tail keyword to include and optimize for in your content. Your content is then assigned to an industry-fit Authority Writer, and written from scratch. Original illustrations will be created by our designer and you will receive a feature graphic to use on social media. Price: $900 per month. (See it here)
Web pages: Custom Expert copy services begin at 500 words and include content written by a handpicked writing expert who specializes in your chosen subject. Select your word count, send us the details, and we will take care of the rest! Price: $90 per piece. (See it here)
E-book/whitepapers: These two products serve as the perfect lead magnet for content marketing. A ten-page e-book is created with expert copywriting and original illustrative designs crafted from scratch. Price: $750 (See it here). Our creative and experienced marketing team writers produce whitepapers for a variety of services and businesses that can be delivered as copy only or beautifully designed for your need. Price: $100 (See it here)
Social media plan: The social media Enterprise Plan offers you the maximum mileage for your content. You will receive custom-designed text images added to your posts, which will be posted multiple times daily to various platforms. Five custom premium branded images are designed and posted on a weekly basis, including to Pinterest. Price: $1025 per month. (See it here)
A Content Success Story
Here at Express Writers, we remain committed to delivering custom content that works for our clients. Check out what happened when a marketing agency connected with us for their content needs.
Marketing Labs is a digital marketing agency located in Worksop, England that is dedicated to helping online businesses increase their website traffic and improve conversion rates. Their team of professionals includes many individuals who possess more than a decade of experience in the area of online growth and customer service. Based on thei expertise, they were set to become a premier digital marketing agency in their area.
In their search for a copywriting agency that would bring a certain level of competency to the table, they realized they needed not only quality writing, but the speed and knowledge necessary to deliver authoritative content for their digital marketing efforts.
After connecting with Express Writers, our team began creating and implementing a content plan for the Marketing Labs blog, as well as cleaning up and optimizing the product description copy for one of their clients. The results were amazing.
The Marketing Labs team is now in place to become a leading digital marketing agency throughout all of England. As their CEO Matt says, “Being able to add the kind of quality writing (EW provides) to our services makes us an extremely attractive proposition to those seeking to optimize their digital exposure.”
Recapping the Challenges to Content Marketing
We can’t end without recapping some of the top challenges facing content marketers.
Only 40% of those surveyed claim to have a documented strategy; 42% plan to increase their content marketing spending over the next year.
If we want to enhance our efforts, we need both a documented strategy and a marketing budget. Those are two tangible steps we can start working on today, right where we are.
Once a strategy is documented (what you want to accomplish and when), and a budget is set (how much you can spend and on what), the next challenge comes with researching, writing, and scheduling all of that awesome content.
That is, if you have the time.
If not, there are some options out there.
Delegating a team member: If you are part of a larger team, there is a good chance someone is a skilled writer or social media guru who can take over the responsibility of content creation. Maybe that means hiring someone to join the team with the specific task of writing and managing your e-books, social media, and blogs.
Hiring a freelancer: A freelance writer may charge by the hour or the piece, and rates may be negotiable. Quality of the work may not be guaranteed, and you should remember that you get what you pay for. A freelancer may or may not be well-versed in the topics you are focusing on, so there needs to be clear communication so that the right message is delivered.
Working with an outside agency: A well-qualified agency with a reputation for excellence and a commitment to quality will have a team of trained writers who are prepared to fulfill your content creation needs. Beyond a single, pay-by-the-page blog post, a team of writers can be invaluable for e-book creation, ongoing blog plans, and social media management that will increase the visibility of your brand and put authority behind your message.
Is Your Brand Creating Content That Makes for an Extremely Attractive Proposition?
It can be a tough business, this content marketing gig. Almost half of us feel like we are only somewhat more effective when compared with a year ago, and that’s understandable.
We face deadlines and budgets and client expectations every day, and we all know time stops for no marketer. And that’s saying nothing for our life outside of work (hopefully you have one. If not, that’s a topic for another post).
While some things are out of our hands, there some things we content marketers can control.
We can do things like:
document a strategy
set goals for our content
develop a vision for our own brand that we strive to live out in our daily schedule
These are the basic parts of effective planning, and should be the basis for every piece of content we create. The strategy, goals, and vision for our brand need to be woven into the message we convey.
There are other things that are out of our control. Contrary to what we may believe, we can’t do it all, and we need the support of a collaborative team and guidance from industry experts.
We can’t perform miracles like:
put more hours in the day
accomplish all our goals without support
make $41,000 suddenly appear in our budgets for advertising (unless you can, in which case, give us a call)
For all that we cannot control, there are cost-effective, time-saving options that can work wonders for our marketing efforts and make us an extremely attractive proposition. The tools at our disposal like automated scheduling and the use of repurposed content are designed to make content creation easier and are a good place to start.
Consider a partnership with an agency of well-qualified writers, designers, and social media managers who can take your good ideas and turn them into a conversion masterpiece.
Keep Moving Forward
We can’t all afford Super Bowl ads. But we can all take steps forward in the journey of creating high-quality, authoritative content that will engage our audience and keep them coming back for more. All without breaking the bank.
Did you miss #ContentWritingChat this week or could you use a refresher on all the great tips that were shared? You’re in luck because our recap of Tuesday’s chat on content curation is here! If you’re ready to dive in, grab some paper to take notes and keep on reading!
#ContentWritingChat Recap: The Benefits of Curation in a Content Marketing Strategy with Sasha Laferte from Curata
Our guest host this week was Sasha Laferte. Sasha is the Content Marketing Manager for Curata. She’s also a digital marketer and storyteller. For this week’s chat, she joined us via the Curata account to share her top tips on the benefits of curation in a content marketing strategy.
Q1: What are the benefits of content curation?
To kick off the chat, we asked everyone to share their thoughts on why they felt content curation was beneficial. If you haven’t felt the need to incorporate content curation into your content marketing strategy, these tweets just might convince you! Here’s what some chat participants had to say:
As Sasha said, content curation can help improve SEO, increase lead generation, promote thought leadership, increase your content output, and more. She also shared a link to a helpful article on Curata’s website that’s worth checking out.
Jenn seemed to be on the same page with his answer. She said content curation provides a way to generate more content. It also helps to position you as a thought leader and adds value to your audience.
By curating great content, you’re able to share relevant articles and valuable knowledge with your audience without having to write it yourself. It’s also a great way to learn what others in your industry are saying.
As Angelica said, with content curation there’s less pressure to create all the things. You can have a balance of your unique content, plus content curated from other sources.
Q2: Is content curation plagiarism?
Many question whether or not content curation is considered plagiarism since you’re sharing content from another source. Here are some of the responses we received during the chat:
Sasha doesn’t think content curation is plagiarism. She said to make sure you add a new title, body paragraph, and credit the original article. This will ensure you’re in the clear!
Sarah has the right idea! If you’re sharing someone else’s content, you should always credit the original source. It’s always a good idea to add your own spin on the content to give it a fresh perspective for your audience.
Odds are, people will love when you share their content. It’s a great way to start building a relationship with someone as long as you curate the right way. They’ll appreciate that you thought highly enough of their work to share it.
A2: Great Q. If you present it as if it’s your content, it’s plagiarism. Respect the creators. Give explicit credit #contentwritingchat
If you publish a piece of content as your own when it’s not, that’s definitely plagiarism. Avoid any trouble by respecting the original creators, as Mike said, by giving them credit.
In case we haven’t made our point clear, make sure you give credit! Also, how appropriate is this GIF Jamie shared?
Q3: How much content should I curate?
Now that you’re sold on why it’s important to add content curation to your content marketing strategy, you need to know how much content you should be curating. Here’s some advice straight from Tuesday’s chat:
A3 According to our data 65% of content should be created internally, 25% should be curated and 10% should be syndicated #ContentWritingChat
Sasha shared some pretty interesting statistics with us. According to Curata’s data, 65% of your content should be created internally. 25% of your content should be curated and 10% should be syndicated. Do you agree with these results?
A3: Curate as much content as you think is valuable. Don’t curate just to churn out content. Be a gatekeeper for content#contentwritingchat
Mike is spot-on with his answer! He recommends only curating as much content as you think is valuable. Don’t curate just for the sake of publishing content. Everything you share with your audience should be relevant and add value.
Julia feels the amount of content curation you do will depend on how much unique content you’re producing. If you produce plenty of content, curate less. If you don’t, curate more.
A3. Difficult to be a thought leader in your industry if you’re only sharing other’s thoughts. I lean 80/20 #ContentWritingChat
Brittany said it’s difficult to position yourself as a thought leader in your industry if you’re only sharing thoughts from others. Balance your curation with original content. When you do curate, add your own take on it to provide your own unique thoughts and ideas.
In the end, it’s going to depend on your strategy. What works for one brand might not be what works well for you. One key thing to remember is to make sure you’re producing original content as well.
Sasha said curated content can actually improve SEO. She advises to avoid reposting full text or repeatedly doing so from a single source. Read the article from Curata she shared for more tips!
Sasha suggests turning to a variety of sources to find great content. Check out trade publications, blogs, news outlets, and more to discover valuable content.
A5: Trusted and respected sources whose content provides value to your audience. #ContentWritingChat
Right on, Lauren! A key thing to remember when curating content is to stick to sources that are both trusted and respected. You can count on them to provide accurate information that adds value to readers.
A5: Reliable sources with valuable content. If you aren’t 100% sure about the content, then you should not share it. #contentwritingchat
Lexie said to use reliable sources that share valuable content. She also recommends being 100% sure about the content before you share it with your audience. If you aren’t, pass on sharing it.
Turn to the thought leaders in your industry to see what they’re sharing. Curate content from them when you can. It’s a great way to start building a relationship with them.
Erika suggests turning to some uncommon sources that are still of interest to your audience. You never know what gems you might uncover! She uses Feedly as a way to discover new content.
A5) Find a handful of trusted sources (websites, blogs, news, social profiles) that you read/visit on a regular basis. #contentwritingchat
It’s a great idea to have a selection of sites that are trusted sources you can turn to any time. Read them on a regular basis to stay updated with what they’re sharing.
A5. Get a list of industry/thought leader sources that you trust. Don’t post content from the same source over & over. #ContentWritingChat
Sasha weighed the pros and cons of having a dedicated site for content curation. One one hand, she said it’s great for SEO, experience, and establishing you as a go-to resource. However, there’s also a big time commitment that comes along with that.
Ask yourself the questions Lex suggested. Would your audience use it? Do they need it? Considering you need your audience to be interested in it, you want to consider their needs before moving forward.
Q7: What are your thoughts on curated newsletters?
What do you think about curated newsletters? Do you enjoy them or do they automatically get deleted when they land in your inbox? Check out some of the responses we received during the chat below. Here’s a spoiler: If you enjoy creating a curated newsletter, give it a try and see how your audience responds. If they love it, keep going! If not, try something else.
A7 Pros: educate audience on a regular basis w/ out fail unlike widgets or microsite. Cons: Not indexed or real time. #ContentWritingChat
Over at Digital Natives, they feel a newsletter is better suited to provide an inside look at your own company. And it sounds like Robyn feels the same way! She thinks newsletters should tell a brand’s story to subscribers, instead of sharing content from others.
As Debi said, just make sure the curated content you add provides value to your reader.
Q8: How can I measure content curation success?
Now that you’re ready to dive into the world of content curation, you need to make sure your efforts are working for you. Here’s how to measure your success:
Make sure you set goals for your content first so you know exactly what you hope to achieve with everything you share.
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!
Did you check out the latest #ContentWritingChat? If not, you’re in luck because we have a recap of our latest chat! We talked all about that content sweet spot and how to create content that gets both shared and linked so you can make the most of your content marketing strategy. Want to learn more? Keep reading!
#ContentWritingChat Recap: The Content Marketing Sweet Spot: Content That Gets Both Shared & Linked with Mark Traphagen
Our guest host this week was Mark Traphagen. Mark is the Senior Director of Brand Evangelism at Stone Temple. He’s also a speaker and author. He joined #ContentWritingChat to share his top content marketing tips with us, so you won’t want to miss the great insights he shared.
Q1: How much content builds both brand and SEO value?
So, exactly how much content builds both brand and SEO value? Find out what Mark and some of Tuesday’s chat participants had to say:
A1: The quick answer: not much. Most content is focused either on SEO or brand building. Hitting sweet spot is harder #contentwritingchat
Mark’s answer? Not much. He feels most content is focused either on SEO or brand building. So many people are focused more on creating content for SEO purposes or increasing social shares, that brand building is an afterthought.
One thing to always keep in mind when creating content is to focus on providing value. When you provide value to your audience, it’ll increase engagement and sharing. People will want to link to you when you’ve given them something beneficial.
A1. Quality > quantity. That being said, it’s best to put out content consistently and regularly! #ContentWritingChat
Quality over quantity every single time! You want to put out content regularly, but everything you publish should be high-quality.
Q2: Why are share metrics alone not the best measure of the value of your content?
These days, so many brands are obsessed with sharing metrics. They want to know how many social shares they’re getting on every piece they create and how many shares they receive on each platform. But the thing is, it’s not the best measure of how valuable your content is to your audience. Here’s why:
Mark makes a great point when he said that the majority of content that’s being shared is not actually being read. Yikes! That means that many times people are just sharing your content without knowing what it’s all about. In the end, that doesn’t help to build your brand.
A2: Most people just share without reading the content, they don’t get the value, visit the site or convert #ContentWritingChat
As Brandie said, if people aren’t taking the time to read your content, they don’t receive value. They also don’t visit your website and they’ll never have the chance to convert.
As Sarah said, it’s more important to see people linking to your content, engaging with what you’ve created, and converting. Social shares don’t mean that any of those things are happening.
A2: Sharing is caring, but how much of it turns into engagement or membership? That’s what we’re aiming for #contentwritingchat
Sharing is definitely caring, but it’s important to see how much of those shares turn into engagement or some other type of conversion. You want to see results from those social shares for it to truly make a difference.
As Mark said, if your content attracts good links, it’s a good sign that it was truly valuable for your reader. You want to see people taking the time to link to your work. Earning links is also much harder than getting social shares, so it’s a good overall measure of the success of your content.
If you’d like some extra reading on the subject, check out this post that Mark shared. It’s a study that shows backlinks are still powerful when it comes to SEO.
Julia knows that creating and promoting great content will encourage links to happen naturally. Moral of the story? Make sure you give your audience quality content that’s valuable to them.
Q4: What kinds of content earn the sweet spot of both shares and links?
As part of your content marketing strategy, we know you want content that earns both shares and links. So, how do you do it? Our audience shared the content types that they think work best:
The study showed that opinionated journalism hits that sweet spot between links and shares. If you’re going to try it yourself, make sure you present a clear point of view and your take on the issue. The study also revealed that content with data-backed research often gets both shares and links.
Create content that answers those burning questions your audience has. When you provide them with valuable information, they’ll want to link to you and share it on social media.
A4. It depends on your brand, but customer-centric, evergreen, high-quality content usually fits the bill. #contentwritingchat
Sarah also agrees that it largely depends on your audience. You want to figure out what grabs and keeps their attention. That’s what you need to create!
Content that is relatable and touches your reader on a personal level is a great way to earn links and social shares. Find out what resonates with your audience and create more of that to see results.
Tony knows valuable and informative content is always popular with readers. Include images, videos, and infographics to increase those links and shares.
a4: The sweet spot, is creating the right content, at the right time, and reaching the right audience – its always diff. #contentwritingchat
Creating the right content at the right time and reach the right audience for a winning formula.
Q5: How do you craft question-answering content that hits the sweet spot?
When creating content, it’s so important to address and answer the common questions your audience has. If you want to learn how to do it and get major results that hit the sweet spot, keep these tips in mind:
A5 Most immediate way is to pay attention to what your customers are asking #contentwritingchat
Pay attention to what your customers are asking. If you want to create content that answers their questions, you need to get to know them first. Figure out what they’re asking, then start creating.
A5 Ask your sales/cust svce people what questions they constantly get from prospects #contentwritingchat
As Mark said, one of the best ways to do this is to refer to your sales and customer service team. Find out what questions they get from prospective customers. He also suggests looking for questions in blog comments that have gone unanswered. Create a blog post that answers them.
A5: Really know your audience. That’s the only way to know the Q’s they truly want answers to-craft content around that #contentwritingchat
If you aren’t sure what your audience wants, don’t be afraid to ask them. Talk to your audience and your team members to get ideas. Figure out what people are talking about and what they’re looking for from you. Sending out a brief survey is a great way to get responses.
Julia knows research is a must to figure out what your audience wants. She uses BuzzSumo, Quora, and Answer the Public to find hot questions in her industry.
A5. Deliver detailed solutions that go above & beyond what others are writing about the topic. Put a unique spin on it! #contentwritingchat
Once you’ve found the questions you want to answer, you need to provide amazing content that gives an answer. Kristen said to deliver detailed solutions that go above and beyond what others are writing on the topic. This is sure to help you stand out and earn you those links and shares. Put your unique spin on the content as well to really make an impact.
Q6: Why is content with a strong opinion sweet spot content?
Mark previously mentioned that a study showed opinionated content hits that sweet spot of both links and shares. But why does it get such major results online? Let’s find out:
A6 B/c people want sources to back up their own opinions/thoughts #contentwritingchat
Mark said people want sources that back up their own opinions and thoughts. People are also drawn to opinionated content because they want to engage with it. They want to agree with what was said or challenge it.
A6 Good opinion content will also get you invited to speak, write elsewhere & guest in chats like this! #contentwritingchat
Julia said that strong opinions and taking a stand is the content of today and tomorrow. When you share your opinions, you being to attract your tribe and build a fan base.
A6: People like like-minded people. Same goes for the content they read. They want it to agree with their opinion. #contentwritingchat
Erika said opinionated content is authentic and can define the brand and what it stands for. Strong opinions also illicit an emotional reaction in readers, which can trigger engagement.
A6: Be controversial – be different from the crowd and don’t be afraid to offer an alternative view #ContentWritingChat
Strong opinions are sure to get people talking. They might agree or disagree with what you have to say, so be prepared for an increase in comments of people voicing their opinions.
Q7: Why is original research great sweet spot content?
Original research is also a great way to earn links and social media shares. Here’s why your audience will love it:
A7 similar to opinion content, good research content helps people prove a point, so they share and link #contentwritingchat
Mark said original research helps to prove a point, which often encourages people to share it and link to it. It’s also a great way to build your brand’s credibility and authority.
A7: It helps build your credibility, shows you care enough to do the research & not just write. People like proof! #ContentWritingChat
Kristi agrees that original research can build your credibility. It shows that you care enough to take the time to conduct the research, which your audience will appreciate.
A7: Providing original content can make you an authoritative figure in your field & bring people back for more. #contentwritingchat
Do you want to be seen as an authority in your field? Try doing some research of your own! It’s a great way to get people coming back to your content time and time again.
Kristen knows conducting research might be labor intensive, but your audience will certainly appreciate the information once it’s published for the world to see.
Content Marketing Institute and BuzzSumo are two brands that really stand out with their own original research.
Q8: Why is adding original insights to trending topics a sweet spot strategy?
Should you add your own insights to trending topics? Absolutely! Trending topics are great to add to your content marketing. It’s perfect for hitting that sweet spot with your content and here’s why:
A8 Everyone hops on a trending topic. The trick is to stand out with an original thought/take on it #contentwritingchat
It’s a good idea to put a fresh spin on trending topics by adding your own insights. It’s a great way to differentiate from what others are already saying. 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!
Are you searching for some great content marketing tips? You’ve come to the right place! We’re recapping our latest #ContentWritingChat, which was packed with tips you’ll want to start using today. Keep reading to see what our chat participants had to say!
#ContentWritingChat Recap: Content Marketing Strategies for Bloggers with Lilach Bullock
Our guest host for this week’s chat was Lilach Bullock. Lilach is a speaker, as well as a social media consultant and trainer. She joined our chat to share some of her top content marketing tips for bloggers.
Q1: Discuss how important blogging is to content marketing.
Of course we know that there’s more to content marketing than just blogging. However, blogging does play a huge part in our content marketing strategies. Here’s what some of Tuesday’s chat participants had to say about it:
A1 Very, very important. Blogging offers one of the easiest ways to provide valuable content to audiences #ContentWritingChat
As Lilach said, blogging is very important to content marketing. She said it provides a way for you to give your audience valuable content. It becomes your place to consistently provide your audience with the information they need.
She also said a good blog offers value to customers and increases traffic to your website. After all, people will want to head over to your website to see what you’re sharing!
A1 Blogging is the cornerstone of content marketing! It’s your consistent content platform, voice, open book for readers #ContentWritingChat
Sarah knows just how powerful a blog post can be. She said you can send your audience to your blog so they can learn more. Then, you can encouraged them to take action from your posts. Of course, it’s also great if they share your posts because it sends more traffic your way!
Debi knows just how important blogging can be. As she said, it’s important to share great information that your target audience would be interested in. It keeps them engaged and keeps the information fresh for search engines.
Q2: How can bloggers get started with putting together a content marketing strategy?
Now that you know just how integral blogging is to your content marketing plan, it’s time to create a strategy. How do you do it, you ask? Here are some tips to keep in mind:
A2 There are 5 important aspects to remember: short form content for blogging, premium content for subscribers #ContentWritingChat
Lilach believes there are five important aspects to remember here. She knows how great short-form content can be for your blog, however we also know long-form content is great as well. It’s important to experiment and see what your audience enjoys the most.
She also recommends creating premium content for your subscribers. Next, she mentions SEO, designing visual content, and creating audio content.
As Sarah said, you need to know your audience. That’s where it all starts. You cannot expect to create content without first knowing who your audience is. Then, figure out the goals you want to achieve and start planning to make them a reality.
A2) Define your objectives, your niche and work out who your audience is. Plan before you do anything else #ContentWritingChat
Olivia also knows the importance of setting objectives. Once you have them in mind, you can determine the strategies that will help you get your desired results.
A2 Get to know your audience like they’re a friend. Speak their verbage. Map out a consistent editorial calendar #ContentWritingChat
We can’t stress this point enough: get to know your audience. Speak their language so you appeal to them. And don’t forget to make an editorial calendar. When you plan in advance, content creation is much less stressful.
A2 Begin with the end in mind: What action(s) do you want your audience to take as a result of your efforts? #contentwritingchat
Bill recommends beginning with the end in mind. What actions do you want your audience to take? It’s important to remember this when creating content for your blog.
A2: have a solid marketing plan for all the platforms you use and make sure they integrate together smoothly #contentwritingchat
Stephanie knows that you need to think beyond your blog, too. You should create a content marketing plan for all of the platforms you use and make sure they work together to support each other.
Important things to keep in mind: who you’ll reach, how often you’ll write content, and which topics you’ll cover.
Q3: What tools can help you be successful when it comes to content marketing?
There are plenty of great tools available that can help you with your content marketing strategy. If you want to check some out, take a look at these suggestions:
Lilach uses CoSchedule to plan out her editorial calendar. It certainly comes in handy to have everything planned in advance! She also uses BuzzSumo to find out what types of content works within her niche.
Much like so many of our other participants, Brittany also likes Yoast, Canva, and BuzzSumo. It’s no wonder so many people like them because they’re all amazing tools.
One thing you can’t forget is an email service provider! You need a way to capture the email addresses of visitors to your website so you can reach them after they’ve left.
Q4: How do you integrate content marketing with other marketing strategies?
It’s important that your content marketing strategies work hand-in-hand with other marketing strategies you implement. Here’s how to do that:
A4 Make sure your content stays true to your values and overall tone #ContentWritingChat
As Lilach said, it’s important your content stays true to your values and your tone. Everything you create should be representative of you and your brand.
Lilach knows it’s important to provide valuable content consistently. She also said never to forget what your brand is all about. It’s important to stay true to your vision.
It’s important that your campaign leads people to the end destination. What do you want people to do? Your campaign needs to move them in that direction.
Q6: What is the biggest misconception about content marketing?
There are quite a few misconceptions about content marketing that people still believe. Check these out:
A6 One of the biggest ones: that all you have to do is create some great content & it will do the work for you #ContentWritingChat
As Lilach said, some believe all you have to do is create great content and it’ll do all the work for you. This simply isn’t true! It takes a lot more than just content creation.
A6 Quantity over quality. You don’t need more content, you need BETTER content. #ContentWritingChat
Creating a lot of content won’t guarantee leads, ROI, and exposure will start coming your way. It takes time to get results. You have to consistently create and promote your content to spread the word.
A6: Not keeping in mind that your content needs to have actual value to your audience – steps, info, or goal-oriented. #ContentWritingChat
Create an editorial calendar to plan your content. When everything is planned in advance, content creation is less stressful. There’s no more scrambling to come up with content at the last minute.
A7: Don’t post for the sake of posting. Everything you publish should provide value to your audience. #ContentWritingChat
Don’t post on your blog just for the sake of posting. The content you publish needs to provide value to your audience and should always be high quality.
A7 Find your niche. Be authentic. Know that success doesn’t happen overnight. #ContentWritingChat
You should always cater your content to your audience. Sarah also knows that creating evergreen content is a great idea because it’s always fresh. Writing in a conversational tone also helps people connect with you.
A7: If you want to blog, create a solid plan. Have a calendar, target market, topic list, and, most importantly, goals. #contentwritingchat
Julia knows planning is essential! She recommends planning your best keywords and topics.
Q8: Which brands consistently do an amazing job with their content marketing campaigns?
There are so many brands who do an amazing job with their content marketing campaigns. It’s a great place to look for inspiration! Check out these brands who are creating fantastic content:
You’re making us blush! Thanks for the compliment, Tim!
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!
Did you miss #ContentWritingChat this week? There’s no need to worry because we have a value-packed recap for you to check out! Keep reading to find out what you missed from Tuesday’s chat.
#ContentWritingChat Recap: Let’s Talk Epic Content Marketing with Tor Refsland
Our guest host this week was Tor Refsland. He’s an award-winning blogger, a productivity coach, and an entrepreneur. Tor joined our #ContentWritingChat to talk all about content marketing and he shared some amazing tips with us!
Q1: What do the words “epic content writing” mean?
What does “epic content writing” mean to you? Our chat participants had their own interpretations of the phrase, which they shared with us. Check it out:
A1. Epic content is in-depth and high-quality. The type you return to time after time for useful, accurate info. #contentwritingchat
Pamela said epic content is in-depth and high quality. She knows how important it is to provide useful and accurate information for your audience to consume.
A1: Content created for your audience. If it isn’t for your audience, then nobody will read it so it can’t be epic. #contentwritingchat
Julia knows epic content writing will evoke some sort of emotion within your reader. It may shock them, or leave them in awe or utter gratitude after reading what you’ve written.
Q2: Why is it so important to make your content epic?
Now that you know what epic content is, you might be wondering why it’s so important for you to create. Let’s find out:
A2: You only have 1 chance to make a first impression. Over-delivering every time is the best way to build your brand #ContentWritingChat
As Tor said, you only have one chance to make that first impression online. You should strive to over-deliver with your content, which is sure to make your audience fall in love.
A2: No one wants to spend a bunch of time/resources on a piece of content and see it go nowhere. Epic content gets seen! #ContentWritingChat
Epic content can build your authority in your field. As Pamela said, you should ask yourself what you want to be known for. Then, choose your content topics accordingly.
A2: Epic content builds trust and authority and will keep your audience coming back for more. #contentwritingchat
Not only does great content build your authority, but it also helps establish trust with your audience. Through your content, they start to see that you really know your stuff.
A2: Epic content can get you on the map! Your audience will see what you have to offer & keep coming back for more #ContentWritingChat
If you consistently produce epic content, it’s going to help you stand out and get noticed by your audience. And they’re sure to keep coming back for more!
Q3: What can epic content do for your brand and business?
So, what exactly can epic content do for you? We have the answer! Take a look at what some of the participants in Tuesday’s chat had to say:
Tor said epic content can position you as an authority in your niche. Once you’ve proven yourself as an authority, you can influence more people and it allows you to charge a premium price for products and services.
A3) Epic content can give your brand creditability, a human voice, and a reason for people to visit you on a regularly #ContentWritingChat
Creating epic content on a consistent basis can help generate awareness for your brand, establish you as an authority in your field, and help you build a connection with your readers.
A3. It can establish your brand’s presence, predominately as a leader in your industry. The go-to source. The value add. #ContentWritingChat
Do you want to be the go-to person in your field? Of course! Brittany knows your content can help establish your brand’s presence and position you as a leader in your industry.
A3: It will build trust, which can turn into positive word-of-mouth advertising for your brand. #contentwritingchat
Great content can also become amazing word-of-mouth advertising for your brand. When people read something epic, they can’t help but to share it with their friends.
a3: Epic content shows the audience you care as much as they do about the topic or industry. #contentwritingchat
Here are Express Writers, we know just how important epic content can be! Julia shared a link to our recent case study all about how content fuels the Express Writers brand.
A3: Your content is an extension of your business and brand. So epic content makes your business and brand epic too. #contentwritingchat
Tor said the only way to truly stand out and attract people to your tribe is to write in your own voice. That’s what will draw people to you and make them like you and your brand.
A4. Crucial. Know YOUR voice, get confident using it, & it’s easy to get in a groove and nail every piece you write! #ContentWritingChat
Many struggle because they don’t know their audience well enough. You need to know and understand your audience in order to create the right content for them.
A5-1: It might take time in pinpointing the right topics for your audience/clients. It’s a good thing to ask what… #ContentWritingChat
It can take time to understand your audience and figure out what they truly want. If you aren’t sure what to write about, ask them what they’d like to see. They’ll tell you.
A5) Writing in general is hard and takes a lot of skill. Writing epic content takes practice, just like anything else #contentwritingchat
As Lex said, epic content gets people through the door. You need to provide a great product and an amazing customer experience if you really want people to take notice.
A6: No. Your content can be epic but if your customer service sucks, you won’t last. #contentwritingchat
Jessy got it right with her answer. You need to be human, engage with your audience, and provide help when they need it. Don’t forget that excellent customer service is a must, too!
Q7: What is the best way to get more eyeballs on your epic content?
So, you’ve created this amazing piece of content. Now what? You need to get people reading what you’ve created! Here’s how to do it:
Q7: To grow some b*lls, get uncomfortable and promote the content like your life was depending on it #ContentWritingChat
Get to know your audience and figure out where they’re spending time online, what makes them convert, and more. Understand them so you can create and promote with them in mind.
A7: #Socialmedia and other channels like email, conferences, speaking, etc. Get into the right conversations, like #ContentWritingChat. ? ✏
Your product has to be as good as your promotion. User experience and quality make a huge difference when it comes to business.
We look forward to seeing you at the next #ContentWritingChat! Mark your calendars weekly for Tuesday at 10 AM CDT for great chats centered around content writing and marketing. Follow @ExpWriters to stay updated on our new topics and guests!
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