23 Expert Tips For Content Marketing Success – TCMA Day 2

Last week I went to a special conference, The Content Marketing Academy 2016. There was a great energy and sense of community at the event.

If you missed the last post, my takeaways from TCMA Day 1 are here.

Day 2’s speakers were:

• Ann Handley
• Kevin Anderson, Square Tree Marketing
• Colin Gray, The Podcast Host
• Laura Lucas, Inspirential
• Bert van Loon
• Alasdair McGill
• Mark Schaefer, Schaefer Marketing Solutions

Here are the best bits from day 2!

1. An increase in content quantity doesn’t necessarily mean a decrease in quality

Just because we produce more content doesn’t mean that the standard will slip.

Sarah Arrow says:

I hear a lot of time that quality of posts will go down if you write every day. I don’t think that’s true, writing is like a muscle; the more you do it the stronger it becomes.

2. Think bigger: offer your audience deep value

An online class on brewing coffee?

Turns out that it isn’t such a daft idea overall, as Ann thought.

Taught by a champion barista, the course has close on 10,000 students and a 98% approval rating.

By creating smarter customers, Blue Bottle Coffee has established itself as a go-to company for coffee sales.

3. Get bolder: tell a story in way no-one else is doing

Humane Society Silicon Valley to increase donations to animal causes.

They created a powerful video of the story of two individuals who saved one another – Eric and Peety.

By combining two topics – health and animals – they found a larger audience.

The video generated 2.5m views and half a million shares. (And presumably, more donations.)

4. Be braver: find your unique voice

Your tone of voice comes from Culture x Story x Empathy.

If one of these is lacking, you won’t have much of a voice!

5. Find Interesting Ways To Say Boring Stuff

Don’t go with the crowd – spice up the copy on your marketing materials.

Chubbies Shorts did this with their email signup form.

Instead of a dull Submit button, they have Boomshakalaka!

6. Write for yourself – it’s therapeutic

Journalling has health benefits, both physical and mental.

Do some writing every day and you’ll emerge a better writer.

7. Reach through text – engage through media

Hooking an audience through blog posts is good.

Then use audio or video to show your personality and values.

8. Summarize your big idea after your introduction

Let the reader/listener/viewer know what’s coming up to keep them engaged.

9. Squeeze more content out of your ideas

With some planning and outsourcing, you can milk your content for all it’s worth.

You could create a video, divide it into shorter segments, make a podcast out of it, transcribe it and turn it into one (or two) blog posts.

Thinking cleverly, you could get 9 pieces of content out of one idea.

QuickSprout has a good guide on repurposing content.

10. Create a content series

I love this idea! This was possibly the BIG takeaway from the 2 days.

Creating a series helps you:

• Save time – you don’t have to think of brand new ideas every time
• Get more in depth into a subject
• Hook your audience in and keep them more invested in the next episode (“Tune in next week when we tell you where you shouldn’t invest your money.”)

11. Position yourself as the answer to your clients’ problems

Learn from the infomercials – discuss a problem and how you have the perfect answer to it.

12. Promise big results

If you have a good client case study, present it.

Let your audience know just how good you are – “I helped increase widget sales 200%!”

13.Get the ‘Oh!’ in your content

Make sure it has the WOW factor, so it’s shared and remembered.

14. Only use metrics that are actionable

Don’t get lost in your data and waste time poring over numbers that are irrelevant.

ConversionXL has a comprehensive post on setting up Google Analytics to get actionable data.

15. Provide consistently good service in your customer interactions

That means before, at the start, during and afterwards.

Make the whole experience pleasurable and easy.

If a customer receives poor service, they’re 4x more likely to go to a competitor.

16. Look for an unsaturated niche – and rule it!

If you’re lucky enough to find a niche with a big audience and low competition, dominate it with your content marketing.

Mirabeau Wine entered a highly competitive market with almost no budget.

But it was one where their 600 rivals hadn’t entered the content game.

Mirabeau capitalised and built their brand through blogging and videos.

17. Be consistent in all you do

Post when you say you will.

Answer all your comments.

If you fulfil expectations, you will build trust.

18. Create an emotional connection with your community

Here are 5 tips on building an emotional connection with your audience through your blog.

19. Find and love those who share your content

Sharing is rare – only 1 in 318 tweets is shared, and only 0.5% of Facebook posts.

People share because:

• The content reflects the type of person they are
• It’s a kindness
• They want to show love and support

Build relationships with people who share your stuff – they’re like gold dust!

20. Content marketing is a long game

In the first year, you will build awareness.

It’s unlikely you will make money in the first two years.

Keep at it! Even if the engagement isn’t there.

Read: How Long Does it Take to See Content Marketing Results?

21. Create new stuff from existing ingredients

Taco Bell uses 14 main ingredients to make their tacos, but they combine them in interesting and exciting ways.

Don’t make generic taco content.

Make something spicy hot.

22. Don’t forget to use the existing social media platforms

Yes, Snapchat and Periscope might be the cool new kids on the block.

But the big 7 (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Google+, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram) have 98% of the marketing spend.

Don’t ignore them.

23. Be more human!

Use a face rather than a logo if you can.

Let people see the person behind the content.

Over to you

What is your top tip for content marketing success? Please comment below.

Category: Blogging & Content Marketing Tags: blog, podcast, video