Drew EastmeadDirector of Content Marketing Education

● Content Coach● 12+ years of digital experience● NYC & Phoenix

About Your Presenter

1. Goals of Content Marketing2. Challenges with DIY Content Creation3. Outsourcing4. Insourcing5. Solutions

Agenda

1. Goals of Content Marketing

● Generate leads● Increase revenue● Increase traffic● Drive engagement● Retain customers● Establish thought leadership● Open new markets● Lower customer service costs

Business Goals

● Be helpful● Focus on education● Be transparent● Build trust, loyalty● Provide a world-class customer

experience

Philosophical Goals

● Create content!● “SEO” it● Promote it● Nurture leads● Measure & improve

Tactics

● Executive buy-in● Multiple departments energized● Content ideas generated

Culture

2. Challenges withDIY Content Creation

“Our competitors are too far ahead of us with their content.

“Our website isn’t set up for blogging or adding content.

“Some of us ‘get’ content marketing, but we don’t have executive buy-in.

“We don’t have time or resources to create all the content.

“We haven’t set up efficient processes.

“We tried content marketing for 6 months, but it didn’t work.

“The Slog”

Investment Required

ROI

3. Outsourcing

Time & Budget● Time to understand your business, target

audiences● Time to get the content “right” (rounds of

revisions)● Match your tone, voice● Markups in cost

Outsourcing: Cons

Processes● Technology systems in place● Content management workflow● Topic research, keyword research● Outside perspective

Outsourcing: Pros

Culture● Departments won’t share learnings● Content creators won’t collaborate

to create optimal user experience● Organization continues with status

quo, silos

Outsourcing: Cons

Communication● At the whim of writer or

agency’s schedules, priorities● Brief conversations; unlikely

to be face-to-face● Being off-site limits photos,

videos

Outsourcing: Cons

Quality● Authoritative? Genuine? Expertise?● Potential for content to rank well?● Don’t understand company nuances● Mediocre content = mediocre results

Outsourcing: Cons

http://bit.ly/1WXQcC7

4. Insourcing

Time & BudgetInternal resources:● must commit long-term● make content creation part of routine● may have to hire more

Insourcing: Cons

Processes● Speed: Workflow, governance, approvals● Web team is aware of content timelines,

equipped to publish● Publishing volume significantly increased

Insourcing: Pros

Culture● Culture of learning, sharing● Breaks down silos● Builds purpose● Teammates contribute in many ways

Insourcing: Pros

Communication● Recurring group meetings● Content collaborates with IT● Fosters friendly competition

Insourcing: Pros

Quality● Expertise, personality is evident● Variety of resources, knowledge levels● Thought leadership● Content is more timely and relevant● Case studies/customer examples are genuine

Insourcing: Pros

Insourcing vs. Outsourcing

Outsourcing Insourcing

Time & Budget x x

Processes ✓ ✓

Culture x ✓

Communication x ✓

Quality x ✓

5. Solutions

● Each department should have a “content champion”

● Monthly or bi-monthly meetings● Assign homework with deadlines● Short-term and long-term plans

Communication: Editorial Board

Process: Create a Content Flow

Content Leader Writers Editors Designers Publishers

Content marketing manager or CCO● Owns strategy● Energizes, encourages, educates team● Determines resources● Manages content calendar, milestones

Process: Content Leader

Unlock their expertise● Offer incentive$● Representatives from each department● SMEs can:

○ Perform research○ Create outlines○ Be interviewed

Process: Writers

● Quality Control● Alignment with strategy, tone● Basic understanding of SEO

Process: Editors

● Virtual necessity● Headers, banners, images● Give plenty of lead time● Finalize text before designing

Process: Designers

● Webmasters, web developers● Understand CMS, HTML, SEO● Analytical by nature

Process: Publishers

“Companies that blog 15 or more times per month get5x more traffic than companiesthat don’t blog.

Source: Hubspot

● Users read 20% of the text on the average page● Focus on headline and overall quality● Don’t get bogged down in the weeds● Don’t suffer from the curse of knowledge● You can always edit after it’s live

Time: Publish over Perfection

“You don’t have to be original. You just have to be unique.

● Interviews● Lists & Curation● Videos● Repurposing

Time: Easy Content Creation

Time: Hub & Spoke

Promotional Email

Staff Promotional Email

Landing Page

Blog Posts

Twitter Post

Linked in Post

Press Release

Facebook Posts

● Align content with stages in customer journey○ Higher funnel: spokes○ Lower funnel: hub

Time: Hub & Spoke

Culture & Quality: Training

Training Option 1: Generic

Examples Conferences, webinars

Reason “101” foundation setting

Purpose Motivational, strategic

Outcome Scattered ideas

Training Option 2: Customized

In-person workshops

Address specific challenges

Strategic, tactical

Actionable plan

● Partner teaching you “to fish”● Weekly education, motivation,

and accountability● Avoid common roadblocks● After 6-12 months, you run your

CM program entirely

Culture & Quality: Coaching

The Sweet Spot● Cheaper to hire an

agency for “lower volumes of work”

● Cheaper to manage in-house for “more ambitious content marketing strategies”

Conclusion

Sources: The Creative Group, Fractl, Moz

“For high-volume content marketing, your best option is to manage it in-house.

The “Hybrid” ApproachCombine your expertise about your business with an agency’s expertise in digital marketing:

Conclusion

Outsource Insource

Content strategy ✓ x

Content ideation ✓ ✓

Content creation (simplest; top of funnel) ✓ x

Content creation (average to above average effort; middle to lower funnel) x ✓

Content creation (complex; lower funnel) ✓ ✓

Q&A

Thank you!