Help Not Hype: How To Create Content Your Customers Actually Want
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Transcript of Help Not Hype: How To Create Content Your Customers Actually Want
Help Not Hype: How to Create Content Your Customers Actually Want #HelpNotHype
March 25, 2014
All Rights Reserved © ethology, Inc.
Consumers. The big idea. ethology
Jay Baer New York Times Best-Selling Author, Youtility @jaybaer
ethology Consumers. The big idea.
#HelpNotHype
Anna Hrach Content Strategy Manager, ethology @annabananahrach
ethology Consumers. The big idea.
#HelpNotHype
Autographed Book Giveaway
Audience members on today’s
webinar will be entered to win
a signed copy of Youtility and
Joe Pulizzi’s Epic Content Marketing! Stay tuned, and
listen for your name at the end!
ethology Consumers. The big idea.
#HelpNotHype
Our personal and commercial lives have merged.
#HelpNotHype
#HelpNotHype
ethology Consumers. The big idea.
#HelpNotHype
ethology Consumers. The big idea.
#HelpNotHype
ethology Consumers. The big idea.
#HelpNotHype
ethology Consumers. The big idea.
You are competing for attention against everything.
#HelpNotHype
#HelpNotHype
Today, everyone is a content creator.
You must do more than create content. You must make content that matters.
#HelpNotHype
#HelpNotHype
Youtility is content so useful, people would pay for it.
#HelpNotHype
ethology Consumers. The big idea.
#HelpNotHype
ethology Consumers. The big idea.
#HelpNotHype
We crave Youtility
“Useful articles are forwarded 30% more
than average.”
-- Jonah Berger, in Contagious
Photo credit: jonahberger.com
#HelpNotHype
We need more information than ever
If you make a bad decision, you’re just lazy.
If you make a bad decision, you’re just lazy
“I don’t know” is no longer an acceptable answer.
#HelpNotHype
The power of useful content
Average new customer reads 105 pages 75% of customers never have a sales conversation
ethology Consumers. The big idea.
#HelpNotHype
You must atomize your content.
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#HelpNotHype
ethology Consumers. The big idea.
#HelpNotHype
ethology Consumers. The big idea.
#HelpNotHype
ethology Consumers. The big idea.
#HelpNotHype
ethology Consumers. The big idea.
Be a digital dandelion.
#HelpNotHype
#HelpNotHype
Embrace cooperative content.
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ethology Consumers. The big idea.
#HelpNotHype
ethology Consumers. The big idea.
#HelpNotHype
ethology Consumers. The big idea.
Content can be amazingly powerful for both brands & customers.
#HelpNotHype
But only if it’s done the right way.
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ethology Consumers. The big idea.
Today, 90% of B2C marketers use content marketing.
http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/B2C_Research_2014-withlinks.pdf #HelpNotHype
But only 34% believe they are effective at content marketing.
http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/B2C_Research_2014-withlinks.pdf #HelpNotHype
http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/B2C_Research_2014-withlinks.pdf #HelpNotHype
Yet 60% plan to increase their content marketing budget,
http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/B2C_Research_2014-withlinks.pdf
…while only 39% admit to having a content strategy in place.
#HelpNotHype
Content costs organizations a lot
Time – Hours, days, weeks, months or years
Money – Salaries, investments
Resources – Physical, digital
People – Someone has to create it all
ethology Consumers. The big idea.
#HelpNotHype
The fix is easy. Start with strategy.
But, before we talk strategy, we need to talk about your website.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/schmilblick/252772357/
First, fix what’s broken
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jdhancock/
Get rid of what you don’t need
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rubbermaid/7203340384/
Get Organized
So, now that that’s out of the way…let’s talk strategy.
3. Gap Analysis Categories & Topics
4. Plan Creation Tactics & Prioritization
2. Content Audit Quantitative & Qualitative
1. Audience Intelligence Vernacular & Demand
5. Plan Execution Analysis & Agility
Content strategy: the ethology process
ethology Consumers. The big idea.
BRAND
VISITORS ROBOTS
Identify the players…
ethology Consumers. The big idea. ethology Consumers. The big idea.
#HelpNotHype
BRAND
VISITORS ROBOTS ✓
What are the business objectives?
What topics match business & user
interests?
What do our audiences need & want?
ethology Consumers. The big idea.
#HelpNotHype
…and understand their needs.
Sounds like a brochure Ignores user questions Not findable Weak user experience
ethology Consumers. The big idea.
Too search-focused = Not the most qualified traffic
Content doesn’t nurture
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gi/3232485/sizes/o/ #HelpNotHype
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34639903@N03/3439647651/ #HelpNotHype
Too brand-focused = Sounds like a brochure
Doesn’t meet user needs
Too user-focused = No benefit for brand Still doesn’t answer questions
http://www.flickr.com/photos/icathing/7353057/ #HelpNotHype
Understand business goals & user needs
ethology Consumers. The big idea.
Business Goals Brand Customer User Needs
Sell discounted rooms nights during off-peak times
Find discount rates during off-peak vacation times
Sell conference packages, with catering service upsells
Find a full-service conference location
Grow email registration list for ongoing marketing purposes
Research rates to find cheapest rates on third-party travel site
Get to know your audience: gather data
On-Site Search: What users want, in their words
Social: Real-time conversations with real customers
Website Content: What’s performing, what’s not
Search Demand: Align with like topics
Consumer Research: Round out unattainable data
ethology Consumers. The big idea.
#HelpNotHype
Branded content needs brand guidelines
ethology Consumers. The big idea.
#HelpNotHype
Answering “How are we going to do this?” always comes before “What are we going to write?”
#HelpNotHype
Create clear, repeatable workflows
Plan Create Approve Publish/Govern
Content Strategist
Content Creator
Content Strategist
Guide Strategy
Submit Internally
Subm
it Internally
Director of Operations
Account Manager
Approval
Request
Client Team
Request
Revisions
Content Creator Submit
Internally
Request Revisions
Request Revisions
Approval Given
Content Creator
Client Team
+
Content Strategist
Reporting
Search Specialist
Client Team
ethology Consumers. The big idea.
#HelpNotHype
Get approvals. Get all the approvals.
#HelpNotHype http://www.flickr.com/photos/jdhancock/3955421305/
More Questions? Email us! [email protected]
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