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The bold new world of content marketing
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Sasha Wasley of Razzed Communications presents
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You own a small business and you've been considering blogging for business, creating and sharing images or videos, or creating your own podcasts. But you're not sure it would bring any return on investment, right? Small businesses have been hesitant to dip their toes into the world of content marketing, leaving it to the big boys of the corporate branding world to create blogs, video, infographics, and online articles. But content marketing has serious benefits for a small business operating in a competitive marketing environment. Here's how you can use these techniques to get the edge on your competitors and build your online presence - as well as links and tips to get you started.
Transcript of The bold new world of content marketing
Sasha Wasley of Razzed Communications
presents
What is Content Marketing?• Spreading the word about your brand, business or product through
online content.• Includes: • Blogposts• Articles• E-newsletters• Images and infographics• Videos• Podcasts
The Cardinal Rule of Content Marketing
ADD VALUE• Share your knowledge• Answer questions your customers are asking• Bring new knowledge and insights• Entertain and inform
Hang on … I’m supposed to just give my knowledge away???
Why Content Marketing?• Answer the research call of online users• Create online community • Create shareable content• Establish your expertise – you become the product• Attract traffic to your site/profiles• Reach and hone in on your niche • Build search engine ranking• Keep your website fresh• Pre-qualify your online leads
Blogging
First work out if it’s right for you•It’s a time commitment•How’s the competition?•How’s your ability to write?•What are your goals?•Have you got a strategy?
The next step: creating your blog•Ask your web developer (your website may have blog functionality)•Use a public platform (e.g. Blogspot/Blogger)•Build your own using open source software (e.g. Wordpress)•Choose a blog name
A quick walkthrough: Blogger•Sign up with Google•Choose your theme•You can opt for a custom domain•Use formatting and add media•Add functionality through Gadgets• Integrating with your site: mutual links or a feed e.g. rssinclude.com
A quick walkthrough: Wordpress• Sign up – create an account •Create blog: custom domain or Wordpress domain• Some use blog.[websitedomain].com.au• You can build a full website on Wordpress
•Choose your theme and customise it •Use plugins to add functionality
What do I write and how often?• Think about customer FAQs and turn them
into stories• Look at competitor sites and major industry
content sites for inspiration•Check out consumer forums•Develop a content plan/theme calendar•Commit to a rate of posting – diarise!
How to get it seen
•Pinging (e.g. Pingomatic.com)•Sharing on your social channels•Link in your email signature• Include in an e-news/bulletin•Business card/marketing materials
E-newsletters
Choosing your mass mailer •Check with your web developer or CRM developer (you might have a mailer already)•Mailchimp – free up to around 2000 recipients•There are Wordpress mailer plugins •Using your own email program such as Outlook is not ideal
The goals of an e-newsletter
•Stay top-of-mind•Educate your customers about what you do•Entice them with promotions or deals•Give them news they want to read•Build the relationship of trust
What NOT to do
•SELL, SELL, SELL•Bombard too frequently•Buy, beg, borrow or steal databases•Disrespect the choice to unsubscribe•Send an incorrect email with mistakes or broken links•Fail to BCC if you’re using your own program!
Getting it right
•Understand what your audience wants:- Discounts- Real news- Giveaways and contests- Valuable information- Entertainment
MailChimp Walkthrough
•Create login at: www.mailchimp.com•Upload/Import your lists•Create sign up and unsubscribe forms•Play with and use templates•Test and schedule campaigns•View full reports
Best Practices•Add a sign up form to your website/blog/FB, etc.•Choose a frequency and commit to it•Mixture of value adding and promotions•Keep it brief and pithy. Consider ‘teaser-link’ combo•Add visuals•Test and schedule
Repurposing content
Repurposing your valuable content IP•Remember: Google says duplicate content is not cool. But some syndication is okay.•Explore ways to repurpose• Infographics/images• Summarised blogposts for social shares•Reworked posts for niche industries•Presentations on Slideshare
Infographics & Images
Platforms for Sharing Images
• Instagram – snapping and sharing•Pinterest – collecting and sharing• Infogr.am – infographics •Photobucket/Flickr – hosting •Tinypic – good for embedding
Platforms for Creating Images
•Photovisi collages•Canva/PicMonkey•Visual.ly/Infogr.am•Powerpoint! Single slides make great images•Recite/Quozio/BrainyQuote/Behappy.me•Poster my wall – nice backgrounds and templates
Picmonkey
LivLuvCreate
Powerpoint
Canva
Infogr.am
Postscript: tagging and hashtagging
•Enhance searchability•Gain followers on specific topics•Use labels/tags on blogs•Use Hashtags on Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr, etc…
Postscript 2: getting coverage•Media callouts: HARO and SourceBottle•Online news sites and blogs•Approach in an organised fashion with a strong newsy pitch and some good photos• If it’s a blog, have a giveaway ready•Guest blogging
Thank you.Blog: www.razzedcommunications.com.au
Twitter: @RazzedCommsFacebook: Razzed CommunicationsLinked In: Sasha Wasley
