Developing a Content Marketing Strategy

1. Developing a Content Marketing Strategy How to Develop and Promote Content that Generates New Busine$$

2. My Goal Today: Give You Good Content About Good Content • Developing a content strategy • Developing content that is valued • Promoting your valued content • Guiding Principle: “If you cannot explain something simply, you don’t understand it.” • Good content should be elegantly simple • Elegantly simple Q&A time at the end

3. Why Content Is King • 80 percent of business decision-makers trust articles more than advertisements • 70 percent say content marketing makes them feel more affinity for the content sponsor • 20 percent of Internet time is spent surfing for content • Fresh and popular content increases SEO • Source: Stephen Fairley “23 Reasons Why Content Marketing Matters”

4. Content Marketing: Overall Strategy • Focus on what you love and do well • Better to do a little well than a lot badly • Define target audience & how to reach them • Learn what your audience values in content • Develop content for audience wants/industry • Use delivery channels the audience tunes into • Share and coordinate content and messaging internally to boost yield and reduce conflict

5. Content Clients Value • Blogs • Newsletters • White Papers • Website Content • “Value Added” Content • Advertorials • Content about Clients • Content about Alums • Biographical Profiles • Video Content • Partnered Content • Case Studies

6. 1. Blogs • Over 50% say blogs can influence hiring • Blogs increase SEO and press opportunities • Substance: Be Timely and Practical • Ideas: Look at other blogs, sites and trade pubs • Provide links to other authorities • Length: 300 to 600 word average • Frequency: ideally twice a week or more • Try: list articles; how to; anniversary stories; opinion pieces; demystifying posts; news analysis

7. 2. Newsletters • Be timely • Be topical • Be practical • Be brief for executives • Be regular in publication

8. 3. White Papers • Authoritative “thought leadership” reports • Originated as government/academic public policy proposals • Churchill White Paper of 1922 • True white paper is meaty, footnoted and aimed at a particular issue or problem • Can be about a new product or service or new approach to solving an issue or problem • You can Google “white paper” on any topic

9. 4. Website Content • Value Propositions • Mission and Values Statements • Service Pledges • Story Content • Case Studies • Additional resource links to helpful info

10. 5. Value-added Content • “How to” booklets • Books that act as “on the shelf” guides • Reference lists for self-help • Management checklists • Operational checklists • Other short and practical summaries

11. 6. Advertorials • Advertising content that looks editorial • Often like short white papers • Sometimes in story form about a deal or event • Sometimes co-branded • Written professionally, not by staff writers • Can sometimes be placed regionally in national publications

12. 7. Content About Clients • Stories about clients in firm newsletters • Stories about clients on Websites • Stories or profiles of client executives • Often look at why clients are successful • Often give readers both fun and practical info • Can be a chance for smaller clients to connect with lots of potential customers or contacts

13. 8. Content About Alumni • Can be profiles or success stories • Chance to feature alumni & build connections • Look to feature alums who are CFOs, CEOs, etc • Alumni of a firm can be great referral sources • Chance to connect your brand with a highly successful person in business

14. 9. Video Content • Webinars, podcasts, and Website videos • “How to” videos • “Forward looking” videos • Panel discussion videos with audience Q&A • Ego-driven talking head videos not popular • But short videos that go with bios OK

15. 10. Biographical Profiles • In some professional service fields, biographical profiles get the most site hits • Clients like to know who is serving them • Content might include: Professional experience; career highlights; publications and press; lectures and teaching; awards and recognitions; community involvement • Bold ones show some personal content about hobbies and passions to connect with clients

16. 11. “Partnered” Content • Insurance company and law firm desk guide to risk management and liability prevention • Patent brokers and IP law firm co-authoring an advertorial on how to find valuable IP licenses • Business management consulting firm and business publisher sponsoring white papers

17. 12. Case Studies • Based on actual examples of superior service and results delivered to real clients • Used to illustrate creative solutions, efficiency, collaboration and ability to work under pressure • Usually not more than a page • Broken into “bits:” client problem; objective; complicating challenge; solution; results.

18. How to Promote Your Content • Traditional media via PRnewswire.com; NewsCertified.com; HelpaReporter.com • Trade pubs, such as Accounting Today • In collateral materials • Linked-In / groups • Twitter / hash tags • Via your blog • Other SM, such as FB, Google Plus, Wikipedia • Send to “connectors” w/good Klout scores • Content sites dedicated to your profession • At seminars/meetings • On your Website • Via direct mail • IN YOUR OWN FIRM