Content Marketing That Converts

Michael BrennerNewsCred – Head of Strategy@BrennerMichael

Agenda

• The key factors for content marketing success

• The core components of a content marketing strategy

• How to utilize content across the buyer journey

• Companies doing it right

@BrennerMichael

Just 3 Things . . .

The world has changed.

Most content stinks.

@BrennerMichael #THINKCONTENT

Attract people through stories they love.

Content today must compete with pictures of

babies and kittens.

@BrennerMichael

@BrennerMichael #THINKCONTENT

Content marketing trends

@BrennerMichael

@BrennerMichael

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#ThinkContent

@BrennerMichael

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I have no patience for useless things.@BrennerMichael

Content MarketingSuccess

Building a SuccessfulContent Strategy

Companies Doing It RightUtilizing Content Acrossthe Buyer Journey

@BrennerMichael

4.75 billion piece of content are shared

1.8 billion photos are uploaded and shared

500 million tweets are posted

700 million snapchats are sent

Every single day…

5,00078%

94%44%90%

marketing messagesper day

“Do Not Call” list

skip TV ads

direct mail never opened

of emails never opened

We tuneout the noise.

@BrennerMichael

@BrennerMichael

Content Marketing is all the marketing that’s left!

Seth Godin, 2008”

“

@BrennerMichael #THINKCONTENT

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@BrennerMichael

“The buyer journey is nothing more

than a series of questions that must be answered.

- IDC -”@BrennerMichael

Awareness Consideration Preference

Online Communities

Search Engines

eBooks

Email Newsletters

Editorial Articles

White Papers

Podcasts

Case Studies

Online Videos

Webcasts

Virtual Trade Shows

Product Literature

Trial Software

Online Vendor Demos

Begindecision process

Makedecision

Identify business problem Establish

requirements/ build RFP

Align IT with business

objectivesExplore

technology options

Research solutions

Determine solution strategy Assess ROI

Research products/ vendors

Build short list

@BrennerMichael

Ann Handley: “Take your brand out of the story. . . . . .Make your customers the hero.”

Our Natural Instinct

ContentMarketing

BrandPurpose

WhatCustomers

Want

Charity

@BrennerMichael

Joe Pulizzi: “Don’t build your house on rented land.”

- Publish On Your Own Content Hub -

@BrennerMichael

The Promise of Content Marketing:

To earn your audience . . .

. . . versus buying it!

@BrennerMichael

“We need to stop interrupting whatpeople are interested in and be what people are interested in.

- CRAIG DAVIS -”

@BrennerMichael

How brands can become consumed with their story, not their customers.

Unique Point of View Trap

@BrennerMichael #THINKCONTENT

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@BrennerMichael #THINKCONTENT

Key factors to content marketing success:

1. Documented content strategy and mission statement

2. Have someone accountable for content

3. Consistently publish quality content

4. Map content to consumer journey

5. Balance Paid, Owned, and Earned Media

6. Focus on Content Subscribers

7. Track Content Marketing ROI

Give yourself a grade . .

Best Practice R Y G

Have a documented content strategy?

Have someone managing content

Content hub maps to the consumer journey

Publishing quality, volume and variety

Social activation of content

Paid distribution

Focus on Content Subscriptions

Measurement template / ROI defined

Overall:

D

Content MarketingSuccess

Building a SuccessfulContent Strategy

Companies Doing It RightUtilizing Content Acrossthe Buyer Journey

@BrennerMichael

Why is it Important to Have a DocumentedContent Marketing Strategy?

Source: CMI

• Thinking and acting like a publisher

• Delivering content your audience wants

• Managing content as an asset (with an ROI)

What is a Content Marketing Strategy?

@BrennerMichael

Content Marketing Mission Statement

Become a destination for [target audience] interested in [topics]. To help them [customer value].

This will help us [content marketing goals]

• Earn your audience’s attention vs. just buying it

• Reach, engage and convert NEW buyers

AmEx Open Forum Example: Help Small Businesses Do More Business. To become the largest source of inbound leads.@BrennerMichael

Content Marketing Roadmap

•Budget•Destination•Frequency•Amplification / Optimization•Collaboration (Who does what)

Discovery Destination Team Topic ModelsCustomerJourney

KPIs /Reporting

Optimization

•Business Case•Current State•Budget

•Branding/Design•Platform•Firm Integration

•Who Does What?•Agency•Distribution

•Structure•Topics•Types

•Content by Stage•Conversions•Subscriptions

•Define report•Who / When?

•Content•Platform•Distribution

@BrennerMichael

Show me the money!@BrennerMichael

Building The Business Case1. Reach early stage buyers

• Fair “Share of Conversation” • % Unbranded Search traffic on your website• Banner effectiveness at driving brand visits• Cost of advertising / search landing pages with low organic and social traffic• Cost of organic and social website traffic vs. paid

2. Engage new buyers with your brand• Time spent, Bounce rate on content vs. advertising landing pages• Cost / Repeat visits, Time engaged with your brand• Subscribers, value per subscriber

3. Conversions you would have never reached• Cost per lead, Pipeline touched, Cost per registration (content or events), Cost per

sale• Content % source of leads• ROI vs. Avg. Marketing ROI@BrennerMichae

l

Define Content Marketing Roles and Functions

ContentMarketer /

EditorStrategizes,

writes,and oversees

content projects to

ensure brand consistency and alignment with

business objectives.

CommunityManager

Distributes

contentacross social

channels, engages online

communities, and contributes to

content projects.

DesignerBrings content to

lifethrough the user experience and

rich visuals.

Contributors

Any content

creator-blogger,

photographer, designer — who contributes to your project.

SEO / PaidSpecialist

Manages the paiddistribution of content online.

AnalyticsDefines best/

worst performers,

conversion

optimization and

measurement

communications.

CurationFines and re-

purposes the best

content from your

business and

from around the

web.

@BrennerMichael

Consider Your Destination and Branding

@BrennerMichael

Design Structure

1) Categories across the top show visitor what space you are in

2) Images help humanize the site and break text

3) Published content horizontally shows frequency (add dates and authors)

4) Share buttons encourage social sharing

5) Mid-stage offer on right6) Newsletter/subscription sign

up

@BrennerMichael

@BrennerMichael

A Successful Content Marketing Strategy Key Takeaways:1. Commit to publishing content that your customers actually

want

2. Figure out what questions your customers ask (Google) what content they share (Social) and what channels they use

3. Start publishing content

4. Distribute the winners (paid, email and organic social)

5. Measure and optimize what works

6. Thank Michael Brenner . . . (Your Welcome!) jk

Content MarketingSuccess

Building a SuccessfulContent Strategy

Companies Doing It RightUtilizing Content Acrossthe Buyer Journey

@BrennerMichael

60-70% of marketing contentgoes completely unused.

*Sirius Decisions

@BrennerMichael

@BrennerMichael

Behind every piece of bad content is an executive who asked for it.

@BrennerMichael

TWEET THIS!

Conduct a Content AuditA Content Audit will help you:• Give you a true sense of scale• Identify gaps• Seize opportunities for content repurposing• Determine performance issues• Evaluate content quality• Improve your information architecture

Download this template now!

Look at Content by Buyer Stage

Early StageMiddle StageLate Stage

66% 28%

Early-Stage Content

Late-Stage Content

Middle-Stage Content

6%

@BrennerMichael

Reach, Engage and Convert the Right People.

Early-stage Searches

Middle-stage

Brand Searches

Search / Social Volume

What is Content Marketing?Why is content marketing

important?(10-3000 X)

How Do I Create a Content Marketing Plan

That Works(2-10 X)

Who is the best Content

Marketing provider?

@BrennerMichael

What Are We Going to Talk About? Defining Topics

@BrennerMichael

Xyz Early Xyz

Late Xyz Xyz

Persona Questions/Concerns

Xyz

Middle Xyz Xyz

Keywords

Xyz Early Xyz

Late Xyz Xyz

Persona Questions/Concerns

Xyz

Middle Xyz Xyz

Keywords

Stage

Stage

@BrennerMichael

Utilize the Right Mix of Content

Custom ContentShare on-brand stories and recipes which are

created specifically for your brand.

Community ContentLeverage content from customers, employees,

influencers that grows and engages your

community.

Licensed ContentBoost credibility, publishing cadence, and

direct traffic with a high-volume of fully-

licensed, compliant content.

@BrennerMichael

How to Rank for SEO?

Volume

Number of posts on the

topic

Value

The best answer on the

internet

Variety

Text, images, video, slides

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Distributing Your Content“Even great content needs a

push!”

Average Hollywood movie splits 40-50%production with 50-60% distribution

@BrennerMichael

Content Marketing ROI is 4X our traditional marketing spend.

”

“

Julie Fleischer, Kraft

@BrennerMichael

We shifted investment from advertising to content marketing so we could

shout louder than we spend.

Beth ComstockCMO, GE

”

“

@BrennerMichael #THINKCONTENT

Define Key Measures and Targets

Download this template now!

@BrennerMichael

Organic and Social: Up and to the Right

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

Traffic from Organic, Social & Referrals

Uniq

ue V

isit

ors

@BrennerMichael

Focus on Subscriptions Drove Conversions

Appropriate Offers

Focus on Subscriptions

Measure And Report Out Each Month

@BrennerMichael

Content MarketingSuccess

Building a SuccessfulContent Strategy

Companies Doing It RightUtilizing Content Acrossthe Buyer Journey

@BrennerMichael

20 Amazing Examples of Brand Content Marketing Hubs

AMEX OpenForum

Mission: Help Small Businesses Do More Business.

Approach: Publish every day, authoritative voices, community =

Outcome: The largest source of inbound leads.

@BrennerMichael

CapGemini Content-Loop.com• Licensed content on Linked

Sponsored updates

• Drives to branded Content Loop

• Offers to deeper content

• Recommendations to connect with experts

Results:~1M visitors / year+ 3K new LinkedIn followers per week+ High Quality Leads+ Sales / ROI

Maersk

• Amazing photos that appeal to their audience

• Thousands of likes per post

• Massive Brand Engagement, Loyalty

@BrennerMichael

GE Science Vines

Wistia Videos

• Engaging How To Videos

• Strong Call To Action

• Content = New Subscribers

@BrennerMichael

@BrennerMichael

3 Tips For Content That Converts:

1. Stop promoting. Create for real people.

2. Be the best answer on the internet.

3. Focus on subscriptions and CTA

Your audience wants stories.Created just for them.

Will you give it to them?

Michael.Brenner@NewsCred.com@BrennerMichael