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Danica Jones@DIYAdventurer

FIRST THINGS FIRST…WHAT IS CONTENT?Fundamentally:Content = information. Content = experience. Content = nothing specific.1

On a more specific-to-the-internet level, consider this definition by @derekhalpern of Social Triggers:

Content comes in any form (audio, video, text, image), and it informs, entertains, enlightens or

teaches people who consume it.2

BUT WHAT ABOUT KILLER CONTENT?

Killer Content can be: Useful, Entertaining, Easy-To-Process, and

Sharable.

Killer Content is content that is carefully tailored with YOUR audience

in mind.

Killer content is the good stuff, short and simple.

BEFORE WE ARE ABLE TO CREATE KILLER CONTENT, WE MUST:

• Establish brand vision and mission statement.

• Know who our target audience is.

Without a vision and mission, there is no reason to aim at a target.

Without knowing which target to hit, we are wasting our ammunition.

Have a purpose. Your brand should have a reason to engage people online.

SOME CONTENT STATS TO CONSIDER…

• 68% say their top content marketing objective is engaging customers and prospects.

• 87% say they create their own original content to reach web users.

• 66% say their biggest content marketing challenge is producing targeted, relevant online content to engage audiences.3

Engaging your audience should be your number one priority.

Social Media is a community first and foremost. Sales talk should be secondary to engagement.

THINK OF ENGAGING CUSTOMERS LIKE DATING

No one wants to go on a date with someone who talks about their self the whole evening.

The best dates are conversational, entertaining, enriching experiences that leave you feeling great.

Consider whether your content makes you a “great date” or a “lame date” BEFORE you post.

Don’t be the brand no one wants to see online anymore.

Focus on building great relationships with others, and great content will often follow.

SO WHERE DO I POST MY KILLER CONTENT?

• Audience…Where is your target audience hanging out online?

• Best Medium…Would pictures be better for your brand? Or text? Or video? Consider how you think you’ll be delivering content most of the time and why it works for your brand.

• Competitors…Which platforms and content strategies seem to be working best for them? What’s NOT working?

• Time…You’re best off picking a few key locations online and focusing on those based on the above two factors. No need to be blasting all the platforms all the time.

Consider a few things before you pick your platforms:

BUT WHAT DO I POST?

DON’T PANIC

LET’S BEGIN WITH CATS. NO, REALLY.

Think about it from a literal and metaphorical perspective…

Fact: There is a reason cats rule the internet…the content they are a part of appeals to a HUGE audience. They’re shared CONSTANTLY.

Maybe your killer content involves some cat memes…

But more importantly…

Maybe cats are a metaphor for what we recognize as great content to share for a particular brand.

SOME OF THE BEST CONTENT IS CREATED BY

Seeing a problem a customer has, and offering a simple solution.

But it’s not all about cats. Or cat metaphors.

Killer Content is about being relevant. Your content should MATTER to your audience.

Killer Content is easy to identify when you know who you’re sharing that content with. Know your audience, know what makes them smile (and what makes them tick.).

CREATE, OR CURATE?

Try it all! With as much content as there is on the internet, there is no reason to feel pressured to share original content constantly. Many companies see great results with a mix of original and curated content.

When you create, try to keep things simple. Simple will never steer you wrong.

When you curate, think of yourself as a gallery owner, putting on a themed show…

If you’re sharing an article, CHECK YOURSELF BEFORE YOU WRECK YOURSELF. Always fact check. Did I mention fact checking? Do it.

Curating imagery? If it has text, make sure the text is spelled correctly to avoid looking unprofessional or inattentive to details.

SPELLING. ALWAYS CHECK IT. CAN’T SPELL? HAVE SOMEONE ELSE CHECK YOUR SPELLING. It’s your BRAND. Do right by it.

CURATIO

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Some Curation Resources include:

Storify

News Aggregators (Feedly)

Sources like Mashable, Lifehacker, etc.

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Many of these FREE tools can be used to grab imagery you like and customize it for your needs.

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Some Creation Tools include:

Awesome Screenshot

Skitch

Canva

Infogram

Instaframe

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Many of these FREE tools can be used to grab imagery you like and customize it for your needs.

SO YOU WANT TO MAKE ORIGINAL CONTENT…

What can you offer a new reader that will have value to them without taking away from the paid services you offer customers?

Giving customers a taste of your expertise by solving simple issues or addressing common questions in a knowledgeable way can turn a passer-by into a lifelong reader.

Want to talk about a current trend or topic? Don't copy someone else word for word - find a NEW angle or a NEW insight that expands the online conversation.

Get out there and network. See what’s being talked about so you can get inspired to join the conversation.

Don’t get upset if it isn’t totally and completely 100% original.

Original content should be fresh, but don’t freak out if it isn’t totally unique…we live in a post-modern world.

SOME SPECIFIC EXAMPLES FOR YOU…

Does your business make products? Try showcasing some of the production process!

Do you often have to show customers how to use your products? Create how-to videos!

Does your business or brand collaborate or work with others? Share some content that showcases this!

What kinds of content inspire YOUR brand? Share those, too! Give people a sense of who YOU are and what drives YOU.

Crowdsource! Ask YOUR customers to share THEIR content and offer them an incentive (giveaways, anyone?) to do so!

You don’t have to be an expert at content, you just have to be an expert at knowing your customers.

GET INSPIRED! TRY THESE TIPS…

Get listening: Stay current on trends, news, and other events in popular culture.

Don't neglect subculture awareness - it's a huge part of the Social Media fabric and the core of trendsetting.

30-Day Video or Blogging Challenge:

Challenge yourself to create one piece of content every day for 30 days. You will learn to stretch your creativity, think beyond your usual comfort zone, and probably enjoy yourself more than you expect.

Ask your customers:

One of the BEST ways to create killer content is to ASK people what they'd like to see. Get social and ask your audience what they'd like to get from their experience with you online!

Listen to your customers and answer their questions. Reach out to peers. Create network connections and relationships to create more branding content.

The best way to “get” Social Media is by cultural immersion. Dive in. Try it out.

SOME QUICK TIPS AS YOU GET STARTED

Test often. Expert marketers test often and go with the most effective approaches and ditch what doesn’t work.

Measure your results. Only 25% of business owners surveyed indicated they are measuring the results of their social media content marketing programs down to the level of individual pieces of content.4

WHAAAAAAT? That's like a fire marshall staring at a burned down house from 50 feet away and telling you what started the fire.

Be patient. Finding out what works and how to make it happen takes TIME.

Be enthusiastic. This is your BRAND, and your enthusiasm should show in your delivery.

Be authentic. Don’t pretend to be something your brand is not just to get more fans. It doesn’t work. The internet can smell a rat.

This isn’t an exact science. You’re going to have to put some legwork in to find your groove.

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This snapshot gives you a sense of the diversity you can

share without being a salesperson.

USE YOUR TIME WISELY

Social Media is seen as a time suck, but it doesn’t have to be.

Using resources like Hootsuite, Sprout Social or other Social Media Management platforms will allow you to schedule posts throughout the day, week and month.

Set aside time for Social Media for both content creation/curation AND networking. This is ESSENTIAL for busy business owners and those with time management issues.

Keep track of your past original content to re-share later.

Use analytics to determine what works so you’re not wasting time on what doesn’t.

Time management will allow you to be effective at Social Media, so you can go back to being AWESOME at building your brand.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME!

Connect with me online:

Twitter @DIYAdventurer

Facebook /thedanica

Google Plus +DanicaJones

DIYadventurer.com

Still have questions? Tweet @SMTulsa and hashtag it #AskSMTulsa and we’ll answer your question at our Q/A Panel! This is a GREAT way to ask any SoMe questions through the conference!

This presentation will be available for download after the conference at my website.

RESOURCES

1, 2. Lee Odden, “What Is Content - Learn from 40+ Definitions,” http://www.toprankblog.com/2013/03/what-is-content/ 2013.3, 4. Unisphere’s 2013 Survey of Content Marketing Trends, Sponsored by Skyword