Ann Handley: “Take your brand How To Build Your Own Content Marketing Plan

Michael Brenner Head of Strategy NewsCred @BrennerMichael How To Build Your Content Marketing Strategy Slides: slideshare.net/michaelbrenner

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

Just 3 Things . . . The world has changed. Most content stinks. Attract people through stories they love.

Content marketing trends

Content today must compete with pictures of babies and kittens.

We tune out the noise.

WHAT IS GOING ON? @BrennerMichael

“We need to stop interrupting what people are interested in and give people what they are interested in. ”

The Promise of Content Marketing: To earn your audience . . . . . . versus buying it!

Content Marketing is all the marketing that’s left! Seth Godin, 2008 ” “

Content Marketing Success Building a Successful Content Strategy Companies Doing It Right Utilizing Content Across the Buyer Journey

“The buyer journey is nothing more than a series of questions that must be answered. - IDC - ”

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 Begin decision process Make decision Identify business problem Establish requirements / build RFP Align IT with business objectives Explore technology options Research solutions Determine solution strategy Assess ROI Research products/ vendors Build short list

Ann Handley: “Take your brand out of the story. . . . . .Make your customers the hero.” Our Natural Instinct Content Marketing What Brands Wants To Talk About What Customers Actually Want Charity

How brands can become consumed with their story, not their customers. Unique Point of View Trap

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

SAP Case Study

How Many People Are Searching For Us vs. Asking Early- Stage Questions Cluster Brand? Total Monthly Searches (est.) Analytics Brand 458 3000x Analytics Non-Brand 1,520,761 Cloud Brand 398 1000x Cloud Non-Brand 578,460 Data Brand 28,884 17x Data Non-Brand 470,967 Mobility Brand 12,488 28x Mobility Non-Brand 345,598 BI Brand 532,486 -2x BI Non-Brand 277,156 CRM/Sales Brand 156,028 40x CRM/Sales Non-Brand 6,313,329 ERP Brand 777,092 -2x ERP Non-Brand 324,595 HCM Brand 55,536 7x HCM Non-Brand 379,954 Accounting. Finance Brand 30,497 24x Accounting. Finance Non-Brand 720,493 TOTAL Brand 1,688,883 13x TOTAL Non-Brand 13,616,715

Were Any of These “Early-stage” Prospects Finding Us?

Late-Stage Content 66% Early-Stage Content 6% Middle-Stage Content 28% Why Weren’t They Finding Us?

Business Innovation (launched March 27, 2012) A“Content Hub” to attract engaged visitors instead of buying them To help businesses leaders grow through technology and innovation. To reach and convert leads we would have never seen! http://blogs.sap.com/innovation

Organic and Social: Up and to the Right 0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000 UniqueVisitors Traffic from Organic, Social & Referrals

Why is it Important to Have a Documented Content Marketing Strategy? Source: CMI

Content Marketing Mission Statement AmEx Open Forum Mission: “Help Small Businesses Do More Business.” Outcome: The largest source of inbound leads.

What Is Your Content Marketing Mission Statement? Become a (premier?) destination for [target audience] interested in [topics] to help them [customer value].

Steps To Crafting a Content Strategy Discovery Destination + Branding Roles + Resp. Editorial Strategy Distribution Measure + Optimize • Current State • Audience • Objective • Mission • Budget • Branding • Destination • Structure • Partners • Agency • You • Topics • Types • Sources • SEO • Organic • Paid • Owned • Earned • Email • KPIs • Template • Cadence • Optimize

Show me the money!

3 Components of Content Marketing ROI 1. Cost 2. Utilization 3. Performance Content Marketing Hubs are a digital asset (with an LTV and ROI)

60-70% of Marketing Content Goes Completely Unused. *Sirius Decisions

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

Conduct A Content Audit • Content Type • Audience / Target • Buyer Stage • Primary Destination • Performance

Building the Content Marketing Business Case 1. Reach early stage buyers 2. Engage new buyers with your brand 3. Conversions you would have never reached

Building The Business Case 1. 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

Destination and Branding 1. On Domain vs. Off? 2. Heavily Branded vs. Lightly Branded?

Even Great Content Needs a Push The average Hollywood movie spends 50-60% of production budget on distribution.

Define Key Measures and Targets Download this template now!

Casper’s Van Winkles • Effortlessly combines national housing news with articles on inspirational interior design, celebrity homes and company updates. • Up to 6 new posts per day • Distribution and large audiences across Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Google+

Casper’s Van Winkles

What Are We Going to Write About?

Reach, Engage and Convert the Right People. Early-stage Searches What? And Why? Middle-stage How? Brand Searches Who? How Much? Search/SocialVolume What is Content Marketing? Why is it important? (10-3000 X) How Do I Create Great Content (2-10 X) Who’s the best Content Marketing Platform?

Publishers Publish Everyday on Each Topic • Traffic AND Conversion goes up with volume • Diminishing return? (see below) A few times a year 1-2X per month < monthly 1-2X per week 1 per day More than 1 per day

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 Research Keywords, Then Filter By Personas

Utilize the Right Mix of Content Custom Content Share on-brand stories and recipes which are created specifically for your brand. Community Content Leverage content from customers, employees, influencers that grows and engages your community. Licensed Content Boost credibility, publishing cadence, and direct traffic with a high-volume of fully-licensed, compliant content.

Content Mix (Monthly Average) Licensed Custom Social Custom Content 20% User / Employee 50% Licensed Content 30%

Atomize Your Best Content

Brands need to take the phrase ‘acting like a publisher’ literally. ” “ Dietrich Mateschitz Founder + CEO, Red Bull

BufferApp Blog Lesson for Brands: Think bigger than yourself and what you sell. Help people with their biggest problems and you will earn their attention.

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

GE: Science Vines Focused on Brand Mission: Delivering Innovation to the world

Wistia Videos • Engaging How To Videos • Strong Call To Action • Content = New Subscribers

Steps To Crafting a Content Strategy Discovery Destination + Branding Roles + Resp. Editorial Strategy Distribution Measure + Optimize • Current State • Audience • Objective • Mission • Budget • Branding • Destination • Structure • Partners • Agency • You • Topics • Types • Sources • SEO • Organic • Paid • Owned • Earned • Email • KPIs • Template • Cadence • Optimize

3 Tips For Content That Converts: 1. Less promotion. 2. Answer your customer questions. 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 Slideshare.net/michaelbrenner