3. 3
A SINGLE LARGE PIECE OF
QUALITY CONTENT
WHAT IS PILLAR CONTENT?
WHICH CAN BE BROKEN DOWN
INTO MANY SMALLER PIECES
WHICH EACH WORK AS
STAND-ALONE CONTENT ASSETS
5. 5
CONTENT ASSETS
CONTENT ASSET TYPES
AS A CONTENT CREATOR, YOU’VE
PROBABLY BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR
SOME OR ALL OF THESE.
BLOG POSTS
INFOGRAPHICS
EBOOKS
WHITE PAPERS
USER GUIDES
REVIEWS
SLIDESHARES
PRESS RELEASES
LISTS
HOW TO
INTERVIEWS
Q&A
(AND THIS ISN’T EVEN ALL OF THEM)
6. 6
HOW LONG SHOULD PILLAR CONTENT BE?
CONTENT ASSETS
LONGER CAMPAIGNS = MORE CONTENT
MORE CONTENT = LARGER PILLAR PIECE
AN AVERAGE PILLAR PIECE WILL BE 2,000-10,000 WORDS
LENGTH OF CAMPAIGN
CLIENT EXPECTATIONS
DETERMINING FACTORS
WHAT COMMITMENTS HAVE WE MADE TO THE CLIENT?
WHAT PROBLEM ARE WE ADDRESSING?
WHO ARE WE HELPING?
WHAT ARE THE CONVERSION GOALS?
7. 7
PILLAR CONTENT
WHEN THEY CREATE A NEW PLAYSET, DO YOU THINK LEGO START BY
GATHERING ALL THEIR BRICKS AND HOPING THE MODELS LOOK LIKE A
FIREHOUSE OR THE MILLENNIUM FALCON?
OR DO YOU THINK THEY DECIDE WHAT TO CREATE AND THEN FIGURE OUT
WHICH BRICKS THEY ARE GOING TO NEED?
10. 1
0
CONTENT APPROACHES
PILLAR
EACH QUARTER YOU OFFER:
A SINGLE THEMATIC CAMPAIGN
EACH MONTH YOU:
SPIN OFF PIECES OF THE PILLAR AS
STAND-ALONE PIECES TO PUBLISH AND
PROMOTE
13. 1
3
PILLAR CONTENT
I SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO THIS COMPANY.
THE RIGHT CONTENT WILL MOVE YOUR READER
THROUGH A THOUGHT PROCESS WHICH BEGINS WITH:
14. 1
4
PILLAR CONTENT
I SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO THIS COMPANY.
THIS COMPANY SAYS AWSOMELY USEFUL THINGS.
THE READER RETURNS TO THE CONTENT BECAUSE
IT HELPS THEM SOLVE PROBLEMS WHICH, IN TURN,
MAKES THEM LOOK LIKE A ROCK STAR TO THEIR PEERS.
15. 1
5
PILLAR CONTENT
I SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO THIS COMPANY.
THIS COMPANY SAYS AWSOMELY USEFUL THINGS.
I SHOULD DO BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY.
FINALLY, CONSISTENTLY GREAT CONTENT BUILDS
ENOUGH TRUST AND CONFIDENCE THAT THE
READER TURNS INTO A BUYER.
16. 16
TURNING THEMES INTO CONTENT
PARTS OF A PROCESS
JOB INTERVIEW
WHAT PROBLEM WILL YOU SOLVE?
WHO ARE YOU HELPING?
WHAT COUNTS AS A CONVERSION?
HOW SHOULD I DRESS FOR AN INTERVIEW?
WHAT TYPES OF INTERVIEWS ARE THERE?
WHAT QUESTIONS MIGHT I BE ASKED?
WHAT ARE THE BEST INTERVIEW ANSWERS?
WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD I ASK?
WHAT IS GOOD INTERVIEW ETIQUETTE?
HOW DO I ANSWER THE SALARY QUESTION?
WHAT HAPPENS AT SECOND INTERVIEWS?
WHAT ARE PANEL INTERVIEWS?
WHAT ARE BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS?
MY INTERVIEWER ASKED ME TO DO A SWOT ANALYSIS – WHY?
18. 1
8
EDIT AND ADD AUTHORITY
ADDING STATISTICS
ADDING QUOTES
CAN ADD AUTHORITY
(IF THEY’RE ACCURATE)
CAN ADD CREDIBILITY
(IF THEY’RE REAL)
EXERCISE CAUTION, BUT…
19. 1
9
CONTENT ASSETS
WHY TITLES AND HEADLINES MATTER
ON AVERAGE, FIVE TIMES AS MANY PEOPLE READ THE HEADLINES
AS READ THE BODY COPY.
DAVID OGILVY
ADVERTISING GENIUS
WE’VE FOUND EFFECTIVELY NO CORRELATION BETWEEN SOCIAL
SHARES AND PEOPLE ACTUALLY READING.
JOSH SCHWARTZ
DATA SCIENTIST
TRANSLATION: SPEND MORE TIME ON YOUR HEADLINE.
TRANSLATION: JUST BECAUSE IT GOT SHARED DOESN’T MEAN IT GOT READ.
20. 2
0
CONTENT ASSETS
CHAPTER TITLES vs HEADLINES
HOW SHOULD I DRESS FOR AN INTERVIEW?
WHAT TYPES OF INTERVIEWS ARE THERE?
WHAT QUESTIONS MIGHT I BE ASKED?
WHAT ARE THE BEST INTERVIEW ANSWERS?
WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD I ASK?
WHAT IS GOOD INTERVIEW ETIQUETTE?
HOW DO I ANSWER THE SALARY QUESTION?
THESE ARE FINE FOR CHAPTER TITLES
BUT UNCLICKABLE AS BLOG HEADLINES
ON SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS.
(“FINE” NEVER MEANS GOOD, OR EVEN ACCEPTABLE, EVER. )
21. 2
1
CONTENT ASSETS
MAKE YOUR HEADLINES RELEVANT,
URGENT AND ENTICING
WHAT QUESTIONS MIGHT I BE ASKED?
KILLER INTERVIEW QUESTIONS THE BEST HR MANAGERS ASK
ANSWERS TO INTERVIEW QUESTIONS THAT WILL GET YOU HIRED
7 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS EVERY EMPLOYER ASKS
WHAT THE TOUGHEST INTERVIEW QUESTIONS ARE REALLY ASKING
BETTER
BORING
23. BUILDING YOUR PILLAR
WHAT ARE THE BEST INTERVIEW ANSWERS?
WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD I ASK?
WHAT IS GOOD INTERVIEW ETIQUETTE?
JOB INTERVIEW ANSWERS THAT WILL GET YOU HIRED
# INTERVIEW QUESTIONS EMPLOYERS DON’T WANT YOU TO ASK
# WAYS TO RUIN YOUR JOB INTERVIEW BEFORE IT BEGINS
CREATE YOUR PILLAR CONTENT ASSETS
WHAT PROBLEM ARE YOU SOLVING?
HOW DO YOU MAKE IT ENTICING??
WHAT TYPE OF ASSET
SHOULD EACH PIECE BE?
24. 2
4
BREAKING IT APART
UNPACKING CONTENT ASSETS
THE SHOES THAT CAN GET YOU A JOB OFFER
23 WAYS TO RUIN YOUR JOB INTERVIEW BEFORE IT BEGINS
HOW TO ANSWER THE SALARY QUESTION AND GET PAID
HOW TO HANDLE JOB OFFERS AND REJECTIONS LIKE A PRO
7 STEPS TO IMPRESS IN A BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEW
9 SIMPLE TRICKS TO AMAZE IN PANEL INTERVIEWS
WHY YOU’RE GOING TO SCREW UP A SECOND INTERVIEW
11 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS EMPLOYERS DON’T WANT YOU TO ASK
KILLER INTERVIEW QUESTIONS THE BEST HR MANAGERS ASK
JOB INTERVIEW ANSWERS THAT WILL GET YOU HIRED
INTERVIEW FOLLOW-UP THAT EMPLOYERS LOVE
5 TYPES OF JOB INTERVIEW AND HOW TO ACE THEM
4 BLOG POSTS
5 LIST POSTS
1 SLIDESHARE / SLIDESHOW POST
2 INFOGRAPHICS
1 EBOOK
YOUR PILLAR HAS GENERATED
39 SOCIAL MEDIA UPDATES
= 53 TOTAL PIECES OF CONTENT
1 EBOOK LANDING PAGE
26. 2
6
ABOUT ME
I’M DUNCAN CONNOR.
I DO CONTENT, CONTENT MARKETING, CONVERSION
COPYWRITING AND DABBLE IN SEO.
EMAIL ME IF YOU WANT TO PLAY IN TRAFFIC.
Editor's Notes
Pillar content presentation by Duncan Connor
THIS IS TRUE OF ALL CONTENT
PILLAR CONTENT IS A METHOD BY WHICH A CONTENT PRODUCER CREATES A
SINGLE LARGE PIECE OF HIGH QUALITY CONTENT (IN THIS PRESENTATION WE’RE LOOKING AT AN EBOOK)
WHICH CAN BE BROKEN DOWN INTO
MANY SMALLER, SHAREABLE PARTS
WHICH ARE COMPLETE IN THEIR OWN RIGHT.
WHEN THEY CREATE LEGO SETS, THEY DON’T START WITH THE BRICKS AND TRY TO BUILD A CASTLE, AN X-WING FIGHTER OR A BATMOBILE OUT OF THEM.
THEY DECIDE THEY WANT TO BUILD A MILLENNIUM FALCON AND THEN FIGURE OUT WHAT BRICKS THEY’RE GOING TO NEED. THEN THEY BUILD IT.
CONTENT IS EXACTLY LIKE THIS.
YOU’RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH MANY – OR EVEN MOST – OF THE TYPES OF CONTENT WE CAN CREATE.
CONTENT ASSETS ARE INDIVIDUAL PIECES OF CONTENT.
WHAT’S IMPORTANT HERE IS THAT THEY ARE BROKEN OUT
FROM THE ORIGINAL LARGE PIECE, AND NOT COMBINED TO MAKE A LARGE PIECE.
What are some types of content?
Class – answer question?
THE SIZE OF YOUR PILLAR PIECE WILL BE DETERMINED BY A COUPLE OF THINGS:
HOW LONG IS THE CAMPAIGN GOING TO LAST?
WHAT ARE THE CLIENT’S EXPECTATIONS AROUND
NUMBERS OF PIECES
PROMOTION OF PIECES
TARGETING (SPEAKS TO TONE OF PIECES)
CONVERSION GOALS (SPEAKS TO TYPES OF
ASK QUESTION
CONCEPT FIRST
DESIGN NEXT
BUILD
DOCUMENT
HOW DOES THAT RELATE TO CONTENT?
ASK QUESTION
CONCEPT FIRST
DESIGN NEXT
BUILD
DOCUMENT
HOW DOES THAT RELATE TO CONTENT?
DOCUMENT
CONCEPT
DESIGN
BUILD?
BY DECIDING WHAT TOOLS WE’LL USE TO ANSWER THE PROBLEM FIRST, WE LIMIT HOW WE CAN SOLVE THE PROBLEM
What are the advantages of doing it this way?
MORE FLEXIBILITY
INTRODUCES EFFICIENCIES
ALLOWS MORE EFFORT TO BE SPENT ON PROMOTION
PILLAR CAMPAIGNS BUILT AROUND THEMATIC CONTENT CAN FOCUS ON
SEASONALITY (FALL AND WINTER HOLIDAYS, SUMMER VACATION)
LIFE EVENTS (GRADUATION, WEDDINGS)
PROCESSES (JOB APPLICATION, WATER CYCLE)
COMPLEX SUBJECTS (SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION, BUYING A HOUSE)
HOW DOES ALL THIS TALK FIT INTO MAKING AN ACTUAL CAMPAIGN?
THE RIGHT CONTENT WILL HELP THE READER MOVE THROUGH THIS THOUGHT PROCESS
BRAND AWARENESS
ESTABLISHING THOUGHT-LEADERSHIP AND
SELLING STUFF.
THE RIGHT CONTENT WILL HELP THE READER MOVE THROUGH THIS THOUGHT PROCESS
BRAND AWARENESS
ESTABLISHING THOUGHT-LEADERSHIP AND
SELLING STUFF.
THE RIGHT CONTENT WILL HELP THE READER MOVE THROUGH THIS THOUGHT PROCESS
BRAND AWARENESS
ESTABLISHING THOUGHT-LEADERSHIP AND
SELLING STUFF.
DON’T THINK ABOUT CONTENT TITLES OR EVEN CONTENT TYPES.
FIRST, THINK ABOUT THE PROBLEMS A PERSON MIGHT ENCOUNTER, THE QUESTIONS THEY MIGHT HAVE, ABOUT A JOB INTERVIEW.
BY FOCUSING ON PROBLEMS TO SOLVE YOU’VE CREATED CONTENT IDEAS THAT ARE ALREADY USEFUL.
YOU’RE GOING TO SEND THESE QUESTIONS TO YOUR WRITING TEAM.
YOUR WRITER FOR HIRE IS PROBABLY ONLY WRITING A SMALL PORTION OF YOUR PILLAR PIECE, SO IT’S UP TO YOU TO BRING EACH CHAPTER TOGETHER IN A COHERENT WAY.
CHANCES ARE EACH PIECE WILL HAVE AN INTRODUCTION THAT MAKES SENSE BY ITSELF, BUT HAS LITTLE VALUE AS PART OF AN EBOOK.
EDIT IT FROM THE EBOOK, INCLUDE IT IN THE BLOG POST. THE GOAL IS TO MAKE EACH PIECE THE MOST USEFUL AND VALUABLE IT CAN BE WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THAT SINGLE QUESTION.
NOW YOU GET TO CREATE THE STORY YOU WANT TO TELL WITH THESE QUESTIONS, AND WITH THE ACTION GOALS IN MIND.
QUOTES AND STATISTICS CAN, AND WILL, HELP GET YOUR POINT ACROSS. JUST BE CAREFUL ABOUT SOURCING THEM. IF YOU CAN SOURCE YOUR OWN DATA AND QUOTES, THAT’S A HUGE BONUS.
DAVID OGILVY IS AN ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE WHO FOUNDED AND RAN OGILVY & MATHER IN NYC FROM 1948 TO 1972. HE’S REGARDED BY MANY AS THE INSPIRATION FOR MAD MEN’S DON DRAPER, AND THE PRINCIPLES HE DISCUSSES IN HIS BOOK, OGILVY ON ADVERTISING, ARE STILL QUOTED – “ADVERTISING PEOPLE WHO IGNORE RESEARCH ARE LIKE GENERALS WHO IGNORE DECODES OF ENEMY SIGNALS.”
Can anyone explain what Josh means?
TITLES THAT GRAB ATTENTION AND CREATE A CURIOSITY GAP ARE IMPORTANT.
NOT ONLY ARE THEY THE HOOK TO DRIVE TRAFFIC TO YOUR SITE – AND SO IMPORTANT FOR YOUR STAND-ALONE ASSETS
THEY KEEP THE READER INTERESTED AND GIVE A CHANCE TO SHARE THE CLIENT’S PERSONALITY WHEN THEY’RE IN AN EBOOK.
YOUR HEADLINE NEEDS TO BE AS ENTICING AS YOUR CONTENT IS USEFUL.
SO WHILE A DESCRIPTIVE CHAPTER TITLE IS RELEVANT, IT’S NOT PARTICULARLY ENTICING.
CHANGE UP YOUR CHAPTER TITLES FOR RELEVANT, URGET, ENTICING HEADLINES WHEN YOU PUBLISH THEM AS STANDALONE CONTENT.
SO YOU HAVE ALL THE COMPONENT PARTS, IT’S TIME TO BUILD THE PILLAR CONTENT – IN THIS CASE AN EBOOK
AND THEN BREAK IT OUT INTO INDIVISUAL CONTENT ASSETS
YOUR EBOOK WILL NEED A STRONG EDITORIAL HAND.
REMEMBER, IT MUST READ AS A BOOK, NOT A SERIES OF BLOGS. THIS MEANS THAT YOU’LL BE REMOVING DUPLICATE OR
REDUNDANT CONTENT, AND WRITING COPY THAT CONNECTS EACH SECTION.
YOU’RE GOING TO BE USING SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS TO AMPLIFY THIS CONTENT, SO BE SURE TO WRITE A COUPLE OF
FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND LINKED IN UPDATES FOR EACH OF THEM, INCLUDING THE EBOOK.
YOUR SINGLE EBOOK AND THE 12 ASSETS YOU SPIN OFF FROM IT, EVEN WITHOUT THE SOCIAL POSTS, PROVIDES 14 ASSETS WHICH CAN BE SHARED IN DIFFERENT WAYS ACROSS DIFFERENT PLATFORMS. THIS GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXAMINE WHERE READERS ARE FINDING THE CONTENT AND OPTIMIZING FOR THAT KIND OF CONSUMPTION.
PILLAR CONTENT IS THE EQUIVALENT OF BUILDING THE COLISEUM VERSUS BUILDING TURNER FIELD.
THE BRAVES STADIUM IS SET TO LAST 20 YEARS. THE COLISEUM HAS LASTED 2000 YEARS.