the content clone wars: a battle strategy for battling crap with format

THE content

clone wars A BATTLE STRATEGY FOR

COMBATTING CRAP WITH FORMAT

By Anum Hu!ain @anum

Growth marketer at HubSpot.

Marketing director at MIST.

Ravenclaw at Hogwarts.

When I think of 2013,

I remember it as the year “content marketing” skyrocketed.

2005 2007 2009 2011 2013

And how did marketers react?

2005 2007 2009 2011 2013

By launching a blog.

And re-packing that same content in every way possible.

But there’s a core difference between re-packaging content ...

And copy-pasting the same exact content onto different platforms.

This content cloning fuels quantity, not quality.

This results in content saturation.

This results in content clu"er.

This results in content crap.

This results in content crap.

Hats off to Doug Kessler here.

Here’s my content philosophy:

You need to understand how to

present

content in different formats.

I’m tired of repeating:

That’s not an ebook – that’s a

blog post.

That would be better consumed

on SlideShare than video.

That could be a social image

instead of a whole graphic.

So let’s explore 7 content formats you can employ in your marketing today.

And understand how to

present

that content ...

... so it’s not cloning the same exact copy ...

... but instead catering to each content platform.

1 Ebooks.

THE TOP GOAL for content marketing campaigns this year is lead generation. Source: eMarketer

THE TOP GOAL for content marketing campaigns this year is lead generation. Source: eMarketer

EBOOKS ARE CREATED FOR

THIS LEAD GEN PURPOSE.

Ebooks allow you to:

Ebooks allow you to:

!   Provide in-depth expertise on a topic.

Ebooks allow you to:

!   Provide in-depth expertise on a topic.

!   Pair visual and text experiences.

Ebooks allow you to:

!   Provide in-depth expertise on a topic.

!   Pair visual and text experiences.

!   Educate how to accomplish [TOPIC] effectively.

An ebook is not a blog post forma"ed into a PDF.

An ebook is not a SlideShare behind a form.

An ebook is not a a bunch of links to other content.

Example In-Action

Example In-Action

This is a blog post.

Example In-Action

This is a blog post.

Adding extra visuals to this does not make it an ebook.

Example In-Action

This is a blog post. But if you add a worksheet ...

Example In-Action

This is a blog post. But if you add a worksheet ...

And examples ...

Example In-Action

This is a blog post. But if you add a worksheet.

And examples.

YOU HAVE AN EBOOK!

Start producing an ebook with any of these five free templates.

TRY THIS FORMAT NOW

2Infographics.

PUBLISHERS who feature infographics grow traffic 12% faster than those who don’t. Source: AnsonAlex

Infographics allow you to:

Infographics allow you to:

!   Visualize data.

Infographics allow you to:

!   Visualize data.

!   Present content in “visual bullet” form.

Infographics allow you to:

!   Visualize data.

!   Present content in “visual bullet” form.

!   Package complex ideas in simple illustration.

An infographic is not a a blog post in visual form.

An infographic is not a few stats exa)erated with pictures.

An infographic is not a gated marketing offer.

Example In-Action

Example In-Action

This is a blog post.

Example In-Action

Pasting the text from all five steps it into PhotoShop with pictures doesn’t make it an infographic.

This is a blog post.

Example In-Action

This is a blog post.

But if you condense each step to 1-3 sentences ...

Example In-Action

This is a blog post.

But if you condense each step to 1-3 sentences ...

.. and add simple visuals ...

Example In-Action

This is a blog post.

But if you condense each step to 1-3 sentences ...

.. and add simple visuals ...

YOU HAVE AN INFOGRAPHIC!

(It looks better

when you embed in a blog post or

upload to SlideShare).

Start crafting one today with any of these five free templates.

TRY THIS FORMAT NOW

3Press Release.

PRESS RELEASES are viewed, on average, about 275 times during the week. Source: Dan Zarrella

Press releases allow you to:

Press releases allow you to:

!   Discuss your product or service.

Press releases allow you to:

!   Discuss your product or service.

!   Share company news.

Press releases allow you to:

!   Discuss your product or service.

!   Share company news.

!   Provide media outlets with necessary context.

A press release is not a laundry list of facts.

A press release is not a keyword-stuffed advertisement.

A press release is not a file of a+ the awesome things you’ve done.

Example In-Action

Example In-Action

This is a product page.

Example In-Action

This is a product page.

Using the same in-depth copy in a document makes a product pitch, not a press release.

Example In-Action

This is a product page.

But write it with the value prop first ...

Example In-Action

This is a product page.

But write it with the value prop first ...

... and add an influencer quote ...

Example In-Action

This is a product page.

But write it with the value prop first ...

... and add an influencer quote ...

YOU HAVE A PRESS RELEASE!

Start writing one the right way with this free template.

TRY THIS FORMAT NOW

4 Blog Posts.

COMPANIES THAT BLOG have 97% more inbound leads than those who don’t. Source: Ignite Spot

Blog posts allow you to:

Blog posts allow you to:

!   Curate lists of information.

Blog posts allow you to:

!   Curate lists of information.

! Newsjack a story for quick traffic.

Blog posts allow you to:

!   Curate lists of information.

! Newsjack a story for quick traffic.

!   Embed other types of content for distribution.

A blog post is not a spamming of product information.

A blog post is not a rant of random thoughts.

A blog post is not a keyword-stuffed, link-building piece.

Example In-Action

Example In-Action

This is a unique statistic.

Example In-Action

Publishing this in a blog post as is provides limited value.

This is a unique statistic.

Example In-Action

But by adding context ...

This is a unique statistic.

Example In-Action

This is a unique statistic.

But by adding context ... ... and visual examples ...

Example In-Action

This is a unique statistic.

But adding context ... And visual examples ...

YOU HAVE A BLOG POST!

Start writing one today with any of these five free templates.

TRY THIS FORMAT NOW

5 SlideShare Presentations.

60 MILLION unique visitors visit SlideShare every month. Source: SlideShare

60 MILLION unique visitors visit SlideShare every month. Source: SlideShare

YOU’RE LOOKING AT ONE RIGHT

NOW.

SlideShares allow you to:

SlideShares allow you to:

!   Tell visual, shareable stories.

SlideShares allow you to:

!   Tell visual, shareable stories.

!   Cut your thoughts into bite-size bits.

SlideShares allow you to:

!   Tell visual, shareable stories.

!   Cut your thoughts into bite-size bits.

!   Adapt presentations into stories.

A SlideShare is not a platform for re-uploading eb,ks.

A SlideShare is not a live presentation in slide form.

A SlideShare is not a sales pitch with no storyline.

Example In-Action

Example In-Action

This is an ebook.

Example In-Action

This is an ebook.

Uploading it to SlideShare makes it hard to read and reduces the number of leads it can generate.

Example In-Action

This is an ebook.

But if you excerpt one section ...

Example In-Action

This is an ebook.

But if you excerpt one section ...

And visualize the tips ...

Example In-Action

This is an ebook.

But if you excerpt one section ...

And visualize the tips ...

YOU HAVE A SLIDESHARE WITH A CTA FOR MORE.

Start creating one today with this free template.

TRY THIS FORMAT NOW

6Social Images.

PHOTOS generate 53% more likes than the average post on Facebook. Source: HubSpot

PHOTOS generate 53% more likes than the average post on Facebook. Source: HubSpot

AND 55% MORE LEADS ON TWITTER.

Social images allow you to:

Social images allow you to:

!   Promote components of a blog post or ebook in one bite.

Social images allow you to:

!   Promote components of a blog post or ebook in one bite.

!   Highlight a quick stat or concept in visual form.

Social images allow you to:

!   Promote components of a blog post or ebook in one bite.

!   Highlight a quick stat or concept in visual form.

!   Entertain your audience.

A social image is not a lengthy quote that is hard to read.

A social image is not a meme that links to a landing page.

A social image is not a whole infographic stuffed into a tw-t.

Example In-Action

Example In-Action

This is an image on a landing page.

Posting it as is to social media falsely implies you can download

by clicking the image.

Example In-Action

This is an image on a landing page.

But provide a short URL destination ...

Example In-Action

This is an image on a landing page.

But provide a short URL destination ... ... and add a

unique visual ...

Example In-Action

This is an image on a landing page.

But provide a short URL destination ... ... and add a

unique visual ...

YOU HAVE A SOCIAL IMAGE!

Start creating social images with any of these 17 free templates.

TRY THIS FORMAT NOW

7 Video.

POSTS WITH VIDEOS attract three times more inbound links than plain text posts. Source: MOZ

Videos allow you to:

Videos allow you to: !   Entertain your audience.

Videos allow you to: !   Entertain your audience.

!   Walk through examples with voiceover screencasts.

A video is not a way to go viral on YouTube.

A video is not a way to market with your quirky cat.

A video is not an o.ortunity to talk endle!ly.

Example In-Action

Example In-Action

This is a step-by-step blog post.

Recording the text word-for-word over images doesn’t produce a helpful video.

Example In-Action

This is a step-by-step blog post.

But if you screen record the entire process ...

Example In-Action

This is a step-by-step blog post.

But if you screen record the entire process ...

... and voice record a conversational step-by-step tutorial to pair with the screen

recording ...

Example In-Action

This is a step-by-step blog post.

But if you screen record the entire process ...

... and voice record a conversational step-by-step tutorial to pair with the screen

recording ...

YOU HAVE A MARKETING VIDEO!

Start scripting your video with this free template.

TRY THIS FORMAT NOW

So, to all content creators cloning their

content for exposure ...

Cut it out.

Dive/ify your content library.

EBOOK

BLOG

SOCIAL

VIDEO

SLIDES

GRAPHIC

Please.

May the resources be with you.

TRY ANY OF THESE 35 TEMPLATES

Thank you.