content marketing - 7 steps to heaven | amy nicholson | sticky content | marketing week live
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Make your content marketing meaningfulAmy Nicholson, managing editor
@stickyamy
Make your content marketing meaningful7 steps to heavenAmy Nicholson@stickyamy #MWL16
This month we’re working with…
Content’s 2 faces
We love content because…
“Getting something out on our blog or email is faster than traditional advertising. It’s cheaper too”“There are lots of ways to see what’s working, rather than just 1 or 2 ways to measure”“We can build our brand, raise product awareness or broadcast – we can drive specific actions”
The problem with content
>89% of UK organisations are using content marketing
>Only 37% have a documented strategy
>Only 33% say they are effective
Content Marketing Institute, 2016 Benchmarking report
The Ecommerce Bros’ blog
“Welcome to The Ecommerce Bros’ blog. Below you will find our latest news and views on all things ecommerce .”> An announcement about someone
you’ll never meet > A promotion that bears no relation to
your service > Some pile of jargon that only Keith at
Ecommerce Bros cares about > Something the CEO wrote on holiday
1. Assemble your team
Commissioner/owner
Information influencer
Creator Approver
Plan Brief Create Review
AmendApprovePublishGovern
Do you know how much work it is?
Map out your copy process
Walk through your production process a step at a time – and put in the roles requiredWhat’s your TRAP plan? • Task• Requested time • Actual time• Person
2. Do you know why you’re here?
Before you start writing… > WHY is this copy going on the site?
How will this copy help advance your business goals? What will users do after reading this copy? How will you measure the success of this copy?
> WHO is the copy for? What can you say about how busy they are, their motivation for reading the copy, their knowledge about the topic? When, where, how will they be coming to this copy?
> WHAT is the key message of the copy? What questions will readers want the copy to answer?
Letting Go of the Words
Ginny Redish
An example…
“We serve marketers in big businesses useful information, expert advice, practical tips and editorial inspiration for solving their organisation’s content problems – and making their content better.”
3. Who are you trying to attract?
Writing for your users
>Most online content is task-based. People want to look up delivery details, order a product, find contact information etc…
>Our job is to identify likely user actions and objectives and answer them directly with useful, relevant content
Users aren’t lazy
Multi-tasking mobile users
Source: Our mobile planet
Create content personas in an hour> Make a long list of your audience
groups> Compare their content needs and take
out the overlaps > Take a group at a time – and create a
character for each > Who are they? What are their problems?
What do you want to tell them? > How can you make their day better?
4. Find your voice
The 3 elements of a tone of voice:1. What you choose to say –
messaging/content strategy2. How you present those
messages – information design3. The actual words you use to do
this – language/style
How should we sound?
Crack your tone of voice – fast
1. Nail your values – start with your brand if you have nothing else to work with
2. List your channels – rank values by purpose and message
3. List your personas and do the same 4. List your 5 trickiest types of comms,
and write a before and after for each 5. Capture, format and share!
Your domain of expertise
Your users’ information needs
ISA investing
tips
Which ISA is for me
ISA glossary
ISA investment ideas for a
falling market
What is an ISA (and why do I
need one)?
ISAs
Ideas for ethical
ISA investing
ISA myth-buster
ISA investment ideas for a
rising market
6 things to know when
tracking down the
best returns
All about NISA
How to use the
new super ISA
Saving for your child
Is it worth transferring my ISA?
Cash v Stocks and
shares
Should you ever take
your money out?
What next for ISAs?
Tips from Britain’s first ISA
Millionaire
10 of the best ISAs
Work your niche
1. Working with your content team, create a topic map
2. Start with the big-block subject areas3. Map through to more and more
granular detail4. Mark through which are right for you,
and which are outside your niche 5. Use your mission statement to
sense-check – what’s right for you?
5. Make your briefs work©PA.
Think of your brief as your content’s passport
©PA.
When to use your brief…
• Planning• Commissioning• Writing• Checking • Approving • Publishing • Governing
What to include… Project name ChannelsTimelinesAudience (persona) Outcome KPIs Source links or material Priority informationCalls to action
Format Structure/technical limits Keywords/SEO requirements Tone of voice Approval Governance date/lifespan
6. Get with the format©PA.
5 reasons to have a format
1. Make production easier 2. Cut down amends and approvals 3. Wipe out the tyranny of the
blank page 4. Improve user experience 5. Encourage repeat reading
Tried-and-trusted digital formats> FAQ> Step-by-step> Q&A > Document summary> Timeline/chronology> Product page > Case study > What is… ?> How to… ?> User guides
> Facts at a glance > Menu > News story> Testimonial > Top 10 tips> Factfile> Buyer’s guide> Destination guide> Checklist> Biography
Get your basic format first
> Word or CMS template > If you have a CMS structure, replicate
it > Add in all copy elements > Include supporting copy, like email
modules, subject lines or social posts > Be efficient – where else might this
copy appear?
7. Plan like a publisher©PA.
Build your calendar
> Maintain an editorial calendar > This will confirm frequency, timelines,
volumes, content owners, formats, channels etc
> Work with subject matter experts and other content sources
> Capture ideas regularly – Put in place an editorial board to review content effectiveness
> Practice the 80:20 principle with your ideas – try new things
What to do with your editorial calendar> Plan big themes and specific pieces > Map channels against each other > Include bigger-picture influences > Update and govern it> Use it to look back as well as forward > Share it far and wide – but keep
editing rights close to your chest!
In summary: 7 steps
1. Assemble your team 2. Mission statement 3. Content personas 4. Find your voice 5. Briefing forms 6. Formats and templates7. Content calendar
Are you ready to listen?
Outcome Content metricBrand awareness Page views / site visits
Search traffic Keyword ranking
Audience engagement User comments / posts Social shares Page visit duration Downloads / sign-ups Opens / click-throughs
Sales Product page buys Code redirects in-store
Customer satisfaction Customer ratings User survey results Bounce rate
Customer loyalty Direct traffic Returning visitors
Customer advocacy Referred traffic / inbound links
The golden rule
“Everything you publish is a chance to learn something – whether about your audience, about your brand, or about your writers. Make the most of the opportunity – and have fun!”
Thanks! Come and see us at stand MK2@stickyamy #MWL16
Any Questions?