content marketing: case studies and strategies for success
TRANSCRIPT
What is content marketing?
?Content marketing is a technique of creating and distributing valuable, relevant and consistent content to attract and acquire a clearly defined audience – with the objective of driving profitable customer action.
http://bit.ly/1djEYBf
MECLABS is a research institute focused on discovering what really works in marketing.
We conduct real-world experiments with companies around the world to understand why people say “yes”.
Our scientific approach provides the basis for education and training resources that help create exceptional, customer-centric marketing organizations.
About the MECLABS Institute
Speakers
Daniel BursteinDirector of Editorial Content
MECLABS @DanielBurstein
Erin HoggReporterMECLABS
@HoggErin
Above all else, content marketing should be:
(Mostly) free (Mostly) non-promotional
Helpful Educational
Shareable
Why content marketing?
PrintAdvertising
SocialMedia Mobile
Marketing
DirectMail
Trade Shows
SEO
Optimization
PPC
Webinars
EmailMarketing
CONTENT
0% 40%10% 20% 30%
10%
20%
30%
DEG
REE
OF
DIFF
ICU
LTY
LEVEL OF EFFECTIVENESS
Lead Generation Benchmark SurveyFielded January 2012, N=1,915
MarketingSherpa
Content Callout:
Content: there is no easy button.
-Scott AbelContent Strategist
Measurement
20%
Golf Platform7%
Transactions5%
Government Relations
6%
60%
Brand Launch
2%
Thought LeadershipExpertiseAdvocacyEmployer of Choice
Content DependentActivities
http://bit.ly/19zX8k4
Measurement
20%
Golf Platform7%
Transactions5%
Government Relations
6%
60%
Brand Launch
2%
Thought LeadershipExpertiseAdvocacyEmployer of Choice
Content DependentActivities + 100% Increase in Web visits per month
http://bit.ly/19zX8k4
Free is not free
Value Cost
The Prospect’s Mind
• What is truly free?• Every action requires a value proposition
The value proposition
http://www.meclabs.com/methodology
Content Callout:
Treat your content like a product.
-Drew Davis Brandscaping
1
32
Question: If I am your ideal customer, why should I engage with your content rather than any of your competitors’ content?
Prospect B
PRODUCT
#3
PRODUCT
#4
PRODUCT
#1
PRODUCT
#2PRODUCT
#3
PRODUCT
#4
PRODUCT
#2
PRODUCT
#3
PRODUCT
#4
Primary Value
Proposition
Conversion steps associated with a specific product
PRODUCT
#2PROSPECT-LEVEL
PROCESS-LEVEL
PRODUCT
#1PRODUCT
#1
PRODUCT-LEVEL
But this
Not thisOrientation
Small form
Single CTATestimonial
Quantifier
Even “free” offers require a conversion
But this…
Not this…
Orientation Small form
Single CTATestimonial
Quantifier
Start Rate Conversion Rate
Control 0.73% 0.73%Treatment – Optimized 10.37% 4.76%Relative Difference 1,312% 548%
Increase in conversion Selling free content on the registration page increased conversion rate by 548%
548%
Even “free” offers require a conversion
What are we trying to communicate?
Join the conversationSubmit Comment
4,357 4,278
38 50
0.87% 1.74%
Visits
Comments
Conversion
What are we trying to communicate?
Join the conversationSubmit Comment
4,357 4,278
38 50
0.87% 1.74%
Visits
Comments
Conversion
39% Increase
How to identify your storyEvery customer wants two things:
Eliminate the negative
Accentuate the positive
Content Callout:
Content is anything that adds value to the reader's life.
-Avinash KaushikGoogle
Help women identify new beauty trends
Facebook395,440 likes842 people talking about this
Twitter782K followers
Company: BeautylishIndustry: BeautyProject: Brand journalism
http://bit.ly/18PBt4s
Help people learn about wine
154% lift in organic traffic
50% increase in monthly email opt-ins
153,535 Facebook likes
Company: Wine EnthusiastIndustry: Wine retailerCampaign: Product education
http://bit.ly/1tjGlqm
Help marketers improve their ecommerce efforts
Help ecommerce marketers see where they stand, and insights for improvement.
Company: MarketingSherpaProduct: Ecommerce Success Score Survey
http://bit.ly/1vx8P2k
Help people learn about big data
291% increase in social referral traffic
151% increase in organic search
269% increase in average time spent on the website
Company: IBMIndustry: Data Campaign: Content to help people understand big data and analytics
http://bit.ly/1f5DQqH
Focus on the audience and the message …
NOT THEMEDIUM
Content Callout:
Content marketing is all about telling a
compelling story. -Joe Pulizzi
Content Marketing Institute
We don’t want to give away our secrets
We don’t want to give away our content for free
Three content marketing barriers
We don’t have time to produce quality content
We don’t want to give away our secrets
We don’t want to give away our content for free
Three content marketing barriers
We don’t have time to produce quality content
We don’t want to give away our secrets
We don’t want to give away our content for free
Three content marketing barriers
We don’t have time to produce quality content
2012 Lead Generation Benchmark Survey: Fielded January 2012, N=1,915
Marketers’ expected changes to channel budget
3%
4%
6%
9%
13%
14%
14%
19%
23%
24%
27%
29%
17%
19%
17%
29%
32%
33%
38%
44%
39%
44%
46%
45%
59%
59%
60%
57%
49%
52%
46%
32%
37%
30%
24%
23%
Print advertisingTradeshows
Direct mailWebinars
Paid search (PPC)Mobile marketing
Marketing…Email marketing
Content marketingSEO
Social mediaWebsite…
Increase greatly Increase slightly No change
62% Increase
You pay with help, you receive attention and trust
Your Company
Customers Share of Mind
Trust
ContentRelevantHelpful
Entertaining
We don’t want to give away our secrets
We don’t want to give away our content for free
Three content marketing barriers
We don’t have time to produce quality content
Real content marketing adds
value for the customer, no
matter the topic
http://bit.ly/19zX8k4
Content Callout:
Be the best answer.-Lee Odden
TopRank Marketing
Real content marketing adds
value for the customer, no
matter the topic
We tell potential customers, ‘You know what, fiberglass might not be for you. And that’s OK, we’re going to figure it out together.’
– Marcus Sheridan
“ “ http://bit.ly/19zX8k4
Top takeaways
Sell your “free” content
Tell your story
Stop at nothing
Content Callout:
Content isn't King; it's the Kingdom.
-Lee OddenTopRank Marketing
We are currently looking for key players in:
Visit MECLABS.com/Careers
Sales & Marketing
Video EditingResearch & Data
Content
Thank you!
Daniel BursteinDirector of Editorial Content
MECLABS @DanielBurstein
Erin HoggReporterMECLABS
@HoggErin
Additional ResourcesBlog Case Study: Three Lessons Learned from a 232% Increase in Visits
http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2010/08/blog-case-study-increase-visits/
Selling Free Content: Why Seth Godin never gives anything away for free
http://www.marketingexperiments.com/blog/marketing-insights/free-content-value-exchange.html
Content Marketing and SEO: The world doesn’t need another blog post
http://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/search-marketing/customer-focused-content-marketing/
Content Marketing: 3 tips for how to get started
http://sherpablog.marketingsherpa.com/inbound-marketing/content-marketing-getting-started/