how to tell if your content sucks! b2b marketing summit | sticky content | emily shelley
TRANSCRIPT
How to tell if your content sucks
Emily Shelley, managing director
The 5 signs your content sucks and what to do about it
Here are some of our clients…
1. You’ve forgotten what it’s for
Content marketing
Download the results
Download the results
Before you start…
WHY are we doing it?
WHO are we doing it for?
WHAT is the key message?
Letting Go of
the Words
Ginny Redish
Download the results
What’s your mission?
An example…
“Welcome to Inc.com, the
place where entrepreneurs and
business owners can find
useful information, advice,
insights, resources and
inspiration for running and
growing their businesses.”
Another definition of strategy…
‘A reason to say NO
to things.’
Professor Michael Porter
2. It’s all about you
Velocity
Doug Kessler
It’s not about you…
Content marketing starts with what your prospects need to find out about, not what you need to tell them.
“My first vacation epiphany
occurred while taking my two
dogs for a walk on the beach at
6 one evening in early August.
“I’ve always considered walking
the dogs obligatory but not
especially enjoyable…”
Alchemy Worx
Dela Quist
Think about value, not relevance
‘It’s not about relevance, it’s about value. What value are you offering people in your emails as a thank you to them for staying on you list?’
Who are you creating content for?
Half of all b2b researchers are Millennials
Google/Millward Brown Digital, B2B Path to Purchase Study, 2014
Employee influence on purchase decisions
Google/Millward Brown Digital, B2B Path to Purchase Study, 2014
Create content personas in an hour
• List your target groups
• Compare their content needs
• Take out overlaps
• Make characters for each
• Who are they? What are their problems?
• How can you make their day better?
3. Your ideas are the same as everyone else’s
How inspired are your ideas meetings?
Managing Director, Sticky Content
Emily Shelley
“You can’t be a thought leader if you don’t have any thoughts”
2. Use your content personas
3. Think format1. Stick to the mission
How not to suck at ideas…
Tried and trusted digital formats
FAQStep-by-step
Q&A
Document summary
Timeline / chronology
Product page
Case study
Wh
at is
… ?
Ho
w to
… ?
User g
uid
e
Facts at a glance
New
s s
tory
Menu
TestimonialBuyer’s guide
Ch
ecklis
t
Destin
atio
n g
uid
e
Biography
Factfile
Top 10 tips
4. You can’t recognise it
“It's the size of a paperback book but possesses the computing power of a laptop. The 345g lightweight and compact tablet can be operated with a single hand -ideal when you're on the go.”
“It can do just about everything and be just about anything. And because it’s so easy to use, it’s easy to love.”
“Play music through a Bluetooth speaker. Change channels on your HDTV while you tweet. Share photos on the big screen with one-touch mirroring”
Spot the brand
Spot the brand
What is tone of voice?
Tone of voice is the way your organisation would speak if it were a person.
Who speaks like this?
‘In event of fire,
avoid use of lift’
Would anybody NOT say what you’re saying…
‘Simply put, our
100% web-based
software solutions
are designed by
industry specialists
for industry
specialists’
Crack your tone of voice – fast
1. Nail your values
2. Rank against channels
3. Rank against personas
4. Make before & afters
5. Capture it and share!
5. You don’t ever learn
“My first vacation epiphany
occurred while taking my two
dogs for a walk on the beach at 6
one evening in early August.
“I’ve always considered walking
the dogs obligatory but not
especially enjoyable…”
Review your briefs
©PA.
Download the results
Think of your brief as your content’s passport
©PA.
+ 24%
The golden rule
“Everything you publish is a
chance to learn something –
whether about your
audience, about your brand,
or about you. Make the
most of that opportunity”
5 signs your content sucks:
1. You’ve forgotten what it’s for
2. It’s all about you
3. Your ideas are the same as everyone else’s
4. You can’t recognise it
5. You don’t ever learn
What to do about it:
1. Agree a mission statement
2. Make some content personas
3. Think of formats and use them for ideas
4. Create tone of voice guidelines
5. Use briefs and review, test, and learn
Get your free templates for the lot!
Thank you!
www.stickycontent.com
@StickyEmily