what brands don't understand about content marketing

What Brands Don’t What Brands Don’t UnderstandUnderstand

About Content MarketingAbout Content Marketing

Mike Spencer, Oct, 2015. Mike Spencer, Oct, 2015.

Content Marketing IsContent Marketing Is A long-term lead generation strategy A long-term lead generation strategy

Must include employee created content Must include employee created content (ECC) to be truly effective. (ECC) to be truly effective.

You have to be consistent, this means 2-3 You have to be consistent, this means 2-3 minimum weekly blog posts, in addition to minimum weekly blog posts, in addition to other channels like LinkedIn Pulse, guest other channels like LinkedIn Pulse, guest blogging, video channels! blogging, video channels!

Content Marketing Is NotContent Marketing Is Not

Your social media marketing person’s Your social media marketing person’s attempt to do copywriting. attempt to do copywriting.

A selling technique of writing about your A selling technique of writing about your own brand, products and an extension of own brand, products and an extension of social-selling. social-selling.

Content Marketing Is NotContent Marketing Is Not

Just a way to get keywords on your blog to boost Just a way to get keywords on your blog to boost your SEO, if the content is not engaging and your SEO, if the content is not engaging and able to get quality leads it’s not made for your able to get quality leads it’s not made for your audience. audience.

Copywriting done by interns or people who have Copywriting done by interns or people who have the inclination to write, your copy should be the inclination to write, your copy should be quality if you believe “Content is King”. If you quality if you believe “Content is King”. If you don’t invest in it, your branding won’t be quality. don’t invest in it, your branding won’t be quality.

Content Marketing IsContent Marketing Is

Content that gives your audience value, Content that gives your audience value, helpful information, links to high quality helpful information, links to high quality articles and an authentic voice for your articles and an authentic voice for your brand. brand.

Content that is able to demonstrate lead Content that is able to demonstrate lead generation, conversions and high ROI, generation, conversions and high ROI, over months, not weeks, months! over months, not weeks, months!

Content Marketing is NotContent Marketing is Not

Just Articles, it’s also Curating content, video Just Articles, it’s also Curating content, video content, micro content, surveys, Email content, micro content, surveys, Email marketing, Infographics, whitepapers, eBooks, marketing, Infographics, whitepapers, eBooks, etc.etc.

Just about your brand, it’s about adding value to Just about your brand, it’s about adding value to your audience, that is relevant, targeted to your your audience, that is relevant, targeted to your brand advocates and entertaining. brand advocates and entertaining.


That which builds relationship of trust & creates That which builds relationship of trust & creates means of your audience identifying with your means of your audience identifying with your brand more in an authentic way. brand more in an authentic way.

A way to display your company culture in a A way to display your company culture in a positive light, to show you value your employees positive light, to show you value your employees and take their development seriously. and take their development seriously.

Content Marketing is NotContent Marketing is Not

A technique to boost short-term sales, it’s A technique to boost short-term sales, it’s more for sustained brand identity and more for sustained brand identity and brand awareness, reach and education brand awareness, reach and education around your industry. around your industry.

To be neglected in 2015 or 2016, it’s as To be neglected in 2015 or 2016, it’s as essential as being on social media or essential as being on social media or boosting posts. boosting posts.


About story-telling, being “there” for your About story-telling, being “there” for your audience, showing personality, humour, audience, showing personality, humour, authoritative content, knowledge authority authoritative content, knowledge authority in your industry, fostering user-generated-in your industry, fostering user-generated-content, and out-doing your competition. content, and out-doing your competition.

Content Marketing TipsContent Marketing Tips

Add value with every post Add value with every post Try to be valuable, address what your Try to be valuable, address what your

customers talk aboutcustomers talk about Don’t look for ROI at first, look for Don’t look for ROI at first, look for

accentuating your Unique Selling Point accentuating your Unique Selling Point Content marketing is an ongoing process Content marketing is an ongoing process

that is best integrated into an overall that is best integrated into an overall marketing strategy marketing strategy


Content Marketing should get 15-30% of Content Marketing should get 15-30% of your Marketing budget. your Marketing budget.

Caters to deeper audience understanding, Caters to deeper audience understanding, therefore can’t easily be quantified in sales therefore can’t easily be quantified in sales conversions conversions

Is an interactive process when done right. Is an interactive process when done right. Fosters brand advocacy and celebrates Fosters brand advocacy and celebrates

brand influencers. brand influencers.


Is not about you or your brand/products, is Is not about you or your brand/products, is about your audience and their journey. about your audience and their journey.

Is content that facilitates the customer Is content that facilitates the customer experience and celebrates the customer experience and celebrates the customer journey. journey.

Is not a sales technique or for lead Is not a sales technique or for lead conversion (that’s the job of sales!)conversion (that’s the job of sales!)

Content Marketing TripsContent Marketing Trips

Should be one of the foundations of your start-Should be one of the foundations of your start-up, not something you invest in just when you up, not something you invest in just when you have your first good product. have your first good product.

Is synonymous with authentic company culture Is synonymous with authentic company culture and distributes that to your brand advocates. and distributes that to your brand advocates.

Is one of the foundations of marketing strategy in Is one of the foundations of marketing strategy in 2015, for social media, SEO, branding, public 2015, for social media, SEO, branding, public relations and inbound lead generation. relations and inbound lead generation.