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Converting scanners into readers 0

Users of mobile devices don’t spend a lot of time digesting lengthy Web content. One research study found that only 16 percent of people read what they see on a website word for word. Everyone else mostly scans the page for the information most relevant to them.

placeit(13)But give the user good information of interest, and even scanners can be convinced to become readers.

That means giving the user what they want in written digital content: compelling headlines, factually rich material, and strong organization of the content.

Your brand is the message that is being presented in the content. It can be sharply written, but should follow Web content basics. Get to the point high in the text. Focus on concise paragraphs. Use carefully worded headings to draw and maintain the reader’s interest. And even though it’s marketing content, resist the self-promotional urge.

Try these steps to convert the page scanners into readers of your written content.

Twitter tips to use for your business 0

British comedian David Schneider has some advice for using Twitter effectively for business.

Schneider, who counts more than 170,000 Twitter followers, did this segment for the Guardian of London as part of its Guardian Masterclasses series. In summary, Schneider encourages those looking to get the most out of Twitter, like those embracing it as part of their content promotion strategy, to follow these steps:

  • Be human. Post as if you’re emailing a friend.
  • Be short. Keep it tight.
  • Be topical in your posts.
  • Reply and engage your followers.
  • Tweet about anything that takes your interest.

Look it over, and tell us what you think.

Going native: The push for customized marketing content 0

The brewer of Miller and Coors wants customers to tune in to their newsroom, and they’re paying big bucks to see that it gets done.

A new alliance between the brewer and online giant AOL is the latest example of how far content marketing strategists are willing to go to ensure their brand message reaches the ideal consumer audience.

mobileadsThe creation of customized brand content continues to flourish on the Web, embraced by marketing pros thinking outside the box to get the attention of consumers in an ad-laden market. The trend for this type of brand marketing — custom content, native advertising, brand content, sponsored content — continues to move upward.

Native advertising on social media channels is projected to jump from $3.1 billion this year to $5 billion in 2017. Increased mobile access to social media, content portals, news  properties, video-sharing sites and streaming services has fueled much of the growth, according to emarketer.com.

The potential to get the brand message out to a lucrative market, while maintaining ownership of the “editorial” content, has companies moving to create entire divisions to develop the marketing editorial content and even distribute it through media channels.

The Wall Street Journal recently introduced sponsored content to its website produced by its in-house custom content division. The Washington Post began selling native ads last year for its site, and Gannett-owned USA Today is exploring the use of native advertising content.

The deal between brewer MillerCoors and AOL is worth an estimated $5 million, according to MediaPost.com, citing sources. As part of an integrated strategy, AOL will produce about 350 pieces of original content that will plug Miller Lite, Coors Lite, Blue Moon ale, or Redd’s Apple Ale. The content will focus on males in the millennial demographic, among the most mobile-device and social-media savvy of consumers.

That content, to be called the “Brew Pub Newsroom,” will appear on AOL properties including the Huffington Post, HuffPost Live and Mandatory.com. Miller Lite will also sponsor a video content segment on HuffPost Live targeted at male millennials.

 

 

 

The pluses of custom content 0

Business owners are willing to invest more into developing content-rich media designed to engage online customers. But it is time-consuming work to create unique brand information that stands out in a cluttered marketing landscape.

contentmktg_artCustom content, highly targeted information customized to the needs of the specific audience, can make the difference to a business with a content marketing strategy.

Custom content can generate some of the most well received forms of consumer engagement. It goes beyond content marketing to educate the customer by using information as the sales point.

Various studies show that most consumers are receptive to custom content, saying it shows the company is interested in building a relationship with them. They also say custom content helps in their buying decisions.

Custom content is also key to connecting with the millennial generation, the most mobile device-savvy demographic that will soon have the biggest buying power among consumers.

Marketing planners seeking to position themselves above the one-size-fits-all approach to content marketing are finding that custom content is a focused and effective way to getting their brand message to a target audience.

Helpful tips for your headline writing 0

Creating content for the Web involves many elements, from well-written and researched text and compelling images to video that promotes your brand. Yet the most effective part of the content can be summed up in a few words.

The headline is what first catches the eye of the reader, the initial words viewed of your marketing content. It is where the SEO keywords go that put your article high on the list of interest. Creative and informative headlines are particularly effective for a mobile device. But, when written without much thought, they can also turn off a potential consumer.

So, how do come up with a headline that attracts the reader and keeps them focused on your content?

These links can prove helpful in your task.

Why good written content matters 0

Good, quality written content cannot be underestimated. It should present your message in a way that is clear, uncluttered, concise, precise and informative. The better the written content, the more effective your brand marketing efforts can be.

contentmktg_artIt’s easy to overlook the written content part when you’re planning a brand marketing campaign. The focus often turns toward the integration of images, animation and video content to draw and retain consumers with short attention spans.

However, a Web site with sharp graphics and cool images can be compromised if accompanied by poor written content accompanying it.

Badly written text makes you, the content marketer, look unprofessional and your brand unworthy to follow. Good written content that includes effective, SEO-optimized keywords makes for excellent material the customer will turn to when using their mobile device.

Consider the content as if it was a resume for your brand. Experts say one of the most critical mistakes a job seeker can make is submitting a resume that has typos, is disorganized, or fails to get to the point – “This is what I can bring to this position” – quickly enough.

Well-researched, well-written content is a foundation that you should build your content strategy on. Think of it like a resume that effectively sells your business or brand.

Tips for creating a video content strategy 0

The effective use of video content is not just essential to content marketing strategy, it’s a required element. Consider predictions that say 90 percent of Internet traffic this year will comprise of video.

That’s a lot of webinars, product reviews, corporate Q&A standups and branding campaigns to sort through, particularly if you are using a smartphone of tablet device.

Well-produced, well-executed video content that’s unique and shareable can go a long way in ensuring that your brand marketing plan takes off in the right direction.

But putting that component together requires some thought.

Here’s some advice to help the content marketing planning braintrust get started when it comes to video content, courtesy of Business 2 Community:

  • Do explore multiple types of video content.
  • Don’t go on too long, or risk losing audience engagement.
  • Do invite your audience in. It’s okay to encourage the viewer engagement experience.
  • Don’t exceed your ability. Bring in an expert with experience in creating and editing video for best results. It’s better than posting poor video content.
  • Do consider your video marketing distribution and promotion to amplify the brand message and expand the audience discovering your work.
  • Do make sure your video content aligns with the overall marketing strategy and brand. Adhere to the company’s tone and style to enhance its image.

The president and the comedian: Tips on effective video content 0

On the surface, the premise appears a bit ridiculous: The president of the United States sitting down to discuss the health care law with a comedian best known for “The Hangover” movies.

But Zach Galifianakis’ “Between Two Ferns” sitdown with Barack Obama got everyone

talking about the Affordable Care Act this week. Website traffic to HealthCare.gov, the federally sponsored insurance exchange, jumped 40 percent after some 13 million people watched the “Funny or Die” online segment.

Content marketing professionals can learn something from this. Whether it is video, text or images, good and relevant content will draw in those interested in your message. They’re even willing to be sold on the brand, product or message if the content is compelling enough.

The “Between Two Ferns” segment was not focused exclusively on the Affordable Care Act. There’s plenty of humorous and satirical banter between Galifianakis and Obama. But the White House saw an opening to pitch the Affordable Care Act to a target audience segment of young adults receptive to the message, and the administration took advantage of it.

Companies looking to reel in a target audience with video content may want to consider these tips:

  • Be unique in your content. Make it something that has not been seen before.
  • Be professional. The more polished, well edited and complete the video is, the more receptive the audience will be.
  • Be promotional. Get the video out to the right people who will put it before the target audience.

Content writing for the small screen 0

Longer can sometimes be better when it comes to writing digital content, unless the content is for a mobile device.

When it comes to content that appears on the smartphone or tablet, there are differences of opinion as to the ideal written length. A blog post of, say, 1,500 words may be okay to leisurely digest on a laptop, or even on an iPad, but is less than optimal for a smartphone.

Producing quality marketing content takes time and effort, not to mention the right keywords.

These general tips can help in writing more effective content for the small screen:

 

  • Headlines are the first words someone sees. Make them strong and eye-catching to draw interest to the content.
  • Be concise. Pare down the word count as much as possible.
  • Write for your audience. Jargon is dull, whether for a corporate CEO or someone who comes across the content while surfing the Web. Don’t dumb down the content, but keep it interesting and lively, without superfluous text.
  • Make it easy to scan. Mobile device users with other tasks on their minds are likely to give the article a quick read before deciding if it is worth their time. Short sentences make the scanning easy.

Writing for the mobile device can be a challenge, but one that can be met. Effective written content is an easy way to give your corporate brand a digital boost.

Finding the right content balance 0

Content marketing is being taken seriously enough that companies are projected to set aside more money to get the best results.

The industry is expected to grow in 2014, according to a study conducted by content curation software company Curata Inc., which projects more than 70 percent of marketers will increase their investment in content marketing.

As we’ve posted earlier, more than 1.2 billion people access articles, images and video through mobile devices. This makes engaging content in great demand as a marketing tool.

But Curata also says companies will find that it takes more than an increased budget to be successful in content marketing.

One of the challenges they will face is how to consistently develop a steady stream of solid, relevant digital content with its own personnel.

The task of coming up with 100-percent researched and original content can be daunting to companies, which are being advised to balance its content production that allows 25 percent of it to be curated content, and 10 percent to come from Web syndicated sources like RSS feeds, with original content making up the balance.

Finding the right balance is important for those developing a content marketing strategy, even as more financial resources are being allocated to creating the right content that brings customers in and enhances brand awareness.