Happy Friday, everyone! For our Fast & Easy column, we try to spotlight a variety of different articles that touch on content marketing strategies and best practices that you can implement at any time. But what happens once you have a solid content strategy in place? You continue to learn, grow and evolve, of course!
So for this week, I decided to provide a roundup of some different pieces that show how you can streamline your processes, improve content effectiveness and your amplification efforts:
- Your go-to content team: Depending on the size and structure of your organization, you may find that you have a lot of different cooks in your marketing kitchen. Or you may find that you need more resources and support during the content activation process. Either way, this article provides a quick and actionable breakdown of the team members you absolutely need to support your content efforts: A content strategist, web developer, writer, data expert and designer. Each team member touches a different, yet still important, part of the content marketing process.
- What’s the deal with content, anyway?: If you couldn’t tell, this subhead was supposed to be read in Jerry Seinfeld’s voice. You may think the comedic legend isn’t a valid source for content marketing inspiration, but this article proves otherwise. Seinfeld has made a big splash with his show “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.” It includes a stellar assortment of laugh-masters, leverages great storytelling techniques and follows a great model that all types of marketers can apply. My favorite tip: “You can’t fake passion.”
- Become a brand publisher: B2B organizations will always need product-focused collateral and content such as E-books, white papers, infographics and other types of assets. However, the value of brand publishing via a blog or dedicated content hub is undeniable. When you think like a journalist or publisher, you add an entirely new layer to your content and brand voice. You focus on educating buyers, telling great stories and making your organization more relatable and most of all, a valuable source for your audience. This article outlines some great characteristics of successful brand publishers and even some examples. If you’re looking to get started with brand journalism, building a dedicated hub or improving your current strategy, this is a great read for you.
- Get Snap-happy: There has been a lot of buzz about Snapchat in the B2C world. Brands like Sephora and Taco Bell use the social network to create fun filters and hold contests that boost brand buzz and engagement. But is there room for B2B brands to experiment with Snapchat and other networks like YouTube? Sure, why not! This article from Demand Gen Report spotlights some B2C examples and how some leading-edge B2B brands are taking cues from them.
Has your business embraced brand journalism? Do you use Snapchat or YouTube to engage with buyers in a new way? Share your comments and experiences in the comments section below!
