Developing a Content Marketing
Strategy
How to Develop and Promote
Content that Generates New
Busine$$
My Goal Today: Give You Good
Content About Good Content
•
•
•
•
Developing a content strategy
Developing content that is valued
Promoting your valued content
Guiding Principle: “If you cannot explain
something simply, you don’t understand it.”
• Good content should be elegantly simple
• Elegantly simple Q&A time at the end
Why Content Is King
• 80 percent of business decision-makers trust
articles more than advertisements
• 70 percent say content marketing makes them
feel more affinity for the content sponsor
• 20 percent of Internet time is spent surfing for
content
• Fresh and popular content increases SEO
• Source: Stephen Fairley “23 Reasons Why
Content Marketing Matters”
Content Marketing: Overall Strategy
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Focus on what you love and do well
Better to do a little well than a lot badly
Define target audience & how to reach them
Learn what your audience values in content
Develop content for audience wants/industry
Use delivery channels the audience tunes into
Share and coordinate content and messaging
internally to boost yield and reduce conflict
Content Clients Value
•
•
•
•
•
•
Blogs
Newsletters
White Papers
Website Content
“Value Added” Content
Advertorials
•
•
•
•
•
•
Content about Clients
Content about Alums
Biographical Profiles
Video Content
Partnered Content
Case Studies
1. Blogs
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Over 50% say blogs can influence hiring
Blogs increase SEO and press opportunities
Substance: Be Timely and Practical
Ideas: Look at other blogs, sites and trade pubs
Provide links to other authorities
Length: 300 to 600 word average
Frequency: ideally twice a week or more
Try: list articles; how to; anniversary stories;
opinion pieces; demystifying posts; news analysis
2. Newsletters
•
•
•
•
•
Be timely
Be topical
Be practical
Be brief for executives
Be regular in publication
3. White Papers
• Authoritative “thought leadership” reports
• Originated as government/academic public
policy proposals
• Churchill White Paper of 1922
• True white paper is meaty, footnoted and
aimed at a particular issue or problem
• Can be about a new product or service or new
approach to solving an issue or problem
• You can Google “white paper” on any topic
4. Website Content
•
•
•
•
•
•
Value Propositions
Mission and Values Statements
Service Pledges
Story Content
Case Studies
Additional resource links to helpful info
5. Value-added Content
•
•
•
•
•
•
“How to” booklets
Books that act as “on the shelf” guides
Reference lists for self-help
Management checklists
Operational checklists
Other short and practical summaries
6. Advertorials
•
•
•
•
•
•
Advertising content that looks editorial
Often like short white papers
Sometimes in story form about a deal or event
Sometimes co-branded
Written professionally, not by staff writers
Can sometimes be placed regionally in
national publications
7. Content About Clients
•
•
•
•
•
•
Stories about clients in firm newsletters
Stories about clients on Websites
Stories or profiles of client executives
Often look at why clients are successful
Often give readers both fun and practical info
Can be a chance for smaller clients to connect
with lots of potential customers or contacts
8. Content About Alumni
•
•
•
•
•
Can be profiles or success stories
Chance to feature alumni & build connections
Look to feature alums who are CFOs, CEOs, etc
Alumni of a firm can be great referral sources
Chance to connect your brand with a highly
successful person in business
9. Video Content
•
•
•
•
•
•
Webinars, podcasts, and Website videos
“How to” videos
“Forward looking” videos
Panel discussion videos with audience Q&A
Ego-driven talking head videos not popular
But short videos that go with bios OK
10. Biographical Profiles
• In some professional service fields,
biographical profiles get the most site hits
• Clients like to know who is serving them
• Content might include: Professional
experience; career highlights; publications and
press; lectures and teaching; awards and
recognitions; community involvement
• Bold ones show some personal content about
hobbies and passions to connect with clients
11. “Partnered” Content
• Insurance company and law firm desk guide to
risk management and liability prevention
• Patent brokers and IP law firm co-authoring an
advertorial on how to find valuable IP licenses
• Business management consulting firm and
business publisher sponsoring white papers
12. Case Studies
• Based on actual examples of superior service
and results delivered to real clients
• Used to illustrate creative solutions, efficiency,
collaboration and ability to work under
pressure
• Usually not more than a page
• Broken into “bits:” client problem; objective;
complicating challenge; solution; results.
How to Promote Your Content
• Traditional media via
PRnewswire.com;
NewsCertified.com;
HelpaReporter.com
• Trade pubs, such as
Accounting Today
• In collateral materials
• Linked-In / groups
• Twitter / hash tags
• Via your blog
• Other SM, such as FB,
Google Plus, Wikipedia
• Send to “connectors”
w/good Klout scores
• Content sites dedicated
to your profession
• At seminars/meetings
• On your Website
• Via direct mail
• IN YOUR OWN FIRM