Today’s audiences are more empowered than ever to make decisions on what content they read online and more importantly, what they don’t. When it comes to branded content, consumers no longer respond to “Buy Nows!” and “Click Heres!”, they demand quality, valuable articles — they want to read something interesting! Image Source: Flickr user andresfranco.net

In the interwebs where bad content outweighs the good, content marketers need to get creative in order to break through the noise. The simple truth is, it’s all about creating content that will engage, not bore, your readers. Here are 3 tips on how to make your content more interesting…

1. Share the Inside Scoop

Everyone loves a secret, so give your readers the rush of exclusivity by sharing news or information they can’t get anywhere else. Write a “behind the scenes” piece (and include photos!) on your latest product release, give the details on how your business chose its logo and colors or get creative and share why BBQ Thursday is now a weekly tradition at the office.

A good way to brainstorm topics is to compile a list of any questions that you might have had about the business when you first started. Share something unexpected and your customers will react!

2. Find a Relatable Angle

No one wants to read an article or blog post that they can’t relate to (even if it is informative!), so finding a common ground with your audience is a top priority. However, because it’s nearly impossible to relate personally with all of your readers, go for a broader approach and include references to trendy topics and current events — just remember who your target audience is.

If you’re at a loss for a relatable current event or trending topic, go to where your audience hangs out — social media! Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn are where your readers interact with their colleagues, friends and family. This is where you’ll find real interests they can relate to.

3. Write Like You Talk

Some would argue that writing like you talk is bad practice for marketers and well, maybe it is if you insert all the “ums”, “likes” and colloquialisms that tend to come out of our mouths. But when we say write like you talk, we don’t mean write poorly, we mean don’t spend hours trying to craft that perfect headline and opening sentence or using the biggest words you can find when smaller, simpler words would do just fine.

When writing your next piece, pretend you’re having a conversation. Use everyday language, include questions, argumentative points and close with a winning statement. 

Audiences are more actively engaged (aka more likely to read and share content) with brands who position themselves as smart, helpful, accessible, interesting and most importantly — human!  So sit back, put yourself in the reader’s’ shoes and enjoy writing… after all, it is your craft! 

Have more ideas on how to make branded content more interesting? Share your content marketing tips with us by posting here in the comments or on our social site –  Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+.

As content marketers, one of our top priorities is to create content that positions our businesses, brands, executives and sometimes ourselves, as thought leaders in our respective industries. No matter what we’re promoting, selling or teaching, being the person others look to for advice is what we’re all really after – and the competition is fierce!Not only are the interwebs already crowded with millions of pieces of marketing messages each day, but most industries already have their top thought leaders, making standing out and creating original, valuable content even more difficult. So, to add credibility to your content marketing program, why not integrate established thought leaders into your editorial calendar?

Here are 4 ideas on how to incorporate thought leaders into your content marketing strategy:

1. Invite Guest Writers

Unexpected content is what keeps readers hooked. If your content marketing plan is feeling a little dull, spice up your regular schedule by including in a post from an outside source. Not only will the change in writing style, author and tone will keep your readers interested, but if your guest writer has a strong following they may attract new traffic to your site! Be sure to have your guest plug your next post in order to keep those new readers coming back for more.

2. Collaborate With Your Favorite Outlets

Which publications, blogs and articles do you read in the morning to catch up on your industry’s most important news? Answers will vary depending on your niche and target audience, but the idea remains the same – reach out to those you admire and suggest collaborating on content, whether it’s trading guest posts, contributing an article or op-ed, or doing a joint promotion! Think big!

3. Look to Your Board of Directors

Each business has thought leaders sitting right inside its doors – the board of directors! These seasoned industry veterans not only make decisions that impact your business and shape the future of your industry, they also harbor a wealth of knowledge that your readers want to tap. Do your research and find at least three board members in your organization who have ideas and experience that would resonate with your audience. Hunt them down and build them into your content plan.

4. Attend a Conference

Each and every day, in locations all over the world, organizations from every industry hold summits and events to gather the best of the best to share knowledge and ideas. Not only are conferences a great way to network and learn new tricks of the trade, they are crawling with thought leaders! Although you may not score a one-on-one, you can report back in your own content on what you learned from their presentation or stats on who attended. A name-drop, quote or speaker recap is sufficient when dealing with big-time industry pros. And don’t forget to snap photos! Keeping content fresh and unique is the best way to keep your audience coming back for more, and who says you have to do it alone? Be sure to share your ideas on how to create meaningful collaborations and how you incorporate thought leaders into your content strategy. Post in the comments below or connect with us on social media –  Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or Google+.

Image source: Flickr user electricnerve and Flickr user boellstiftung

Did you know that a typical consumer only reads 20% of your online content? Or that the average human’s attention span is just 8 seconds? With stats like these it’s vital to keep your content concise, eye-catching and relevant!

Find out more interesting stats and ideas on how to make your content more digestible with this month’s featured infographic “Don’t Let Your Content Flatline” from the pros at redrocketmedia.com. 

Do you have any ideas on how to create concise, interesting content? Share your content marketing tips in the comments below or find us on our social channels — Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+.

Is your editorial calendar looking redundant or are you at a loss for your next blog post topic? Well the truth is, you’re not alone! In fact, half of all B2C and B2B content marketers report that developing unique and valuable content is one of their greatest struggles. So how can you get the creative juices flowing? Crowdsource your customer base!
Image source: chesapeakeadd.com

Tapping into your customer base not only opens the doors to fresh ideas, but reporting on the issues, topics and questions they have about your product or service shows you care about their needs and situates your brand in a customer-centric light.

Use these tips for crowdsourcing your customer base to outfit your editorial calendar with killer content that resonates and captivates your readers: 

Case Studies

A case study is essentially an in-depth review of a customer’s experience with your brand, product or service, so choosing your subject is important! Ask your sales or customer support team to put you in touch with a customer that is not only happy with your business, but who has also experienced great success because of your business! To write a compelling case study, be sure to tell a story, give the details and solve a problem.

Testimonials

Do you have self-proclaimed brand ambassadors or customers who just can’t stop raving about your business in your blog comments or on your social media sites? Has a user written an unsolicited beaming review on your product or service? Highlight their feedback in a blog post or ask them write a testimonial sharing their positive experience with your brand. Don’t let those brand champions go unnoticed!

Videos 

Ask your users to send in videos highlighting why they love your product or service. Request that videos answer a specific question, like “How did we help you ___?” — direct response requires a direct request! Depending on the feedback, pick a few of your favorites or share them all. Your customers will be excited to see themselves published on your blog (and social sites!) and adding new media to your content marketing plan not only attracts new readers, it also helps keep current audiences engaged. You might also want to add an incentive, such as a $5-10 gift card or store credit.

User-Generated Content

Do you have fan art on your brand’s Facebook page? Use it as the focus of your next article. Do your customers tag your brand in Instagram photos? Assemble them into an image-based article. Is your brand’s Twitter stream flooded with positive tweets? Compile a list of tweets that highlight your brand’s positive impact on it’s consumers for a blog post. Social is a top trend in content marketing this year and customers expect you to engage on these networks — don’t be afraid to utilize all your resources!

Surveys, Polls and Questionnaires 

Ever wonder what your customers think about your business or a specific industry-related topic? Well, why don’t you ask them! Surveys, polls and questionnaires are a great way to get your questions answered, as well as a direct way to learn more about your customers’ needs and wants. Next time you post an article, incorporate a poll, survey or questionnaire to get an inside view on what your customers are thinking.

Creating engaging content doesn’t have to be hard, especially when take advantage of one of your most valuable assets — your customer base! Plus, as an added bonus to your crowdsourcing efforts, once you have user feedback you can repurpose it into original branded content like blog posts, digital newsletters, videos, images and slideshares. The content ideas are endless!

Have more ideas on how to crowdsource for content ideas? Post your thoughts in the comments below or share on your favorite social media site – Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or Google+.

Last month, we shared the first part of our two-part series “How Big Brands Are Using 2013’s Top Content Marketing Strategies”, highlighting how some of the nation’s biggest brands are effectively and creatively using content marketing to attract and retain customers.

In an attempt to truly connect with their customer base, Southwest Airlines decided it needed to get off the runway and onto the blogosphere. So what did they do? They took a chance and launched a humor-centric blog, “Nuts About Southwest“.

From the airline peanuts scattered across the webpage to the hilarious content, Southwest took nutty to a whole new altitude and it has resonated with their audience. As we see here, when executed properly, humor can instantly connect your brand with your readers and keep them coming back for more!

In addition to the funny videos, beloved columns like “Flashback Friday” and employee spotlights like “Star of the Month”, “Nuts About Southwest” also provides interesting articles on travel, sustainability and corporate community outreach (all with a playful spin, of course!).

Image Source: blogsouthwest.com 

7. Red Bull

Probably one of the most cited content marketing success stories, Red Bull is a shining example of a brand-turned-publisher and has mastered the art of storytelling.

If you’ve ever seen their commercials, marketing stunts (like the Red Bull Stratos Jump) or tried their energy-pumping liquid, it would be no surprise that their blog is designed to entertain and motivate readers. Extreme-sports related content and a diverse group of contributors make this blog a playground for their target audience — thrill-seekers and extreme sports junkies.

Red Bull has created a lifestyle around their brand by effectively implementing the “4 I’s” of storytelling – immersion, interactivity, integration and impact. With all this goodness wrapped in one powerful content marketing package, it makes you wonder which came first… the content or the beverage?!

Image Source: redbull.com/en

Ever wonder how a product ends up on a store’s shelf or how the designer behind your new favorite tee might dress it up for a night on the town? Well, Target’s blog “A Bull’s Eye View” does just that.

With article contributions from the stores’ home and clothing designers, top celebrities and thought leaders across all departments, including food, entertainment, home, and garden, no subject goes untouched.

By offering up unexpected content to their readers, like behind-the-scenes with their newest CD release artists and a glimpse into the inspiration of “The Shops at Target”, a line of specialty boutique brands now sold at the superstore, they keep readers interested in not only their blog, but also in what’s new in their favorite Target stores. Producing something completely out of the ordinary isn’t simple, but spicing it up every once in a while will keep your content fun and your customers engaged.

Image Source: abullseyeview.com

Whitening, extra-whitening, gum defense, tartar control… the world of toothpaste has gotten a lot more complicated in the past few years, but Colgate is keeping it simple online. Their company blog “Oral and Dental Health Resource Center” isn’t fancy, but it reports on a topic their brand is built upon — oral health and hygiene!

With industry thought leaders like dentists, health experts and university reviews as the sources behind their straightforward and informative articles, Colgate’s blog is a great resource for readers looking to learn a thing or two about oral care.

A strong content marketing strategy built upon thought leadership helps Colgate to differentiate itself from the other “toothpaste” brands. So the next time you’re debating which tube to toss in your cart, what brand will you choose?Image Source: colgate.com

To be successful in content marketing, you must get to know your consumers and their needs, as well as the most effective and authentic way to address them. What works for one brand or industry may not work for another, so don’t settle for average results — be open to new possibilities and try your hand at a few of this year’s top trends!

If you found useful content marketing strategies, tips and ideas in this list, you won’t want to miss part 1 of the series “How Big Brands Are Using 2013’s Top Content Marketing Strategies”. Plus, be sure to share your favorite content marketing examples with us in the comments below or connect on our social networks –  Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or Google+.

Earlier this year we wrote about the top 10 content marketing trends to watch for in 2013 and each week we share tips on how to employ our favorite content marketing tactics, so what’s next? How about a list of brands taking their content marketing above and beyond by using some of these techniques and strategies!

The list below tells you why these brands stand out and which content marketing tactic or trend they excel at. With a little guidance from them (and us!) you can incorporate any of these techniques into your own content marketing plan, too.

Here’s the first part of a two-part series highlighting how some of today’s top brands are effectively using 2013′s top content marketing strategies…

Natural food store giant Whole Foods doesn’t stop at providing its shoppers with a wealth of natural, organic and health food options — their content marketing strategy is bigger and juicier than any other grocers we’ve seen! Their company blog, “Whole Story“, covers recipes, health news, social responsibility, sustainability tips and everything else you can imagine their community may be interested in.

With contributors varying between staffers, health experts, suppliers, producers and marketplace employees, they’re champions of employee branding — putting their employees at the front lines, allowing them to share their unique knowledge and showcase their passion for what they do inside and outside of the marketplace. 

2.Intuit

When you think Intuit, a few things probably come to mind: finances, taxes, money, bills… But don’t stress — Intuit really puts the fun in small business finance with their blog, “Small Business Blog“.

What makes their blog stand out from other SMB blogs? Community driven content! They answer the questions their users and readers need to know — adding value to their content and keeping their readers coming back for more.

Directed towards small and medium-sized business owners, entrepreneurs and anyone else who may need some guidance when it comes to handling their money, they cover everything a business owner may need, including tax tips, environmental responsibility, the hiring process, marketing and small business management.

 

Image Source: Intuit25.com

3. Verizon

With a number of big name and smaller pop-up cellular service providers out there, it can be difficult for brands to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Besides sales, promotions and carrying the latest gadgets, how can these providers attract and retain customers? With content marketing, of course!

Verizon is taking their business’ content marketing strategy past their products and carrier services and providing their customers with a resource they can use regardless of device or service plan:  their app review blog “The Recapp“. Rather than touting their own products and services, Verizon employs a mix of original and curated content from third-party app review sites to make “The Recapp” an informative and subjective source for finding new and exciting apps.

What’s the takeaway here? Curated content. Pulling content from other sources adds depth to your content marketing strategy and allows readers to get a fresh perspective.

 

Image Source: therecapp.com

4. Birchbox 

Social interaction is one of the hottest (and most important!) trends in content marketing right now — and smart brands can’t help but embrace the opportunity to connect with their customers in real-time.

So which brand has done social best? It might just be beauty-focused start-up Birchbox! As a relatively new brand, Birchbox is making big waves on social media. With engaged profiles on all the big name networks like Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, and uber-sharable content on their blog “The Haute Box“, Birchbox is a social media powerhouse. 

With various topics and columns, including letters from the editor, interviews, product reviews, how-to’s and style guides, creating the bulk of their blog’s content, readers are never bombarded with the same boring stories. Mollie Chen, Director of Content for Birchbox, says of the brand’s content marketing strategy in an interview with Contently.com, “We give our customers useful articles, videos, and blogs in order to gain their trust, communicate with them, and keep them coming back to our site.”

Image Source: birchbox.com

5. Anthropologie

Unlike other clothing lines like Tory Birch or Kate Spade who use their blogs as a platform to provide fashion advice and editorial pieces, trendy clothing store Anthropologie has opted for a more image-based blog — and we know how important images are in content marketing thanks to our Zemanta guest post “Images — 10 Reasons Why You Need Them In Your Content“.  

Far beyond the typical trends to watch, must-haves and fashion-forward spotlights, “The Anthropologist” is dedicated to sharing artist stories and uses images to promote a lifestyle, offering a stunning visual experience and telling a story all their own!

Still not sold on their unique take on imagery?  Despite the surge in brands using social photo sharing apps like Instagram, “The Anthropologist” uses only professional writers, photographers and filmmakers to fill their pages.

Image Source: anthropologie.iancoyle.com

Regardless of industry, content marketing is all about relating to your customers and finding the basis of conversation. Creating and curating content that makes consumers come back again and again can be a challenge, but getting to know your audience, developing your voice and using the strategies that work best for your brand is a recipe for content marketing success. 

Like what you see here? Join us again next time for “How Big Brands Are Using 2013′s Top Content Marketing Strategies: Part 2″! Be sure to share your favorite content marketing examples with us in the comments below or connect on our social networks –  Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or Google+.

Did you know that half of all B2C and B2B content marketers have a tough time producing enough content to fill their editorial calendars? It’s true, but it doesn’t have to be so hard! By tapping into your customer base and engaging your employees, you can find a wealth of evergreen content that will captivate and resonate with your readers!

Check out this month’s featured infographic “Struggling to Create Content?” from the experts at RedRocketMedia.com for more content ideas and inspiration…

Will customer stories and employee posts be making an appearance in your businesses’ article roll this month? We sure hope so! Be sure to share your tips on how you engage your audience through unexpected and unique content below or find us on our social channels — Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+.

As one of our top trends to watch in 2013, it’s no doubt that employee branding is an up-and-coming (if not already established) strategy in most online content marketing programs. For many brands, adding an employee branding initiative to their arsenal of content marketing tactics requires a few changes and openness to areas that traditional marketing strategies generally avoid — transparency, authenticity and trust – but the risk is well worth the reward.

What exactly is employee branding? There are many definitions floating around the interwebs, but we like to think of employee branding as using the positive connection between a company and their employees to extend a favorable brand image and experience to customers and users. In short, employee branding is all about your employees being your best brand champions. After all, who better to promote your company, product or service online than those who know it best – your employees!

As a brand’s image is no longer reliant on or about marketing messages and taglines, but rather the genuine experience they deliver, it is important to put employee experience in the spotlight. In fact, a January study by LinkedIn and TNS Employee Insights reports that enthusiastic and engaged employees are potentially a brand’s best asset — hidden gems waiting to be discovered! The study also shows employees have a direct impact on customer perception of a brand’s image as well as customer experience, advocacy and retention. For this reason alone, smart brands are taking advantage of their internal spokespersons by building engaged communities from inside out.

With so many different initiatives on your brand’s content marketing to-do list — content production, social outreach, content optimization, voice and audience development, etc. – it can be difficult to prioritize, but employee branding should not be put on the back burner. Businesses that aim to increase corporate transparency and their commitment to real-time communications through fostering an engaged company culture field a competitive edge that resonates with customers – an advantage that only employee branding can bring to the table.

While incorporating employee branding into your content marketing strategy is a must, it’s also important to keep your company out of the tabloids by first establishing guidelines highlighting a few simple do’s and don’ts for social sharing. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Do:

• Ask your employees to share and re-Tweet anything that’s posted by admins of your company’s social media profiles (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) as well as comment / interact with your content.
• Encourage employees to share positive experiences with your products, company culture, and other aspects of your brand.
• Ask employees to comment on whatever is posted on the official brand page profiles.
• Encourage shout-outs to teammates (“Loving the energy in the @inboundwriter office space today!”).

Don’t:

• Have employees publicly discuss confidential company information or “pre-announce” what the company is working on that hasn’t been cleared by your PR department.
• Let employees talk negatively about competitors on behalf of your company.
• Avoid structure when it comes to responding to questions about your brand or business — if asking employees to participate make sure that they know the company’s stance and are not stepping on each other’s toes.

For more tips on how to include employees in your content marketing strategy and create an engaged internal community check out our blog post “Community Driven Content 101” and be sure to share your employee branding tips with us on our social networks – Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+.

Image Source: ceprn.com

Did you know that the best way to attract readers to your blog is to fill it with jargon, flagrant language and redundant information? Wait… April Fools! We almost got you, didn’t we?

Good thing our prank reeled you in, because writing content optimized for your readers and search engines actually requires short, direct language, valuable, well-written information and a few other best practices such as using effective keywords to set your content apart from the rest. 

You may have noticed that I used the term “April Fools’ Day” above rather than “April Fool’s Day.” That’s because according to InboundWriter’s keyword research, “April Fools’ Day” (as plural possessive) is a 5-star key phrase; however, when written as a singular possessive, the rating drops down to 1.5 to 2.5 stars, depending on your search strategy setting. Check out these other top keywords and phrases to include in your holiday post:

April Fools’ Day: 5 Stars
Office Pranks: 5 Stars
April Fool Day Pranks: 4.5 Stars
Gags: 5 Stars
Practical Jokes: 4.5 Stars
Fun Jokes: 3.5 Stars

As you edit and finalize your April Fools’ Day posts this week, keep this phrasing in mind and make sure you’re optimizing your content to get the most out of your content marketing strategy. Or you can always run your piece through InboundWriter — it’s free to sign up.

Good luck with your holiday posts and we wish you all an April Fools’ Day filled with practical jokes and fun! Do you have office pranks planned for April 1st? Share them with us in the comments below or on our Facebook page.

Image Source: Flickr user Jake Sutton

This post was contributed by Kristen Matthews, Marketing and Community Manager for GroupHigh. Follow her on Twitter at @KristenWords.

Content marketing is so new that it’s hardly being taught in colleges, yet according to Content Marketing Institute’s research, 9 out of 10 marketers are using content marketing.

Marketers adopt and continue with strategies that work so if almost all of them are incorporating content marketing into their programs, we can assume that it’s working and it’s working well. With that in mind, it’s good to periodically check in with your content marketing strategy and make sure it’s fresh, inspired and innovative. Here are 8 ways to ensure that you are utilizing content marketing for your brand in the most effective way:

1. Create evergreen content

Don’t get me wrong, referencing buzz topics and the holidays get a lot of initial clicks. Just make sure that you are not posting a lot of content that expires quickly. Evergreen content stays relevant through the months and even years so that in the long run, you get a lot of hits and, when optimized, it will continue to rank well on search engines.

2. Don’t post “filler content”

Filler content is the result of feeling pressured to not let your blog look sparse. However, the goal is to create engaging and shareable content. It’s better to have four awesome posts per month than four mediocre pieces per week.

3. Experiment with style and format

Experiment with alternative story forms and visually appealing content. Remember, the goal here is to create something that others want to share. For example, infographics have proven to be one of the most sharable pieces of content a marketer can create. If your budget has room, contract out to a firm who specializes in infographics. If not, there are plenty of sites where you can create an infographic yourself for free:

- Visual.ly
- Piktochart
- Easel.ly

4. Write for the people and the search engines

You don’t want your content to ever appear to be search engine optimized. Your first draft should be written for your audience. But, because you want the content to reach your audience, it definitely should also be optimized so that they can find it. In the second draft, go back and see where you can use keyword without ruining your piece of content. InboundWriter is a great resource for creating content that reads well to both humans and search engines.

5. Guest post on quality blogs

Guest posting has been getting some bad publicity after people started doing it for link juice and not for spreading quality content. It doesn’t help that Google has been cracking down on the low quality guest posts. But, as long as you are posting good content and you’re writing for reputable blogs, it’s very unlikely that guest posting will blow up in your face. In fact, it’s a great way to expose new eyeballs to your words and give them the opportunity to go check out your site.

6. Collaborate with bloggers

If you’re not reaching out to bloggers, stop everything and start now. Research has been pouring out telling us that bloggers are the most influential voices. You can use tools and services such as GroupHigh for finding bloggers in your niche and tracking your outreach. When you find relevant influencers, suggest some ideas for collaboration, such as a contributed blog post.

7. Collaborate with other marketers

Collaboration with other marketers will refresh your content ideas as well as expose someone else’s audience to your site. Reach out to marketers in your field and propose to swap guest posts; write a post together where you share different views on the same topics; or simply bounce ideas off each other. It all helps.

8. Actively engage on successful social media channels and track activity

Using tools like Bitly to track click backs and your Google Analytics account to check traffic to your site, you will be able to see which social media channels are bringing your site the most traffic. Try, at least for one month, giving the top three social media channels that work for you a lot of attention and see what happens.

Which tactics are you going to implement in to your content marketing strategy? We’d love some feedback on what works and doesn’t work for your company or brand. Post in the comments below or connect with us on social media –  Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or Google+.