Here’s what a typical content marketing journey is like for B2B marketers (gleaned from experience doing content marketing for ourselves and our clients)
Ranking on Google is tough. Their algorithm takes into account over 200 ranking factors. Staying on top of them all can be a nightmare.
This infographic from SingleGrain and Backlink is an excellent resource to help you stay on track of the various factors influencing your ranking on Google.
When you think about the greatest reading experiences you have, what do you remember? Maybe you remember the fully fleshed-out characters.
You may also remember the fantastic, unforgettable setting of the story, and the places and sights from the book that felt so real it was as if you were there yourself.
Maybe the ending was a real gut punch, a shocker, a bolt from the blue that you never saw coming. Chances are the journey of the protagonist was so beautiful and inspiring that you couldn’t stop beaming about it for weeks.
But most of all, you probably remember how it made you feel.
There are various ways you can use the power of narrative to make your content really stand out and leave a mark in the hearts and minds of your readers. If you manage to emotionally engage your readers in addition to informing them, they are guaranteed to come back for more. The power of a good story is tremendous. Make sure you use it in all your written communication to skyrocket the success of your brand.
Do you employ strong narrative in your brand story? How do you use it in your content marketing strategy? Share below…
If Kodak had to launch the product again in 2013, which version of the ad do you think it would go with? My bet would be Don Draper’s.
Here’s why…
Brands that communicate by telling stories that resonate with their audience -create nostalgia or establish a sentimental bond with the product as Don puts it- win. Don’s version does that better.Consumers today relate to and are more loyal to brands that communicate why they do what they do rather than just what they do and how they do it. Don’s version is better at communicating the “why”.Brand communication that taps our emotional trigger and pulls at our heart strings gets shared more than communication that simply regurgitates dull facts and figures. Don’s version of the ad is better at doing that.Odds are that Don’s version of the ad has a higher likelihood of getting parodied/”memed” and going viral than the original 60′s version.Watch this Facebook Timeline launch version…
Which version of the ad would you go with today? Don Draper’s or the original? Share your thoughts…
The headline is the first, and potentially the only, chance you have to make an impression on a reader. You may have just written the world’s best article, but it will all be for nothing if your headline isn’t up to scratch.
Creating winning headlines takes practice, patience and a lot of testing. What may work for one piece of content, may be a complete failure when used elsewhere. Take your time crafting compelling headlines and don’t settle for anything that isn’t your best.
Are you tired of trying to come up with fresh written content for your company website each week?
Why not throw caution to the wind and try your hand at podcasting instead? There are a number of versatile podcasting tools you can utilize to make the most of your foray into the world of spoken content.
Check out these recent startup additions to the podcasting scene:
Do you podcast? What tools do you use? Share below…
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, chances are good you’re well aware of the increasing popularity of content marketing and brand storytelling.
While many social media experts and content marketers are focusing on written content like blog posts, savvy marketers and brand storytellers are turning to visual content creation in increasing numbers.
With options like infographics, memes, and videos available, making an impression and telling your story via visual content could become increasingly difficult.
One way to make a strong impression and better tell your brand story is to include video animation in your content marketing mix . Animated content is highly engaging, offers opportunities for strong brand messaging, and is highly shareable via social media channels.
Here are five startups making waves in the animation niche, try them to see if they can add pizzazz to your brand story.
Five animation tools content marketers can use to bring their brand stories to life and make the most out of their visual web efforts. Which tools do you use to tell you brand story, create online buzz and increase customer engagement?
Jack Daniel’s celebrated its place in rock and roll history with the launch of a global campaign called “Legend.” Using historic footage, actual concert flyers, ticket stubs, bathroom graffiti and the work of legendary rock photographer, Danny Clinch, the campaign pays homage to the whiskey that was there. Frank Sinatra, Bad Brains, Joey Ramone, Freddie King and Mudhoney, among others, all paint a vivid picture of music history.
JD has always been a part of the story.
Traveling from the gritty stage of CBGB’s in New York City to the hair band dominated streets of the Sunset Strip, “Legend” is a celebration of music iconography and authenticity. Quite literally “with the band since 1866”, Jack Daniel’s has been onstage, backstage, in the studios, on the tour bus and in the hands of legends since the birth of rock and roll.
There are no hard-and-fast rules for brand storytelling, but classic storytelling and structure can help guide you. Follow these 10 steps to start your content marketing hero’s journey.
This story structure — which is inherently linear — can also help you structure your content into a story map. The story map helps to organize your pieces of content across a timeline.
It’s official, your Google Plus profile will affect your ranking.
According to Eric Schmidt…
“Within search results, information tied to verified online profiles will be ranked higher than content without such verification, which will result in most users naturally clicking on the top (verified) results. The true cost of remaining anonymous, then, might be irrelevance.”
Google Plus is here to stay and Google will keep on pushing it to ensure it adds value to its results. Follow the above tips to ensure you’re not at a disadvantage.
