Make your content marketing meaningfulAmy Nicholson, managing editor

@stickyamy

Make your content marketing meaningful7 steps to heavenAmy Nicholson@stickyamy #MWL16

This month we’re working with…

Content’s 2 faces

We love content because…

“Getting something out on our blog or email is faster than traditional advertising. It’s cheaper too”“There are lots of ways to see what’s working, rather than just 1 or 2 ways to measure”“We can build our brand, raise product awareness or broadcast – we can drive specific actions”

The problem with content

>89% of UK organisations are using content marketing

>Only 37% have a documented strategy

>Only 33% say they are effective

Content Marketing Institute, 2016 Benchmarking report

The Ecommerce Bros’ blog

“Welcome to The Ecommerce Bros’ blog. Below you will find our latest news and views on all things ecommerce .”> An announcement about someone

you’ll never meet > A promotion that bears no relation to

your service > Some pile of jargon that only Keith at

Ecommerce Bros cares about > Something the CEO wrote on holiday

1. Assemble your team

Commissioner/owner

Information influencer

Creator Approver

Plan Brief Create Review

AmendApprovePublishGovern

Do you know how much work it is?

Map out your copy process

Walk through your production process a step at a time – and put in the roles requiredWhat’s your TRAP plan? • Task• Requested time • Actual time• Person

2. Do you know why you’re here?

Before you start writing… > WHY is this copy going on the site?

How will this copy help advance your business goals? What will users do after reading this copy? How will you measure the success of this copy?

> WHO is the copy for? What can you say about how busy they are, their motivation for reading the copy, their knowledge about the topic? When, where, how will they be coming to this copy?

> WHAT is the key message of the copy? What questions will readers want the copy to answer?

Letting Go of the Words

Ginny Redish

An example…

“We serve marketers in big businesses useful information, expert advice, practical tips and editorial inspiration for solving their organisation’s content problems – and making their content better.”

3. Who are you trying to attract?

Writing for your users

>Most online content is task-based. People want to look up delivery details, order a product, find contact information etc…

>Our job is to identify likely user actions and objectives and answer them directly with useful, relevant content

Users aren’t lazy

Multi-tasking mobile users

Source: Our mobile planet

Create content personas in an hour> Make a long list of your audience

groups> Compare their content needs and take

out the overlaps > Take a group at a time – and create a

character for each > Who are they? What are their problems?

What do you want to tell them? > How can you make their day better?

4. Find your voice

The 3 elements of a tone of voice:1. What you choose to say –

messaging/content strategy2. How you present those

messages – information design3. The actual words you use to do

this – language/style

How should we sound?

Crack your tone of voice – fast

1. Nail your values – start with your brand if you have nothing else to work with

2. List your channels – rank values by purpose and message

3. List your personas and do the same 4. List your 5 trickiest types of comms,

and write a before and after for each 5. Capture, format and share!

Your domain of expertise

Your users’ information needs

ISA investing

tips

Which ISA is for me

ISA glossary

ISA investment ideas for a

falling market

What is an ISA (and why do I

need one)?

ISAs

Ideas for ethical

ISA investing

ISA myth-buster

ISA investment ideas for a

rising market

6 things to know when

tracking down the

best returns

All about NISA

How to use the

new super ISA

Saving for your child

Is it worth transferring my ISA?

Cash v Stocks and

shares

Should you ever take

your money out?

What next for ISAs?

Tips from Britain’s first ISA

Millionaire

10 of the best ISAs

Work your niche

1. Working with your content team, create a topic map

2. Start with the big-block subject areas3. Map through to more and more

granular detail4. Mark through which are right for you,

and which are outside your niche 5. Use your mission statement to

sense-check – what’s right for you?

5. Make your briefs work©PA.

Think of your brief as your content’s passport

©PA.

When to use your brief…

• Planning• Commissioning• Writing• Checking • Approving • Publishing • Governing

What to include… Project name ChannelsTimelinesAudience (persona) Outcome KPIs Source links or material Priority informationCalls to action

Format Structure/technical limits Keywords/SEO requirements Tone of voice Approval Governance date/lifespan

6. Get with the format©PA.

5 reasons to have a format

1. Make production easier 2. Cut down amends and approvals 3. Wipe out the tyranny of the

blank page 4. Improve user experience 5. Encourage repeat reading

Tried-and-trusted digital formats> FAQ> Step-by-step> Q&A > Document summary> Timeline/chronology> Product page > Case study > What is… ?> How to… ?> User guides

> Facts at a glance > Menu > News story> Testimonial > Top 10 tips> Factfile> Buyer’s guide> Destination guide> Checklist> Biography

Get your basic format first

> Word or CMS template > If you have a CMS structure, replicate

it > Add in all copy elements > Include supporting copy, like email

modules, subject lines or social posts > Be efficient – where else might this

copy appear?

7. Plan like a publisher©PA.

Build your calendar

> Maintain an editorial calendar > This will confirm frequency, timelines,

volumes, content owners, formats, channels etc

> Work with subject matter experts and other content sources

> Capture ideas regularly – Put in place an editorial board to review content effectiveness

> Practice the 80:20 principle with your ideas – try new things

What to do with your editorial calendar> Plan big themes and specific pieces > Map channels against each other > Include bigger-picture influences > Update and govern it> Use it to look back as well as forward > Share it far and wide – but keep

editing rights close to your chest!

In summary: 7 steps

1. Assemble your team 2. Mission statement 3. Content personas 4. Find your voice 5. Briefing forms 6. Formats and templates7. Content calendar

Are you ready to listen?

Outcome Content metricBrand awareness Page views / site visits

Search traffic Keyword ranking

Audience engagement User comments / posts Social shares Page visit duration Downloads / sign-ups Opens / click-throughs

Sales Product page buys Code redirects in-store

Customer satisfaction Customer ratings User survey results Bounce rate

Customer loyalty Direct traffic Returning visitors

Customer advocacy Referred traffic / inbound links

The golden rule

“Everything you publish is a chance to learn something – whether about your audience, about your brand, or about your writers. Make the most of the opportunity – and have fun!”

Thanks! Come and see us at stand MK2@stickyamy #MWL16

Any Questions?