CONTENT MARKETING WORLD SYDNEYHOW TO APPLY THE TOP TAKE OUTS TO YOUR BUSINESS

Where did Content Marketing World CoMe froM?

In March 2013, the largest annual gathering of content marketing professionals in the world came to Sydney!

The first of its kind ever held outside of North America (a testament to the voracious appetite of Australian marketers and their interest in the power of content), Content Marketing World (CMW) brought together recognised content marketing experts and local marketing practitioners for three days of workshops, keynotes and networking.

How can I apply content MarketIng to My brand?

Industry events tend to pass by in a flash, creating a whirlwind of information – it can be hard to wrap your head around it all afterwards. In the midst of showbags, meetings, presentations, workshops and networking events, it’s understandable why you may come out suffering from information overload!

Over the following pages, we’ll present the highlights of CMW with advice for you to take away.

Having worked with the Content Marketing Institute founder Joe Pulizzi over many years to bring the event to Australia, King Content was proud to be appointed the exclusive media partner for the event.

CMW Sydney had a world-class agenda. Alongside international content marketing gurus Joe Pulizzi, Jay Baer and Robert Rose, the event boasted speakers from large multinational brands like Kraft, Amex and Spotify as well as local heavyweights from the AFL, NRMA, McCann and Woolworths.

With critical insights into the strategic application of content marketing and ‘behind the scenes’ project analysis from the brand speakers, we believe the advice presented by the speakers throughout the event will be essential to marketing practitioners engaging in content marketing in the next 12 months.

They call him the godfather of content marketing and it wasn’t hard to see why. Joe Pulizzi – founder of both the Content Marketing Institute and Content Marketing World event – strode onto the stage in his signature bright orange suit on the first day of CMW Sydney.

The full research report is available online, but like us, Joe appeared most interested in the following three findings:

• 96% of Australian marketers claim to use content marketing. And the B2B sector (98%) uses content marketing more often than both its North American (91%) and UK (95%) peers.

• Only 29% of these marketers believe their content marketing efforts are ‘effective’ or ‘very effective’, which means we rank ourselves lowest in effectiveness when compared to both UK (39%) and North American (37%) marketers.

• Yet a whopping 61% of Australian marketers plan to increase their content marketing budget over the next ‘12 months.

IntroducIng Joe pulIzzI…

Joe was there to open the inaugural Australian event and to discuss the recent research the Content Marketing Institute and ADMA had conducted into Australian content marketing benchmarks, budgets and trends.

Yes, the adoption rate is fantastic and demonstrates a major shift in the media landscape since 2010, when King Content was established and content marketing was still an unfamiliar concept.

However, the disparity between marketers’ belief in the effectiveness of their content marketing and the increasing budget being allocated to content in the next 12 months indicates that something’s not matching up.

The critical difference between producing content and engaging in content marketing is that content marketing has clear strategic and measurable outcomes.

To be effective, brands need to stop creating content for the sake of it, and start focusing on the types of content that are going to work, for both customers and business goals.

Likening content marketing to building an online home for your brand, Joe asked: “If you’re building a house do you just start throwing bricks around? No, you call an architect and create a plan.’’

Content marketing requires strategy.

The Time for filliNg buckeTs wiTh coNTeNT juSt for the SAke of iT is loNg pAsT.

So wHat dId Joe Have to Say?

tHeSe nuMberS are botH excItIng and dauntIng

“”

@juntajoe

YOUtility is epitomised in examples such as the ‘hilton

Suggests’ Twitter handle. It involves Hilton Hotels’ staff monitoring

Twitter and answering people’s questions about anything they can help with (best local restaurants, what train to catch, even activities close to a person’s non-Hilton hotel). They’re using staff time and resources to help people who aren’t even customers in the hope that by helping them, rather than selling, they’ll gain customers for life.

Wave goodbye to classic marketing.YOUtility has always worked – for brands of all sizes – but in the current marketing environment it’s not just an added extra, but a NecessiTY. The classic marketing strategies of ‘top of mind’ awareness and ‘frame of mind’ awareness are not nearly as effective as they once were because audiences are splintering. And, fundamentally, they no longer trust big business.

Social technologies like Siri, Facebook and Twitter are taking over from traditional search engines as our primary source of information. Which means that your business is now competing for attention with your customers’ family and friends – personal and professional relationships are merging.

Hence the need for YOUtility. If your brand is inherently useful, your customers will keep you close.

This is what Baer calls “friend of mine” awareness.

perhaps the most talked about subject at cmw sydney was the concept of Youtility. “what’s that?,” we hear you ask. it’s the term coined by president of convince and convert and all-round content marketing guru Jay baer. he describes it as the difference between helping and selling.

it’s “help over hype” marketing – marketing so useful, someone would pay for it.

Jay baer on… ‘youtIlIty’

Sell something and you make a customer today, help someone with the information they need and you’ll make a customer for life.

first, ask yourself: “how can I help my customers more?”

what are your customers motivated by and what are their needs and their desires? Can you offer something simply for the sake of offering?

1. Discover customer needs What are your customers searching for on your site? What are they talking about on social media? Go over your analytics with a fine-tooth comb and if you still want more information, ASK them in customer surveys or feedback forms.

2. Map customer needsMap your customer needs to programs. That is, what medium is the most useful way to deliver the information – a blog, a video, a mobile app, a printed guide? It’s helpful to think about WHEN customers will most need the information when making this decision, e.g. will they have access to a desktop computer or only their smartphone?

3. Market your marketingMany marketers fail because they think the fact that they produced content is the end of the process. It’s only the beginning. And this is where social media is so useful in getting your message to your audience. But remember, social media should be used to promote your YOUtility first, and your business second.

4. make Youtility a skill, not a jobYour entire staff should be trained in YOUtility, in helping your customers. It’s a skill to be insourced, not a job to be given to one person.

5. make Youtility a process, not a projectYOUtility should be a component of all your marketing strategies, not a concept to be employed on a project-by-project basis.

five steps to Youtility:

How to apply youtIlIty to your buSIneSS

@jaybaer

Matt pInkney on… How to becoMe a publISHer

There has been a fundamental shift in journalism in the last five years. traditionally, there’s always been animosity between the media and marketing. But content marketing is starting to bridge that gap. because storytelling – such an important aspect of journalism – is at the heart of content marketing. And traditional media models are struggling.

As one of the largest sporting organisations in Australia, the AFL recently took the radical step of creating AFL Media – a separate business unit that operates on a 100 per cent owned media model. And it’s managed by a former Walkley Award-winning journalist who has worked in newspapers for more than 20 years.

The goal was to become an independent news source, a custom publisher for AFL clubs and a provider of new technologies. The “ultimate aim is to service the AFL fan and their desire for complete coverage of football,” said Pinkney.

So what lessons can your brand learn from AFL Media? Is it really possible to ‘own’ your industry online?

1. tell it, warts and allIt’s important to Pinkney that AFL Media produces genuine news content that conveys “the real story” – even if it’s considered negative coverage. Unless your customers can trust you to give them credible information, they’ll go elsewhere. Transparency with audiences builds trust and engagement.

2. Don’t forget about designDesign is a high priority for AFL Media. Content ‘sells’ the story, and design helps to ‘sell’ the content.

3. package and link aggressively The curating of related content helps keep people on your site. For every piece of content published on www.afl.com.au, there is a package of related articles, videos and stats for the reader to consume as well.

4. be brave Don’t protect your brand so closely it’s PR, warns Pinkney. Consumers are too savvy these days, and can spot a hard sell a mile away.

5. hire great storytellers No matter the company or the communication goals, every brand has a story. And telling that story in a compelling and engaging way should form the crux of all the content you’re producing.

6. try, test, discard if necessary One of the many benefits of digital media is how easy it is to change and adapt. Some tactics will work for some brands and audiences, and others won’t. Perhaps Pinkney’s best piece of advice was to be brave – to at least try an idea, watch your analytics to see if it works and if it doesn’t, simply try something else.

In 18 months, the site has attracted 3.2 million unique visitors, driven 1.9 million unique visitors to the clubs’ pages, had 35 million video streams and enjoyed 194% growth on mobile. It just goes to show the enormous opportunity for brands that take a brave approach to attracting fans and customers.

Six lessons in owned media:

@mattpinkey

JulIe FleIScHer on…

Think your brand has nothing to say? or that you don’t have the budget or resources to create good content? At CMW, julie fleischer shared the strategy behind kraft (an everyday household food producer) becoming a go-to brand for “delicious food solutions”. their content mission statement is to:

creATe Delicious meAl soluTioNs ThAT iNspire AmAziNg fooD sTories which spreAD To Drive sAles AND creATe vAlue for krAfT fooDs.

Taxi mike’s Dining guide, by mike the taxi driverA Canadian cabby had the ingenious idea of creating a fluoro yellow flyer telling tourists the popular coffee spots, the hottest bars and even the best cheap eats in town. Sure the design is primitive, but it offers invaluable information – including a street map – which means every other tourist carries Mike’s number in their pocket.

think your company is too dull to be extraordinary? if a lone taxi driver can do it, so can your marcom team…

Car Seat helper App, by phoenix children’s hospitalThis app helps parents buy the best car seat to suit their child’s age, height, weight and special needs, as well as state laws. Why would a hospital develop this? Because using a safety seat drastically reduces a child’s risk of injury or death, which makes their job easier.

planning guides and videos, by holiday WorldThis budget website allows parents to plan their theme-park thrill to a tee, offering detailed info on everything from weather forecasts and height restrictions to parking schedules and safety rules, even what to do with your pet. They’ve also got multiple videos of each ride, slow motion or fast.

“”

interactive YouTube series, by Life technologiesApplied biosystems, cellreprogramming, e. coli… They’re not exactly exciting topics, unless they specifically apply to you. Life Technologies’ YouTube channel used the tactic of creating an interactive video series that takes patients through Q&A scenarios tailored to their individual medical needs. The 43 videos have more than 75,000 views to date.

Awesome blog, by river poolsWhen the global economy flopped, so too did the pool business. One Virginian company decided to start an awesome blog (their words, and ours) and even created an extensive free e-book, The Only Fibreglass Pool Guide You’ll Ever Need!. They became the number one source of pool information in the country, and business has never been better.

ordInary buSIneSSeS creatIng extraordInary content

What knot to Do (in the greater outdoors), by columbia Sportswear CompanyThis app is a pocket guide to 70 common knots in six categories – surely more knots than anyone could ever need. It offers clear step-by-step instructions with illustrations to match, offering real time relevance and, of course, YOUtility.

@jfly

eMMa cornwell on… tHe celebrIty eFFect

our society is obsessed with celebrities. The idea of brands “piggybacking” off this so-called star power is certainly nothing new – celebrity endorsement is a go-to advertising approach. And yet few Australian brands think to use the same tactic in their content marketing strategies.

The NRMA has embraced celebrity bloggers, something which has seen their entertaining content portal Live4 (a King Content project) get impressive hit rates. In her presentation at CMW, head of publishing at the NRMA Emma Cornwell discussed their approach.

Rather than positioning celebrities on a pedestal (as you often see in magazines), the stars themselves write the content and share personal thoughts on everyday life with Live4’s audience – Zoe Foster has blogged about why we should all eat more cake, and Rosso fumed over the state of Sydney’s public transport system. Their profile pulls people in, and the remarkable engagement metrics speak for themselves. So why does it work so well?

In the NRMA’s experience, celebrities are grateful for the opportunity to get involved. TV heartthrob Tom Williams says he’d rather be part of a conversation than not be talked about at all, and ex-Home & Away star Holly Brisley loves the idea of working from her living room (no hair and makeup required).

The key to effective celebrity blogging is to choose the celebrities that best suit your brand. Do this well, and their fans will soon become yours.

tHe Star Strategy

Builds credibility

positions your brand

Attracts new audiences

raises brand awareness

pulls pr

Robert Rose is a strategist in residence for CMI and his presentation was left until late in the CMW event – for good reason. His high level of strategic thinking is not for the faint hearted and his talk on integrating content marketing was one of the most challenging from both a technical and strategic perspective.

While those new to content marketing could be seen breaking out into cold sweats, those familiar with the industry were left excited about the fact that they could now prove that PPC advertising, SEO, PR and social media are not the most cost-effective way to generate and convert leads when used independently.

Robert somehow managed to grab every form of digital marketing by the shoulders and shake them into seeing that they alone are not the answer to success – and that the key for all of them is integrating content marketing. How he did this without insulting some of the PR and SEO agencies in the room was a miracle but somehow, he did.

What he proved was although integrating content into PPC, SEO, social media etc. may be a long burn in terms of consumer acquisition, it leads to a far greater spend across a longer period of time.

In other words, integrating content marketing results in a greater ROI.

robert roSe on… IntegratIng content MarketIng Business owners and marketing managers who are currently just using SEO strategies or PR must start using an all-encompassing approach to their digital marketing. Integrating content into current tactics will have an outstandingly positive effect.

However, it’s important to be aware that content is a slow burn and is a strategy for those with time who want long-lasting results. Taking budget from SEO or PPC and using this for quality content production may initially result in a drop in traffic. This is enough to freak any business owner out. But bear with the strategy, and the traffic you do capture is far more likely to convert to a sale. Remember: less web traffic does not necessarily mean fewer sales. If you have

fewer people coming to your page but are feeding these potential consumers with engaging content, you will actually start to see increased sales (with less spend going into the conversion!).even experienced marketers were astonished with the stats that robert rose

presented. could a drop in online traffic actually result in more sales? And how could you possibly get that over the line? while many marketers feel confident with the work they produce, what is often missing is an integrated content approach…

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

ownership benefitsOnce you’ve built your audience, your ROI goes up since you no longer have to pay rent for media.

MONTH

PAID SEARCH

CONTENT MARKETING

@robert_rose

content marketing isn’t about filling buckets. it’s a long-term strategy to achieve your objectives and become truly useful to your customers. it’s not about simply increasing web traffic but increasing sales. remember, if you have fewer people coming to your page but are feeding these potential consumers with the engaging content they require to make a purchase, you’ll actually start to see increased sales and a much better conversion rate.

Give King Content a call on 02 8204 0600 www.kingcontent.com.auinfo@kingcontent.com.au

want to learn More about applyIng

tHeSe InSIgHtS to your buSIneSS?