how to create content people actually care about

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Content 101: How to Create Content People Actually Care About

Jay Acunzo@Jay_zo#ILYmktg

Jay Acunzo - @jay_zo2

Context On Me

@Jay_zo

Senior Content Manager

Co-Founder | BosContent.com

Digital Media Strategist

Director of Content


Editor’s Note

@Jay_zo

This was NOT optimized for SlideShare, so some context is missing. I apologize. I am uploading this for the class I taught that has the full context.

Want to learn more, have me speak, or have me shut up and just send more context via email? Happy to! Shoot me a tweet @Jay_zo

Thanks! Jay


HubSpot Sells Software, But...

• 5-8 blog posts/day

• 7-10 premium offers/month

• 2M views, 230K subscribers

• 50K monthly leads


Holy Scale, Batman!


Today

How we staff, prepare, and execute


Agenda

• Why Content?

• Content @ HubSpot

• How We Operate

• Example Campaign

• My Promise

Jay Acunzo - @jay_zo

The #1 challenge facing HubSpot’s 10,000

customers...(And really, most marketers.)


|


It doesn’t need to be so damn

hard!


Too many assume creating great content requires divine intervention .


Others sit & pray forcreative sparks to

strike as needed.


And some shoot for brilliance: “We need thought leadership !”

It’s actually lousy content for building audiences,

especially at first.(More on that later.)


They are

WRONG!


Great Feats of Content

vs.


You can practice content marketing sustainably and

scalably without waiting for the muse to visit.


Agenda

• Why Content?

• How to Execute

• My Promise


To be a great modern marketer is to accept

1 simple truth:


Consumers have all the power.

Period.

1 simple truth:


There are 3 BIG reasons why:

3the proliferation of media,a history of brand deception, and the historic pace of change in modern tech.

(Via @Shannopop)


In 2011, there were over one TRILLION pages on the internet.

Source: CNN

(that’s 417 web pages per person!)


Every two days, we create as much information as we did

from the dawn of civilization up until 2003.

Eric SchmidtFormer CEO of Google


The Appearance of Advertising in Human Communication.

(Graphic via @TBLittwin @Shannopop)

Jay Acunzo - @jay_zo{Advertising

first pervaded all things print.

400 years

(Graphic via @TBLittwin @Shannopop)


Then found its way into radio, TV, mailers, and the telephone. {

48 ye

ars


{In the last 20 years, it’s penetrated almost every digital channel.

22 years


Info Explosion >> Options >> Choice


Consumers have all the power.

So if...


Make Stuff People Want

(21st Century Marketing)

Make People Want Stuff(20th Century Marketing)

Then, to capture attention...

(via Smithery.co)


|But How?


Agenda

• Why Content?

• How to Execute

• My Promise


Create a Content Mission Example via HubSpot:Empower and inspire businesses 1 to 1,000 strong to transform into modern, human companies people love:

inbound companies.


Lean on 3 Things

[name][demographic][goals]


#1 – PeopleNot HubSpotter. PhotoBomber.


Gut-check: Am I okay with this resource commitment?

“Robots haven’t replaced the writers.”

Must equip your people with Personas and Process to boost efficiency & success


#2 – Personas

[name][demographic][goals]


What Are Buyer Personas?Fictional representations of your ideal customers based on real data about demographics and behavior, along with educated speculation about personal histories, motivations, and concerns.


Attract the Right Audience

“Totally agree!”


Avoid the Wrong Audience

“Totally agree!”“Poppycock!”


“I target marketers”

Mary Marketer

Good:• Exhaustive basics• Step by step help• Lighthearted, peppy tone

Bad: • Cutting-edge trends• Access to betas, free stuff• Smart, funny, techie feel


“I target marketers”

Mikey Marketer

Good:• Cutting-edge trends• Access to betas, free stuff• Smart, funny, techie feel

Bad: • Exhaustive basics• Step by step help• Lighthearted, peppy tone


“Create content for marketers.”

“Create content for Mary.”

?


Exercise! Buyer Persona

1. Think of a REAL customer you love. 2. Create a persona rough draft below.

What Are Buyer Personas?Fictional representations of your ideal customers based on real data about demographics and behavior, along with educated speculation about personal histories, motivations, and concerns.Grab Your Free Template: tiny.cc/persona

My Real Customer: ______________ Job Title: ______________

Gender: ____ Approx. Age: ____ Approx. HHI: ____ Marital Status: ____

List 3 of their day-to-day challenges:1.

2.

3.

List 3 identifiers/personality traits1. 2.3.

List 3 places they consume content1. 2.3.


#3 – Process


Monthly Process

1. Plan2. Produce3. Distribute4. Analyze


Planning = Infrastructure

1

Workflow2

Personas

3 Idea Pipeline

4 Ed. Cal.


ProTip to Scale

Production

& Drive ROI


Create Content Offers 1st.


Why Offers? Drive a business

action Makes content

scalable


Generate More Offers


Generate Blog Posts


Views spike upon launch

Crashes, but not to zero

Typical “How To” Post


Also spikes, but crashes to zero

Lack of demand = uncertain traffic

Vs. Thought Leadership


Weeks later, still some views

Brick by Brick: Be Helpful


Boosted by Old Posts

Other Posts Lifted


On InboundHub.com

Huge

• 70% of traffic, leads from posts >1 month old• 5-7 of Top 10 monthly posts are >1 month old


Recap

1. Infrastructure enables speed2. Personas help you resonate3. Start with offers. Be helpful!4. 90:10 helpful:risky


Exercise! Think about your persona rough draft Craft a basic production pipeline

Answer These:1. What 1 content offer could you create to

drive action? (e.g. XYZ ebook, buyer guide, etc.)2. What 3 posts can directly solve their

day-to-day challenges?


Distribute Your Content


Analysis

1.User indicators (views, shares)

2.Business objectives (new leads, coupon downloads, etc.)

3.Content offers metric: Net Promoter Score (NPS) survey


Agenda

• Why Content?

• How to Execute

• My Promise


How do we...Make Stuff

People Want(21st Century Marketing)

...at scale?


Sometimes, We’ll Get It Right

Experiment

Experiment

(HubSpot Content Downloads)


But Other Times... (Our bad!)


Holy Scale, Batman!

So If You’re Saying:


I Want to Be Able to Say:Never Fear!


THANKS & KEEP ME HONEST

@jay_zojayacunzo.com


Free Resources• List/find jobs, attend events, network

• boscontent.com • Buyer persona template

• tiny.cc/persona• Editorial calendar template

• tiny.cc/edcal• Tons of free content creation templates

• tiny.cc/content-help (gated)• HTML Hacks for Marketers interactive site

• tiny.cc/html-hacks• 160 business stock photos

• tiny.cc/free-photos (gated)• Monthly marketing report template

• tiny.cc/report-ppt AND tiny.cc/report-xls

@[email protected]