Author: Rob Dietrich

Senior Content Manager

Unveiling the PR and Marketing Trends Shaping 2024

As 2023 draws to a close, we’d like to take a step back and look forward into what the new year will bring for companies looking to market their businesses to potential customers. It seems that change happens faster with every year that passes, and 2024 will be no different. Today, let’s unravel the curtain on three cutting-edge trends and a bonus tip that are propelling savvy marketers into the limelight of 2024. From the power of micro-influencers to the art of crafting 3D stories with data, we’re diving deep into the strategies that will make companies the true champions of the marketing game. 

Trend Alert #1: Micro-Influencers Rule the Scene 

Gone are the days of mega influencers dominating the spotlight. In 2024, marketers will be tapping into the power of micro-influencers—real people with real influence in niche communities. These folks have established themselves as experts in their respective areas with years of quality thought leadership content. Authenticity is the name of the game, and micro-influencers bring that personal touch that resonates with their dedicated followers.

Trend Alert #2: Storytelling in 3D—Data-Driven and Dazzling 

In 2024, storytelling isn’t just about words; it’s about data-driven narratives that paint a vivid picture. In the new year, marketers will be leveraging analytics to craft compelling stories that captivate audiences. Imagine infographics, interactive charts, and dynamic visuals—all telling a story that sparks engagement and leaves a lasting impression. Interactive content is going to be a big player. People love engaging with content rather than just passively consuming it. Think polls, quizzes, and AR experiences—they’re the real MVPs.

Trend Alert #3: Community-Centric Campaigns 

Marketers are shifting their focus toward creating meaningful connections. Whether it’s through local events, online forums, or social media groups, fostering a sense of community around a brand is becoming the secret sauce for success.

Bonus Tip: The Rise of Virtual Experiences 

In a world where digital is king, marketers are mastering the art of virtual experiences. From virtual product launches to interactive webinars, creating immersive online experiences is the new norm. It’s not just about showcasing a product; it’s about giving your audience an unforgettable digital journey.

So, there you have it—three trends and a bonus tip that marketing professionals are riding into 2024. We hope you can use these tips to make the very best of the new year. But if you need a helping hand, don’t be afraid to reach out!

How to Interview a SME

Rob dives into 5 tips on how to properly interview a subject matter expert (SME)

As a content writer, a large amount of my time is spent talking with various subject matter experts, or SMEs, about their matters of expertise- and then writing a story based on my findings “by” the aforementioned SME for publication. Often referred to as “ghostwriting,” it’s a cornerstone of the marketing communications world. And rightly so. 

SMEs are often high-ranking members of their organizations, filling job functions that demand the majority of their time. They have great and valuable insight to offer potential customers, but often times, simply not enough time to compose their thoughts into content that can be used for marketing purposes. 

This situation is all too common in the world of content marketing. If you haven’t found yourself in something similar before, you’re likely the exception to the norm. But chances are, as a content marketer, you will have the opportunity to conduct many different SME interviews in your career. Following are five tips I have used over the years to help ensure I have a productive and successful interview every time that lets me craft a compelling piece of content. 

5 Tips for How to Interview a SME

(We couldn’t help ourselves)

Arrive Early to the Interview

I always try to give myself at least 5 minutes before the interview begins to settle in and prepare myself. As I said before, SMEs are often very busy people. You’re depending on their knowledge and cooperation to complete your work, so respecting their time is in your best interest. 

Prepare Your Questions

Before the interview begins, I prepare by thoroughly researching the topic and putting together some basic questions to loosely guide the interview. These help to make sure we touch on all necessary topics. My interview always begins by having the SME confirm that I have their correct job title and spelling of their name (forgetting this step could make things awkward down the road). 

Record the Interview (If Possible)

If you have the ability to create an audio recording of your interview, and if you have your SME’s permission to do so, it would be an excellent backup to your notes. Many SMEs you come across throughout your career could be fast-talkers, or perhaps English could be their second (or third) language. You might conduct your interview on the phone with a poor connection, or near a busy and loud work environment. Often, interviews are conducted on a tight schedule without much time to ask the SME to repeat themselves. Either way, few interviews ever happen under perfect conditions, and having a backup audio recording to refer to when your notes have holes could make all the difference. 

Let Them Talk

This is a simple, yet often overlooked tip. Obviously, SMEs know the subject you’re there to discuss with them (this is where the “E” in their acronym comes from). But sometimes, we as writers prepare so much for the story (visualizing the points that we’ll make along the way to create a successful piece of content) that we rush along to the next question when we feel the source has provided a sufficient answer. Don’t do this. If your time with the SME allows, let them talk until they feel they’ve fully covered a point. Listen for opportunities to ask follow-up questions. If they reference an anecdote, be sure to ask them to tell this story and capture it as best you can. It might provide a great example to help bring one of your points home.

Bring Backup

It’s a luxury that most working situations can’t afford. But if you’re able to, bring a member of your team to help with capturing notes (perhaps a junior level or intern who could benefit from the experience). To heads are better than one. And this might also help ease your stress over missing any important tidbits, letting you focus more on the story being told. 

Do You Have Additional Tips on How to Interview a SME?

Hopefully these tips help you on your future SME interviews. Do you have any additional tips for conducting a successful interview? If so, let us know!

A Beginner’s Guide to Content Marketing

Many business leaders make the mistake of relying solely on advertising and/ or direct sales to secure leads. These tried-and-true methods certainly have their place, but if they’re your company’s only form of customer outreach, then you could be leaving a lot on the table. 

Today there are new channels and media to not only distribute your message, but engage and interact with potential customers, all while building relationships and establishing your brand. And while it’s a bit more work up front, content marketing comes at a fraction of the traditional cost for running ads or hiring additional salespeople. 

Defining content marketing

What is content marketing? Well, it’s a form of marketing in which you create, publish and distribute content to attract, engage, and retain customers. Content is everything from blog posts to white papers and eBooks to videos—basically anything that helps people learn about your company.

The term “content” has become so overused that sometimes it seems like every company is doing some kind of “content marketing.” But the truth is that there are only a few types of companies who can actually benefit from this strategy. First off, if your customers don’t already know who you are or why they should use your product or service (which will be addressed later), then chances are good that they won’t care about what kind of content you’re creating for them. You must have some brand visibility before even considering investing in content creation and distribution. So if no one knows who you are yet…it might be better left alone until later when things change for the better (and hopefully sooner). If this is the case, some traditional PR might be the more logical first step. 

What are the goals of content marketing?

In addition to the obvious ones—to build your brand and generate leads, grow your business and increase sales—you might be surprised to learn how content marketing can help you differentiate yourself from competitors.

It’s a fact that people trust recommendations much more than advertising. So if you want to stand out from other brands, consider creating helpful or entertaining content that gets shared by fans on social media. This way, customers can see that other people are getting value out of what you’re selling (and hopefully share it with their friends).

How to develop a content marketing strategy

To develop a content marketing strategy, you must first understand your buyer’s journey. This is the process that leads people who have never heard of you to become customers for life. Buyers’ journeys can be broken down into three main steps:

  • Awareness (What do they know about me?)
  • Consideration (Are they interested in using my services or products?)
  • Conversion/Purchase

Content marketing tactics

When executing a content marketing strategy, businesses often rely on a mix of written, graphical and video media to disseminate their messaging. These typically include:  

  • Blog posts
  • E-newsletters
  • Videos
  • Infographics
  • Social media posts

Measurement and evaluation

It’s not enough to just create great content. You have to track how it performs, and use that data to improve your strategy as you go along.

Measurement is key to success with content marketing, but what exactly do you measure?

The answer depends on your goals and objectives, but some basic metrics are useful for tracking the performance of all types of content:

  • Traffic: How much attention did your latest blog post or video get? How many visitors came from social media channels? This is a good place to start if you’re looking at overall performance of a piece of content—it’ll give you an idea of whether people are clicking through and reading/watching what they’re supposed to be reading/watching. Short-term traffic spikes can also be useful indicators that something went viral within the target audience (or outside it).
  • Conversions: Did any readers take action after consuming your latest blog post or video? If so, did they visit another page on your website after reading/watching it—and how many times did they return over the next few weeks or months? This metric is closely tied into SEM (search engine marketing) strategies like AdWords advertising campaigns because it shows how successful paid ads were at driving traffic toward certain pages on your site. You might also see conversions if someone filled out a form asking for more information about services offered by your company; this could lead directly into further engagement down the road (e-mail newsletters and other forms of direct marketing).

Resources for content marketers

Content marketing is a skill that can be learned and refined, but it helps to have some guidance along the way. Here are some useful resources for content marketers:

  • [The Content Strategist](http://thecontentstrategist.com/)
  • [Copyblogger](https://www.copyblogger.com/) – blog by Brian Clark, founder of Copyblogger Media
  • [Contently](https://contently.com/) – choose this if you’re looking for an agency/service provider

Developing your own content marketing strategy

You’re probably wondering: “What are some of the most important things I can do to develop a content marketing strategy and execute on it?”

Well, let us tell you. Content marketing is a way for companies to build trust with customers, generate leads and establish themselves as an authority in their industry. It is not just writing blog posts or creating videos. It’s not just creating infographics or social media posts either!

It’s all of these things and more—a comprehensive strategy that encompasses any type of digital asset that builds relevance between your business and its target audience over time through consistent delivery of valuable information (e.g., case studies).

Conclusion

Content marketing is a powerful tool, and we hope you’re well on your way to mastering it. It can be difficult to get started with content marketing, but if you follow the steps above and use the resources we provided, you’ll be off to a great start. And if you need a hand, don’t be afraid to reach out!

2023 Marketing Trends You Should Know

The marketing world is changing fast, and it seems like every day there’s a new trend to learn about. The good news is that these trends are all coming from companies that want to better connect with their customers in ways that are authentic and meaningful. If you’re ready for an exciting year full of innovation and change, here are the ten trends we think will shape how you approach marketing in 2023:

Trend 1: Influencer marketing and PR

Influencer marketing is one of the best ways to reach customers, and if you’re not using it yet, you should be.

In the past two years alone, influencer marketing spend has skyrocketed by $10 billion. That’s why it’s important to keep up with this trend so that you don’t get left behind. Influencers are people who have built up a loyal following through their blogs or social media accounts; they can help drive word-of-mouth recommendations for your brand because people trust them as experts in their field. And since influencers don’t always have big budgets for advertising themselves (but often do have time), it might make sense for brands to work with them instead of buying ads from bigger companies like Google or Facebook.

Trend 2: Visualize success

Visual content is all the rage these days. You can’t swing a cat without hitting an infographic, video or animated GIF.

Why? Because visual content is more engaging and memorable than text-based content, which leads to higher engagement rates and better ROI for advertisers. Content marketers have long known this, but it’s finally trickling down to individual brands as well—a recent study found that over 80% of consumers prefer images over text when it comes to making buying decisions. Visual marketing has also been shown to be 12 times more likely than traditional marketing methods such as print ads or direct mail flyers at creating brand awareness among consumers (and 24 times more effective at generating social media shares).

It’s easy to understand why: We’re simply wired this way—for decades now our brains have been trained by TV commercials and billboards featuring images rather than words (and it’s only gotten worse with the rise of smartphones). As a result, many people are now conditioned to not just graze over ads but actively avoid them altogether. That is unless the ad can catch their attention in some way through design alone (which isn’t always easy since most companies use stock images from Shutterstock).

Trend 3: Create real connections

People want to feel connected to brands, and they’re willing to pay more for those that make them feel like part of the family (or community). The importance of building a community cannot be overstated. It’s not just about creating a platform where people can interact with each other as fans; it’s also about connecting emotionally with fans through authentic experiences and getting them personally invested in your brand.

In order to build trust, you have to be authentic—and by being authentic yourself, you will allow others to be authentic too. That means listening as well as speaking up when necessary. And last but certainly not least, use storytelling effectively—it’s all about staying human!

Trend 4: Sharing is caring

Share. Share. Share.

The world has always been about sharing, but now it’s more important than ever for marketers to share their content, and also to share other people’s content. That means you need to be sharing your own thoughts, experiences and opinions with your audience—and then you need to be sharing other people’s thoughts, experiences and opinions as well

Trend 5: Don’t ignore the haters

Haters are a fact of life and they’re not going away. But don’t get distracted by the naysayers—they’re only out there to try to change your focus, and that’s not good for business.

If you keep an eye on what people are saying about you, whether it’s positive or negative, you’ll be able to identify pain points in your product or service before anyone else does. For example: if customers love your product but hate its price tag, then maybe it’s time for a price hike. If customers hate the color scheme of one of your products but love everything else about it, then maybe changing up the color scheme would help boost sales without hurting customer satisfaction too much (and without requiring any major redesigns).

Trend 6: Use channels to create a cohesive strategy

The strategy for your business would be to use channels like social media, email, print and video to get the message across.

It’s a good idea to have a website with information about what you do and how it benefits customers.

Try not to bombard people with too much information; instead give them just enough so that they know who you are and what you offer before encouraging them to explore further.

Trend 7: Content marketing and PR are best friends

Content marketing and PR are best friends. There’s no getting around it: content is king in the digital age. We all know that video, images and text have become the primary ways we get our information online—and many brands have capitalized on this opportunity by creating their own original content for their audiences to consume. With so many options available to them, consumers are becoming increasingly selective about what they choose to view and share (or not). This means businesses need to create compelling content that resonates with their audience if they want to stand out from the crowd.

Content marketing is a great way to promote your brand. Creating original material can also help you establish yourself as an authority within your niche or industry—a reputation that will help build trust among potential customers and drive sales down the road when they’re ready for more information about your products/services or ready for action (e-commerce purchases).

Trend 8: Go niche or go home

If you’re not already, it’s time to go niche or go home—or, more accurately, niche or fail.

Marketing is going to be more competitive than ever in the next few years and marketers are going to have to find creative ways of standing out from the crowd. Niche marketing is a great way to do this because it allows you to create a brand that is unique and specific, which can really help your business stand out from competitors.

Trend 9: Just add data

Data is the new oil, and if you want to stay ahead of the curve, you need to be using it. If your company is still collecting data by hand or through surveys, well…you’ve got a lot of work ahead of you.

It’s not always easy to get access to good data—especially when other companies are vying for it too—but if your brand can get its hands on some quality information about its customer base and how they interact with content online, then there are literally countless ways that insight can be used within a marketing strategy.

For example: You might use this information as part of an A/B test around where certain types of ads should appear across different channels in order for them to reach their intended audience most effectively (and therefore earning more revenue). The color red might appeal more strongly than blue; thus, red ads would perform better on Facebook while blue ones do better on Google AdSense.

Trend 10: Leave room for storytelling

If you’re going to be writing content for the next three years, make sure it’s going to be memorable. This can be done by using a story structure and making sure that your story is engaging. Stories are one of the most powerful communication tools we have because they engage our emotions more than facts or numbers ever will. As such, they help us build trust with our audience — which leads to sharing and engagement.

In other words: if you want your content remembered, use stories!

Get ready to embrace change.

The future of marketing is a constantly changing landscape. To succeed, you need to be prepared for anything. The best way to do this is by keeping your eyes on the prize and not being afraid of change—or failure. Change is inevitable; if you’re not ready for it, it won’t matter how much effort you put into trying to stay ahead of the curve.

Overall, we recommend staying flexible and open-minded toward new ideas and methods. If something isn’t working or doesn’t feel right at first glance, don’t be afraid to try again with a different approach: maybe even one that seems counterintuitive or strange at first glance!

Conclusion

That’s it. We hope we’ve given you some things to think about as you make your marketing plan for the next few years. You may feel like there are too many trends to keep up with, but don’t worry! All of these trends can be incorporated into your existing strategy and used in combination with each other to create an even more powerful brand identity that will set you apart from the crowd. And if you have any questions, don’t be afraid to reach out!

The importance of quality content for your website

Content is an important part of any website. It helps build trust with your customers, attracts search engine traffic and generates business. But not all content is created equal. The quality of the content on your website matters because it can affect both your search rankings and how well your site converts visitors into paying customers. In this post, we’ll explain why quality content is so important and how you can start writing better copy for your own site today!

Provide something useful

Make sure you’re providing something useful for your customers to digest. You can accomplish this by answering common questions, providing tips, or sharing stories and anecdotes. You can also share information about your products or services that will be helpful to the reader.

Write quality content

Good content is the lifeblood of your website. People are looking for information, and if you’re providing it, you’ll be top of mind. Writing good quality content is no easy task: there are so many pitfalls that can undo even the most meticulous writer’s work! That’s why we’ve created this handy list of tips to help you ensure that your copywriting never suffers from these common errors again.

Why is quality content important?

  • Quality content will help you rank in search engines
  • It will help your customers find you
  • Quality content is a good way to build trust with your customers, which is important for conversions
  • You’ll generate more leads if you have high-quality content on your website

How do I get started?

The first step to creating great content is knowing what your audience wants.

There are plenty of keyword research tools out there, but one of the best is [Google Keyword Planner](http://www.seomoz.org/google-keyword-planner). With this tool you can see which keywords people use when searching for products like yours or services that are similar to yours and how often they’re searched (the number of searches per month).

If you want to write about topics that other sites haven’t covered yet, one way to do so would be by looking at popular keywords for related content and then asking yourself whether there’s something different about what you want to say about it from other websites’ perspectives. For example: if someone has already written an article on “how dogs behave” on eHow’s website, maybe instead of writing another article on the same topic (which would probably get lost in search results), you could write an article titled “How Dogs Communicate Nonverbally.” This way, not only will people who are interested in learning more about dog behavior have access to more information than ever before but also those who love dogs might appreciate learning some new things as well!

What elements should I consider?

In order to better understand how to write effective content, it is important to understand the elements that can make a piece of content more engaging. These elements are:

  • Use of keywords
  • Images and videos
  • Lists
  • Headings and subheadings (h1-h6)
  • Bullet points
  • Bold text for emphasis
  • Italicized text for emphasis
  • Links/internal links/backlinks

Quality content helps build trust with your customers, attracts search engine traffic and generates business.

If you are looking for the best return on your investment, quality content is the way to go. It helps create trust with your customers and increases their confidence in you as a company. In addition, it attracts more organic traffic from search engine results pages (SERPs) so that people who are interested in what you offer will find you. The more traffic from search engines, the better chance of converting those visitors into customers or leads!

Conclusion

If you’re not sure where to begin with quality content, we recommend starting with your keyword research. By identifying the topics that are important to your audience and writing about them in a way that is engaging for both readers and search engines alike, you can create an online presence that will help bring in more business than ever before.

Three Ideas to Tap into Your Current Resources for Content

Many companies face the same dilemma. They have a selection of game changing products or services that their current customers couldn’t live without. Likewise, sales are consistent, but have seemed to top off. Breaking through that glass ceiling requires connecting with new customers, and what better way to do this than online? But after turning their attention to the company’s website and social channels, it’s quickly remembered the last message posted wished their customers a happy new year in 2018.

In order to be found online, you have to be present. Creating a website and social channels for your company is a great start, but without regular updates they aren’t doing you much good. A highly successful website creator and SEO specialist recently told me that “ongoing content is necessary more than ever.” And it’s true! Relevant, timely and informed content not only galvanizes your position as an expert in your field, but can help new customers find your website and seek out your assistance with the problems they’re facing. However, realizing your company’s need for content is only the first step. The second is coming up with enough ideas to feed the content machine.

Stick with the basics

Creating content doesn’t have to involve deep research and days of writing. One trick to creating quick, quality content is to utilize the knowledge already available to you. Chances are that, while you might consider it commonplace, many potential customers are currently searching for the basic information surrounding your products and/ or services, or the problems they solve. Consider a series of high-level, “101” type posts that provide this general information with a “contact us with any questions” hook at the end.

Have you heard the news?

There are also numerous opportunities to position yourself as a thought leader by piggybacking off of current events that might have some impact for your customers. We’re all a part of a larger industry, and your position as a product/ service provider gives you a unique perspective on news affecting your customers. We obviously don’t suggest basing any content on controversial or divisive issues. But if you can find a relevant current event and provide a unique, original and authentic comment on it, this is content gold.

Introduce the team

The larger trend of business transactions moving online, which was further accelerated by the pandemic, has left many people sick of interacting with faceless brands and chatbots. Customers want to know the people they’re doing business with, their backgrounds and their interests. What makes them uniquely qualified for their positions? What contributions have they brought to your company? Introducing your company to potential customers with a series of posts that highlight your team members could be the deciding factor in where they end up taking their business.

Conclusion

Committing to creating regular content can be daunting at first. But by utilizing these tips to get you started, and developing a mindset for identifying company news that could turn into a great piece of engaging content, soon it will become second nature. And if you need help getting your efforts off the ground, we’re here to help!

Three Ways a Podcast Can Help Your Content Marketing

It seems like almost every business website nowadays has a blog. Amirite? And for good reason. Blogs act like your company’s very own magazine or newspaper. They provide a way for you to post company news, talk about new products or services, comment on recent events, or drop some knowledge on your current and/or potential customers to show off your smarts. And, even better, you’re also the editor and publisher. There are no style guides by which to abide, so you can write using your brilliant wit and hilarious slang [see above example: Amirite?] to brighten up your posts and give the reader an inside look into your company’s personality and culture. It’s a proven scientific fact that 100 percent of people prefer to do business with companies that they like on a personal level. Ok, there’s no science to back that up. But I certainly believe it to be the case. So then, why do so many companies overlook the podcast as another vehicle to get their two cents out there while showing how great/ fun/ likeable they are?

For some, the mere mention of the word “podcast” conjures up images of a professional, soundproofed studio replete with audio technicians, producers and hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of high-tech recording equipment and editing software. And while it’s true that most top-end podcasts use similar setups, this is without a doubt the exception to the norm considering how the majority of podcasts are produced today. Over the last few years, smartphone apps and free online services like Anchor and Libsyn have made the recording, editing and distribution of podcasts both quick and easy.

So, since we’ve dispelled the “I can’t afford it” myth, let’s talk about three ways a podcast can help your content marketing.

  • Channeling All the Good Vibes

By starting a podcast, you’re creating a new owned media channel to reach out to your prospects. Sure, they might read your blog or scroll through your social channels in between tasks at work. And that’s good. But imagine if you had the opportunity to chat with them on their daily commute. The majority of podcast listeners consume content on their daily drives to and from work. Talk about a captive audience! This gives you the chance to add some color commentary to a point you discussed in your recent blog post, or go further in-depth about an issue you touched on in a social post. Wise buyers like to be well informed, and this additional channel lets you round out the messages you communicate on a regular basis.

  • Adding Personality to Your Brand

If one of the major benefits to writing your own blog is the chance it gives you to show off your personality, just think how much further you could take things with a podcast. Audio-based content lets your customers hear the enthusiasm and passion for your work in your voice, that even the best writers struggle to capture in a blog post.

  • Reach More People

By throwing your hat in the podcast ring, you’ll be reaching out to a new pool of potential customers that might have never heard of you before. Research shows over 57 million Americans listened to podcasts in the past month! And anyone worth their salt in the marketing world knows to never underestimate the power of reaching a prospect organically.

There you have it. I hope you’ll see that by starting a podcast, you’re opening up a new avenue for your content. There are opportunities to amplify the content you’ve already created in new and more colorful ways, while adding a new touchpoint for interested prospects to learn more and for existing customers to further deepen their loyalty for your brand.

So if you’re on the fence, thinking about how to get your podcast started or needing help creating a content calendar for future episode topics, we can help!

5 Reasons to Incorporate Video into Your Content Marketing

At O’Keeffe, we like to say that we specialize in helping our clients tell the right story, on the right channel, to the right audience, at the right time. And right now, it’s the right time to incorporate video into your marketing plans in order to stay relevant in the constantly evolving digital landscape. Here are five reasons we recommend adding video into the mix:

Video Improves SEO

Having video content on your webpage improves your SEO. In 2020, 93% of all online experiences began with a search engine. And 75% of those web searches didn’t go past the first page. According to market researcher Forrester, you’re 53 times more likely to appear on the first page of a Google search when you have a video on your website.

Video Increases Social Media Engagement

Videos on Facebook significantly outperform still images. They garner two times the number of clicks and have a 2-3 times higher clickthrough rate. Similarly on Twitter, Tweets with videos are 6x more likely to be retweeted than Tweets with photos and 3x more than Tweets with GIFs. Why is this important? Increased engagement can lead to greater brand awareness, and ultimately a sale.

Video Builds Trust

Video content helps to establish your brand’s voice and create a more trusting environment for viewers.  Users recognize that it takes a lot more effort to put together a video and are more likely to trust what is being said by the brand. It also helps to visually see someone as an ambassador for a brand, to hear their voice and see their personality.

Video Appeals to Consumers

Today, consumers are overloaded with content from brands. Video is the perfect tool to break away from the pack and reach today’s busy consumers. For most, life is too busy to have time to read long product descriptions or dig deep into your services. Video content is a way to cut out the demand for any reading and easily engage all types of audiences. In fact, 98% of consumers say they’ve watched a video to learn more about a product or service.

Video is the Wave of the Future

According to the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins, video now accounts for 74% of all online traffic, and this trend toward video-based content consumption is expected to increase. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg concurs, and he has repeatedly stated that his company will be focusing on video for the future. Simply put, creating video content is a non-negotiable if you want your brand to maintain a forward-looking marketing strategy.

Ready, Set, Shoot!

Now that we’ve established that you should incorporate video into your content marketing, it’s time to get started. If you’re looking for more insight or ways to create a video that resonates with customers, reach out to us.

5 Steps to Creating a Technical Thought Leadership Strategy

Especially on the technical side of client accounts, it’s a common occurrence to meet a company that’s clearly among the experts in their space but unsure of how to market themselves. In many of these cases, the space in which they operate could be highly niche and separated by several degrees from the public eye. Often times, these companies make the products that go into the products that make the products that most people know and use every day.

The common course of action for companies who find themselves in this position is to rely solely on direct sales. And understandably so. A talented, experienced sales team who knows the industry inside and out, and has spent years and years developing relationships with contacts at all the various players within the industry can be a dependable rainmaker for a technical organization. The only problem here is when that is a company’s sole source of outreach. It’s important to cast a wider net by developing a well-orchestrated thought leadership strategy in order to go after the fish that aren’t directly in your sales team’s sights, as well as control your reputation and brand equity beyond what others are saying about you.

If you are a technical organization thinking about expanding beyond your direct sales efforts, the following steps should help you get off the ground.

Step 1: Admit that you are an expert

The first step is simply to realize the value of the expertise that your company possesses. As a technical company, it’s sometimes hard to see past your immediate circle and realize that there is a wider demand for your knowledge beyond just your current customers.

Step 2: Join the larger conversation

If you aren’t already doing it, go out to find and join the conversations other members of your industry are currently having with each other. Technical companies sometimes cringe at the thought of social media. But there is a lot of information exchange happening on social platforms that you can take advantage of, especially if you use the right platform. Do your research and see what people are talking about. Follow influencers, build your network, and share and comment on the posts that interest you.

Step 3: Identify your contributions and your contributors

Figure out where you can contribute to this conversation. Look inside your company for developing technologies you can talk about, or ways your company’s products or services are influencing a larger trend. Also, find your subject matter experts. Who are the champions of your company’s technologies? Who are the technical experts with the knowledge you’d like to show off to the world? Chances are, they’d be prime candidates to comment on current trends or offer input to a trade magazine feature article.

Step 4: Make a plan

Once you identify your list of topics, make a calendar with plans for producing and pushing out content showcasing your knowledge on these topics. Be sure to include with your plans how you plan to publish your content. Is it an article with wide appeal to the industry? If so, a relevant trade journal might be a good fit. Is it a white paper demonstrating in-depth one of your company’s products? Consider “gating” this white paper on your company website and posting links on your social channels to garner attention and gather valuable sales leads.

Step 5: Steady does it

Especially with your owned media (blogs, podcasts, etc), it’s important to establish a regular rhythm at which viewers can expect new articles or episodes to be published, and then stick with it. Marketing this way has a cumulative effect, and it takes commitment to a steady and regular schedule of content in order to build your following and establish your credibility. If at first you don’t see life changing results, don’t despair! Stick with your plan, and pretty soon you’ll be able to watch the needle move in your favor.

There you have it. While I hope this helps, I also know it’s easier said than done. What other questions do you have? Feel free to reach out!

4 Myths About Content Marketing

Myth #1: “Content marketing is just a fancy word for advertising.” Content marketing and ad campaigns aren’t the same, and if you treat it as such, you will fail.

The oft-misunderstood world of content marketing is a living, breathing, evolving space. It’s in a constant state of flux to meet the changing demands of buyer personas and search engine algorithms. And being the moving target that it is, there are lots of misconceptions around content marketing.

Here are four myths about content marketing, and why they simply aren’t true.

1. “Content marketing is just a fancy word for advertising.”

This myth is a serial offender and lead culprit of many a failed content marketing campaign. If you approach your content marketing campaign like an ad campaign, you will fail. While ads involve (mostly cleverly concocted) sales messages and slogans, they’re allowed to be outright self-promotional because they’re appearing in a paid ad. Any editorial that you create for content marketing purposes must be of genuine informational value to its intended audience. After all, your goal is to position this content so that your readers will find it as a result of their own research. If you lead them down a tunnel to a crummy commercial, they will feel tricked and will leave your site posthaste. Hear that? That’s the sound of your bounce rate spiking.

2. “Anyone can write content.”

You wouldn’t ask your doctor to do your taxes. Ideally, let the writers write the content. Find someone adept at collecting the appropriate information and producing quality content that engages with your target audience on a meaningful level.

Are you a small company with limited resources? By all means, assign your content creation jobs to the appropriate subject matter expert. Whether it’s a product manager, engineer or someone from sales. But for the love of all that is good, make sure they know how to write well, and how to write for the web. Be sure they are writing objectively, and at a level appropriate for your intended audience. Do your research and identify the keywords people are searching on that relate to your content themes. Providing these to your writer upfront will help focus their efforts to produce the desired results.

3. “The rewards of good content marketing are instant.”

While I wish this was true, it just isn’t realistic to post a single piece of brilliant, award-winning content to your website and expect all of Google to read it the same day.

Your mantra here should be “steady does it.” Set a realistic but regular goal date of creating, posting and promoting new content. A steady stream of quality, relevant and engaging content, updated regularly, will gradually start to find its way to your targeted audience. From here, the relationship builds. Viewers become subscribers. Subscribers become leads. Leads become conversions.

4. “The only good content is long content.”

Hogwash!

While there is truth that search engines give preference to the longer forms of content, we’re not talking about War and Peace here. More important than exact word count is taking the appropriate amount of time to effectively communicate your message. Don’t drone on simply to enhance your word count. Remember that while you’re using search engines to help get your content in front of readers, your primary objective is to write for the readers themselves. Do your research, take the appropriate amount of time to formulate your story. And if you can shoot for 1000 words (or more), then more power to you.

So there you have it. With all the hype around content marketing, I hope these four myths help you realize that it isn’t exactly rocket surgery.

Have you conducted your own content marketing campaigns and have some additional myths to share? If so, or if you’d like to talk about how O’Keeffe can help with your content marketing campaigns, let us know!