Content Marketing: Tips and Tools to Create Compelling Content To Attract Prospects And Search...

Content Marketing: Tips and Tools to Create Compelling Content To Attract Prospects And Search Engines

Anya CiecierskiDirector of Marketing, CAL Business SolutionsCo-Founder, ERP/CRM Software Blogs

What is Content Marketing?

Today’s Marketer

Bait:Blog Posts

White PapersCase StudiesInfographics

VideosPodcasts

NewsletterseBooks

WebcastsPress Releases

Cost?

120 Marketing Stats Charts & Graphs (PDF)

Does it Work?CAL Business Solutions Facts: FY09 vs FY12• Website Traffic up 175% (avg. 3,500 visitors a month)

• 117% increase in search engine traffic (74% of total)

• 85% increase in referral link traffic

• 4,692 referral links from ERPSoftwareBlog.com since FY09

Yeah… But I Want LEADS!!285% increase in leads from website

59% increase in closed deals from website

The GoalCreate unique, engaging, quality information people want to read

What can you say that will make people think:“This company is honest” “This company really knows their stuff”

“They are easy to understand”

“This really makes sense”“That sounds just like my business

issue”

“This is someone I can trust”“They could help me”

“This is a company I want to work with!”

“They sound smart”

1. What are you good at?

2. What do you cover with new prospects over and over again?

3. Cover industry trends and news - subscribe to Google Alerts/blogs

4. Answer a common question - browse Dynamics Community, Linked In

5. Focus on vertical markets

6. Get your company involved

7. Reach out to partners

8. Interview successful people in your industry

9. “How to” tips (blog posts and videos)

10. Repurpose old content (newsletters)

11. Dynamics white papers (stats, quotes)

12. Summarize/give your opinion

13. Tell what NOT to do

14. Curate a list

15. “Press Pass” for events

16. Custom features/projects

17. Local news

“I Have Nothing To Say”

Cornerstone ContentInvest time and resources to create at least one piece of timeless QUALITY content that

is your GO TO call to action, anytime.

Example:

CAL White Paper: 30 Questions Every CFO Must Ask About the Cost of Accounting Software

www.calszone.com/30questions

Copywriting Tips• Write the way you speak

“We will articulate how social technologies fit into Microsoft’s

vision and strategy for proactive, agile and forward-looking

business solutions that facilitate people getting the right things done while delivering better

customer experiences.” “It is also important to note a social strategy is contingent on

culturally embracing the concepts in conjunction with

the software tools themselves.”

“Business professionals need to become more productive in order to achieve their desired performance levels. As such,

they are constantly trying to evaluate which actions will drive successful business

outcomes.”

Copywriting Tips• Write the way you speak• Inject personality• Cut in half• Kill the jargon and acronyms• Record/Transcribe• Proofread• Outsource Prof’l Proofreader:

sharphoto@aol.com

Hubspot Training Guides

Optimize Your Content• Headlines• Keywords• Links

Spoonfeed the Search Engine

Know Your Keywords• Speak the same language• Be realistic• Be targeted• Go long• Use them everywhere (but don’t stuff)

Google Keyword Research Tool

Example: Keyword StuffingOur marketing solutions services software is ideal for enterprise organization marketing software solutions

looking for help with their marketing email automation.

CAL is a Connecticut based Microsoft Dynamics GP partner focused on Microsoft Dynamics GP for Connecticut companies. Microsoft Dynamics

GP is powerful, affordable ERP/accounting/financial management software used by Connecticut companies looking to upgrade their

ERP/accounting/financial software.

Headlines & Titles• #1 Most Important • Engaging & Catchy BUT Clear & Targeted

– What is it about– Who should read it – What will they get out of it.

• Keywords!• What are first 72 characters?

Examples: White Paper Titles“The Connected Enterprise Embracing Social Technologies to Drive the Dynamic Business”

“Empowered People, Simplified Processes, and Connected Ecosystems”

“Innovating with the Microsoft Business Productivity Infrastructure”

versus

“7 Secrets the Healthiest Project-driven Organizations Know That You May Not”

“The Sales Tax Survival Guide”

“24 Wildly Creative Ways Companies Are Using Microsoft Dynamics CRM to Drive Revenue & Serve Customers”

Examples: SEO Optimized TitlesBefore: “CRM 2011 – Read Optimized Forms”After: “Make Dynamics CRM 2011 Pages Load Faster with Read Optimized Forms”

Before: Microsoft Announces Perpetual Licensing for Dynamics GP

After: Microsoft Dynamics GP Price Rising Oct 2012 - How To Be “Grandfathered In” At Lower Cost

Before: Microsoft Dynamics GP Wow Moments: Use Smartlist Builder to Find Data FasterAfter: How to use Smartlist Builder for Microsoft Dynamics GP

Better: Insider Tip: 3 Reasons to Buy Microsoft Dynamics GP Before Oct 2012 to Be “Grandfathered In” When New Pricing Released

Links/Anchor Text• Add links on keyword phrases• Link to interior pages• Link to relevant pages• 1:100 ratio• Link to build relationships

Links/Anchor Text

Click here for free white paper: “30 Questions To Ask About Cost of Accounting Software”

vs

Click here for free white paper: “30 Questions To Ask About Cost of Accounting Software”

For each link ask:

“Is This a Phrase a Prospect Would Type into Google To Find Me?”

Don’t Forget The Hook!

CALL TO ACTION

Be Selfish

Reel Them InYour Website Should Be:• Something you are proud of• Easy to customize• Full of content• Calls to action everywhere

My Bait:

White PapersBlog Posts

Case StudiesVideos

InfographicsAudio/Podcasts

White Paper Tips - Writing1) Write rough draft

– Create an outline– Convert every point (statement) in outline into a question– Answer questions as if answering an email (friendly tone)– Call to action at end

2) Send to professional editor/writer

3) Choose a GREAT title

4) Send to proofreader

5) Send to designerPublisher Designer:

nicola_inbox@yahoo.com

Perry Marshall’s Quick Start Guide

White Paper Tips - Design• Choose easy to read fonts

• Wide margins

• Make it easy to read online AND print

• Use charts and graphics as much as possible

• Break up text with subheads and bullets (easy, digestible info)

• Call out quotes

White Paper Design That

Sells (PDF)

White Paper Promotion• Landing Page

– Provide teaser content– Don’t ask for too much info on form

• Blog Posts • Submit to Directories (MSDynamics World example)• Tweet, Linked In, • Outlook Signature• Press Release• Audio MP3 file • Email & Direct Mail• Tell clients, colleagues, referral sources

Voice 123 Prof’l VoiceoverAudio Acrobat Host Audio

VisitInsights Web Visitor TrackingBroadlook Profiler Company Lookup

Blogging Goals1. Drive traffic to your post (and your website)

2. Raise organic search results of your website

– Fresh keyword filled content

– Extra traffic

3. Establish yourself as an expert

1. Raise Organic Search Results of Your Website By Strategic Use of Links

2. Drive Traffic To Your Post (and Your Website)

3. Establish Yourself as an Expert

Who Would You Call?

1. Raise Organic Search Results of Your Website By Strategic Use of Links

2. Drive Traffic To Your Post (and Your Website)

3. Establish Yourself as an Expert

Blogging Tips1. Blog regularly (editorial calendar)

2. Get others involved (colleagues, partners, guests)

3. Build community relationships (trade links)

4. Keep an ideas file

5. Don’t worry about length

6. Try to be first

1. Raise Organic Search Results of Your Website By Strategic Use of Links

2. Drive Traffic To Your Post (and Your Website)

3. Establish Yourself as an Expert

www.textbroker.com Writing Services

CAL Blog Strategy

www.erpsoftwareblog.com

• Group blogs = less effort + more benefit• Average 3 posts per month• 4,692 total referral links ($14,000 Adwords PPC savings)• CAL blog for existing customer posts

Case Study Tips1. Select Client2. Interview project manager3. Interview client (Record/Transcribe phone call)4. Write based on standard template

Challenge » Solution » Benefits » Quotes5. Send to designer 6. Promote

www.freeconference.com Record

www.speakwrite.com Transcribe

Promote Case Study Print for sales calls Website (with short URL) Blog posts! Extract testimonials Send to referral sources (including Microsoft) Press release Mailing/email blast – prospects Client newsletter Prospect newsletter

SHORT Videos• Demos/Features• How To Tips• Events• Case Study• Meet The Team

What is Your Goal?

“Web pages with video attracted 2-3x as many monthly

visitors, doubled time on site, and achieved a 157% increase in organic traffic from search

engines.”MarketingSherpa, December

2011

Video Call To ActionAt BEGINNING and end of video:

• Tell The Viewer What Action To Take: “…head over to my website at calszone.com….and subscribe to my free monthly GP Tips e-newsletter.”

• Tell The Viewer How They Can Take The Action: “…by clicking the link below the video….there’s a subscribe button on the right hand side of every page of the website.”

• Tell The Viewer What’s In It For Them: “…Subscribers get access to a new Dynamics GP tip every month – and as a thank you for entrusting me with your email address there’s a sequence of five GP tips videos that will be delivered to your inbox over the next few days which are exclusive to subscribers.”

Video Tips• Camtasia or Screencast• Blue Snowball USB microphone ($65)• Professional editing (“Kill Your Darlings”)• Promote on:

– Website (transcribe)– Blog Posts– www.oneload.com syndication– Youtube.com – Screencast.com Video Editing & YouTube

Designwww.baumgartcreativemedia.com

YouTube Tips• Optimize for SEO• TrueView – Google Adwords for YouTube• Set up your channel

– Welcome video (focus on goal)– Delete info not related to goal– Make it easy to get to your website

• Playlists– Every video should be in at least 1 playlist– Create playlists for SEO – your video plus 3-5 popular videos from others

• Video responses– Each video can be used ONCE for video response– Build relationships (like a guest post)

The Content Marketers Video

Playbook

Video SEO Optimizationdave@interactivelimited.com

Infographics• Complex info presented as a graphic –

perfect for visual learners

“Infographics are outstanding for bringing life to content that would otherwise be dry, uninteresting or

unshareable”-Microbrand Media

Infographic Design blevisay@marketingforpartners.com

Infographic Faux PasDesign

• Dark background and small text

• “Fancy” but hard to decipher charts and graphs

• No transitions

Message • Charts and graphs that aren’t compelling

• No reason for being

Marketing Value • No reason to share

• No call to action

Infographic TipsSources To Build a Swipe File

• http://visual.ly/

• www.coolinfographics.com

• www.good.is/infographics

Infographic templates and art• www.graphicriver.net

• www.istockphoto.com

• www.thinkstock.com

Find a designer• www.elance.com

• Barb Levisay blevisay@marketingforpartners.com

Infographic Promotion• Blog Posts (Use “Infographic” in the title)

• Provide embed code

• Share via social media

• Submit to directories

• Ask other bloggers

• Posters – print and mail to prospects

PodcastingAudio Blog Posts

Example: www.vicinitymanufacturing.libsyn.com– Recording: Audio Booth– Distribution: www.libsyn.com – VoiceOver: www.voice123.com– Host Audio: www.audioacrobat.com – Apply for iTunes

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Track Results

Google Analytics (free)% Increase in total visitors# of referral links (compare to adwords)# of leads generated from website (ASK!)# of closed deals from website leads

Analytics Goals:Repeat visitors: 15%Organic traffic: 40-50% of totalReferrals: 20-30% of overall trafficBounce rates going down over time-Intro to Inbound Marketing Analytics PDF

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Good Luck!

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Q&A

Download Extra Session Resource Sheet

Anya Ciecierskianyac@calszone.com or

anya@erpsoftwareblog.com

THANK YOUPlease complete your evaluation.