I have a secret.
Well, it’s not really a secret, at least not after sharing this blog with you. Let’s start with some backstory…
I have a secret.
Well, it’s not really a secret, at least not after sharing this blog with you. Let’s start with some backstory…
With all things content marketing, there is no one way to do the job. Instead of getting frustrated by constantly trying to figure out what works and what doesn’t, it’s more productive to turn to proven tactics.
I know now that’s the beauty of the INBOUND conference, which I attended last week—having all these experts come together to share ideas, best practices, and what worked for them and ultimately helped them succeed.
When speaking with someone in person, you know if they are listening. I mean, really listening or just pretending. When having these in-person conversations, we’ve developed ways to inaudibly say, “Yes, I’m here listening—and I hear you.” We smile and nod, make eye contact, or sit facing the person we’re speaking to, body bent slightly forward. Opposite visual cues reveal if your conversation counterpart is distracted, with thoughts a million miles away. These external behaviors help us navigate face-to-face communication. But what happens for those of us communicating with clients and coworkers exclusively by digital means?
One of the things I love most about my work at White Space—and the jobs I’ve held in the past—is the opportunity to constantly learn. Next week, I’m fortunate to be able to take that learning potential to the next level, when I’ll join more than 20,000 other professionals at the INBOUND 2018 conference in Boston.
Here are a few of the sessions I’m excited to check out.
“A brand is more than just a tagline.”
Any savvy marketer would say, “Well, duh.” It’s a mistake to think your brand “is” an attribute, like a logo, product/service, or a name—even though certain brands garner great recognition and respect based on name alone (e.g. Apple). Unfortunately, it still happens and is one of the missteps Darren Gurr discusses in his article, “The 5 Enemies to Building a Relevant Brand.”
Content marketing doesn’t always get the props it deserves. The process is far more intricate than taking a piece of content and throwing it up on a website—and so much happens prior to it getting to that point.
I was supposed to publish this blog last week. But, the week came and went, and I had written nothing. Past deadline again, I found myself sitting at my desk on a late Friday afternoon with no creative inspiration in sight. Plus, I couldn’t muster up the energy to write about the right way to do things when I myself had seen everything go wrong.
As marketers, we talk about audience as the foundation of all marketing campaigns. Who we’re talking to, why we’re talking to them, when we’re talking to them—it all goes into the mix, not just for building an audience, but for defining and refining a target audience.
Recently, I had an epic fail.
You’re likely familiar with FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), which is not only a widespread cultural phenomenon but also a useful marketing approach. Convincing leads/customers there’s something to be lost if they don’t jump on board (or stay on board) is a tactic as old as time but one that has butted heads with a few digital barriers as of late.
As an editor and writer, there’s nothing more cringe-worthy than reading a poorly written piece of copy—whether it’s a blog, brochure, or even a sloppy social media post. To be fair, social media often gets a pass due to character counts and the very succinct nature of that type of content. Still, there’s no excuse for careless copy, unless you’re actively trying to lose the faith of your audience.
Why would they stray?
