Content Marketing Manifesto

content marketing manifesto Strategies that draw a crowd & build brand value strategy Shift guide

THINKING BIG? CREATE A CONTENT STRATEGY THAT DRAWS A CROWD. Revolutionaries aim to inspire, persuade, spark a fire. When they’re sustainable businesses, they also need to educate, fight cynicism and bring people in the door. Content marketing is one of the best tools for the job. Too often, though, it feels like a hammer that can’t find its nail. Marketers are churning out more content than ever, and a barrage of content can’t pummel people into submitting to your charms or joining your cause. You have to give them something they value. Does your content marketing do that? This collection of Thinkshift™ articles considers what it takes to succeed in content marketing, from finding powerful stories and consistently creating quality content to promoting campaigns and measuring success.

content marketing Great content teams think like a publisher 3 manifesto Strategies that draw Content marketing that tastes great, in all formats 5 a crowd and build brand value The essential elements of content quality 8 Customer stories: the Swiss Army knife of marketing 10 Got content marketing? You need some PR with that 12 Content needs a push (or three) to give it a life 14 How to find out if your content is earning its keep 16

GReAT ConTenT TeAmS Think like A PubliSheR What’s the secret to compelling content? Approach it with a publisher’s perspective, not with a marketer’s mindset. his concept is hard to glean Even if you have the resources for from the scores of “best that, you won’t get the most out of it Tcontent marketing” articles without a publisher’s mindset. out there. Those are worth reading for inspiration, but their focus on Obsess on your audience excellent output tends to obscure the The publisher’s mindset starts, as strategy that produces and promotes the Contently article instructs, with the content. This Contently article getting into the heads of the people on the traits of a great content you want to reach—not with what marketing mindset comes closer you want to say (that’s a marketer’s than most—though it may leave the mindset). What does your target impression that the surest route audience care about, hope for, fear, to mastery is to hire a top-level value? What might tempt them away magazine editor. from spending their spare moments thinkshiftcom.com | Content marketing manifesto | 3

watching Samantha Bee clips? on his hands), those two execs who Where do they look for such delights are really good writers (but have no and how do they consume them? time on their hands), and a newbie What do you Once you have that down, what freelancer who will give you 400 words have to say? do you have to say that speaks to for $40 are not promising options. The right answer those interests? If the answer is, Mining in-house subject matter is not about “Our awesome product/service will expertise is essential. Just be real selling. solve their problems and make them about your in-house content creation feel amazing,” go back to square expertise. one. The right answer is not about selling. It’s about providing sought- Give it business rigor after intelligence. For example: Our This all leads to the business market is trying to do X, so they’re plan. (Publishers are all about the looking at trend Y. We have ABC business.) What will it take to get the thoughts about those issues, which program off the ground? How will stem from this [amazing thing we do]. you promote and use your content? When can you expect a return? What Round up the right talent will make the venture worthwhile? Now, who can produce this content? If adopting a publisher’s approach This is where you might consider sounds like a lot of work, it is. And if poaching an editor or writer from “good enough” rather than “great” is your audience’s favorite publication. your aim, there are routes to that too. Or giving a content marketing They’re just not as fun to write about. agency a whirl. It’s safe to say that Pete from accounting (who has time April 2016 thinkshiftcom.com | Content marketing manifesto | 4

ConTenT mARkeTinG ThAT TASTeS GReAT, in All foRmATS Search for great brand content and you get video and more … video. Yes, we too have grooved on branded cat videos, but there are plenty of other ways to attract, educate and motivate. ere are a few recent environmental impact of a core set examples of emulation- of products from cradle to grave, Hworthy content, mostly from to give quiz takers an idea of how sustainable brands, in other formats. much water they waste and whether And some video. they wash their jeans more or less often than their peers. (Details are Quizzes: they’re irresistible in this interview with senior digital Levi Strauss had a hit with its manager Michelle Wright.) water use quiz because it’s simple, Another example, from our own beautiful and eye-opening—and files: RoseRyan’s tongue-in-cheek quizzes are highly shareable. It’s “What Kind of Finance Pro Are You?” also unique: the company’s content personality quiz. We let our funniest team used data from Levi’s lifecycle writer loose on the world of finance to assessment, which studied the full thinkshiftcom.com | Content marketing manifesto | 5

create a piece that earned the Silicon Want to be a star? Valley consulting firm coverage in Make your own movie CFO Magazine. It proved that finance Patagonia is introducing its new line Substantive, pros can have a sense of humor— of trail food, Patagonia Provisions, high-quality and more than a few users told the with a 25-minute film—a length content is firm they found it weirdly insightful. and format that allows powerful the essence (It appears that many finance pros storytelling. Unbroken Ground uses are artisans, which could be a cause the stories of Patagonia’s suppliers of thought for worry or celebration.) to explore agricultural approaches leadership. Stories about people: that could change our relationship also irresistible to the land and oceans. Patagonia is touring the film at events that Meet the Cabot Farm Families is feature the food and people who one of the best people-centered appear in the film. It’s one of the content campaigns in recent most thoughtful introductions of memory. It tells the stories of Cabot a sustainable product we’ve seen. Creamery Cooperative members through gorgeous black-and-white Substance: it’s what a photography, narratives and an white paper needs interactive map. Cabot integrates the Edison Energy’s The New content seamlessly into its website Energy Future—Challenges and and uses it effectively across social Opportunities in Corporate Energy media channels. The campaign also Management is a model of what a encourages people to tour the farms. white paper should be. Based on What better way to educate about extensive survey and interview sustainable farming and show cheese research, the paper explores lovers where their food comes from? corporate perceptions of the energy thinkshiftcom.com | Content marketing manifesto | 6

savings opportunity—and why that a corporation getting involved in the opportunity is still largely unrealized. political system?” for one). And of Clear, readable prose and graphics course, there’s a campaign ice cream, Substantive, make the data easily digestible, and Empower Mint. high-quality The New Energy Future makes a case Few of us can deliver content via content is for the company’s services without ice cream (it’s hard to beat that for the essence explicitly promoting them—as a visceral appeal), but whatever your good white paper should. secret sauce is, it can flavor your of thought Can you include ice cream? content marketing in whatever format leadership. Go for it fits—and leave people craving more. Perhaps the ultimate in content July 2016 marketing for a sustainable brand, the Ben & Jerry’s Democracy Is in Your Hands campaign uses brand power to promote a public good, employing nearly every tool in the kit. There is a video—and it’s a real, rousing call to action. A website provides background on the campaign’s twin issues of expanding voting rights and getting big money out the political process, helps people register to vote and take other actions, and includes a frankly worded FAQ that answers real questions (“Aren’t you thinkshiftcom.com | Content marketing manifesto | 7

The eSSenTiAl elemenTS of ConTenT quAliTY As more companies jump on the content marketing bandwagon, the competition for readers and viewers grows ever more intense. nd so does this warning: innovations in other fields. if you want your content It presents research or a big new A to stand out and be shared, idea. Or it challenges received it had better be good. But what is wisdom. If you’re producing content good? Any evaluation is somewhat to support a thought leadership subjective, but we’ve identified five strategy, insight is essential. It not essential elements that all quality only gets you noticed, but it also content shares. provides value for readers. 1. Insight 2. Consumability The best content provides genuine Quality content goes down as easily insight and moves a conversation as ice cream on a summer day. It’s a forward. It draws on lessons pleasure to read or to view. It’s lively, from experience, a news story or cohesive and clear. Readers without thinkshiftcom.com | Content marketing manifesto | 8

a graduate degree can understand it, about giving away the store, but look yet it’s still intelligent. It’s presented around: the most successful content in a way that grabs attention and marketers are the most generous. The best content pulls people through to the end. And provides genuine it looks good—it’s free of distracting 5. Freshness insight and moves errors and tacky art. You may not have new ideas, but you definitely have a personality—use it! a conversation 3. Credibility A fresh take on a perennial topic, a forward. Content marketing is all about humorous approach to bland how- establishing a bond of trustworthiness to material, personal anecdotes and and value with your audience. If you novel presentation can all make your want people to trust your content content stand out. Creative content (and your company), it has to be is more memorable and has a longer accurate, well supported and plausible. shelf life than bland content. Generalities, exaggerations and “Good” is a judgment involving a marketing hype are enemies of significant amount of subjectivity, credibility. Fact-checking is your friend. but if your content hits these marks, 4. Generosity you can be confident of its quality. “How can we help people?” is a And quality content is more likely to great way to approach content be shared—and remembered. development. Content that’s September 2014 obviously self-serving doesn’t educate or inspire, and it won’t draw an audience. Professional services firms in particular tend to worry thinkshiftcom.com | Content marketing manifesto | 9

CuSTomeR SToRieS: The SwiSS ARmY knife of mARkeTinG Customer stories are so useful in so many situations that every enterprise should have them on hand at all times. heir value is easy to see: who work with them, and why that work can say you’re awesome more is valuable. Following are four key Tcredibly than your customers elements of stories that get the job and clients? What’s not always done—and then some. easy to see is what makes a good 1. The right subject. When consider- customer story or case study—the ing story candidates, ask yourself, kind that’s persuasive, compelling are you truly proud of your work? and usable all over the place. Can you talk about results? (Some Good customer stories aren’t just customers are willing to say nice about good customers, or about how things but are leery of revealing good you are to them. The most specifics; sometimes you’ve made effective stories illustrate the type the customer happy but can’t point of customer you work with, how you to any outcomes.) Is the client thinkshiftcom.com | Content marketing manifesto | 10

willing to talk to reporters? (This is The best stories incorporate actual important if you plan to use the story quotes in a customer’s real voice, in a media campaign.) Is the client and possibly your team members’ Good customer someone prospects will relate to? Is voices. Customer stories may even stories aren’t their business representative of your recount a stumble or two on the way just about good market or a segment of it? to success. customers, or 2. A propulsive story. A good story 4. Results. The more specific you about how good draws readers in and pulls them can be about the benefits you you are to them. through to the end. And while it delivered, the better. At the same needs a beginning, middle and end, time, it’s smart to think broadly it often shouldn’t start at what you about what constitutes a result— think of as the beginning. Why? quantitative measures aren’t The beginning is usually boring. everything. What did your work (I got up this morning and made enable the customer to do that they coffee. Then blah, blah, blah.) The couldn’t have done otherwise? Are classic case study format—challenge, there benefits for the customer’s solution, results—is classic for a community? Did you help the reason. Even if you don’t follow it customer do something innovative? literally, it’s a good touchstone: the Did you do something innovative? customer’s challenge is likely to be Get all these elements right, and an intriguing starting point. you’ll have a customer story with 3. Personality. Canned, generic true value all around—a marketing quotes make for bland, unmemorable Swiss Army knife (even if you can’t stories. And the less genuine a open a bottle of wine with it). story sounds, the less credible it is. October 2013 thinkshiftcom.com | Content marketing manifesto | 11

GoT ConTenT mARkeTinG? You need Some PR wiTh ThAT Consider: America has nearly five PR people for every reporter, twice as many as a decade ago. That means competition for reporters’ attention is fiercer than ever. t also means PR teams need opportunity to get around the PR to be lucky as well as savvy problem while increasing returns iand creative to get coverage, from your content marketing especially absent major news. investment. At the same time, the tilting PR-to- Provocative = pitchable journalist ratio reflects a dwindling To realize this value, content number of journalism jobs, and marketing and PR teams need more publications than ever rely to work together to identify on contributed articles to fill their content that’s provocative, deep or news holes. As citizens and former newsworthy enough to be pitchable: journalists, this makes Thinkshifters it takes an extra level of skill, sad. As communications consultants, creativity and collaboration to get we have to say: this presents an thinkshiftcom.com | Content marketing manifesto | 12

your content placed in established in your market and making them publications. Most pieces will need attractive as sources for reporters. some recasting to serve both content Published articles can also help your Your investment marketing and PR needs. But it’s PR team interest a reporter in a fuller should result in worth the effort. exploration of the topic—quoting content that has If you produce a well-researched your expert, of course. a life outside your white paper as a lead-generation Content marketing strategists own channels and tool, for example, you can extract the often advise people to think like powers consistent highlights in an executive-bylined a publisher (see page 3). That article. If you create narrative-style advice typically is geared toward PR results. customer case studies that illustrate building engagement with your successful problem-solving, you can own platforms (blogs, social media pitch them to trade publications channels, online magazines). But (minus the blatant product embracing a publisher’s mindset promotion) as well as feature them also means producing engaging, on your website or in your newsletter. substantive content that starts conversations, contributes to your Be a resource field or provides genuinely useful Additional exposure to people you information. That should result in might not be reaching otherwise content that has a life outside your is only one benefit of using own channels and powers consistent content as a basis for PR outreach. PR results. Bylined articles demonstrate your June 2016 executives’ expertise and knowledge, positioning them as thought leaders thinkshiftcom.com | Content marketing manifesto | 13

ConTenT needS A PuSh (oR ThRee) To Give iT A life One of the most pernicious myths about content marketing is “If we build great brand content, they will come.” r maybe it’s simply wishful posting, tweeting and talking thinking that people will about it; sharing it, online and in Oseek out and find brand person; and revisiting it periodically content on their own. Either way, (because plenty of people missed it the reality is that even the most the first time). compelling content does not have Whether you do all these things its own gravitational field. or just a few, it helps to have a Producing quality content, alas, is systematic plan that puts your just the start of a content marketing content in front of the people you program. Once you have the content, want to see it. Here are few things you need to lead people to it and you can do to get your content the push it in front of their faces (in a attention it deserves: nice way). That means emailing, thinkshiftcom.com | Content marketing manifesto | 14

Promote it repeatedly through Submit it as an article to third- all your social media channels party sites (partners, trade (one post is a feather in the organizations, media sites and so Even the most wind). Don’t be afraid to promote on), reshaped to fit if necessary. compelling evergreen content weeks or even Bring hard copies to events or content months after it’s created. use it to promote or follow up on does not Share it with online and social relevant events. have its own communities that are talking All this requires ongoing attention gravitational about the topic or are likely to be and the cooperation of more than interested in it. (Respect group just the marketing team, so yes, it field. guidelines on sharing and self- can be a lot of work. But if you don’t promotion, but keep in mind that do these things, chances are your genuinely useful content is almost excellent analysis and advice will always welcome.) live a lonely, unfulfilled life, talking Ditto, for influencers (don’t forget to itself in a corner. to ask them to share). November 2014 Have your sales staff personally send tip sheets, reports and substantive blog posts to clients, prospects and partners who might be interested. Have your PR team mine it for story ideas or use it to update reporters in your field. thinkshiftcom.com | Content marketing manifesto | 15

how To find ouT if YouR ConTenT iS eARninG iTS keeP Even the best-run content programs need fine-tuning. At some point you need to know if your content is earning its keep— and plot a turnaround if it’s not. n short, you need data. The metrics reports and other content, the signs you place the most weight on will of success are there to be counted: ivary depending on what you’re content views, web traffic, list sign- trying to achieve. Before you start, ups, lead conversions and others. choose a manageable number of Also look for popularity spikes when relevant measures and set baselines you cover a particular topic—those to track progress. Generally, we recom- are clues to content strengths. mend evaluating content performance Building a mailing list (aka capturing in the following categories. leads) is unquestionably valuable, Marketing. Goals in this category are but by itself, it’s a relatively shallow the easiest to measure. If you want measure for most nonconsumer to increase traffic to your website, brands. Are people signing up build your email list or promote because they want your newsletter thinkshiftcom.com | Content marketing manifesto | 16

content or because they’re getting 15 much attention people are paying to percent off their next purchase? Are their content. new subscribers the people you want There are ways to gauge brand Even the most to reach? Once they’re on your list, awareness, however. How long do compelling are they opening emails and clicking, people spend with your content? content or are they unsubscribing? Better Are they asking for demos or a does not to have a smaller, devoted following conversation? (Make sure to give than a mindless, inactive horde. them obvious calls to action.) have its own Branding. Building brand value Does your content get referenced, gravitational and shaping opinions about your lead to speaking invitations or field. company are key content marketing get republished by credible third goals—especially for B2B service parties? Do influential people share firms and mission-driven companies or comment? (Popular posts that like B Corps and social enterprises. take you in an unwanted direction It’s a longer-term game, and changes can’t be counted as a success. If you in brand awareness this can be tough want only to be popular, we have two to determine. If you’re at sea here, words: kitten videos.) you’re not alone: a survey by the execution goals. This is about the content marketing platform provider effectiveness of your process—if your Contently found that most content content programs are not delivering, marketers said they couldn’t measure the problem may be in the execution. whether their content was changing Are your most knowledgeable people opinions about their brand or creating content? Does the quality increasing the likelihood that people (of both execution and ideas) reflect would buy. Many also couldn’t well on your brand? Is the content measure brand awareness or how right for your business strategy thinkshiftcom.com | Content marketing manifesto | 17

and marketing goals? Is the team producing and promoting content per schedule? Are employees Even the most engaged and sharing? compelling Finally, remember that things you content can count are not the only measures does not of success. Anecdotal, qualitative have its own feedback matters, particularly when gravitational tracking intangibles like brand awareness, changing perceptions field. and inclination to buy. This post describes how to gather that kind of input; mostly, you just have to ask, and make it a habit. Ultimately, systematic progress evaluations justify resources and reveal problems that might not be obvious. They also provide a baseline for experimentation—and who doesn’t want the freedom to play? March & July 2015 September 2014 thinkshiftcom.com | Content marketing manifesto | 18

Brand Building for revolutionaries Looking for more? Try these Strategy Shift reports 5 Steps to a High-Powered Blog Storytelling with Purpose: How Stories Build Brand Value Break Through the Noise: Secrets of Successful PR & Thought Leadership Thinkshift™ Communications is a team of strategists, thinkers, writers and campaigners inspired by the power of business to address pressing social and environmental problems. We build brand value, fuel growth and advance mission goals for trailblazing sustainable businesses, cleantech companies and social enterprises. We do it by uncovering what’s best in their brand, expressing it in rich stories, and amplifying it through PR, thought leadership and content marketing programs. thinkshiftcom.com [email protected] 415.391.4446 Thinkshift is a Certified B Corporation and California benefit corporation. all content © thinkshift™ Communications. all rights reserved. Do not use without permission.