The Friday Fix - October 24, 2014
To get into the Halloween spirit, I’m playing the part of a fortune teller for this week’s Friday Fix. My crystal ball tells me that your content marketing’s future is bright if you follow these trends and examples, avoid making mistakes, and use your budget to the best of your abilities. My crystal ball also says that Miley Cyrus and Justin Beiber will produce an offspring(#Terrifiedscream.) Oh. It’s just kidding. My crystal ball tells me I should apologize for making you spill your coffee. What’s this? I’m getting another message that promises only treats and no tricks if you keep reading.
The Content Marketing Trends your Business Should be Implementing
This must-view post by JT Ripton reads like a “what to wear right now” but for your content marketing strategy (I mean, is anybody still turning heads with last year’s social media techniques? (Insert hair flip here)). His forecasting is spot on and in alignment with what other trend-spotters have on their radar, and while we’re not saying you should do whatever everyone else is doing, you should definitely be doing these things.
6 Takeaways about the Future of Content Marketing
As 2014 spirals toward expiration, the only thing to do is to look ahead into the future, and Zack Jones does just. Rather than talking about techniques, Zack helps you get into the right mindset with supported advice like, “Think like a publisher,” (hey! We talked about publishers last week!) and, “A goal without a plan is a wish.” Too, true! Want to be forward-thinking? Then click and read, my friends.
A Better, Smarter and More Profitable Idea than Content Marketing? Sure Thing
With this headline alone, Corey Weiner had my undivided attention. Don’t worry; he’s not dismissing content marketing –he’s posing a 1-2-3 step game plan to get rid of lazy practices, tired play strategies, and outdated techniques and to implement a winning offensive strategy.
6 Halloween Content Marketing Ideas That Always Work
Candy, spooky movies, a socially acceptable excuse to dress for the job you’ve really always wanted (Batman)…Halloween is already prepackaged awesome. This week Brad Kuenn gives us another reason to love Halloween by pointing out six Halloween marketing “tricks” that are guaranteed to work, and then he “treats” us to super-successful examples of each.
Choosing Sides: Content Marketing Quality vs. Quantity
This one might seem like a no brainer because you need both, right? But, Nicole Jenet presents the quality vs. quantity debate like it’s Sophie’s choice. You can only save one! Which do you choose!? There are merits to both! End the drama now! Click the link to find out which one Nicole saves (and why!).
Use Content Marketing to Improve SEO!
Clearly, Samantha Ferguson agrees with Nicole’s choice because she mentions it as one way to use content marketing to improve SEO in this read. She acknowledges that while search engine algorithms are less predictable than the livability of your home after it’s been ravaged by a toddler hopped up on Halloween candy, there are ways to rise above the chaos.
Content Marketing Lessons from the Battle Between Amazon and Hachette
This article has two things that rock: one is that he’s using a real-world example to deliver content marketing takeaways (I do so love story time!); the other is that the example he’s using is something that everyone not living under a rock is at least somewhat familiar with. As the proprietor of customer relationships in this case, Amazon seemingly has all of the power, which has led some to vilify the mega-company, but having a killer content marketing strategy isn’t evil…I mean, maybe if you laugh manically while rolling around on a bed of money, too, it is; otherwise, it’s just smart. So, what can you learn from this mighty feud and from Amazon’s CMS? Check it out and find out.
Four Banking Brands Getting Content Marketing Right
Speaking of those that have occasionally been perceived by the public as monsters, banks restoring their defamed names via content marketing are the subject du jour for Shafqat Islam. At the heart of their efforts to restore people’s faith in them is the same thing that’s at the center of every lasting relationship: trust. Does your audience trust you? See what these UK banks are doing to rebuild their customer’s trust.
5 Ways You’re Sabotaging Your Content Marketing
For some reason, the title of this article by Ellen Gomes reminds me of Nelson on The Simpsons saying, “Stop hitting yourself,” as he uses his bullied victim’s own hand to punch himself. Though Ellen isn’t suggesting that you’re literally punching yourself in the face, it’s fair to say that she feels you’re literally setting up hurdles and obstacles to overcome that really don’t need to be there. Why take the road more graveled? Avoid that road by planning ahead…but not too far ahead.
Where Does the Content Marketing Budget Fit within Your Organization?
Are you the one who controls the content budget in your organization? If so, no pressure, right? Content marketing is one of those things that everyone wants a piece of, which can spread things really thin, and when things get spread really thin whether it be your content budget or the mustard on your hotdog, quality diminishes (I’m very upset about the hotdog we just ruined with this analogy, by the way). Scott Ludwig provides a really smart analysis and strategies for fixing things without reinventing them or compromising the overall product.
Amy Delcambre is a freelance content and travel writer from Mobile, Alabama with a Master's in Creative Writing. When she's not painting the page with nouns, verbs, and adverbs, she's slaying grammar beasts as a freelance editor and saving the world one sentence fragment at a time teaching university writing classes. In her free time, Amy enjoys cooking, traveling, and testing which plant species best survive prolonged neglect.
Connect with Amy: LinkedIn
