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Sweet summer, sun! It’s been one hot week, and while that’s a specific reference to the weather, it also pertains to the glorious, glamorous world of content marketing as well. If you were too busy avoiding heat stroke to notice what was the talk of content marketing town this week, then you’re in luck because today is the ever-fabulous Friday Fix! This week, we look at the value of humor in content marketing, vintage storytelling in early content marketing examples, more on the obscene success of Snapchat, and a few handy-dandy lists for inspiration as well as measurement metrics. So, get a frappe café and have a seat; content marketing’s about to get blended…Friday Fix style!
5 Elements of Successful Content Marketing Campaigns
As we learn more and more about content marketing, we’re able to determine with greater confidence what works and what doesn’t work, so unlike my spaghetti sauce recipe, which just kind of changes based on what’s in the fridge, ingredients essential for content marketing success are revealing themselves. According to Jonha Revesencio, that base for a successful content marketing recipe calls for a call to action, accessible content, as well as creative storytelling among a couple of other things. Check out this article and copy the ingredient list for success.
Your Content Marketing is a Joke (or it Should Be)
vawenetwork.com
While Armando Roggio is in no way discounting that content should be useful, accessible, and informative, he is emphasizing that content marketing should be entertaining. Engagement comes in multiple forms, but few things are as endearing as humor. Dos Equis most interesting man in the world, Old Spice’s everything right now, and Dollar Shave Club are among those making us giggle and endearing us to their brands. Of course, there’s a reason and a formula for this hilarious magic, which Armando discusses in this article.
Why Brand Storytelling without Story Craft is Doomed to Fail
If you’re in the camp of folks who are “telling stories” but the fish still aren’t biting, here’s the reason you might not be reeling them in. As per Patricia Travaline, when people are able to consume stories at their own comfort, they go nuts (think about those Netflix binge-watching marathons you go on). The thing is, they have to be good stories –stories that trigger emotions in the brain. So, what makes a good story? Finding the right mix of compositional components to excite human brain chemistry and get the audience truly invested.
6 Takeaways from My Current Content Marketing Crushes
marketing-staffing.com
I remember having crushes…I always envisioned the possibilities with the planet’s most unattainable boys –Johnny Depp and Leo DiCaprio (like from What’s Eating Gilbert Grape), and Jonathan Taylor Thomas (yes, I’m that old). Of course, now that I’m married, my crushes are more like Austin Talbert who boldly admits to his content marketing crushes and the stories behind them. It starts with a leather brief case (if you haven’t crushed hard on a leather brief case, I’m not sure we can be friends) and moves on to Microsoft. Definitely a read to remember.
3 Vintage Examples of Content Marketing We Can Learn from Today
Austin Talbert swings for the fences again in another excellent read only instead of baring his soul, he’s taking a stroll through the compelling stories of yesteryear. From John Deere’s The Furrow to the Walt Disney corporate infographic to Karo Syrup’s published recipes, each walk down memory lane teaches something new about the process and blazing the path to the “magic kingdom”* (*content marketing success).
5 Things NOT to Do when Creating an Interactive eBook
zmescience.com
I know you know how insanely valuable an eBook can be for your brand, but obviously, it’s easier said than done to jam out a book. In this piece, Ashley Taylor Anderson shares her opinion on the current state of eBooks (she’s really, really over boring, you guys, and who can blame her?), so how do you beat the boring PDF model? Ashley suggests interactive content, weaving in visuals, and telling your story without being verbose. It might take a little more time to write something of quality (just as it takes more time to DIY a room on your house versus a deck), but the results are well worth it.
What Snapchat’s Stories Mean to Millenials and Travel Brands
As we all know, Snapchat (that thing your kids keep begging you not to download) is a major storytelling platform that Millennials just love. Why is it so popular you ask (because your kids won’t let you get it)? Joyce Manalo reveals it’s because Snapchat shares locals’ stories and experiences in a visual way that those zillions of blogs I follow just can’t replicate (not in the same compact format, anyway). Not only this, Snapchat also shares breaking news for its 100 million active daily users, which serves to further elevate their relevance and function as a storytelling platform.
Study Finds Global Content Marketing Exploding at Double-Digit Rate
seo-hacker.com
Content marketing is huge and relevant yet people are still asking, “What exactly is it?” I keep telling my English 101 kiddos that it will be a college class and maybe even a major by the time they graduate (don’t prove me wrong, folks!). According to Thom Forbes’ piece, I may be onto something (alert the media). In this article, Forbes talks about content marketing’s rapid, global expansion from a $26.47 billion industry to $144.81. In addition to noting that the best content marketing incorporates engaging storytelling, Thom also highlights what snackable content is as well as who are the biggest players and fastest risers in content marketing around the globe.
29 Essential Content Marketing Metrics
So often we talk about success, but we don’t often share ways for determining if you’re actually succeeding (and yes, there are ways that extend beyond having someone “like” your post on Facebook). Pawan Deshpande’s article covers measurement matrices from consumption to retention to lead to sales to production and more. So, unlike the way I measure the success of my “what’s in the fridge” spaghetti sauce, you have a much more scientific approach with what Pawan provides in this piece.
42 Content Posting Ideas to Inspire Your Content Marketing Efforts
business2community.com
I do so love a bit of inspiration for getting the ball rolling especially when I’m tired or the mental fish just aren’t biting. Special thanks to author of this piece, Bob Hutchins, for developing a whopping list of 42 ideas to inspire your content marketing. Bob’s list organizes everything into categories like e-mail, blog, and video; it’s also social media specific (because we all know what goes for Twitter doesn’t exactly work on Instagram). Thanks, Bob!
How to Market Your Restaurant Online
Unless you’re one of those hip, obscure modern-day speakeasies, chances are, you want customers wrapping around the block to get in your doors like you’re freaking Franklins in Austin. While word of mouth will help, your web marketing is what really brings people in. In addition to a Yelp account complete with menu and a website with food photos, you also want to be active on Instagram (who doesn’t get a tummy rumbling over food pics?). Additionally, look for creative ways to use social media. Franklin BBQ, for example, has a YouTube channel packed with how-to BBQ lessons (I made Aaron’s pulled pork shoulder for the grownups at my tot’s birthday party, and it will be my go-to recipe from henceforth). There are other strategies with the take-home being to humanize your restaurant. Dive into this article to see what you need to do for your restaurant to take the (web) cake.
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