Did you miss #ContentWritingChat this Tuesday? We’ve got you covered with a recap of our latest chat where we talked all about content marketing.
#ContentWritingChat Recap: How Brands Can be at Their Most Productive with Content Marketing with Jess Ostroff
Join us for #ContentWritingChat on Tuesday, September 27th at 10 AM CDT with @jessostroff from @convince! pic.twitter.com/OwqAYlYFgl
— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) September 20, 2016
Our guest host this week was Jess Ostroff. Jess is the Managing Editor at Convince & Convert as well as the CEO & Director at Don’t Panic Management. She joined our chat to share her tips on productivity when it comes to content marketing.
Q1: How do you maintain productivity in content marketing? What are your best tips?
Chat participants shared some amazing tips on Tuesday. Check out some of the ones that were shared:
A1: People don’t spend enough time planning their #contentmarketing efforts. Planning is key to productivity! #contentwritingchat
— Jess Ostroff (@jessostroff) September 27, 2016
Jess knows just how big of a difference planning can make. When you take the time to plan your content marketing efforts, you’re going to see a huge difference in terms of your productivity.
A1 Dedicated time for planning. Don’t let anything distract you then. And an editorial calendar. Track ALL your ideas #ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy (@JuliaEMcCoy) September 27, 2016
Julia agrees in the importance of planning. Set aside time to plan your content marketing strategy and don’t let anything distract you. Just stay focused!
A1) Well honed processes/communication are key! We’re fortunate to have @jessostroff keeping us productive/accountable. #contentwritingchat
— Convince & Convert (@convince) September 27, 2016
The Convince & Convert team knows well-honed processes and communication are essential. They rely on their team member, Jess, to keep them accountable.
@writingchat A1 Brainstorm effectively, use a content calendar, and always have clear goals and metrics to measure them #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/eDvt8GCLAO
— Digital Natives Cast (@DgtlNativesCast) September 27, 2016
Brainstorm ideas and then move them into your content calendar. Having a content calendar is the best way to plan everything in advance. You should also set clear goals for your content so you know which metrics are most important to track
@writingchat A1 – Automate the tasks that don’t require a personal touch. Use tools like @Buffer and @IFTTT. #ContentWritingChat
— globalHMA (@globalHMA) September 27, 2016
Automating certain tasks can definitely be helpful. Use social media scheduling tools like Buffer or create time-saving recipes in IFTTT.
A1: Want to be productive? Set a schedule and stick to it. Hard to keep yourself accountable otherwise. #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/5yAh26S5L2
— Jeff Reno(e) (@Renoe) September 27, 2016
Jenn’s advice is simple, yet effective. Set a schedule and stick to it.
Lists are good but don’t let them stop you from catching an unusual and worthwhile story that doesn’t fit the list. #contentwritingchat
— Christoph Trappe (@CTrappe) September 27, 2016
While planning is great, Christoph knows that you shouldn’t let it stop you from catching an unusual and worthwhile story that doesn’t fit the list.
Q2: How can you hone in on where your ROI sweet spot is in content marketing?
How can you figure out what that ROI sweet spot is? Read these tips from the chat:
A2: Re: ROI. Always figure out what you’re going to use to measure BEFORE you even start. #contentwritingchat
— Jess Ostroff (@jessostroff) September 27, 2016
A2: Don’t just look at RETURN. Consider the INVESTMENT as well. That’s where #productivity really comes in. #contentwritingchat
— Jess Ostroff (@jessostroff) September 27, 2016
As Jess said, before you start you need to figure out what you’re going to use to measure. She reminds us that you shouldn’t just look at the return, but you should also consider the investment as well.
A2) Listen to your customers. Know their pain points and FAQs. Winning content ideas lie there. #contentwritingchat
— Convince & Convert (@convince) September 27, 2016
It’s important to listen to your customers. Know their pain points and address them with your content.
a2: Check metrics, run tests, ask your audience. Create a clear picture of your goals and align them with target ROIs #contentwritingchat
— Jobs2Careers (@Jobs2Careers) September 27, 2016
It all starts with having a clear picture of your goals and aligning them with your target ROIs.
A2) Finding the ROI in content starts with understanding the overarching business goals. Don’t create without em. #ContentWritingChat
— Ross Simmonds (@TheCoolestCool) September 27, 2016
Ross said it starts with understanding your business goals. You need to know what they are in order to create.
A2: Test and keep testing. A/B pages and take higher outcomes and improve #contentwritingchat
— Andy Drinkwater (@iqseo) September 27, 2016
Andy knows you have to keep testing. Running A/B tests is a great way to see what your audience is responding to.
Q3: How do you begin the process of creating worthwhile content? Tips on planning/mapping?
The content creation process isn’t always easy, but our chat participants shared some awesome tips on Tuesday. Check out what they had to say and implement them for yourself:
A3: Of course, you can’t create anything without defining your audience and figuring out what stories THEY need to hear. #contentwritingchat
— Jess Ostroff (@jessostroff) September 27, 2016
A3: Think about what your launch date is and work backwards from there. How much time do you need to write, produce? #contentwritingchat
— Jess Ostroff (@jessostroff) September 27, 2016
Jess said you need to start with knowing who your audience is so you can figure out what they need to hear. She then recommends considering your deadline and working backwards from there. It’s a great way to keep you on track.
A3: Here’s an example of a slide deck/ebook creation timeline. You can re-work this for any type of content. #contentwritingchat pic.twitter.com/rRVKNHOgCc
— Jess Ostroff (@jessostroff) September 27, 2016
Jess even shared a helpful timeline for creating slide decks or eBooks. This is sure to come in handy!
A3: It all starts with knowing and understanding your audience. You want to create content that’s valuable to them. #ContentWritingChat
— Rachel (@redheadrachel) September 27, 2016
It goes back to knowing and understanding who your audience is. Create the content that is valuable to them and provides some sort of benefit.
A3: One way is to ask your audience. They will usually tell you what they categorically want. That’s a good start. #contentwritingchat
— Ray Sidney-Smith (@w3consulting) September 27, 2016
If you’re stuck for ideas, Ray said to ask your audience what they want to see. They’re the best ones to get an answer from after all.
@writingchat A3: Do your research. The old practice of writing for SEO doesn’t work anymore. Solve problems! #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/rrtC2lPUj1
— Keystone Click (@KeystoneClick) September 27, 2016
Writing for SEO is not the way to go. You need to focus on solving problems and providing value first, then optimize for search engines.
A3: Get a big whiteboard and sticky notes or use Trello to map out your ideas #contentwritingchat
— Andy Drinkwater (@iqseo) September 27, 2016
For Andy, he suggests using a whiteboard and sticky notes or tool like Trello to map out ideas.
A3: I do my best thinking while walking my dogs @writingchat so dictate using iPhone then use that to draft outline. #ContentWritingChat
— Writer Leah Ingram (@theleahingram) September 27, 2016
If Leah needs to do some brainstorming, she takes her dogs for a walk since it’s when she does her best thinking. Sometimes getting away from the desk, moving around, and getting some fresh air makes a huge difference.
A3: Work with your team to understand your audience & figure out what’s going to get your audience talking #ContentWritingChat
— Zola Creative (@ZolaCreative) September 27, 2016
If you have a team by your side, take advantage of that. Work together to understand your audience and come up with content they’ll love. Two heads are better than one, you know!
Q4: Which tools do you rely on to boost productivity in content marketing?
With so many tools available at our fingertips today, we had to ask everyone in the chat what they love to use. Here’s what some of them said:
A4: I have to say this to start: Sometimes the best tools are NO tools to start! Go outside with a pen and paper 🙂 #contentwritingchat
— Jess Ostroff (@jessostroff) September 27, 2016
A4: I love @CoSchedule for content planning and scheduling, @BuzzSumo for finding/analyzing topics. #ContentWritingChat
— Jess Ostroff (@jessostroff) September 27, 2016
Sometimes you just can’t beat good ol’ pen and paper! When Jess turns to tools, she loves CoSchedule for content planning and schedule plus BuzzSumo for finding and analyzing topics.
A4: The boss breathing down my neck. Kidding 🙂 Analytics (to show what’s working), calendar/scheduling, idea resources #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/hkhE0YprZl
— ThinkSEM (@ThinkSEM) September 27, 2016
Sarah relies on analytics to see what’s working, as well as a calendar to stay on track. The boss breathing down your neck will certainly get you moving, too!
A4: @hootsuite @trello @WordPress @asana @googledocs @canva @evernote #contentwritingchat #evernotecommunity #hootamb
— Ray Sidney-Smith (@w3consulting) September 27, 2016
Awesome tools list, Ray! Hootsuite, Trello, WordPress, Asana, Google Docs, Canva, and Evernote certainly make a powerful productivity arsenal.
@writingchat A4 – @Buffer, @IFTTT, @SlackHQ, @hootsuite…and a slew of marketing automation software. #ContentWritingChat
— globalHMA (@globalHMA) September 27, 2016
Buffer, IFTTT, Slack, and Hootsuite are all great tools to use.
@writingchat A4. Write or Die. @CoSchedule, @buffer. And my handy-dandy Excel spreadsheet. Oh, and OneNote. #ContentWritingChat
— Megan McCarthy (@thlittleartiste) September 27, 2016
Megan loves Write or Die, CoSchedule, Buffer, Excel, and OneNote.
A4 Set up a system that keeps you running. Combo of tools, workflow & time set apart to produce + steps to do every day #ContentWritingChat
— Zala Bricelj (@ZalkaB) September 27, 2016
Zala recommends setting up a system that keeps you running. It should be a combination of tools, workflow, and time to produce. Remember that what works for someone else might not work for you, so make your process your own.
Q5: How can you effectively scale your content marketing to get more ROI and reach?
Check out these tips from Tuesday’s chat:
A5: Do NOT reinvent the wheel! Think about creating at least 10 pieces of smaller content from one big piece. Atomize. #contentwritingchat https://t.co/Il69ZFFsXx
— Jess Ostroff (@jessostroff) September 27, 2016
A5: Graphics, sound bites, short videos, etc. Find where your audience hangs out and make teasers for those platforms #contentwritingchat
— Jess Ostroff (@jessostroff) September 27, 2016
Jess recommends thinking about creating at least 10 pieces of smaller content from one big piece. She said you can create graphics, sound bites, short videos, and more.
A5: Don’t create content for content’s sake. Create it to HELP your audience, solve a problem, or make them laugh. #contentwritingchat
— Jess Ostroff (@jessostroff) September 27, 2016
This is another important tip from Jess. Don’t create content for content’s sake. It should serve a purpose by helping your audience, solving a problem, or making them laugh.
a5 Address & provide Solutions to the Pain Points of your Target Audience – lead them to Resolution #contentwritingchat https://t.co/g32RrZZMcg
— Debi Norton (@BRAVOMedia1) September 27, 2016
Debi said to address the pain points of your audience and provide solutions. You can lead them to a resolution with your content or offering.
@writingchat A5: One word, Segmentation. Identify niche markets that you serve and custom tailor EVERYTHING to them. #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/PfCSLXCJeT
— Digital Natives Cast (@DgtlNativesCast) September 27, 2016
Segmentation will allow you to create custom content tailored for specific people in your audience, which provides you with better results.
A5: Build relationships – this should remain at the heart of your scaling strategy. Work with influencers. #ContentWritingChat
— Omi Sido (@OmiSido) September 27, 2016
Building relationships should always be a top priority.
A5 Create a clear plan, adjust as needed along the way to increase reach
& improve ROI. Quality over quantity always. #ContentWritingChat— Father. Food. Fun. (@FatherFoodFun) September 27, 2016
Remember to have a clear plan in place and adjust as needed to increase your reach and improve ROI.
Q6: How do you know your content marketing is working?
How do you know you’re achieving the results you’d hoped for? Here’s what you need to keep in mind:
A6: You should have set out metrics in the beginning, and you should be constantly measuring even 30, 60, 90 days after #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/nJws8o0kRY
— Jess Ostroff (@jessostroff) September 27, 2016
Jess recommends setting metrics in the beginning and then you should constantly measure. She suggests measuring 30, 60, and even 90 days later.
A6: By knowing your goals. If you have a specific goal you can measure whether your content marketing is working. #ContentWritingChat
— Justine Perry (@justine_perry) September 27, 2016
Know your goals so you can measure the right metrics.
A6. Are you getting closer to your goals? Does your content resonate with your audience? #ContentWritingChat
— Megan McCarthy (@thlittleartiste) September 27, 2016
Ask yourself if you’re getting closer to your goals and if your audience resonates with the content you’re sharing.
A6 Metrics, especially goals, are so important. Social shares etc. are nice, but don’t necessarily mean biz is growing. #contentwritingchat
— Lex (@estherproject) September 27, 2016
Lex brings up a great point about social shares. You may receive a lot of shares, but few conversions. Social sharing isn’t necessarily a sign that your business is growing because it’s not a guarantee someone actually read your content.
a6 By the Engagement & Conversions from your Target Audience #contentwritingchat https://t.co/Sh9RYc9z06
— Debi Norton (@BRAVOMedia1) September 27, 2016
Debi said to keep an eye on engagement and conversions. It lets you know your audience is resonating with your content.
@writingchat A6: If people are ENGAGING. Without that, conversions are next to impossible #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/tm8XyJmfwZ
— Keystone Click (@KeystoneClick) September 27, 2016
Engagement is key!
A6 Conversations are happening, leads are coming in. Don’t just count #s in traffic or shares, look for real results ? #ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy (@JuliaEMcCoy) September 27, 2016
You want to see that conversations are happening and that leads are coming in. They mean much more than traffic and social shares.
Q7: Discuss favorite/unusual ways you’ve been able to achieve results with your own content marketing.
Do you have any favorite or unusual ways to achieve results? Here’s what some of the people in Tuesday’s chat had to say:
A7: Tap into niche audiences. There are these little social communities everywhere just dying for great content! #contentwritingchat https://t.co/QhtzqewKle
— Jess Ostroff (@jessostroff) September 27, 2016
Jess says to tap into niche audiences and start creating content.
A7: Amplifying in different places (new audience), tagging influencers, gaining high-DA links. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/pR5gux5go6
— ThinkSEM (@ThinkSEM) September 27, 2016
These strategies help Sarah and the ThinkSEM team!
A7: Turned a piece of content into a video to appeal to a totally different audience 🙂 Sucess. #ContentWritingChat #sucessstory
— Omi Sido (@OmiSido) September 27, 2016
When you can successfully turn one piece of content into a video and appeal to a new audience, that’s huge!
@writingchat A7 – We did a series of Pain Point videos that netted some good interest, paired with an email newsletter. #ContentWritingChat
— globalHMA (@globalHMA) September 27, 2016
That sure sounds like a win!
Q8: What are 1-4 top content marketing platforms/tactics for 2016 and beyond?
What are the topic content marketing platforms and tactics you need to know about? Check these answers out:
A8: Predictive analytics are going to take over content I think. @ceralytics and @scoopit are two great ones out there. #contentwritingchat https://t.co/LXXOC9z5an
— Jess Ostroff (@jessostroff) September 27, 2016
A8: People are going to fly outside the box more to connect deeper to smaller audiences vs. reaching the masses. #contentwritingchat
— Jess Ostroff (@jessostroff) September 27, 2016
Jess feels predictive analytics are going to take over. She also said that people will think outside the box to form a deeper connection with smaller audience as opposed to reaching the masses.
A8: Answer — whatever works for YOUR ideal audience; “trends” be damned. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/DDAR1bV5vK
— ThinkSEM (@ThinkSEM) September 27, 2016
Great point from Sarah! Ultimately, it depends on your audience. You need to consider what’s right for them.
A8: Not giving too many away 😉 but LinkedIn Pulse is great for publishing to a captured audience. Dead easy too! #contentwritingchat
— Andy Drinkwater (@iqseo) September 27, 2016
Andy said LinkedIn Pulse is a great tool for publishing.
A8: From a B2B perspective I’m hoping to launch a podcast, restructure webinars, and launch snapchat for conferences. #ContentWritingChat
— Jeff Reno(e) (@Renoe) September 27, 2016
For Jenn, she plans to launch a podcast, restructure webinars, and launch Snapchat for conferences. Sounds great!
A8: Have heard that video is getting big – live video snippets/posts might be one strategy to try. @writingchat #ContentWritingChat
— TimeTap (@tmtap) September 27, 2016
Between live video and YouTube, video content is sure to grow even more!
A8 IG Stories: it’s not diluted and a powerful content type to start doing!! + Podcasting, video marketing, webinars #ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy (@JuliaEMcCoy) September 27, 2016
Julia thinks Instagram Stories is where it’s at right now! She also thinks podcasting, video marketing, and webinars will continue to be powerful tools.
We look forward to seeing you at the next #ContentWritingChat! Mark your calendars weekly for Tuesday at 10 AM CDT for great chats centered around content writing and marketing. Follow @ExpWriters to stay updated on our new topics and guests!