Comments on: Content As an Essential Strategy

By: ducttape

ducttape — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 10:55:00 +0000

In reply to Danielle. Thanks Danielle - I think transparency is so hard to fake over the long haul that it usually sorts itself out pretty quickly in the trust category.

By: Danielle

Danielle — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 09:56:00 +0000

Speaking of helpful content, your blog is a great example! With so much information available on the web today, content is an opportunity to rise above the noise and establish ourselves as reliable, knowledgeable and, as you point out John, trustworthy resources. I also agree with Dave L.’s comment about transparency.

Thanks John, great blog!

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 15:28:00 +0000

John, thank you for the excellent article. For me, it is timely and encouraging.

As a young marketer who’s new to the game and working with a start-up, I’ve had to learn quick that quality content must be the foundation that I build the marketing program of this company upon. That being said, the production of quality content is much more difficult than it would seem.

As clavoie said in her comment: “too many marketing folks are flailing and just producing content for the purpose of…having content.” It is both tempting and easy to fall into this trap.

Thanks again!

By: ducttape

ducttape — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 15:59:00 +0000

In reply to Nick Altrup.

Hey Nick, I don’t think you’re even wobbling the apple cart with that statement. While I guess I didn’t state it as obvious that’s the reason for producing the content indeed. Many of the points I make about trust and education only occur when you then use all of your ad dollars to create awareness about the content – that’s the new way to advertise to educate and build trust rather than simply sell.

By: Nick Altrup

Nick Altrup — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 15:21:00 +0000

When I started my blog, I began to get sick of folks saying content is king. I couldn’t quite put my finger on why until recently. Let me tell you why:

1) I knew they were right.
2) I wasn’t hearing anybody clearly explain how to market quality content.

So I suppose I’m hear to upset the apple-cart a bit.

Yes, quality content is clearly very, very important.

But it doesn’t mean as much as most people thing without a strategy to market it. I think this step is under-sold.

In terms of learning strategies to market quality content, “Inbound Marketing” by the guys at HubSpot was a turning point for me.

By: ducttape

ducttape — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 12:52:00 +0000

In reply to davelutz. Thanks Dave - transparency is one of those words with lots of meanings these days but for the small business it might really mean humanness or personality. Be who you are, let people see it's real people, flawed and all, behind the curtain.

By: davelutz

davelutz — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 12:22:00 +0000

John, great post! Two things that I would add:

1) Transparency – The more you can portray this, the more trust you build. Yes, it’s risky, but only if you have something to hide.

2) You need and Army – You show your thought leadership best, when you are able to enlist the help of many. I see lots of companies that have content coming from partners or other sources. That’s all well and good, but the majority needs to come from the employees of the company or their customers.

Love your blog!

By: peter

peter — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 20:45:00 +0000

Great article thanks! I've been writing some content on Burlington VT HVAC contractors and you are spot on with the importance of education.

By: clavoie

clavoie — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 20:18:00 +0000

John,
I agree that educating and building trust are key elements of a content strategy. But I’d argue those things have always been the goal of good marketing. What’s different today is the voracious appetite for fresh online information, and the need to post frequently to keep up with it. It turns marketing communications into a publishing entity — and forces efficiencies like content repurposing in order to keep up. Without a clear content strategy (which starts, in my opinion, by defining your valuable keywords), too many marketing folks are flailing and just producing content for the purpose of…having content.

By: ducttape

ducttape — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:53:00 +0000

In reply to David Jehlen. Hey David - repurposing is a big part of the overall content strategy in my view. I often create my presentations right from blog posts.