Topics:
Content Creation , Buyers Journey , content marketing

Image Credit: Content Marketing Institute

Is content marketing a lie? Could it be that we're all nothing more than pushy sales people who write instead of producing 30-second infomercials?

And if not, what separates us from the types of marketing that consumers hate? If you’re having trouble coming up with a clear answer, let's at least agree on the fact that we want to be the good guys in this scenario.

Last week, a content marketer who was plagued with these same questions wrote an interesting piece on what he calls "the great lie of content marketing." Gulp. The lie, he said, “…is that all this wonderful content is just there to help. When the truth is that it isn’t just there to help; it’s there to sell.” Double gulp.

A few other writers blogged about different tactics that help content marketers rise above self-absorbed motivations that fuel these pushy, promotional style content marketing strategies. After all, isn’t that what we preach about in our own content anyway?

In this week’s issue of Content Crack, you’ll come to grips with the dirty truth behind content marketing (as if you didn’t already know) and discover new ways to make sure your content strategy actually does the intended reader some good.

Topics:
Content Creation , content marketing , content for blogs , content marketing strategy

Last week, there was yet another round of informative, content marketing article published by variety of bloggers. Stay up to speed with the latest trends, myths, and strategies by reading this quick overview hand-picked of content marketing stories. It's time for your weekly dose of content crack!

Image Credit: marketlight.com

Topics:
Content Creation , content marketing , content marketing strategy

No one said content marketing would be easy. In fact, it’s an unrelenting, moving target that demands you stay on your toes every step of the way. But rest assured that finding your content ‘groove’ is far from impossible as long as you stay hip to trends and away from the hype. The good news is, we’ve got just what you need to stay up to speed on what’s working and what’s not. Here’s your weekly dose of content crack!

Image Credit: valuablecontent.co.uk

How to Find the Path to Useful Content That Works

Topics:
Content Creation , content marketing , content for blogs

How are you updating your online marketing to fit 2014?

As the online marketing industry evolves, your strategies need to evolve with it! It's a fast-moving industry, and it's important to update your strategies at least once a year to ensure you're staying on top of the latest trends.

So, here are our picks for the best ways to optimize your online marketing in the coming year!

Five Ways To Boost Inbound Marketing In 2014

1 - Better Targeting

Online leads respond best to messaging that they believe relates to them, directly. Many Internet users are quite savvy about spotting ads and other messaging that are so broadly-worded as to appeal to millions of people at once, and they usually tune those messages out.

Generally speaking, you'll see more success from your online marketing if you subdivide your markets and try to craft messages with more personal appeal. Good buyer personas make this targeting vastly easier.

Topics:
Content Creation , inbound marketing , social media marketing

With budgets crunching, being able to demonstrate that your online marketing efforts have true value is vital for them to continue.

So, based on the latest in analyical studies, we're bringing you four great ways to boost your online marketing ROI, up to 300%!

Four Hot Tips For Boosting Your Content Marketing ROI

1 – Determine Your KPIs

Simply put, Your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are the indicators that make the most money.

There is no One True Set of KPIs; they're going to vary depending on your goals for your content marketing. Look at your goals, then think about the steps your leads and customers will take on their path towards being part of that goal. Those steps are your KPIs.

Topics:
Content Creation , content marketing , ROI

Welcome to the first installment of 98ToGo’s weekly content marketing rewind where we’ll be reviewing our top picks for the best content marketing posts of the week. In this edition you learn how to use UX techniques to create better content, what your content creation workflow SHOULD look like, the correct way to create and utilize an editorial calendar, and much more. So check out all the articles and let us know what you think.

Crush Content Marketing in 2014: 5 Outside-the-Box Techniques That Get Results

Topics:
Content Creation , email marketing

Sometimes when a client comes to us for advice on their online marketing, they ask whether it's better to invest in Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertisements, or in content marketing strategies.

The truth is this: There really shouldn't be an OR there. Good PPC strategies can enhance the effectiveness of your content marketing. However, without good website content in the first place, PPC has very limited value on its own.

So, if your budget is truly limited, you should start with content marketing since that forms the heart of your website. However, as PPC campaigns can be conducted quite inexpensively, there's little reason not to combine the strategies for better effect!

PPC and Content Marketing: Getting The Best Of Both Worlds

The first thing to remember about pay-per-click is what you're buying for your money. You get very precisely-targeted advertisements which can be dropped in front of virtually any user you want, based on pre-defined search keywords and demographics.

Topics:
Content Creation , pay per click , content marketing

Do you need outside help in building a fantastic content marketing machine?

No!

Now, it certainly helps... But if you're willing to do some research and strategizing, virtually anyone can build their own content marketing machine! By putting content on your site that your leads want to see - and which brings in the leads you want - you can easily turn your website into a lead-generation monster.

A DIY Guide To Great Content Marketing Strategies

1 - Identify your actual market.

Online marketing needs to be targeted. It's important to remember that your online activities could be seen by an audience of over two billion people, since roughly one-third of the world's population now regularly uses the Internet.

So, which of those two billion do you most want to appeal to?

Topics:
Content Creation , content marketing , content marketing strategy

One of the biggest struggles facing any business doing inbound marketing is the need for constant website updates, with content like blogs, videos, or whitepapers. After all, inbound marketing may be inexpensive, but it can ultimately eat up a lot of your time, as well as that of your various content creators.

Topics:
Content Creation , inbound marketing , custom content creation