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Are You Still Content Marketing Like It’s 2018?
That’s sooo 2018. As the new year approaches, the last thing a marketer wants to hear is their tactics are old school. ::shudders::
Rest assured, content marketing will always be around. Like tacos. Tacos never disappoint. It’s just going to get more and more difficult. Content Marketing Institute has our backs, though. They’re teaching us the practices that need to be left in 2018 and how to improve for 2019.
Avoid focusing solely on type search.
Voice search is making talking to yourself cool again. Nearly 50% of Americans use voice assistance already. And it’s not slowing down. CMI says to be prepared to answer questions the way a human being would.
Do this in 2019:
- Use longer natural phrasing in your titles and headers.
- Take the conversational nature of voice searches into consideration during keyword research.
- Optimize natural language content to appear on top if you’re investing in “near me” searches.
Avoid relying on traditional video.
People spend 3x more time watching live video than traditional video on FB (we’ll take those live puppy vids all day long).
Live is candid, honest, fun, and lets an audience share a personal moment with a brand. It’s time to put it in your social strategy. Just remember people aren’t expecting perfect.
Do this in 2019:
- Hosting Q&A sessions with customers or staff
- Live interviews with past or current clients, service providers, or local influencers
- Any event that showcases your business or the community
Avoid marketing to the masses.
This common practice seriously needs to take a hike.
You may be trying to reach a ton of people but you still are talking to a single person at any given time. Hmmmm who said that…oh, right…the fabulous Ann Handley. We paraphrased but you get the point.
Get with the times and invest in personalization. Do this in 2019:
- Personalize CTAs in your content and on your site.
- Surprise and delight members of your audience by using their names in different ways, like a first-name greeting on your homepage.
- Here are 45 more.
The last two are for you👇
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The Best Blog Format to Improve Every Post
Let’s hit the pause button for a quick sec. Don’t write another blog post, not another word, until you figure out a structure for your content. A consistent structure will save you time and improve your readability. CoSchedule has some tips…
To make sure people don’t drop off your site like flies, focus on compelling content. CoSchedule recommends that you get rid of the stuff no one wants to look at. These are the top five reasons people leave a site:
- The content is irrelevant.
- It’s tough to read on mobile devices.
- It isn’t clear what the page wants them to do (like sign up or make a purchase).
- The design is either too busy, or not interesting enough.
- The site takes too long to load.
Soooo, these points are kinda overwhelming. But, don’t be afraid to ask other people what they think of your current layout, especially people you trust. Don’t fear the straight truth, because that’s what will help you nail that blog post every single time.
Here are some universal pointers to apply to all of your blog posts as a general rule of thumb:
- Sentence Length: 25 words or less per sentence.
- Paragraph Length: Keep ’em short…no more than three sentences per paragraph.
- Word Count: Truly irrelevant. Use as many, or as few, words as you need.
- Image Placement: Use more than one. For real. Consider adding at least one image per 300 words.
- Form / Lead Magnet Placement: Make opt-in forms easy to find. They can either be placed in-line or using a slide-in box.
- Links: Always, freakin’ always, have your links open in a new window.
- Usage of Header Tags: You need the H tags. Don’t just make the font size larger. Use H tags.
- Flow of Information: Have a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.
This is just the beginning of how to make a killer blog post. If you’re looking to up your blogging game, dive into the full post…
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The Power to Wonder
We have a soft spot for Mister Rogers. So when we have a chance to feature him in the Daily, we take it. Mister Rogers was a Pittsburgher, but whether you are from the ‘burgh or not, he was everyone’s next door neighbor. And Google did something pretty cool to feature our fav sweater wearin’ friend.
Google’s latest ad captures the human sense of wonder and the video is accompanied by the original recording of “Did You Know” by Mister Rogers.
It straight up warmed our hearts.
“We’re at the beginning of a golden age of marketing right now, because brands have more direct access to their consumers than ever.”
Sofiya Deva
(Marketing Leading Ladies part 3 is on its way)
