Thursday, February 27, 2014

Content Marketing VS Content Strategy

A fascinating discussion has taken shape within the content marketing world, with many content folks starting to weigh in on the delineation between terms “content strategy” and “content marketing. ” Many may be tempted to say the distinction is pretty obvious - the very first is an overall plan and the second is a bit of that plan. But what makes this conversation compelling is the fact that so many individuals and companies fail to view the distinction and consequently miss for you to optimize their content efforts - those efforts that have them in touch with their current and potential customers and permit these to communicate their vision, values, purpose and offerings towards the wider world. Perhaps one of the most compelling great pay attention to this discussion (as Robert Rose at CMI pointed out recently in his article within the subject) is that content advertising content strategy require different skills sets. Simply because they require different skill sets, companies do themselves a disservice once they implement one thinking they’ve implemented both.


Facts #1: Content Advertising: Talking with Your Audience

Content marketing is about the person pieces of content you produce. A great content marketer creates compelling pieces - little masterpieces which are crafted to resonate having an audience and compel them toward some type of action, whether that’s reading another article, requesting a demo, liking you on Facebook, and so on Content marketing is really about creating pieces that ‘speak’ for an audience. These pieces might be pr campaigns, blog articles, eBooks, whitepapers, videos and even things like Tweets and status updates.

The great content marketer is a great storyteller. They communicate compelling messages in words, pictures or even video that deepen relationships having an audience.

Facts #2: Content Strategy: The Entire Picture

Where content marketing concentrates on audience engagement, content strategy focuses on placing content inside a larger framework and aligning overall content development with business objectives. If each content marketing piece were an area in a house, content strategy will be the blueprint to that house. In this manner, you don’t want to just start vomiting walls; you might end up with 5 bedrooms just to realize you lack your bathroom or electrical outlets - perhaps an overextended metaphor, however, you obtain the idea. Many agencies might offer ‘content strategy’ services, however in reality the actual deliver is content marketing services. The distinction is essential. Whether a company employs a company or consultants, it should look for specialists both in fields - both content marketer that crafts the messages and also the content strategist that provides a framework for anyone messages.

Facts #3: Why Care About this Differentiation

As marketers, many of us know, of course content advertising content strategy are intimately related. But how often great content marketing pieces really planned out and executed within the context of a bigger content strategy picture? Can we just publish our 3 compelling blogs a week not having thought about how they fit into a content framework - one which is repeatable and replicable? Who is accountable for painting that bigger picture? Good content creators aren't always good content strategists (though that’s not saying they can’t be) and it is ideal for companies to understand this when employing content professionals.

Facts #4: Putting the Challenge Pieces With each other

Content marketers tell compelling stories. Content material strategists place those stories within a larger context to align with business objectives, placing content marketing in a framework which makes sense. It’s like a puzzle; you only obtain the benefit of the full picture when you place the pieces together. And you’re only in a position to construct that puzzle because you know what the picture appears like that you’re working towards. If you’re trying to achieve a content marketing mission, get the most from your time and efforts by identifying a clear and comprehensive content strategy after which creating content marketing pieces to support that strategy.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

How Content Marketing Vitally Affect B2B Buying Process

Our previous couple of posts have focused on the sales side: reviving dormant leads with sales-driven lead nurturing campaigns, changing from treatment for insight selling and rolling out a hyper-personalized content sales technique.

Currently, it’s all about content marketing: what sort of systematic and streamlined, yet customized and authentic content online marketing strategy helps build consensus inside the B2B buying process.

First, What is Content Marketing?

Content marketing may be the creation and distribution of highly-relevant, ultra-valuable content to 1) bring in, 2) acquire and 3) engage a clearly-defined potential audience. The aim? You guessed it: sales enablement.

So how exactly does it work?

  • Content marketing functions attract and retain customers by consistently churning out cogent content to assist guide your prospects through each decision-making stage, which is why they are concidered feel comfortable with and confident in your company to consider the next step.
  • Since it’s 100% dedicated to the prospect all the time, content marketing helps align your company’s sales process together with your buyers’ buying processes.
  • Essentially, a fresh marketing technique that never truly ends. Content marketing is continuing and should be integrated into your overall marketing strategy.

Exactly why is consensus important?

Today’s organizations tend to be more integrated than ever, driven by collaboration and consensus to acquire sustainable business growth.

B2B buying situations are complicated.

  • Buying teams are really diverse.

Members at all levels of a business, and across multiple departments, acquire hands in researching, evaluating and recommending options.

  • Power lines are much less defined and responsibility is diffused.

No more is decision making an individual show. Today’s B2B purchasing decisions tend to be more ambiguous; for that reason pinpointing that “key decision maker” is either very difficult or just impossible. Based on Forrester, nearly two-thirds of B2B marketers identify the engagement associated with key decision makers being a top challenge.

  • Things get emotional and egos become involved.

Each decision maker demands his rightful bit of the decision-making pie. In particularly delicate situations, a sales person may feel like he could be playing mediator between decision makers with clashing individuality.


(And finally, ) So how exactly does content marketing cultivate consensus?

Point #1: It “takes charge”

Content marketing reaches in order to prospects throughout the buying cycle with the exact kind of content they need, exactly when they require it, to make an informed decision.

Point #2: It creates value

A strong content program includes powerful information from experts, research firms and industry front-runners. This is simply not information that can be readily found having a quick Search engines. All content should provide clear value because of its audience.

Point #3: It promotes “like, understand and trust”

By curating effective, personalized content, you’re proving that the company 1) knows what it’s speaking about and 2) cares enough about its audience to provide them eye-opening, perspective-shifting insights. This promotes the actual “like, know and trust” foundation that’s crucial for consensus as well as, ultimately, sales enablement.

Point #4: A fresh powerful vehicle

Effective content marketing is really a vehicle that gets your message to the best prospects, incentive's them to start a conversation along with you.

Point #5: It includes more than the “champion”

The champ (i. e., your sales rep’s main point associated with contact) can provide you indications that everything is great, but this might be just his / her own opinion.

  • The champion might not be deciding alone.
  • The champion may simply favor your solution and become trying to help you close the offer.
  • The champion doesn't tell the entire story.

Content marketing includes more than the champion. Powerful content enables the champion to provide your company — not just from their own words of encouragement, however flattering they might be — to the remaining organization. It gets your company’s message to any or all the decision makers, assisting to build consensus.

Point #6: It doesn't dismiss the champion, though

With powerful content easily accessible, the champion is able to champion your company within the most effective, efficient way to all of those other decision makers. And if your content is really valuable, relevant and engaging, you’ll obtain the consensus that’s important for sales enablement.

When presented effectively, a hyper-personalized content program provides undeniable value for your prospects and presents your business as the clear solution to their pains.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

5 Facts About Translation Even Smart People Make

Whenever you work in the translation industry, you come across many people with funny ideas as to what we do, and how we get it done. Unfortunately, translation isn't given the value it deserves as a people often look upon this a commodity; a commodity with little value too.

Many “smart” people I have met within the 10 years of working in translation do not understand the worth, complexity and worth of translation. This pertains to translation work itself, the efforts of translators and also the solutions offered by agencies.

Translation is really a serious business. Without it the entire world would stop - not literally, but consider business, politics, transport, sports, media, and so on that would all be affected if we did not have translation.

Listed below are 5 shocking statements I hear all too often that period to ignorance about translation and interpreters.

Facts #1: “If you speak another dialect, you could be a translator”

This is probably one of the most common statements I listen to businesses who do not wish to invest in professional English to Japanese translation. It is possibly the most serious from the lot.

Let’s understand this clear - speaking another language does not and can never qualify anybody to become a “translator”. It might help you be aware of meaning of something, say in French, but would you properly then translate that into your own language? Many people may be able to accurately translate texts but the majority will not. Why?

A translator should have an in-depth and academic understanding and knowledge of a minimum of two languages (a foreign language along with a native language). Their reading/writing skills must be superb both in.

Translating is really a proper skill. You don’t just turn into a translator; you study for it, you practice and you also develop your skills to ensure you understand the intricacies of translation. It’s not just about turning some words into another - it’s far more complex than that.

Language is not only words - it’s a country, a lady, a psyche and a culture. It’s filled with subtleties only a amply trained, experienced translator can grasp and work with when it comes to producing high quality translations.

Let me place it this way. If you wanted your site translated into Spanish, would you really provide the translation for your Aunt Paula’s neighbors son who worked in Benidorm for any summer? Believe me…many perform.

Facts #2: “Translation is simply easy”

In the real life, translators and agencies don’t press buttons to create magically accurate translations. In the real life, translators research their subjects, produce draft movement, agonies over vocabulary choices and have trouble with complex layouts. Translation is not easy; it may be, but on the whole translation takes time also it takes effort.

In fact, translation is really difficult I gave it up! Yes, I did so Turkish to English translations for 6 months before Choice the headaches were a bad sign. Needing to simultaneously focus on two different texts is mentally exhausting; you might be continuously flipping between two languages and two mind frames. Occasionally getting one sentence pitch-perfect may take up to an hour.

Translation will not be easy - it’s hard, technical work that needs some needs respect.

Facts #3: “You may use Google to translate”

For many people whenever you mention ‘translation’ they start to think or discuss machine translations or software. Google Translate for example is observed by some as their response to all translation needs. It’s free. It’s cheap. It is accurate.

No it isn't accurate. In case you believe this then you definitely don’t understand machine translation. No translation software can and actually can completely take the place of a runner translators. This is because computers don't realize what language is, how it really is used, the subtleties within it and the changing use of it. Computers might be able to translate simple one-dimensional sentences but they are never in a position to tackle the complexities within literature or technical text messaging.

Machine translations are becoming better and better but they are don't ever complete. If you want to be aware of gist of something within language, then fine, but everything else, don’t trust this.

Facts #4: “Professional translation is not necessary”

OK, it really is true that you don’t always require a “professional translator”. There are many good individuals who can translate superbly smaller have professional qualifications or accreditation. However, additionally, there are many good people out there who could fix your vehicle but does which means that you bypass the mechanic?

If you would like your translations to become accurate and professionally prepared then an experienced translator is vital. They be aware of language, the sector or specific topics, the terms, trying to deadlines, formatting, translation protocols and how better to interpret and present your translations.

So the next time you need a translation, think how important it really is to get it right. If it’s important - make use of a professional.

Facts #5: “Everyone speaks English right now, Really don't need a translation.”

In a nutshell, if you think this, you have not done much travelling abroad. Yes, a great number of speak English than they did two decades ago but to think that absolves anyone of getting to translate materials, presentations, websites, marketing duplicate, advertisements, contracts, etc is nonsense. Everyone does not speak English.

In case you are serious about going out into the world and conducting business of any kind, you will need translations. Talking with people within their language builds trust, betters relationships, opens doors for the business or brand. If you wish to sell to Turkey, Brazil or Russia - go get it done in English and let’s see how far you receive.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

3 Powerful Content Marketing Strategy for 2014

In the last decade, content (the almighty ruler from the marketing world) has groomed PR, advertising and social networking professionals to bow down to its great powers. During the last five years specifically, creative agencies which have implemented effective content strategies have expanded their clients’ kingdoms and also the results have been bountiful. But just like a good ruler, content has had to change and evolve to be able to fit the needs of the times. And from now on, we’re seeing a high with regard to content marketing, content networks and social media plans as part of your. As we head into 2014, it’s obvious that many marketers are heavily relying on content marketing like a critical component for year planning.

What exactly is content marketing and how do creative services professionals utilize it? Simply put: content marketing is really a technique that distributes relevant and informational content for a brand to attract target audiences and make credibility. Sounds simple enough right? Well, not too fast. In order to be effective in any kind of marketing, the message should be engaging and result in customer action. To get this done, content should be made to keep exclusive audiences interested while communicating the brand’s core beliefs. However, lets talk about organizing a strategy.


3 steps to take before trying to achieve a content marketing campaign:

Steps #1: Identify the Group

The first step to great article marketing is answering: who is going to check out this? By identifying the brand’s ideal audience, the information can then be shaped to answer any questions which they may have or attract their intrinsic value systems. General content could be good, but tailored content designed to target a particular group is best when making content for marketing purposes.

*Bonus tip: Ask which kind of content the audience is interested in: Video? Lists? Informative articles? Quick twitter posts? Webinars? To be able to ensure the content is widely accepted, it ought to be delivered on a medium most attractive towards the audience.

Steps #2: Identify the Niche

Probably the most important things to keep in mind when starting a content marketing campaign is that the article should communicate the author’s expertise. A genuine expert cannot be a jack of most trades and simultaneously be considered a guru. Credibility is made when audiences feel as though the writer has something to express that appeals to their demands and interests. By targeting a distinct segment and diving deep, the content will attract the eyeballs of prospects and customers.

Steps #3: Create a Timeline

With no strategy and a proper editorial calendar, content may become stale. Because content dominates the digital landscape, you will find new articles, white papers, tweets and webinars distributed each day. In order to remain competitive, the content online marketing strategy must stay fresh throughout the year. Before trying to achieve a content marketing campaign, sketch out 10-20 topics which will attract the niche audiences and time the content’s release within a strategic manner.

As the communications landscape is constantly on the evolve, there will continually be new tricks and tools designed to get information before consumers and connections to help make the most impact. In today’s busy and on-demand world, the only way to seize attention is by marketing products and services towards the audience in a manner that keeps them engaged, keeps them learning and wanting much more. So is content marketing the strategy for 2014? Not alone.

I would argue that we've recently been marketing through content over the past five years. Still in 2014 fresh strategies which are thoughtful, interesting and cutting-edge will be mandatory to keep the masses buzzing.
Back to top ↑
Connect with Us

© 2013 Blogging Resource. WP Mythemeshop Converted by Bloggertheme9
Blogger templates. Proudly Powered by Blogger.