Functioning as a classic "learning" textbook, but with a sly sense of humor and excellent readability, Return on Engagement is a must have for anyone in business who deals with blogs and social media.
— BellaOnline.com
Tim's Books
Posted on
Content Jam is Coming up Fast
I’ve joined forces with some good friends for a workshop on all things content marketing in June. Content Jam: The Secrets of Content Marketing is a workshop in Chicago that will help you craft best practices for telling great stories, understanding content management, helping readers find you, and measuring success. Featuring industry experts sharing stories and ideas in a fun and casual environment, you will walk away from this interactive event with a solid understanding of how to create, manage, promote, share, and measure your content marketing efforts.
Content Jam is all about distilling the theories and strategies of Content Marketing into easy-to-do tasks you can perform right away. During each of the four interactive sessions, you’ll learn how to write compelling content, how to plan what to write, how to make sure readers find it, and how to measure your success.
SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
What If I’m Not a Good Writer (or What If I Am)?
Good content marketing is all about telling compelling stories. In Telling a Good Story Jill Pollack (@jillwritergrrl) will share professional writing tips and techniques to tap into your creative spirit while remaining true to corporate philosophy and marketing goals.
Think of this session as creative writing with a sprinkle of call-to-action and a dose of marketing message. Whether you write blog posts, website articles, or are just finding your writing voice, this session will teach you the secrets of interacting with your reader and beginning a profitable conversation.
You’ll learn:
- Finding the right details, hooks, frames, and voice
- Mapping out stories to fit your content strategy
- Telling a good story that drives engagement in 500 words or less
- Questions to ask before you start writing
How do I make a plan? And what do I do with all this content?
Since your content marketing materials will lead people back to your primary digital presence—your website—you need to match what’s “out there” with what’s “in here.” In Devising a Content Marketing Plan content strategist Hilary Marsh (@hilarymarsh) will share how to create a cohesive editorial calendar—prioritizing topics, coordinating all digital efforts, and developing the right mix for your key audience(s)—so that people who are drawn to you through your marketing efforts can learn more and start interacting with you.
You’ll learn:
- Creation versus curation: pros and cons
- How to create an editorial calendar
- How to define content types and allocate resources
- How to research search volumes and trending topics
How will readers find my stuff?
Ah, the secret sauce to using search, social media and email to promote your content. In Creating and Sharing Content, Andy Crestodina (@crestodina) covers some of the most effective tactics for creating and promoting online content.
This session covers the fastest, cheapest and most effective web marketing tactics available. Real world examples and impact on Analytics will be discussed throughout. Andy will share his template for content marketing (and links to all the resources) with attendees.
You’ll learn:
- Keyphrase research for Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Structure and formatting of the perfect post
- Targeted sharing in social media
- Link building for SEO through guest blogging, news releases, videos, etc.
How will I know if It was worth it?
To determine success, you have to learn about Measuring What Matters.
Good content marketing efforts are for naught if you can’t measure their effectiveness and plan accordingly. In this session I will share an in-depth look at measuring the metrics that define online success for your business or organization. Learn how to measure website visitor interactions, track how social media and content sharing efforts affect site performance, and make informed decisions regarding where to focus efforts moving forward.
You’ll learn:
- Important metrics versus ‘fluff’ metrics for content marketing
- How to track social media and content sharing performance
- How to connect email campaigns to website performance
- How to create actionable insights that drive content marketing efforts over time
If you have any questions about this event, feel free to reach out to me via the Contact page. Otherwise, you should definitely register for Content Jam. It’s going to be a really great day filled with smart ideas, new things to try, and excellent networking opportunities.