Weekly Alert: Are We Blinded by the Bright and Shiny?

2 weeks until Demand Generation Summit [View Message](2e5a5/ct0_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) in Browser / [Add Us](2e5a5/ct1_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) to Safe Sender List [] 2e5a5/ct2_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis [] [Forward to a Friend](2e5a5/ct3_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) This Week in Content Marketing 10.19.18 Connect with CMI 2e5a5/ct4_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis 2e5a5/ct5_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis 2e5a5/ct6_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis 2e5a5/ct7_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis 2e5a5/ct8_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis [] How to Make Your Content Powerful in Eyes of Searchers (and Google) [] 2e5a5/ct9_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis The value of building SEO content is bar none. But keyword optimization is only one step. Learn how to pack your content full of value for targeted searchers, which along with SEO techniques can bring powerful organic results. [Read more](2e5a5/ct9_1/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis)by Julia McCoy [Distribution and Promotion] Some more of this week's best stuff: - [11 Things to Do Every Month to Boost Your Conversion Rates](2e5a5/ct10_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) by Mike Kamo [Measurement and Reporting] - [3 Content Marketing Strategy Reminders That Lurk in a Surprising Place](2e5a5/ct11_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) by Kim Moutsos [High-Level Strategy] - [A Primer to Boost Your Content’s Readability](2e5a5/ct12_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) by Steve Linney [Content Creation] - [How to Write a Great Creative Brief](2e5a5/ct13_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) by Duncan Milne [Editorial Process and Teams] [] [] A Note From Robert Rose Are We Blinded by the Bright and Shiny? There’s incredible pressure on content marketers to get onto the newest channels, buy the most advanced software, or use the most bleeding-edge platforms. Do you have your very own artificial intelligence-powered chatbot yet? If you don’t, chances are you’ll be asked about it in your weekly content meeting very soon. But do you really need it? I’m reminded of isolated groups of people like [the Sentinelese](2e5a5/ct14_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) – a remote tribe that lives on an island off the coast of India. They’ve happily avoided any exposure to modern technology. They’ve never even developed agriculture – they still hunt and gather, just like people did 10,000 years ago. Any attempts at making contact with them, on purpose or by accident, have prompted a shower of defensive arrows and rocks (the Neolithic-age version of “Get off my lawn!”). Could that approach make sense for our content strategies and use of technology? Recently, I was working with a client who had created a thriving customer community and blog – complete with robust discussions about technical issues, education in their industry, and an active, engaged audience. Then, a new corporate mandate came down that said: “Everyone must be on the new CMS.” Next, the agency hired to move everyone to the new CMS concluded that the team’s existing blogging and community technology was outdated. They recommended migrating everything to a private group on LinkedIn, where the conversation would be more optimally placed for SEO. The title of the agency’s pitch deck summed up the rationale: “How Company X Should Become More Omnichannel and Go Where the Audience Is.” Excuse me, I think I just threw up in my mouth a little. The client’s content team asked for my thoughts. I told them the pitch belongs in the same circular file as my gum wrapper. This company had succeeded at one of the single hardest things to accomplish in the world of content: building a loyal, trusting audience on their own strategic platform. They had created a flame that continually attracted moths. Then, along came the new agency saying, “Fire is so 2005. You should put out the fire, go out into the dark with a flashlight, and find out where the moths are hiding.” To emphasize my point, I showed the content team the website for [Berkshire Hathaway](2e5a5/ct15_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis), the No. 3 company on the Fortune 500 list. It looks like it came straight out of 1996. I showed them the [Twitter page for Apple](2e5a5/ct16_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) (yes, that Apple) – a company that has never tweeted. I showed them the simplicity of marketing thought leader [Seth Godin’s blog](2e5a5/ct17_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis). Seth, by the way, only recently migrated to WordPress, after 16 years on Typepad. What I love about these examples is that they’re nothing like the tribe that remained isolated and unaware of technology for so many years. These are three brands that each lead their respective spaces. It’s the equivalent of walking onto an island and having the natives show you the fancy Swiss Army knife they use to fix a fully restored classic 1965 Ford Mustang. These are companies that know the scale of both bright and shiny. They just don’t measure themselves against it. And we can learn from that. It’s easy to be blinded by bright and shiny new technologies and approaches. But focusing squarely on your strategy, and where you are with your current success, can serve as a nice pair of shades. It’s your story. Tell it well. Robert Rose Chief Strategy Advisor Content Marketing Institute This article from Robert is available only in this newsletter for you, the newsletter subscriber. If you have friends that would see value in Robert's weekly updates, please have them [subscribe](2e5a5/ct18_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis). [] [] Content Marketing Job Listings Currently on a job search? Thinking about switching gears with your career? Please check out our job listings below. Available Positions: - Contract Content Strategist, The Food Group, Anywhere USA - [Learn more](2e5a5/ct19_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) - Content Marketing Director, American Polywater Corporation, Stillwater, MN - [Learn more](2e5a5/ct20_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) Interested in posting a job here? Please see our [CMI Careers page](2e5a5/ct21_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) for more info. [] A Word From One of Our Benefactors [eBook] 3 Content Marketing Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them Content marketing isn’t easy. Especially for big businesses. Download our newest ebook and learn the three pitfalls that can derail your content marketing success and actionable tips for how to avoid each one. It’s a blueprint for content marketing at scale you can’t afford to miss! [DOWNLOAD NOW!](2e5a5/ct22_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) [] [] More From CMI 2e5a5/ct23_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis Do you want to spend the day with Don Peppers, Robert Rose, Andy Crestodina, Mary Ward, Mathew Sweezey, and many others? Be part of our four-hour, virtual, free Demand Generation Summit Oct. 31 – it will be a great day! We’ve compiled five FREE webinar sessions to help you! [Register today and invite your team.](2e5a5/ct23_1/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) [] [] Events [Content Marketing World](2e5a5/ct24_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) [ContentTECH Summit](2e5a5/ct25_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) [Master Classes](2e5a5/ct26_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) [Content Marketing Awards](2e5a5/ct27_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) [] Resources [Chief Content Officer](2e5a5/ct28_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) [CMI Business Directory](2e5a5/ct29_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) [Research](2e5a5/ct30_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) [White Paper/eBook Library](2e5a5/ct31_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) [] Education [Content Marketing University](2e5a5/ct32_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) [Webinars](2e5a5/ct33_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) [Career Center](2e5a5/ct21_1/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) [] Interested in advertising with CMI? [Learn more](2e5a5/ct34_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis). [Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe.](2e5a5/q-58c8/zout?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) Copyright © 2018 UBM, All rights reserved CMI, a UBM Company 2 Penn Plaza, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10121, United States [Terms of Service](2e5a5/ct35_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) | [Privacy Statement](2e5a5/ct36_0/1?sid=TV2%3Ais3rxGVis) [UBM]