As a provider of marketing services to businesses large and small, the catchphrase on everyone's lips is content marketing or brand journalism. Social media marketing is so.....2010. Content drives the Internet, and pulls visitors and inquiries to a company's webpage. Good, bad, or ugly -- every website needs content. When thinking about different content categories, many clients disregard the humble FAQ list as a source for content. Frequently Asked Questions make sense for several … [Read more...]
Webinars: Love ‘Em or Hate ‘Em?
Are webinars still as valuable for lead generation as they once were? My thoughts: maybe. One issue of course is their ubiquity. The other is that most folks are on smartphones and tablets all day long and can't attend or access a webinar without experiencing technical difficulties. (I'm sure the Citrix's and Cisco's of the world are addressing this problem as I type this.) Vote on our poll for Does anyone still listen to webinars?! … [Read more...]
What an Expensive Journalist Is Expected To Do These Days
Yesterday's news that Yahoo poached famed New York Times tech columnist David Pogue had several analysts and PR people thinking what his new role will most likely entail. CrunchBase Information David Pogue Information provided by CrunchBase Yahoo claims the move is to 'publish columns, blog posts and video stories that demystify the gadgets, apps and technology that powers our users’ daily lives,' according to Marissa Mayer. But in order for the relationship to sustain itself, … [Read more...]
Embed Codes Continue To Be a Reliable Tool, But Also Extend Monetization of Content
Embed codes are a social media manager's best friend. They are the fastest, most efficient, and most legal way of finding content published on social networks and then re-posting it to one's own blog or website. The embedded content jazzes up a website quickly (including this one), and also contributes to the site's SEO. The rich, multimedia content usually renders beautifully whatever the underlying content -- videos, photos, slideshows, even documents. Of course, embedding isn't … [Read more...]
Does Your Website Act as a Lead Generation Tool or Community — or Neither?
I'm happy that most companies, small businesses, and individual professionals are aware of the importance of having a website. But is your or your company's website still nothing more than brochureware -- with only pages for Home, About, Products and Services, Who We Are, and Contact Us? Though the cost of building and running a website today is low -- or even free, thanks to such services as Wix and Weebly -- the attention it deserves usually results in higher costs (time and hiring a Web … [Read more...]
The Power of Adding One Letter to the End of a Company Name
Today's news that Toronto-based press release distribution company Marketwire is rebranding itself to Marketwired -- yes, you read that correctly, all they did was add a 'd' -- had me thinking: how much longer will press release companies continue to sell the traditional press release (i.e, exist)? (Share Clip) Oh, and the company has also poached Stu Ogwa, former VP of business intelligence of Yahoo, to join Marketwire as EVP of product and technology, according to … [Read more...]
Blogging: Why Bother?
Some say the point to blogging is SEO; others say it's to create thought leadership. The best blogs do both. I'm continually asked by clients about the point to blogging. I also continue to hear excuses as to why they aren't blogging. 'I don't know how to write effectively.' 'How frequently should I blog?' 'I'm not that creative.' 'What if I write something and no one reads it?' ...and the list of excuses goes on and on. True, blogposts are original content pages that … [Read more...]
With Scribe 4.0, Copyblogger Provides Social Tools for Marketers to Connect with Influential Publishers
Though most tools to create a website and social presence are free, we all know that for more customized and automated experiences, we need to pay. Earlier this year I caught up with Brian Clark, CEO, and others from content marketing software and education provider Copyblogger, who have been keeping me apprised of new products in their portfolio, which includes Studiopress WordPress themes, Synthesis hosting, Premise landing pages, and Scribe SEO content optimization software. (Disclaimer: … [Read more...]