It’s been a little quiet around here, hasn’t it? That’s because I’ve had to be quite stern with myself, putting myself in a kind of content solitary confinement that made me ignore everything—including this site, my job, my family, and (occasionally!) my hygiene—while I sprinted toward the finish line of my new book. Part of […]
Content
Content Marketing In 15 Minutes a Day: 3 Content Hacks
Part of me is allergic to the headline I just wrote—or, at least, the “15 minutes a day” part. Because starting out with a stingy marketing mindset runs counter to the spirit of the rich content marketing opportunity. It reminds of me of punching a clock at a job you hate: How little do I […]
Honey Maid Takes On Haters, and Now I Want Graham Crackers
A month ago, the graham cracker brand Honey Maid launched a new program that aimed to redefine “wholesome” by telling the stories of interracial, single-parent and gay families. The idea was to align the 90-year-old Honey Maid with a modern yet steadfast narrative on what makes for wholesome. Families might’ve have changed, Honey Maid suggests. […]
How to Innovate in Your Marketing: Ask a Teenager
If you’re a company looking to use social media and content in innovative ways, ask a teenager. And not because you want to market to teens (although you might), but because teenage behavior online draws a kind of road map to where marketing is going. Here’s what I mean: My 17-year-old daughter bought a prom […]
How to Use Instagram in a Genius Way (and Grow Your Audience)
If you’ve seen me speak in the last few years, you know I’m a huge fan of Instagram, because of its understated simplicity that makes for a rich story platform. You might’ve even seen me present one of my favorite examples, of the Toronto Silent Film Festival’s 2013 effort to promote the silent film experience […]
Shelfies: Like Selfies, But for Book Nerds
[View the story “Yesterday the New York Public Library ran a “shelfie” contest. ” on Storify] Big thanks to Dave Cutler for the story tip! I don’t know about you, but I kind of like #shelfies far better than #selfies. You?
New Year, New You: 3 Things Every Marketer Should Be Doing in 2014
Last week, my MarketingProfs colleague Corey O’Loughlin and I gave a talk on what content-savvy marketers can do in this new year to impress their boss, get ahead of the curve, and tighten their bottom (line). January is, of course, a time of reset and renewal and 2014 resolutions: a time to re-examine your goals, […]
What Does the Fox Say? B2B Companies Need Visual Style
As storytelling becomes more and more part of marketing, another trend has emerged: Brands have become more visual. In the business-to-business space, this means companies are loosening up a bit, producing content with a greater emphasis on visual style and design and with a more compelling visual storyline. That’s happening on visual platforms like Pinterest […]
That Funny Saddleback Bag Video: Two Big Things to Love About It and One Thing That Would’ve Made It Even Better
Saddleback Leather Company a few days ago released a snarky “how to” video to reveal shortcuts and tricks to help knock-off manufacturers bypass quality, skimp on materials, and produce a richly inferior product — specifically, the Saddleback briefcase, which starts at $568. There’s so much to love about this funny 12-minute video featuring CEO and […]