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5 Take-Aways from Content Marketing World

It’s been a month since the StatePoint team came back from Content Marketing World 2019 in Cleveland, OH. We have been putting the lessons we learned there to work, while staying close to new connections made. Here are our 5 take-aways from CMWorld:

  1. Turn Your Notes into an Action Plan

Conferences are great sources of information and networking opportunities, but can be overwhelming if not utilized properly once you’re back in the office. We were able to come home with full legal pads of notes and hundreds of flyers or hand-outs, but where do you go from there?

Take the biggest standouts you remember from your favorite sessions or keynotes and start identifying a roadmap within your content marketing plan. Once you identify an outline of lessons learned and the tips and tricks picked up at the event, you can start forming a clear action plan that can be utilized through the rest of 2019, while creating your 2020 content marketing strategy.

  1. Consistent Voice

Finding and defining your brand’s voice can be challenging– whether you’re starting a new brand, repositioning your current brand, or just creating more consistency. Once defined, be committed to that voice throughout your content strategy.

For example, if you’re running an organization based on suicide prevention or discussing major illnesses, it’s appropriate (and almost required) to have a serious tone. However, other brands (often seen with restaurants and fast food chains on social media) have capitalized on a humorous voice.

No matter what voice or tone your brand has, make sure that you put that stake in the ground and keep it consistent throughout, regardless of the size of your content marketing/social media/marketing team.

  1. Make Content the Basis for a Lasting Relationship with Your Customers

The basis for content marketing is giving people quality information, or as we like to say at StatePoint, “news readers can use.” Keynote speaker Henry Rollins also reminded us that “content producers need to be authentic and to have an element of moral goodness.”

This will allow you to build a relationship and a bond with your target audience. Another speaker, Ann Handley noted, “when you dive deeper into meaning, a stronger bond between audience and your content (or your brand) is more likely to form. And that’s the key to successful content marketing programs. We shouldn’t be asking our audience for their attention, we should be asking for their trust – and demonstrating why we deserve it.”

  1. People Want Content Fast and with Simple Copy

Content marketers are naturally creative people, and although producing new and exciting content is a large part of our day-to-day, we also have to make sure it’s easily readable and can be digested quickly.

“88% of successful content marketers put audience information needs above all else.”
@cmicontent

  1. Networking Is King

We can sit in thousands of sessions and attend conference after conference in a silo, but would it really have the same effect, if we were alone? Half the reason we go to conferences is to be surrounded by like-minded people in our industries. Utilize the networking hours built into the conference schedule and don’t be shy! Turn to your side during sessions and shake hands with the person next to you – who knows where it could lead?

 

When it comes time to map out your 2020 content marketing plan, remember this one final takeaway:

“Your goal is to make searchers grateful they found your content.” – Dan Shure

That’s all for Content Marketing World 2019! Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth, chatted with our reps, and enjoyed some cotton candy! If you weren’t able to make it, request pricing and more info here and our team will be in touch!

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