Content Inc. - The Podcast

Gartner's Hype Cycle is an adoption curve model that shows how a disruptive technology's adoption is implemented. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi breaks down where content marketing as a practice and industry falls today within the Hype Cycle and why this can be an opportunity for those that build a strategy and keep to a plan.

If it's not written down, it doesn't happen. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi discusses the importance of doing two simple things that can steer you onto a successful path. Write down your goals. Review your goals on a regular basis. It sounds so simple and we know it's a pretty simple thing to do. But yet, so many of us just don't do it. Put your life on the path to success for you by doing these two simple things and get started today.

It seems almost every week there is a platform launched that can help us gain an audience or share our content. As small business owners, you are already challenged with keeping the shiny objects at bay. Now, with all the digital distractions, this challenge has increased exponentially. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi reminds us to not only stay focused, but to leave the new shiny objects to others to test and try out. Getting really great at one or two platforms can not only help your business succeed, it may also provide additonal business opportunities by becoming an expert, too.

Too often in content marketing we feel we need to be all things to all people. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi challenges you to think differently when it comes to your content marketing strategy. Every Content Inc. example of success has done the same thing: they focused on one content type and one content platform to grow their business. It's time to focus and make the hard choice. What will you choose NOT to do with your content marketing?

Content envy is the idea that your content is so good, that others want to be a part of it. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi shares the three things your content needs to truly create content envy. Grow a content platform so valuable that others ask to contribute to the output. This is what has happened at Content Marketing Institute and it can happen for you, too. Listen and learn how to create content envy!

Even the best content creators find themselves with writer's block. This can be a frustrating process and can often lead to bad content, or no content at all. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi shares how freewriting has helped him get past some of the content ruts he falls into as a content creator. Learn the rules applied to this process and next time you have writer's block, give them a try. You'll be glad you did!

Joe Pulizzi has been teaching the importance of the content marketing mission statement for a few years now. So obviously, when he finds one that is not only written out, but well implemented, he wants to share it with his audience. In this episode of Content Inc. he discusses how Darren Rowse grew his Digital Photography School by focusing on a content tilt and implementing on a content marketing mission.

It's the beginning of fall and thoughts of the football season ahead is on the minds of many. In this episode of Content Inc. Joe Pulizzi draws the similarity of building out your fantasy football team to building out your fantasy content marketing team. Think of your key content platform as your running back and the one that is the foundation for driving your subscriber model through the goal posts. All other content, your ebooks, events, email, etc... support the main platform. Focus on building out that foundation of content from which to build from and you will start to hit content marketig touchdowns along the way!

Having a strong point of view is important and necessary when it comes to being a leading expert with your content. Of course, this point of view may not resonate with everyone and negative reactions, comments, and reviews will more than likely come your way. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi shares how the haters are actually a good thing and if you are not ruffling feathers, you probably are not doing something right with your content efforts.

If you, like so many small business owners, have been creating content over the past few months or perhaps even years and have not seen results, you are probably doing it wrong. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi reminds you that to grow big with your Content Inc. model, you really need to get very, very small. Find that tight niche in your industry that you can become the leading expert in and make big things happen.

To better understand where we are today with content marketing, it is helpful to look at the past and see where we have come from. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi discusses how content marketing has evolved from a past that included great content marketing efforts in the first have of the 1900's. Mass media changed advertising options for companies in the 1950's, but today, with the consumer in control, ads are declining and content is back on the rise.

Does everyone in your company know what the other departments do and why they do it? In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi shares why you should consider creating a Company Policies and Procedures Manual for your business, regardless of the size. He shares how Content Marketing Institute implemented this process this past year and how it has changed how team members view the company and increased their understanding of thr mission and goals for each department.

Are you considering a SEO strategy for your Content Inc. model? In this episode, Joe Pulizzi shares seven key questions to ask of your SEO process to ensure you are integrating smart SEO practices into your content. Too often, especially for small business owners, SEO gets pushed to the side of the content creation process. Take these seven questions and use them to help you improve your SEO strategy as you create your Content Inc. model.

For the past few years, it seems the mantra of content marketing has been to create more content. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi reminds you that more content is not necessarily the right strategy. It's really about creating content that allows your audience to make some sort of movement, a change in how they behave toward you, your business, your industry. Getting the maximum impact with minimum effort is key to your Content Inc. strategy.

Where will you be in 2025? It may sound far off, but in reality, it's only a short ten years from now. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi challenges you to take a good look at where you really want to be in ten years: financially, physically, spiritually, mentally, your family goals and philanthropic goals. Write down your goals and review them daily. To understand what actions you need to take to achieve your goals, you must start first with the end in mind.

It's been said before that a content marketing program takes time to bear real results. Time, that too often, the C-Suite is not willing to give the process. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi shares three ways you can possibly buy time while implementing a content marketing program for your company. If you are not ready to give up the good content fight, then perhaps one of these ideas is perfect for you!

As a small business owner, often you wear a lot of hats that require you to do more than you should in your business. There comes a point where it's time to delegate those activities that are not bested suited for you and find talented employees or contractors to do them for you. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi challenges you to take an activity inventory of your daily tasks and start making decisions on how to better use your time to grow your business.

Here's the thing...if you are just starting out with a Content Inc. model and you feel pressured to get strong ROI results in just a few months, then this model is not for you. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi reminds you that developing, implementing and tracking marketing around content is a process. One that can take up to a year or longer to bear results. It's about building an audience and providing value to them consistently. Prepare for your content to be a marathon, not a sprint.

Creating new content is great, but it does take a lot of effort. But pehaps, new content is not always the way to go. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi discusses a new content role that you may want to consider for your content marketing team: Chief Content Curator. This role is responsibile for organizing the current content assets of the company so that they can possibly be used again by the existing resources of the organization. Working with what you already have vs. creating new content may be just what your Content Inc. model needs.

The return on investment can be measured in more than just increased revenue. Along with more sales, content marketing can also decrease costs and increase customer retention. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi teaches "The Why Exercise", an easy, yet very effective exercise that will help you deduct if the channels you are currently using for content, are actually working. Listen and learn...then do the exercise with your team.

Though Joe Pulizzi is an author, speaker and educator when it comes to content marketing, he is also a small business owner growing his business (Content Marketing Institute) with a Content Inc. model. In this episode, he shares the seven issues that keep him up at night when it comes to content, marketing and business growth.

In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi discusses the Latin term 'Tabula Rasa' and how you can embrace this philosophy with your marketing today. Tabula rasa means "clean slate" and though orginally defined in terms of the human brain to be capable of learning, changing and adapting while not faded to any particular belief structure, Joe encourages you to consider this same philosophy when it comes to marketing your business. If marketing was a clean slate, how would you set up what you do and invest in differently?

As you develop content across multiple platforms and channels, are you ensuring that what you create is providing true value to your audience? In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi shares how one change within the Content Marketing Institute newsletter now provides content that can only be received in that channel. By reviewing each content channel, you can deduct if you are offering true value or simply repurposing content your audience could find somewhere else.

Content marketing initiatives do not usually fail due to a lack of quality content. The majority of the time, content failure is due to a lack of consistency or, even worse, the content simply stops. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi discusses the importance of patience when launching a content marketing program. The most successful business models that have taken a Content Inc. approach need at least one year if not longer to create revenue or success. Are you being patient with your content marketing strategy?

Brick content is content that is so good it hits your industry like a ton of bricks. In this episode of Content Inc. Joe Pulizzi shares how the annual research report done by Content Marketing Institue and MarketinProfs has become a valuable form of brick content. This one piece of content brings a spike in attention every time it's published each year but then continues to be referred to ongoing. What type of brick content could you create that would fulfill a missing piece of information in your industry?

If you think you have a business or service that just would not work with a Content Inc. model, think again. In this episode of Content Inc. Joe Pulizzi shares how the legal firm Pinsent Masons out of England has dominated the technology law space mainly in part due to their content strategy. Learn how this law firm decided to focus on creating quality content to increase their practice and their revenue.

If your content no longer existed, would your audience miss it? In this episode of Content Inc. Joe Pulizzi discusses the importance of creating audacious goals when it comes to your content marketing. To be a true player in your industry, it requires more than just "good enough" content. You need to set your sights on being the leading resource that provides content that would be truly missed if it no longer existed.

Many entrepreneurs and business owners want to use speaking as a means to market their business and gain a bigger audience. In this episode of Content Inc. Joe Pulizzi breaks down the 4 steps to help you achieve this goal. Learn how to find your content tilt (see Episode 39) to develop your platform that will lead to a book and subsequently, onto the stage.

Often businsss owners and marketers tend to create content that resonates with them or is what they "think" their customer will want. In this episode of Content Inc. Joe Pulizzi addresses the need to take time to build out audience personas before you get too far down the content marketing road. He shares some important questions to be asking when developing your personas and reminds you that there may be a few personas to create along the way.

There are a lot of shiny objects out there when it comes to content marketing tactics. It's easy to get overwhelmed and fall into analysis paralysis around the process. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi reminds you that you are your own media company. And this means you need to be focusing on building an audience that will also subscribe to your content. These subscriptions lead to more potential to turn them into customers. Learn the three ways you can drive subscriptions with your content marketing and begin building your own media empire.

Anyone, anywhere and at anytime can create a Content Inc. model for their business. It's an exciting time to be in business and even more exiciting time to develop yourself as the leading resource in your industry. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi shares his six key elements that make up an epic content marketing model. Learn these six key elements, put them in practice and watch your Content Inc. business grow!

In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi shares how a seven year old boy makes videos with his dad that have generated over $1 million in revenue. EvanTube started out as a fun claymation video project between Evan and his dad. Now, two years after their first video launched on YouTube and millions of downloads later, EvanTube has become a fun and passionate video business model. What could you do if you created content like a seven year old?

As you start your Content Inc. model of marketing and content creation, you may have only one or two main revenue drivers associated with your process. As your audience and community grow, so do the possible revenue opportunities. In this episode of Content Inc. Joe Pulizzi reminds you to keep an open mind to the possibility of future revenue ripples that come from your content marketing efforts. And it's ok to think big.

If you are serious about developing a Content Inc. model for your business, there is a very good chance that you will need to hire freelance writers to assist you with content creation. In this episode of Content Inc. Joe Pulizzi shares some key items to consider before bringing an outside writer onto your content team.

Creating partnerships is not a new idea. But often, coming up with the right project to partner on can be the real struggle. In this episode of Content Inc. Joe Pulizzi shares how developing a research project idea can be the key to working with business and media partners. If you are struggling with an idea for partnership, this may be the one tactic you need to implement.

In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi discusses how changes in platforms such as Google and Facebook not only force us to change how we use them, but is a great remider not to solely rely on them. Now more than ever it's imperative to build your own content platform and create engagement strategies with your audience and customers.

There are a lot of ways to create quality content. In this episode of Content Inc. Joe Pulizzi shares the four key elements you need to create the strong foundation to a Content Inc. methodology. Get focused, intentional and create quality content for your audience within your content tilt (see Episode 39) and you will create a solid base as a content expert in your industry.

The power of partnership is a key component to growing a Content Inc. model. In this episode of Content Inc. Joe Pulizzi discusses how partnering with other media can be a great way to grow your audience and leverage a much needed pool of talent. Learn the five ways you can work with media companies to create a solid win-win situation for both of you.

Social media marketing can work. However, in this episode of Content Inc. Joe Pulizzi warns you of the possible seduction to get too involved in buying fans and followers. He encourages you to build your own media and use social media as a driver to what you can control, making raving fans along the way. Leverage social media. Don't let it control your marketing model.

According to Edison Research, podcasts now get 30% share of ear. Podcasts are easier for audiences to access and many individuals are choosing to download them more and more. In this episode of Content Inc. Joe Pulizzi shares how choosing to launch a podcast has positively affected the brand and revenue for Content Marketing Institute. Learn why podcasting may be your next platform of choice as you develop your Content Inc. model.

If you are still struggling with getting C-Suite buy-in on a content marketing strategy, this episode of Content Inc. is perfect for you! Joe Pulizzi breaks down the two methods he recommends for getting executive level buy-in to launch a content marketing strategy in your company. Learn how to use preparation, information and a little bit of research to your advantage that will get the decision makers to turn that no into a yes.

Though the term 'content marketing' seems to have taken off in the last few years, the concept of what it is and what it can accomplish has been around for over 100 years. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi discusses how John Deere has been in the Content Inc. strategy game since 1895 and how, still today, provide content that is valuable to farmers around the globe.

Now that you believe and understand the importance of a Content Inc. model for your business, it may also be time to identify what is holding back your success. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi shares the various reasons your Content Inc. model may not be working. He also provides some ways to fix what isn't working and put you back on the road to Content Inc. success!

In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi walks us through a real-world Content Inc. model that successfully implemeting the six steps. (see Episodes 25 and 26) Joy Cho launched her blog in 2005 that would be the start to her Content Inc. success story. Learn how Joy used these six steps: The Sweet Spot, Content Tilt, Building The Base, Harvesting Audience, Diversification and Monetization to grow a successful design studio, work with some of the biggest brands in the world and achieve some lofty goals along the way.

As a small business, don't make the mistake of going to wide with your content strategy before you even get started. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi discusses the importance of going small to get big. So often we are tempted to go wide with our content, when it makes more sense to go very niche with perhaps one buyer persona, or even a specific group of buyers within that persona. Don't try to compete with brands that have bigger budgets. Do what you do well in a tighter, niche area and go deep with your content.

In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi reiterates the importance of setting a goal around building your audience. In recent surveys, the majority of marketers do not have this goal in their top list of goals for the year. Joe implores you to reconsider and start with goals around building lists and subscribers so that you have an audience in which to share content and build some sort of engagement.

The Content Inc. model of marketing your business requires not only creating valuable content your audience wants, but also requires the ability to listen to your audience for feedback. Feedback is critical for content ideas and to gain an understanding of what is working and what is falling flat. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi shares five ways you can start creating your own listening posts to gain valuable audience and customer feedback.

Too often we dive into content creation without a solid strategy on why we are creating the content we develop. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi shares how Amazon's Press Release Strategy can be used by you to develop your Content Tile (see Episode 39) or to refine your Cotent Tilt even deeper. Be the leading informational source in your content niche by developing a strong content strategy.

If you are not striving to be the 'go to' resource in your niche, you are settling. In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi shares why setting your BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) around your content is critical for success in today's content driven business world. Find out the four elements that you need to cover when setting your best of breed goals with your content strategy.

In this episode of Content Inc., Joe Pulizzi breaks down the definition of content tilt and why this approach is so critical to your content strategy. What makes your approach to a topic different? What makes how your approach to the content of this topic unique? When you tilt, you see something from a different angle or perspective. Creating a content tilt can differentiate you from all the others in your industry.