Content Lab

As an inbound marketer, what marketing news matters to you ... if any? And how can you even tell the difference?

The core thrust behind They Ask, You Answer is that buying behavior has changed a lot in the last 10 to 15 years. On top of that, however, the pool of your ideal customers is a lot more diverse than ever before.

In less than 2 months, Google has rolled out six different updates. Is Google trying to hurt us content marketers? (Also, during the conversation, I made a mistake. I inadvertently said the new page performance report is in Google Analytics, when it is actually in Google Search Console. Sorry!)

Let's say you want to get started with inbound marketing and creating the content you need to establish yourself as the No. 1 authority in your space about what it is that you do or sell. However, there's just one eensy, weensy problem – you don't have anyone on staff who can be a dedicated in-house content manager. What do you do? Is outsourcing really the right answer?

When I was given the gift of running IMPACT's video program, I was not thrilled. I always viewed myself as a writer and editor, and video was for... someone (anyone) who wasn't me. Clearly, today is a different story. How did we launch a robust video program during a pandemic? And how can other content and marketing leaders like you get their own video marketing program off the ground, no matter how limited your time, resources, or experience is?

We're all in the business of attracting our ideal buyers through our content. But how do you actually make the right people fall in love with your words?

When you're asked to make your content "more accessible" to your audience, it can feel like you're being asked to "dumb down" something you're an expert in... and that's not a great feeling.

Countless business leaders say their people are their greatest asset... so, why does everyone's content sound the same?

You need to create content about your competition. But how do you do it in a way that makes sense and doesn't feel... awkward?

Oh, what a decade this year has been, am I right?

In this episode, John and I delve more deeply into the ways content interviewing can go wrong — both in terms of your mindset as a content manager, as well as your execution in the interview and post-interview content creation processes. Festive tunes from Scott Holmes Music of freemusicarchive.org.

This throwback episode was originally recorded in October, but we think it's a good one to listen to as you evaluate your content approach for 2021.

Recorded May 2020. It's a lot harder to not be self-absorbed in our content creation, wherein we focus almost exclusively on the positive, "look at me!" messaging.

If you'd like to know what Millard Filmore, Rasputin, Keanu Reeves, and Genghis Khan all have in common, you'll need to listen to this wild, hilarious, and heartwarming episode.

While there are a lot of variables and factors that drive your conversion rates on a landing page up and down (videos, form placement, and so on), one of the most important components of your landing page is the copy. (Originally recorded May 2020.)

Starting out as a first-time content manager can be an exciting adventure. It can also present a lot of challenges, as you're often the first person in your role... and the only one with your specialties.

"Words... words... words!" Love 'em or hate 'em, words are the lifeblood of every video script you'll write, every website page you'll craft, and every blog article you'll ever publish. Choose them wisely.

John and I love our jobs, truly. But this Halloween, we're taking a moment to be honest about the spooky-scaries of being content managers, and those commas that go bump in the night.

In this episode, I pull back the curtain on my surprisingly easy process for creating video scripts, and integrating the creation of video for sales and marketing into an existing content strategy.

While I was excited to share my experience with John of how I pulled this piece together, it wasn't until the end of the conversation that I realized how illuminating and educational this kind of deep-dive into a single piece of content can be.