creating your social content engine: searchexchange 2013
DESCRIPTION
At the SearchExchange 2013 in Charlotte, NC, VP of Digital Strategy Kevin Briody presented on the value of and approaches to creating a "content engine" as part of an agency's social media and content marketing strategies.TRANSCRIPT
Creating Your Social Content Engine for SearchExchange 2013
Kevin Briody VP Digital Strategy @kevinbriody
First off, what is a content engine?
“Engine”: A machine with moving parts that converts power into motion
Power Your core content and content strategy Motion Social activity, engagement, and results
Social Content Engine:
The platforms, processes, and people that convert your core content (power) into social activity, engagement, and results (motion).
Why is having a social content engine important?
Template Source: Likeable Media
Because we’ve all been there…
What does it solve for?
Enables consistent content planning • Avoid the desperate content gaps • Aligns with content and digital strategy • (in short, keeps you from winging it)
Makes more effective, efficient use of content • Chew up less time, avoid missed opportunities
and wasted effort
Breaks down silos • In planning, people, channel management
Build It Fuel it Fine Tune It
About building that social content engine…
Build It
Beyond building channels, you need to build your infrastructure: • Platforms & Channels • People & Teams • Syndication • Tools & Processes
Select platforms & channels with care
Start modest, focus on small wins: Don’t build a whole locomotive when all you need is a mower. Mower(s) that: Aligns to your audience, your available content, and your ability to sustain and fuel it for the duration
People: don’t build silos
Ensure teams are built to share content across channels
Create cross-channel roles (editor, strategist, planner) Extends to all core content, not just social
Tools & processes: Don’t neglect the boring
Social publishing tools are exciting, but content repositories, CMS’ and workflow tools will make or break your content engine.
Embrace Syndication
Fuel It
So you have your engine in place, now how do you make it go? • Core Content • The Full Mix • Omni-Channel Thinking • Adaptive, Fluid, Flexible
Focus on Your Core Content Great social content starts with a powerful core – your “target” content on digital platforms that forms the centerpiece of your content marketing strategy, and measurably drives business. Blogs, Articles, Whitepapers, Webinars, Product Slicks, Case Studies, Infographics, etc.
Employ the Full Mix
Original Content Sourced/Licensed Curated 3rd-Party User Generated
Omni-Channel Content Thinking
Those silos again…avoid letting your content planning get sucked in. Place topic, audience, and objective first…don’t start with “I need some tweets!” Then apply natively across channels.
Keep it Adaptive, Flexible, Fluid From agile development and agile marketing to agile content. Plan well, but don’t let your plans, templates, and best practices define you. Optimization is your friend…
Fine Tune It
It’s a special kind of engine: maintenance does more than keep it running, it lets it improve infinitely. • Clear Objectives • Content Insights Process • Optimize Relentlessly
Start with Clear Objectives
Keep it simple: awareness, engagement, and outcomes Define content objectives for both business-driving “core” content as well as in-channel supportive content. Vary goals by content purpose. • In-channel “health” KPIs • Evergreen vs. timely • Etc.
Develop a Content Insights Process
Uses Insights Pillar Ques1on
Ini$al & Recurrin
g Co
nten
t Plann
ing
Engagemen
t Strategy
Audience & Segmenta1on
Who is the audience, what do we know about them, and what if anything has changed recently?
Social Media Trends & Conversa1on Analysis
What are they talking about, where, and what does that tell us about the nature of the conversa1on?
Search Insights What are they searching for, on our site(s) and across the Web?
Compe11ve, Industry, Market Developments
What other environmental inputs should we factor into ongoing content planning?
Internal Priori1es and Inputs
What are the pressing internal, partner, or client campaign, marke1ng, and communica1ons priori1es?
Analy1cs: Op1miza1on Frameworks
What do channel and plaMorm analy1cs tell us about how exis1ng content is performing, by aOribute?
Recurring Insights Mee$ng
Content Planning
Stakeholder Repor1ng
Program Op1miza1on
Internal Reports
-‐ 25 50 75 100 125 150
Offer 5
Offer 4
Offer 3
Offer 2
Offer 1
Index by Offer
Optimize Relentlessly
Evaluate relative performance against key metrics: awareness, engagement, outcomes, both in-channel and core content. Break out by useful attributes (depth, freshness, topic, segment, asset type, etc.): provide smart, actionable insights to your content planning team.
Fine tuning your social content engine is a process that should never end: relentless content optimization opens up the possibility of infinite improvement. Just have a plan.
Parting words…
• Consider your content creation process like a well-oiled engine: moving parts to translate content (power) into action (motion).
• Focus on your core digital content strategy and the business outcomes it drives
• Keep it all adaptive, agile, fluid
• Avoid silos – in your team, processes, and channels
• Start modest, find the small wins
• Optimize always and forever
Image Credits Images not listed were sourced through iStockPhoto or provided by Pace. All others found via Creative Commons search on Flickr and Compfight. Flickr source user listed by slide, with apologies for any slight errors: 1. mformatthjis 2. Matt Hintsa 3. –Wink— 4. Mike Tn 7. Matt Hintsa / Robb North / hvargas 8. Matt Hintsa 9. inspiredindesmoines 10. Jason L Parks 12. Curious Expeditions 13. Robb North 15. JillWillRun 16. inconvergent 17. Tony Hall 18. Hvargas 19. filmingilman 22. livenature