how to master the art of content marketing
TRANSCRIPT
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing
In this report you will learn best practices tips and solutions for making content marketing a powerful part of your marketing programs including
bull An overview of content marketing strategies and solutions
bull Keys to content development success
bull Must-haves for content publishing and distribution
November 2011
Share this report
Page 2
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
Harness the Power of Content to Drive Marketing ResultsAs technology business and consumer behaviors change marketing must evolve to meet new challenges and take advantage of new opportunities This report addresses the latest trends in content marketing while specifically focusing on which principles and tactics have proven most successful among online innovators Taking a page from the publishing industry this guide provides insight as well as tips and tricks for both content development and distribution Learn how to create a sustainable content marketing program with the flexibility to adjust to changing market dynamics and the passion and power to excite audiences and drive business results
ContentsContent Marketing Common Themes Proven Tactics and Helpful Tips
Content Development Five Keys to Success
Content Publishing amp Distribution Five Must-Haves
Page 3
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
Content Marketing Common Themes Proven Tactics and Helpful TipsContent marketing has been on the rise for several years but as the trend encounters more web-savvy consumers and new tools that make online publishing easier it is rapidly becoming a de facto part of nearly every strategic marketing plan In a recent survey of 24 major consumer brands by marketing automation firm idio 83 percent of respondents said they already use some form of content marketing A related 2010 study by Junta42 and MarketingProfs found the same was true of 90 percent of business-to-business marketers surveyed with 51 percent saying they planned a year-over-year increase in content marketing budgets
Common ThemesImplementations of content marketing vary widely but there are common themes worth noting
1 Storytelling Content can be used to inform entertain and build relationships with customers While consumer marketing may edge toward the entertainment side with B2B marketing moving toward thought leadership and education both types of outreach are geared at engaging audiences and encouraging interaction Major brands like Coca Cola and Cisco realize they are now in the storytelling business That may mean sharing and amplifying personal brand experiences online or providing industry insight through expert commentary In either case the goal is to create narratives that help audiences relate to a product or service persuading them to stay engaged and invest time in learning more
2 Aggregation Whatever type of content marketers provide aggregation is a common tool across multiple platforms Aggregation can do multiple things reinforce a message fill the content pipeline and introduce third-party insights By aggregating their own original content marketers are able to repurpose their own material and feed it through multiple delivery channels For example a compilation of blog posts and case study summaries makes a good e-newsletter Or a combination of Twitter feeds an embedded video channel and recent news announcements can round out a company microsite On the other side of the coin by aggregating third-party content marketers can support their own material with useful information and relevant context Examples include offering a news feed on a particular topic providing a selection of curated third-party articles and posts or leveraging user-generated content
3 Video Increasingly video is another common element in content marketing programs Part of the reason for this is that the marketing industry has started to reevaluate how it measures success online A video may get fewer hits than another type of content but those hits may generate more engagement from users And because of distribution platforms like iTunes and YouTube a video can also reach audiences outside a companyrsquos regular marketing channels Finally there is the search optimization aspect of video publishing According to Greg Jarboe CEO of SEO-PR and a speaker at the 2010 Search Engine Strategies Conference amp Expo a video is 50 times more likely to get a first-page Google ranking than a text page That Google ldquojuicerdquo draws more people into the marketing funnel and significantly increases the value of video content
Content Marketing VehiclesTodayrsquos marketers have a variety of vehicles to choose from when it comes to deploying content Perhaps most notably blogs have gained significant credibility and perceived value in a few short years Based on a 2011 Content Marketing Institute survey in which marketers were asked to pick their top five marketing tactics blogging ranked number one in relative popularity There are several likely reasons for this result Blogging gives a voice and nuance to organizations that might otherwise be viewed as lacking personality
ldquo Wersquore in the story businessrdquo
Coca-Colarsquos Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer
Joseph V Tripodi CES 2011
Page 4
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
Blogs also encourage conversation via commenting and can act as platforms for almost any other type of content from embedded multimedia to interactive polls to integrated social networking
Other content vehicles topping the Content Marketing Institutersquos list include e-newsletters white papers articles and e-books Interestingly all of these formats require long-form content which is frontier territory for many marketers Itrsquos not that the tactics are new but the high-volume demand for longer content is
The beauty of most content formats used for marketing is that they have parallels in other industries and increasingly marketers are replicating best practices from those other media forms Many blogs and other site-based platforms in particular are now emulating the digital magazine experience Headlines feature sections and media highlights are all common site components along with navigation tools that open up a greater number of opportunities for user exploration These elements are effective in attracting visitor interest and extending time on site
Challenges and SolutionsAs marketers become more like traditional online publishers there are new content strategy and distribution challenges to tackle From publishing workflows to cross-platform delivery marketers face numerous potential technical and content management dif ficulties Fortunately there are a number of solutions available The key to implementing the right solutions is identifying what the critical issues are ahead of time and learning how to prepare accordingly
bullDonrsquot underestimate the necessary investment Content marketing is labor intensive You need talented and passionate content creators a significant time commitment from those contributors and the budget to pay for development production and distribution
bullCreate a sustainable workflow Creating and maintaining a successful publishing workflow requires a combination of standard operating procedures and flexible technology Assign responsibilities create deadlines and choose a publishing platform that can be customized to fit your needs
bullIntegrate everything A content marketing program is most valuable when it can be leveraged across broader marketing and sales initiatives Make sure to distribute content across departments and consider integrating software tools like your customer relationship management system into your content marketing program
bullTarget content on multiple levels Content targeting is both an art and a science but the better you know your audience the better chance you have of providing contextually relevant material Track how dif ferent groups behave with your content and be willing to refine your program as necessary
bullAlways aim for high performance With a growing number of devices used to access the Internet itrsquos hard to deliver a consistent high-performance content experience Be aware of the need to optimize content for multiple platformsmdashsmartphones tablets PCs and moremdashand seek a partner for any technical aspects of delivery you canrsquot manage in-house
The Crux of the MatterContent marketing is an evolving discipline but itrsquos one that can deliver strong results To be successful stay in tune with which strategies and tactics are most likely to be most effective for your business be willing to invest resources in content development and be flexible enough to make changes as needed to improve your content marketing program and drive further value for your organization
Page 5
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
Content Development Five Keys to Success1 Understand the Content PipelineCreate a development strategy based on the type of content you need to produce Is it long-form or short Low-frequency or high Based on that evaluation decide what skill sets are necessary how to allocate budget and what production timelines are realistic
bullFind people with the right skill sets for your content needs and then nurture that talent Not everyone is suited to writing blog posts white papers and articles By the same token not everyone has a knack for creating video and other media assets for the web You may need to combine in-house resources with outsourced services and talent
bullDonrsquot try to fit content development into the margins of the day Itrsquos unlikely an employee with a full-time job can take on further content development responsibilities and produce good results Creating a blog post now and then may not sound dif ficult but it does require a time commitment and the ability to adjust to a dif ferent workflow
bullBe aware that content development isnrsquot free Donrsquot underestimate the labor costs involved or the importance of having the right toolsmdashlike a content management system or an online video platformmdashto create a successful product
2 Get Passionate People on Your TeamPassionate people produce results Your team should be passionate not only about marketing but also about your product or service and your industry as a whole
bullPut together a team that is interested and engaged in the content you need to produce Content production can be a grind The more frequently you need content produced the more of a risk there is that the process will become tedious and the results labored
bullUnderstand your business and your audience If you and your team are subject matter experts who are passionate about your industry you will be better equipped to understand what types of content your business can produce that your audience wants to consume
bullLet passion lead to exploration Passionate content creators are naturally inclined to explore Take advantage of this attribute to generate new content ideas and fresh marketing results
3 Create a Development WorkflowBe disciplined in your approach to content development A casual approach is possible when volume and frequency requirements are low However as those demands increase it becomes more important to establish a workflow and best practices to keep production on track
bullClearly communicate responsibilities Decide and articulate who is responsible for which tasks in content development how those tasks will be accomplished and what the final result of each task should look like
bullCreate realistic timelines Itrsquos tempting to be aggressive with deadlines but being too aggressive can lead to poor-quality results Assess whatrsquos appropriate for the type of content you need Consider what input is required what other projects may overlap and how long any approval process may take
Page 6
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
bullAssign an effective administrator Content creators arenrsquot necessarily good administrators If possible assign someone to manage operational logistics so that administrative details arenrsquot overlooked
4 Integrate with Other Marketing Systems Communicate regularly with teams heading up other sales and marketing initiatives Although people may operate in dif ferent departments itrsquos to everyonersquos advantage to share ideas and resources when possible
bullRepurpose content as often as possible Get creative about reusing content and make others aware of any material you develop For example a video demo can fill out a blog post act as a spotlight feature on your website home page supplement other materials at a trade show booth and be embedded in whole or in part in an email newsletter
bullUse integration to drive consistency If you are developing content to speak for your organization it should match the message and positioning of other sales and marketing materials If there is no communication between teams the message you deliver to external audiences will be muddled
bullMake the most of your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system Many organizations have CRM systems in place These are typically used to facilitate the sales process but they are most effective when integrated with marketing initiatives as well For content marketing purposes use a CRM system to track which content resonates with which audiences and to determine when and how to recommend further content as a way to extend the customer dialogue
5 Target Content AppropriatelyTargeting is important for any kind of communications outreach and itrsquos no less so for content marketing As is often the case targeting is part art and part science
bullDonrsquot create in a vacuum Content is only effective if people want to consume it Creating content that people want to read listen to or watch only happens when yoursquore engaged with the target audience Donrsquot expect good content to come together without ongoing external dialogue
bullBe contextually relevant Users arrive at your content from many dif ferent places They come from dif ferent referral websites They work in dif ferent industries Theyrsquore at dif ferent points in the purchasing cycle If a user is valuable to you make sure to have content that is contextually relevant on multiple levels
bullUse targeting to make content easier to digest Itrsquos unlikely that users are interested in every piece of content you produce Sorting it by topic and audience is a helpful way of making sure the right users get access to the right material Particularly when you have large volumes of content you can make it easier to digest by directing individual users to material thatrsquos really relevant to them
Page 7
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
Content Publishing and Distribution Five Must-Haves 1 Choose a Flexible Publishing PlatformUse a content management platform that gives you the most flexibility and control over how you publish and distribute content Your technology should support your publishing processes
bullEnsure your platform supports multiple levels of authorization Regulations and internal policies mean not everyone should be able to publish content edit live content or review archives and analytics reports Choose a platform that lets you tier user access and authorized functions
bullGet scheduling flexibility Sometimes you know when content needs to be published well in advance and sometimes multiple assets need to go live at the same time Automated and advanced scheduling features help you reduce work and the potential for human error
bullShare and share alike To support content reuse and content promotion choose a publishing platform that makes it easy to share and syndicate material across any website access platform or device This helps fill the content pipeline and drive content visibility
2 Reach a Global AudienceThe Internet is global which means your potential audience is too Consider how your content is consumed and what you need to do to make sure it is accessible and high-performance for audiences all over the world
bullSpeak the language Use a publishing platform that fully supports multilingual distribution You need tools for translation content association and search and sort functionality Keep in mind that translation applies not only to text but also to multimedia assets that may need subtitling
Page 8
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
bullThink like a local Language isnrsquot everything when it comes to reaching global audiences Content localization is a big challenge and one that has to be carefully integrated into your publishing workflow However you set up your business processes around localization make sure your publishing platform can support your workflow and the multiple domains you may need to manage in order to reach geographically diverse audiences
bullDonrsquot let distance impact performance Donrsquot undermine your efforts to develop content for global audiences by letting performance suffer in remote locations Support global content with global delivery using technologies that accelerate content no matter where users reside
3 Support Growth and PerformanceOne of the best things that can happen to your content is that more people want to consume it But whether that content is an article yoursquove posted or a video demo yoursquove published you canrsquot support audience growth if performance suffers as a result
bullPlan for peaks If yoursquore publishing content on a website pay attention to user traffic patterns and be prepared to handle sudden spikes even if they happen unexpectedly Nothing drives users away like poor site performance
bullScale for growth Therersquos a dif ference between sudden audience growth spikes and predictable growth over time Plan for the latter by putting in place a strategy for adding content storage as needed making sure search and sort tools are adequate as content libraries grow and supporting increased delivery requirements as user volumes ramp up
bullSupport dynamic content As content volumes grow you will likely need to target content more effectively and support increased user interaction As you implement web acceleration technologies be sure the services you choose support dynamic content so you can customize material for dif ferent audiences and make sure your interactive content is highly responsive
4 Optimize for MobileConsumer demand for connected devices means your content has to be accessible across mobile platforms Unfortunately the mobile ecosystem is growing increasingly complex and that has a big impact on how you handle content presentation and delivery
bullOptimize for mobile screens You can reach most mobile users by formatting online page layouts and multimedia content for the Apple iOS and Android platforms The best way to do this is to use a single content repository that feeds into custom templates for each platform
bullOptimize for mobile bandwidth Consumer expectations for online performance are increasing as Internet connections get faster and that applies to both the PC and the mobile experience Web acceleration services can improve mobile performance and also customize content delivery based on the speed of a userrsquos connection
Page 9
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
bullKnow the landscape of mobile platforms While Apple iOS and Android run the majority of consumer mobile devices there are still variations in operating system versions and device implementations as well as other platforms like Windows 7 and BlackBerry to consider If itrsquos important to target a wide range of platforms and devices look for a partner that can optimize content for the broader mobile ecosystem
5 Measure and RefineItrsquos not only content itself you need to refine and improve itrsquos also your content distribution methods And the only way to make improvements is to start by measuring the effectiveness of your current strategy
bullKeep track of where your content goes The wide availability of analytics programs means you should be able to keep track of how your content is consumed and shared Pay attention to how users interact with your content over time and how content changes impact user behavior
bullGet detailed about reporting Make sure the analytics reports you subscribe to provide the type of data that can help you make effective decisions about content and distribution changes Frequency and duration of content consumption are good measurements of user engagement as are interaction metrics such as how many times a piece of content is being shared
bullBe willing (and able) to change All the metrics in the world donrsquot amount to anything if you canrsquot act on what you find Stay nimble in the publishing processes you implement and with the publishing technologies you choose to deploy
How Limelight Networks can help you drive content marketing results
Limelight Networks offers cloud-based web content management and media delivery services designed for digital and content marketing professionals For more information on our solutions visit our Content Management and Media Delivery pages online or contact our sales team
copy 2011 Limelight Networks Inc All rights reserved Limelight Networks and the Limelight Networks logo are trademarks of Limelight Networks Inc Other products and company names may be trademarks of their respective companies All services are subject to change or discontinuance without notice November 2011
Page 2
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
Harness the Power of Content to Drive Marketing ResultsAs technology business and consumer behaviors change marketing must evolve to meet new challenges and take advantage of new opportunities This report addresses the latest trends in content marketing while specifically focusing on which principles and tactics have proven most successful among online innovators Taking a page from the publishing industry this guide provides insight as well as tips and tricks for both content development and distribution Learn how to create a sustainable content marketing program with the flexibility to adjust to changing market dynamics and the passion and power to excite audiences and drive business results
ContentsContent Marketing Common Themes Proven Tactics and Helpful Tips
Content Development Five Keys to Success
Content Publishing amp Distribution Five Must-Haves
Page 3
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
Content Marketing Common Themes Proven Tactics and Helpful TipsContent marketing has been on the rise for several years but as the trend encounters more web-savvy consumers and new tools that make online publishing easier it is rapidly becoming a de facto part of nearly every strategic marketing plan In a recent survey of 24 major consumer brands by marketing automation firm idio 83 percent of respondents said they already use some form of content marketing A related 2010 study by Junta42 and MarketingProfs found the same was true of 90 percent of business-to-business marketers surveyed with 51 percent saying they planned a year-over-year increase in content marketing budgets
Common ThemesImplementations of content marketing vary widely but there are common themes worth noting
1 Storytelling Content can be used to inform entertain and build relationships with customers While consumer marketing may edge toward the entertainment side with B2B marketing moving toward thought leadership and education both types of outreach are geared at engaging audiences and encouraging interaction Major brands like Coca Cola and Cisco realize they are now in the storytelling business That may mean sharing and amplifying personal brand experiences online or providing industry insight through expert commentary In either case the goal is to create narratives that help audiences relate to a product or service persuading them to stay engaged and invest time in learning more
2 Aggregation Whatever type of content marketers provide aggregation is a common tool across multiple platforms Aggregation can do multiple things reinforce a message fill the content pipeline and introduce third-party insights By aggregating their own original content marketers are able to repurpose their own material and feed it through multiple delivery channels For example a compilation of blog posts and case study summaries makes a good e-newsletter Or a combination of Twitter feeds an embedded video channel and recent news announcements can round out a company microsite On the other side of the coin by aggregating third-party content marketers can support their own material with useful information and relevant context Examples include offering a news feed on a particular topic providing a selection of curated third-party articles and posts or leveraging user-generated content
3 Video Increasingly video is another common element in content marketing programs Part of the reason for this is that the marketing industry has started to reevaluate how it measures success online A video may get fewer hits than another type of content but those hits may generate more engagement from users And because of distribution platforms like iTunes and YouTube a video can also reach audiences outside a companyrsquos regular marketing channels Finally there is the search optimization aspect of video publishing According to Greg Jarboe CEO of SEO-PR and a speaker at the 2010 Search Engine Strategies Conference amp Expo a video is 50 times more likely to get a first-page Google ranking than a text page That Google ldquojuicerdquo draws more people into the marketing funnel and significantly increases the value of video content
Content Marketing VehiclesTodayrsquos marketers have a variety of vehicles to choose from when it comes to deploying content Perhaps most notably blogs have gained significant credibility and perceived value in a few short years Based on a 2011 Content Marketing Institute survey in which marketers were asked to pick their top five marketing tactics blogging ranked number one in relative popularity There are several likely reasons for this result Blogging gives a voice and nuance to organizations that might otherwise be viewed as lacking personality
ldquo Wersquore in the story businessrdquo
Coca-Colarsquos Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer
Joseph V Tripodi CES 2011
Page 4
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
Blogs also encourage conversation via commenting and can act as platforms for almost any other type of content from embedded multimedia to interactive polls to integrated social networking
Other content vehicles topping the Content Marketing Institutersquos list include e-newsletters white papers articles and e-books Interestingly all of these formats require long-form content which is frontier territory for many marketers Itrsquos not that the tactics are new but the high-volume demand for longer content is
The beauty of most content formats used for marketing is that they have parallels in other industries and increasingly marketers are replicating best practices from those other media forms Many blogs and other site-based platforms in particular are now emulating the digital magazine experience Headlines feature sections and media highlights are all common site components along with navigation tools that open up a greater number of opportunities for user exploration These elements are effective in attracting visitor interest and extending time on site
Challenges and SolutionsAs marketers become more like traditional online publishers there are new content strategy and distribution challenges to tackle From publishing workflows to cross-platform delivery marketers face numerous potential technical and content management dif ficulties Fortunately there are a number of solutions available The key to implementing the right solutions is identifying what the critical issues are ahead of time and learning how to prepare accordingly
bullDonrsquot underestimate the necessary investment Content marketing is labor intensive You need talented and passionate content creators a significant time commitment from those contributors and the budget to pay for development production and distribution
bullCreate a sustainable workflow Creating and maintaining a successful publishing workflow requires a combination of standard operating procedures and flexible technology Assign responsibilities create deadlines and choose a publishing platform that can be customized to fit your needs
bullIntegrate everything A content marketing program is most valuable when it can be leveraged across broader marketing and sales initiatives Make sure to distribute content across departments and consider integrating software tools like your customer relationship management system into your content marketing program
bullTarget content on multiple levels Content targeting is both an art and a science but the better you know your audience the better chance you have of providing contextually relevant material Track how dif ferent groups behave with your content and be willing to refine your program as necessary
bullAlways aim for high performance With a growing number of devices used to access the Internet itrsquos hard to deliver a consistent high-performance content experience Be aware of the need to optimize content for multiple platformsmdashsmartphones tablets PCs and moremdashand seek a partner for any technical aspects of delivery you canrsquot manage in-house
The Crux of the MatterContent marketing is an evolving discipline but itrsquos one that can deliver strong results To be successful stay in tune with which strategies and tactics are most likely to be most effective for your business be willing to invest resources in content development and be flexible enough to make changes as needed to improve your content marketing program and drive further value for your organization
Page 5
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
Content Development Five Keys to Success1 Understand the Content PipelineCreate a development strategy based on the type of content you need to produce Is it long-form or short Low-frequency or high Based on that evaluation decide what skill sets are necessary how to allocate budget and what production timelines are realistic
bullFind people with the right skill sets for your content needs and then nurture that talent Not everyone is suited to writing blog posts white papers and articles By the same token not everyone has a knack for creating video and other media assets for the web You may need to combine in-house resources with outsourced services and talent
bullDonrsquot try to fit content development into the margins of the day Itrsquos unlikely an employee with a full-time job can take on further content development responsibilities and produce good results Creating a blog post now and then may not sound dif ficult but it does require a time commitment and the ability to adjust to a dif ferent workflow
bullBe aware that content development isnrsquot free Donrsquot underestimate the labor costs involved or the importance of having the right toolsmdashlike a content management system or an online video platformmdashto create a successful product
2 Get Passionate People on Your TeamPassionate people produce results Your team should be passionate not only about marketing but also about your product or service and your industry as a whole
bullPut together a team that is interested and engaged in the content you need to produce Content production can be a grind The more frequently you need content produced the more of a risk there is that the process will become tedious and the results labored
bullUnderstand your business and your audience If you and your team are subject matter experts who are passionate about your industry you will be better equipped to understand what types of content your business can produce that your audience wants to consume
bullLet passion lead to exploration Passionate content creators are naturally inclined to explore Take advantage of this attribute to generate new content ideas and fresh marketing results
3 Create a Development WorkflowBe disciplined in your approach to content development A casual approach is possible when volume and frequency requirements are low However as those demands increase it becomes more important to establish a workflow and best practices to keep production on track
bullClearly communicate responsibilities Decide and articulate who is responsible for which tasks in content development how those tasks will be accomplished and what the final result of each task should look like
bullCreate realistic timelines Itrsquos tempting to be aggressive with deadlines but being too aggressive can lead to poor-quality results Assess whatrsquos appropriate for the type of content you need Consider what input is required what other projects may overlap and how long any approval process may take
Page 6
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
bullAssign an effective administrator Content creators arenrsquot necessarily good administrators If possible assign someone to manage operational logistics so that administrative details arenrsquot overlooked
4 Integrate with Other Marketing Systems Communicate regularly with teams heading up other sales and marketing initiatives Although people may operate in dif ferent departments itrsquos to everyonersquos advantage to share ideas and resources when possible
bullRepurpose content as often as possible Get creative about reusing content and make others aware of any material you develop For example a video demo can fill out a blog post act as a spotlight feature on your website home page supplement other materials at a trade show booth and be embedded in whole or in part in an email newsletter
bullUse integration to drive consistency If you are developing content to speak for your organization it should match the message and positioning of other sales and marketing materials If there is no communication between teams the message you deliver to external audiences will be muddled
bullMake the most of your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system Many organizations have CRM systems in place These are typically used to facilitate the sales process but they are most effective when integrated with marketing initiatives as well For content marketing purposes use a CRM system to track which content resonates with which audiences and to determine when and how to recommend further content as a way to extend the customer dialogue
5 Target Content AppropriatelyTargeting is important for any kind of communications outreach and itrsquos no less so for content marketing As is often the case targeting is part art and part science
bullDonrsquot create in a vacuum Content is only effective if people want to consume it Creating content that people want to read listen to or watch only happens when yoursquore engaged with the target audience Donrsquot expect good content to come together without ongoing external dialogue
bullBe contextually relevant Users arrive at your content from many dif ferent places They come from dif ferent referral websites They work in dif ferent industries Theyrsquore at dif ferent points in the purchasing cycle If a user is valuable to you make sure to have content that is contextually relevant on multiple levels
bullUse targeting to make content easier to digest Itrsquos unlikely that users are interested in every piece of content you produce Sorting it by topic and audience is a helpful way of making sure the right users get access to the right material Particularly when you have large volumes of content you can make it easier to digest by directing individual users to material thatrsquos really relevant to them
Page 7
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
Content Publishing and Distribution Five Must-Haves 1 Choose a Flexible Publishing PlatformUse a content management platform that gives you the most flexibility and control over how you publish and distribute content Your technology should support your publishing processes
bullEnsure your platform supports multiple levels of authorization Regulations and internal policies mean not everyone should be able to publish content edit live content or review archives and analytics reports Choose a platform that lets you tier user access and authorized functions
bullGet scheduling flexibility Sometimes you know when content needs to be published well in advance and sometimes multiple assets need to go live at the same time Automated and advanced scheduling features help you reduce work and the potential for human error
bullShare and share alike To support content reuse and content promotion choose a publishing platform that makes it easy to share and syndicate material across any website access platform or device This helps fill the content pipeline and drive content visibility
2 Reach a Global AudienceThe Internet is global which means your potential audience is too Consider how your content is consumed and what you need to do to make sure it is accessible and high-performance for audiences all over the world
bullSpeak the language Use a publishing platform that fully supports multilingual distribution You need tools for translation content association and search and sort functionality Keep in mind that translation applies not only to text but also to multimedia assets that may need subtitling
Page 8
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
bullThink like a local Language isnrsquot everything when it comes to reaching global audiences Content localization is a big challenge and one that has to be carefully integrated into your publishing workflow However you set up your business processes around localization make sure your publishing platform can support your workflow and the multiple domains you may need to manage in order to reach geographically diverse audiences
bullDonrsquot let distance impact performance Donrsquot undermine your efforts to develop content for global audiences by letting performance suffer in remote locations Support global content with global delivery using technologies that accelerate content no matter where users reside
3 Support Growth and PerformanceOne of the best things that can happen to your content is that more people want to consume it But whether that content is an article yoursquove posted or a video demo yoursquove published you canrsquot support audience growth if performance suffers as a result
bullPlan for peaks If yoursquore publishing content on a website pay attention to user traffic patterns and be prepared to handle sudden spikes even if they happen unexpectedly Nothing drives users away like poor site performance
bullScale for growth Therersquos a dif ference between sudden audience growth spikes and predictable growth over time Plan for the latter by putting in place a strategy for adding content storage as needed making sure search and sort tools are adequate as content libraries grow and supporting increased delivery requirements as user volumes ramp up
bullSupport dynamic content As content volumes grow you will likely need to target content more effectively and support increased user interaction As you implement web acceleration technologies be sure the services you choose support dynamic content so you can customize material for dif ferent audiences and make sure your interactive content is highly responsive
4 Optimize for MobileConsumer demand for connected devices means your content has to be accessible across mobile platforms Unfortunately the mobile ecosystem is growing increasingly complex and that has a big impact on how you handle content presentation and delivery
bullOptimize for mobile screens You can reach most mobile users by formatting online page layouts and multimedia content for the Apple iOS and Android platforms The best way to do this is to use a single content repository that feeds into custom templates for each platform
bullOptimize for mobile bandwidth Consumer expectations for online performance are increasing as Internet connections get faster and that applies to both the PC and the mobile experience Web acceleration services can improve mobile performance and also customize content delivery based on the speed of a userrsquos connection
Page 9
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
bullKnow the landscape of mobile platforms While Apple iOS and Android run the majority of consumer mobile devices there are still variations in operating system versions and device implementations as well as other platforms like Windows 7 and BlackBerry to consider If itrsquos important to target a wide range of platforms and devices look for a partner that can optimize content for the broader mobile ecosystem
5 Measure and RefineItrsquos not only content itself you need to refine and improve itrsquos also your content distribution methods And the only way to make improvements is to start by measuring the effectiveness of your current strategy
bullKeep track of where your content goes The wide availability of analytics programs means you should be able to keep track of how your content is consumed and shared Pay attention to how users interact with your content over time and how content changes impact user behavior
bullGet detailed about reporting Make sure the analytics reports you subscribe to provide the type of data that can help you make effective decisions about content and distribution changes Frequency and duration of content consumption are good measurements of user engagement as are interaction metrics such as how many times a piece of content is being shared
bullBe willing (and able) to change All the metrics in the world donrsquot amount to anything if you canrsquot act on what you find Stay nimble in the publishing processes you implement and with the publishing technologies you choose to deploy
How Limelight Networks can help you drive content marketing results
Limelight Networks offers cloud-based web content management and media delivery services designed for digital and content marketing professionals For more information on our solutions visit our Content Management and Media Delivery pages online or contact our sales team
copy 2011 Limelight Networks Inc All rights reserved Limelight Networks and the Limelight Networks logo are trademarks of Limelight Networks Inc Other products and company names may be trademarks of their respective companies All services are subject to change or discontinuance without notice November 2011
Page 3
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
Content Marketing Common Themes Proven Tactics and Helpful TipsContent marketing has been on the rise for several years but as the trend encounters more web-savvy consumers and new tools that make online publishing easier it is rapidly becoming a de facto part of nearly every strategic marketing plan In a recent survey of 24 major consumer brands by marketing automation firm idio 83 percent of respondents said they already use some form of content marketing A related 2010 study by Junta42 and MarketingProfs found the same was true of 90 percent of business-to-business marketers surveyed with 51 percent saying they planned a year-over-year increase in content marketing budgets
Common ThemesImplementations of content marketing vary widely but there are common themes worth noting
1 Storytelling Content can be used to inform entertain and build relationships with customers While consumer marketing may edge toward the entertainment side with B2B marketing moving toward thought leadership and education both types of outreach are geared at engaging audiences and encouraging interaction Major brands like Coca Cola and Cisco realize they are now in the storytelling business That may mean sharing and amplifying personal brand experiences online or providing industry insight through expert commentary In either case the goal is to create narratives that help audiences relate to a product or service persuading them to stay engaged and invest time in learning more
2 Aggregation Whatever type of content marketers provide aggregation is a common tool across multiple platforms Aggregation can do multiple things reinforce a message fill the content pipeline and introduce third-party insights By aggregating their own original content marketers are able to repurpose their own material and feed it through multiple delivery channels For example a compilation of blog posts and case study summaries makes a good e-newsletter Or a combination of Twitter feeds an embedded video channel and recent news announcements can round out a company microsite On the other side of the coin by aggregating third-party content marketers can support their own material with useful information and relevant context Examples include offering a news feed on a particular topic providing a selection of curated third-party articles and posts or leveraging user-generated content
3 Video Increasingly video is another common element in content marketing programs Part of the reason for this is that the marketing industry has started to reevaluate how it measures success online A video may get fewer hits than another type of content but those hits may generate more engagement from users And because of distribution platforms like iTunes and YouTube a video can also reach audiences outside a companyrsquos regular marketing channels Finally there is the search optimization aspect of video publishing According to Greg Jarboe CEO of SEO-PR and a speaker at the 2010 Search Engine Strategies Conference amp Expo a video is 50 times more likely to get a first-page Google ranking than a text page That Google ldquojuicerdquo draws more people into the marketing funnel and significantly increases the value of video content
Content Marketing VehiclesTodayrsquos marketers have a variety of vehicles to choose from when it comes to deploying content Perhaps most notably blogs have gained significant credibility and perceived value in a few short years Based on a 2011 Content Marketing Institute survey in which marketers were asked to pick their top five marketing tactics blogging ranked number one in relative popularity There are several likely reasons for this result Blogging gives a voice and nuance to organizations that might otherwise be viewed as lacking personality
ldquo Wersquore in the story businessrdquo
Coca-Colarsquos Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer
Joseph V Tripodi CES 2011
Page 4
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How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
Blogs also encourage conversation via commenting and can act as platforms for almost any other type of content from embedded multimedia to interactive polls to integrated social networking
Other content vehicles topping the Content Marketing Institutersquos list include e-newsletters white papers articles and e-books Interestingly all of these formats require long-form content which is frontier territory for many marketers Itrsquos not that the tactics are new but the high-volume demand for longer content is
The beauty of most content formats used for marketing is that they have parallels in other industries and increasingly marketers are replicating best practices from those other media forms Many blogs and other site-based platforms in particular are now emulating the digital magazine experience Headlines feature sections and media highlights are all common site components along with navigation tools that open up a greater number of opportunities for user exploration These elements are effective in attracting visitor interest and extending time on site
Challenges and SolutionsAs marketers become more like traditional online publishers there are new content strategy and distribution challenges to tackle From publishing workflows to cross-platform delivery marketers face numerous potential technical and content management dif ficulties Fortunately there are a number of solutions available The key to implementing the right solutions is identifying what the critical issues are ahead of time and learning how to prepare accordingly
bullDonrsquot underestimate the necessary investment Content marketing is labor intensive You need talented and passionate content creators a significant time commitment from those contributors and the budget to pay for development production and distribution
bullCreate a sustainable workflow Creating and maintaining a successful publishing workflow requires a combination of standard operating procedures and flexible technology Assign responsibilities create deadlines and choose a publishing platform that can be customized to fit your needs
bullIntegrate everything A content marketing program is most valuable when it can be leveraged across broader marketing and sales initiatives Make sure to distribute content across departments and consider integrating software tools like your customer relationship management system into your content marketing program
bullTarget content on multiple levels Content targeting is both an art and a science but the better you know your audience the better chance you have of providing contextually relevant material Track how dif ferent groups behave with your content and be willing to refine your program as necessary
bullAlways aim for high performance With a growing number of devices used to access the Internet itrsquos hard to deliver a consistent high-performance content experience Be aware of the need to optimize content for multiple platformsmdashsmartphones tablets PCs and moremdashand seek a partner for any technical aspects of delivery you canrsquot manage in-house
The Crux of the MatterContent marketing is an evolving discipline but itrsquos one that can deliver strong results To be successful stay in tune with which strategies and tactics are most likely to be most effective for your business be willing to invest resources in content development and be flexible enough to make changes as needed to improve your content marketing program and drive further value for your organization
Page 5
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How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
Content Development Five Keys to Success1 Understand the Content PipelineCreate a development strategy based on the type of content you need to produce Is it long-form or short Low-frequency or high Based on that evaluation decide what skill sets are necessary how to allocate budget and what production timelines are realistic
bullFind people with the right skill sets for your content needs and then nurture that talent Not everyone is suited to writing blog posts white papers and articles By the same token not everyone has a knack for creating video and other media assets for the web You may need to combine in-house resources with outsourced services and talent
bullDonrsquot try to fit content development into the margins of the day Itrsquos unlikely an employee with a full-time job can take on further content development responsibilities and produce good results Creating a blog post now and then may not sound dif ficult but it does require a time commitment and the ability to adjust to a dif ferent workflow
bullBe aware that content development isnrsquot free Donrsquot underestimate the labor costs involved or the importance of having the right toolsmdashlike a content management system or an online video platformmdashto create a successful product
2 Get Passionate People on Your TeamPassionate people produce results Your team should be passionate not only about marketing but also about your product or service and your industry as a whole
bullPut together a team that is interested and engaged in the content you need to produce Content production can be a grind The more frequently you need content produced the more of a risk there is that the process will become tedious and the results labored
bullUnderstand your business and your audience If you and your team are subject matter experts who are passionate about your industry you will be better equipped to understand what types of content your business can produce that your audience wants to consume
bullLet passion lead to exploration Passionate content creators are naturally inclined to explore Take advantage of this attribute to generate new content ideas and fresh marketing results
3 Create a Development WorkflowBe disciplined in your approach to content development A casual approach is possible when volume and frequency requirements are low However as those demands increase it becomes more important to establish a workflow and best practices to keep production on track
bullClearly communicate responsibilities Decide and articulate who is responsible for which tasks in content development how those tasks will be accomplished and what the final result of each task should look like
bullCreate realistic timelines Itrsquos tempting to be aggressive with deadlines but being too aggressive can lead to poor-quality results Assess whatrsquos appropriate for the type of content you need Consider what input is required what other projects may overlap and how long any approval process may take
Page 6
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
bullAssign an effective administrator Content creators arenrsquot necessarily good administrators If possible assign someone to manage operational logistics so that administrative details arenrsquot overlooked
4 Integrate with Other Marketing Systems Communicate regularly with teams heading up other sales and marketing initiatives Although people may operate in dif ferent departments itrsquos to everyonersquos advantage to share ideas and resources when possible
bullRepurpose content as often as possible Get creative about reusing content and make others aware of any material you develop For example a video demo can fill out a blog post act as a spotlight feature on your website home page supplement other materials at a trade show booth and be embedded in whole or in part in an email newsletter
bullUse integration to drive consistency If you are developing content to speak for your organization it should match the message and positioning of other sales and marketing materials If there is no communication between teams the message you deliver to external audiences will be muddled
bullMake the most of your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system Many organizations have CRM systems in place These are typically used to facilitate the sales process but they are most effective when integrated with marketing initiatives as well For content marketing purposes use a CRM system to track which content resonates with which audiences and to determine when and how to recommend further content as a way to extend the customer dialogue
5 Target Content AppropriatelyTargeting is important for any kind of communications outreach and itrsquos no less so for content marketing As is often the case targeting is part art and part science
bullDonrsquot create in a vacuum Content is only effective if people want to consume it Creating content that people want to read listen to or watch only happens when yoursquore engaged with the target audience Donrsquot expect good content to come together without ongoing external dialogue
bullBe contextually relevant Users arrive at your content from many dif ferent places They come from dif ferent referral websites They work in dif ferent industries Theyrsquore at dif ferent points in the purchasing cycle If a user is valuable to you make sure to have content that is contextually relevant on multiple levels
bullUse targeting to make content easier to digest Itrsquos unlikely that users are interested in every piece of content you produce Sorting it by topic and audience is a helpful way of making sure the right users get access to the right material Particularly when you have large volumes of content you can make it easier to digest by directing individual users to material thatrsquos really relevant to them
Page 7
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How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
Content Publishing and Distribution Five Must-Haves 1 Choose a Flexible Publishing PlatformUse a content management platform that gives you the most flexibility and control over how you publish and distribute content Your technology should support your publishing processes
bullEnsure your platform supports multiple levels of authorization Regulations and internal policies mean not everyone should be able to publish content edit live content or review archives and analytics reports Choose a platform that lets you tier user access and authorized functions
bullGet scheduling flexibility Sometimes you know when content needs to be published well in advance and sometimes multiple assets need to go live at the same time Automated and advanced scheduling features help you reduce work and the potential for human error
bullShare and share alike To support content reuse and content promotion choose a publishing platform that makes it easy to share and syndicate material across any website access platform or device This helps fill the content pipeline and drive content visibility
2 Reach a Global AudienceThe Internet is global which means your potential audience is too Consider how your content is consumed and what you need to do to make sure it is accessible and high-performance for audiences all over the world
bullSpeak the language Use a publishing platform that fully supports multilingual distribution You need tools for translation content association and search and sort functionality Keep in mind that translation applies not only to text but also to multimedia assets that may need subtitling
Page 8
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
bullThink like a local Language isnrsquot everything when it comes to reaching global audiences Content localization is a big challenge and one that has to be carefully integrated into your publishing workflow However you set up your business processes around localization make sure your publishing platform can support your workflow and the multiple domains you may need to manage in order to reach geographically diverse audiences
bullDonrsquot let distance impact performance Donrsquot undermine your efforts to develop content for global audiences by letting performance suffer in remote locations Support global content with global delivery using technologies that accelerate content no matter where users reside
3 Support Growth and PerformanceOne of the best things that can happen to your content is that more people want to consume it But whether that content is an article yoursquove posted or a video demo yoursquove published you canrsquot support audience growth if performance suffers as a result
bullPlan for peaks If yoursquore publishing content on a website pay attention to user traffic patterns and be prepared to handle sudden spikes even if they happen unexpectedly Nothing drives users away like poor site performance
bullScale for growth Therersquos a dif ference between sudden audience growth spikes and predictable growth over time Plan for the latter by putting in place a strategy for adding content storage as needed making sure search and sort tools are adequate as content libraries grow and supporting increased delivery requirements as user volumes ramp up
bullSupport dynamic content As content volumes grow you will likely need to target content more effectively and support increased user interaction As you implement web acceleration technologies be sure the services you choose support dynamic content so you can customize material for dif ferent audiences and make sure your interactive content is highly responsive
4 Optimize for MobileConsumer demand for connected devices means your content has to be accessible across mobile platforms Unfortunately the mobile ecosystem is growing increasingly complex and that has a big impact on how you handle content presentation and delivery
bullOptimize for mobile screens You can reach most mobile users by formatting online page layouts and multimedia content for the Apple iOS and Android platforms The best way to do this is to use a single content repository that feeds into custom templates for each platform
bullOptimize for mobile bandwidth Consumer expectations for online performance are increasing as Internet connections get faster and that applies to both the PC and the mobile experience Web acceleration services can improve mobile performance and also customize content delivery based on the speed of a userrsquos connection
Page 9
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How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
bullKnow the landscape of mobile platforms While Apple iOS and Android run the majority of consumer mobile devices there are still variations in operating system versions and device implementations as well as other platforms like Windows 7 and BlackBerry to consider If itrsquos important to target a wide range of platforms and devices look for a partner that can optimize content for the broader mobile ecosystem
5 Measure and RefineItrsquos not only content itself you need to refine and improve itrsquos also your content distribution methods And the only way to make improvements is to start by measuring the effectiveness of your current strategy
bullKeep track of where your content goes The wide availability of analytics programs means you should be able to keep track of how your content is consumed and shared Pay attention to how users interact with your content over time and how content changes impact user behavior
bullGet detailed about reporting Make sure the analytics reports you subscribe to provide the type of data that can help you make effective decisions about content and distribution changes Frequency and duration of content consumption are good measurements of user engagement as are interaction metrics such as how many times a piece of content is being shared
bullBe willing (and able) to change All the metrics in the world donrsquot amount to anything if you canrsquot act on what you find Stay nimble in the publishing processes you implement and with the publishing technologies you choose to deploy
How Limelight Networks can help you drive content marketing results
Limelight Networks offers cloud-based web content management and media delivery services designed for digital and content marketing professionals For more information on our solutions visit our Content Management and Media Delivery pages online or contact our sales team
copy 2011 Limelight Networks Inc All rights reserved Limelight Networks and the Limelight Networks logo are trademarks of Limelight Networks Inc Other products and company names may be trademarks of their respective companies All services are subject to change or discontinuance without notice November 2011
Page 4
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
Blogs also encourage conversation via commenting and can act as platforms for almost any other type of content from embedded multimedia to interactive polls to integrated social networking
Other content vehicles topping the Content Marketing Institutersquos list include e-newsletters white papers articles and e-books Interestingly all of these formats require long-form content which is frontier territory for many marketers Itrsquos not that the tactics are new but the high-volume demand for longer content is
The beauty of most content formats used for marketing is that they have parallels in other industries and increasingly marketers are replicating best practices from those other media forms Many blogs and other site-based platforms in particular are now emulating the digital magazine experience Headlines feature sections and media highlights are all common site components along with navigation tools that open up a greater number of opportunities for user exploration These elements are effective in attracting visitor interest and extending time on site
Challenges and SolutionsAs marketers become more like traditional online publishers there are new content strategy and distribution challenges to tackle From publishing workflows to cross-platform delivery marketers face numerous potential technical and content management dif ficulties Fortunately there are a number of solutions available The key to implementing the right solutions is identifying what the critical issues are ahead of time and learning how to prepare accordingly
bullDonrsquot underestimate the necessary investment Content marketing is labor intensive You need talented and passionate content creators a significant time commitment from those contributors and the budget to pay for development production and distribution
bullCreate a sustainable workflow Creating and maintaining a successful publishing workflow requires a combination of standard operating procedures and flexible technology Assign responsibilities create deadlines and choose a publishing platform that can be customized to fit your needs
bullIntegrate everything A content marketing program is most valuable when it can be leveraged across broader marketing and sales initiatives Make sure to distribute content across departments and consider integrating software tools like your customer relationship management system into your content marketing program
bullTarget content on multiple levels Content targeting is both an art and a science but the better you know your audience the better chance you have of providing contextually relevant material Track how dif ferent groups behave with your content and be willing to refine your program as necessary
bullAlways aim for high performance With a growing number of devices used to access the Internet itrsquos hard to deliver a consistent high-performance content experience Be aware of the need to optimize content for multiple platformsmdashsmartphones tablets PCs and moremdashand seek a partner for any technical aspects of delivery you canrsquot manage in-house
The Crux of the MatterContent marketing is an evolving discipline but itrsquos one that can deliver strong results To be successful stay in tune with which strategies and tactics are most likely to be most effective for your business be willing to invest resources in content development and be flexible enough to make changes as needed to improve your content marketing program and drive further value for your organization
Page 5
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
Content Development Five Keys to Success1 Understand the Content PipelineCreate a development strategy based on the type of content you need to produce Is it long-form or short Low-frequency or high Based on that evaluation decide what skill sets are necessary how to allocate budget and what production timelines are realistic
bullFind people with the right skill sets for your content needs and then nurture that talent Not everyone is suited to writing blog posts white papers and articles By the same token not everyone has a knack for creating video and other media assets for the web You may need to combine in-house resources with outsourced services and talent
bullDonrsquot try to fit content development into the margins of the day Itrsquos unlikely an employee with a full-time job can take on further content development responsibilities and produce good results Creating a blog post now and then may not sound dif ficult but it does require a time commitment and the ability to adjust to a dif ferent workflow
bullBe aware that content development isnrsquot free Donrsquot underestimate the labor costs involved or the importance of having the right toolsmdashlike a content management system or an online video platformmdashto create a successful product
2 Get Passionate People on Your TeamPassionate people produce results Your team should be passionate not only about marketing but also about your product or service and your industry as a whole
bullPut together a team that is interested and engaged in the content you need to produce Content production can be a grind The more frequently you need content produced the more of a risk there is that the process will become tedious and the results labored
bullUnderstand your business and your audience If you and your team are subject matter experts who are passionate about your industry you will be better equipped to understand what types of content your business can produce that your audience wants to consume
bullLet passion lead to exploration Passionate content creators are naturally inclined to explore Take advantage of this attribute to generate new content ideas and fresh marketing results
3 Create a Development WorkflowBe disciplined in your approach to content development A casual approach is possible when volume and frequency requirements are low However as those demands increase it becomes more important to establish a workflow and best practices to keep production on track
bullClearly communicate responsibilities Decide and articulate who is responsible for which tasks in content development how those tasks will be accomplished and what the final result of each task should look like
bullCreate realistic timelines Itrsquos tempting to be aggressive with deadlines but being too aggressive can lead to poor-quality results Assess whatrsquos appropriate for the type of content you need Consider what input is required what other projects may overlap and how long any approval process may take
Page 6
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
bullAssign an effective administrator Content creators arenrsquot necessarily good administrators If possible assign someone to manage operational logistics so that administrative details arenrsquot overlooked
4 Integrate with Other Marketing Systems Communicate regularly with teams heading up other sales and marketing initiatives Although people may operate in dif ferent departments itrsquos to everyonersquos advantage to share ideas and resources when possible
bullRepurpose content as often as possible Get creative about reusing content and make others aware of any material you develop For example a video demo can fill out a blog post act as a spotlight feature on your website home page supplement other materials at a trade show booth and be embedded in whole or in part in an email newsletter
bullUse integration to drive consistency If you are developing content to speak for your organization it should match the message and positioning of other sales and marketing materials If there is no communication between teams the message you deliver to external audiences will be muddled
bullMake the most of your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system Many organizations have CRM systems in place These are typically used to facilitate the sales process but they are most effective when integrated with marketing initiatives as well For content marketing purposes use a CRM system to track which content resonates with which audiences and to determine when and how to recommend further content as a way to extend the customer dialogue
5 Target Content AppropriatelyTargeting is important for any kind of communications outreach and itrsquos no less so for content marketing As is often the case targeting is part art and part science
bullDonrsquot create in a vacuum Content is only effective if people want to consume it Creating content that people want to read listen to or watch only happens when yoursquore engaged with the target audience Donrsquot expect good content to come together without ongoing external dialogue
bullBe contextually relevant Users arrive at your content from many dif ferent places They come from dif ferent referral websites They work in dif ferent industries Theyrsquore at dif ferent points in the purchasing cycle If a user is valuable to you make sure to have content that is contextually relevant on multiple levels
bullUse targeting to make content easier to digest Itrsquos unlikely that users are interested in every piece of content you produce Sorting it by topic and audience is a helpful way of making sure the right users get access to the right material Particularly when you have large volumes of content you can make it easier to digest by directing individual users to material thatrsquos really relevant to them
Page 7
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
Content Publishing and Distribution Five Must-Haves 1 Choose a Flexible Publishing PlatformUse a content management platform that gives you the most flexibility and control over how you publish and distribute content Your technology should support your publishing processes
bullEnsure your platform supports multiple levels of authorization Regulations and internal policies mean not everyone should be able to publish content edit live content or review archives and analytics reports Choose a platform that lets you tier user access and authorized functions
bullGet scheduling flexibility Sometimes you know when content needs to be published well in advance and sometimes multiple assets need to go live at the same time Automated and advanced scheduling features help you reduce work and the potential for human error
bullShare and share alike To support content reuse and content promotion choose a publishing platform that makes it easy to share and syndicate material across any website access platform or device This helps fill the content pipeline and drive content visibility
2 Reach a Global AudienceThe Internet is global which means your potential audience is too Consider how your content is consumed and what you need to do to make sure it is accessible and high-performance for audiences all over the world
bullSpeak the language Use a publishing platform that fully supports multilingual distribution You need tools for translation content association and search and sort functionality Keep in mind that translation applies not only to text but also to multimedia assets that may need subtitling
Page 8
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
bullThink like a local Language isnrsquot everything when it comes to reaching global audiences Content localization is a big challenge and one that has to be carefully integrated into your publishing workflow However you set up your business processes around localization make sure your publishing platform can support your workflow and the multiple domains you may need to manage in order to reach geographically diverse audiences
bullDonrsquot let distance impact performance Donrsquot undermine your efforts to develop content for global audiences by letting performance suffer in remote locations Support global content with global delivery using technologies that accelerate content no matter where users reside
3 Support Growth and PerformanceOne of the best things that can happen to your content is that more people want to consume it But whether that content is an article yoursquove posted or a video demo yoursquove published you canrsquot support audience growth if performance suffers as a result
bullPlan for peaks If yoursquore publishing content on a website pay attention to user traffic patterns and be prepared to handle sudden spikes even if they happen unexpectedly Nothing drives users away like poor site performance
bullScale for growth Therersquos a dif ference between sudden audience growth spikes and predictable growth over time Plan for the latter by putting in place a strategy for adding content storage as needed making sure search and sort tools are adequate as content libraries grow and supporting increased delivery requirements as user volumes ramp up
bullSupport dynamic content As content volumes grow you will likely need to target content more effectively and support increased user interaction As you implement web acceleration technologies be sure the services you choose support dynamic content so you can customize material for dif ferent audiences and make sure your interactive content is highly responsive
4 Optimize for MobileConsumer demand for connected devices means your content has to be accessible across mobile platforms Unfortunately the mobile ecosystem is growing increasingly complex and that has a big impact on how you handle content presentation and delivery
bullOptimize for mobile screens You can reach most mobile users by formatting online page layouts and multimedia content for the Apple iOS and Android platforms The best way to do this is to use a single content repository that feeds into custom templates for each platform
bullOptimize for mobile bandwidth Consumer expectations for online performance are increasing as Internet connections get faster and that applies to both the PC and the mobile experience Web acceleration services can improve mobile performance and also customize content delivery based on the speed of a userrsquos connection
Page 9
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
bullKnow the landscape of mobile platforms While Apple iOS and Android run the majority of consumer mobile devices there are still variations in operating system versions and device implementations as well as other platforms like Windows 7 and BlackBerry to consider If itrsquos important to target a wide range of platforms and devices look for a partner that can optimize content for the broader mobile ecosystem
5 Measure and RefineItrsquos not only content itself you need to refine and improve itrsquos also your content distribution methods And the only way to make improvements is to start by measuring the effectiveness of your current strategy
bullKeep track of where your content goes The wide availability of analytics programs means you should be able to keep track of how your content is consumed and shared Pay attention to how users interact with your content over time and how content changes impact user behavior
bullGet detailed about reporting Make sure the analytics reports you subscribe to provide the type of data that can help you make effective decisions about content and distribution changes Frequency and duration of content consumption are good measurements of user engagement as are interaction metrics such as how many times a piece of content is being shared
bullBe willing (and able) to change All the metrics in the world donrsquot amount to anything if you canrsquot act on what you find Stay nimble in the publishing processes you implement and with the publishing technologies you choose to deploy
How Limelight Networks can help you drive content marketing results
Limelight Networks offers cloud-based web content management and media delivery services designed for digital and content marketing professionals For more information on our solutions visit our Content Management and Media Delivery pages online or contact our sales team
copy 2011 Limelight Networks Inc All rights reserved Limelight Networks and the Limelight Networks logo are trademarks of Limelight Networks Inc Other products and company names may be trademarks of their respective companies All services are subject to change or discontinuance without notice November 2011
Page 5
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
Content Development Five Keys to Success1 Understand the Content PipelineCreate a development strategy based on the type of content you need to produce Is it long-form or short Low-frequency or high Based on that evaluation decide what skill sets are necessary how to allocate budget and what production timelines are realistic
bullFind people with the right skill sets for your content needs and then nurture that talent Not everyone is suited to writing blog posts white papers and articles By the same token not everyone has a knack for creating video and other media assets for the web You may need to combine in-house resources with outsourced services and talent
bullDonrsquot try to fit content development into the margins of the day Itrsquos unlikely an employee with a full-time job can take on further content development responsibilities and produce good results Creating a blog post now and then may not sound dif ficult but it does require a time commitment and the ability to adjust to a dif ferent workflow
bullBe aware that content development isnrsquot free Donrsquot underestimate the labor costs involved or the importance of having the right toolsmdashlike a content management system or an online video platformmdashto create a successful product
2 Get Passionate People on Your TeamPassionate people produce results Your team should be passionate not only about marketing but also about your product or service and your industry as a whole
bullPut together a team that is interested and engaged in the content you need to produce Content production can be a grind The more frequently you need content produced the more of a risk there is that the process will become tedious and the results labored
bullUnderstand your business and your audience If you and your team are subject matter experts who are passionate about your industry you will be better equipped to understand what types of content your business can produce that your audience wants to consume
bullLet passion lead to exploration Passionate content creators are naturally inclined to explore Take advantage of this attribute to generate new content ideas and fresh marketing results
3 Create a Development WorkflowBe disciplined in your approach to content development A casual approach is possible when volume and frequency requirements are low However as those demands increase it becomes more important to establish a workflow and best practices to keep production on track
bullClearly communicate responsibilities Decide and articulate who is responsible for which tasks in content development how those tasks will be accomplished and what the final result of each task should look like
bullCreate realistic timelines Itrsquos tempting to be aggressive with deadlines but being too aggressive can lead to poor-quality results Assess whatrsquos appropriate for the type of content you need Consider what input is required what other projects may overlap and how long any approval process may take
Page 6
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
bullAssign an effective administrator Content creators arenrsquot necessarily good administrators If possible assign someone to manage operational logistics so that administrative details arenrsquot overlooked
4 Integrate with Other Marketing Systems Communicate regularly with teams heading up other sales and marketing initiatives Although people may operate in dif ferent departments itrsquos to everyonersquos advantage to share ideas and resources when possible
bullRepurpose content as often as possible Get creative about reusing content and make others aware of any material you develop For example a video demo can fill out a blog post act as a spotlight feature on your website home page supplement other materials at a trade show booth and be embedded in whole or in part in an email newsletter
bullUse integration to drive consistency If you are developing content to speak for your organization it should match the message and positioning of other sales and marketing materials If there is no communication between teams the message you deliver to external audiences will be muddled
bullMake the most of your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system Many organizations have CRM systems in place These are typically used to facilitate the sales process but they are most effective when integrated with marketing initiatives as well For content marketing purposes use a CRM system to track which content resonates with which audiences and to determine when and how to recommend further content as a way to extend the customer dialogue
5 Target Content AppropriatelyTargeting is important for any kind of communications outreach and itrsquos no less so for content marketing As is often the case targeting is part art and part science
bullDonrsquot create in a vacuum Content is only effective if people want to consume it Creating content that people want to read listen to or watch only happens when yoursquore engaged with the target audience Donrsquot expect good content to come together without ongoing external dialogue
bullBe contextually relevant Users arrive at your content from many dif ferent places They come from dif ferent referral websites They work in dif ferent industries Theyrsquore at dif ferent points in the purchasing cycle If a user is valuable to you make sure to have content that is contextually relevant on multiple levels
bullUse targeting to make content easier to digest Itrsquos unlikely that users are interested in every piece of content you produce Sorting it by topic and audience is a helpful way of making sure the right users get access to the right material Particularly when you have large volumes of content you can make it easier to digest by directing individual users to material thatrsquos really relevant to them
Page 7
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
Content Publishing and Distribution Five Must-Haves 1 Choose a Flexible Publishing PlatformUse a content management platform that gives you the most flexibility and control over how you publish and distribute content Your technology should support your publishing processes
bullEnsure your platform supports multiple levels of authorization Regulations and internal policies mean not everyone should be able to publish content edit live content or review archives and analytics reports Choose a platform that lets you tier user access and authorized functions
bullGet scheduling flexibility Sometimes you know when content needs to be published well in advance and sometimes multiple assets need to go live at the same time Automated and advanced scheduling features help you reduce work and the potential for human error
bullShare and share alike To support content reuse and content promotion choose a publishing platform that makes it easy to share and syndicate material across any website access platform or device This helps fill the content pipeline and drive content visibility
2 Reach a Global AudienceThe Internet is global which means your potential audience is too Consider how your content is consumed and what you need to do to make sure it is accessible and high-performance for audiences all over the world
bullSpeak the language Use a publishing platform that fully supports multilingual distribution You need tools for translation content association and search and sort functionality Keep in mind that translation applies not only to text but also to multimedia assets that may need subtitling
Page 8
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
bullThink like a local Language isnrsquot everything when it comes to reaching global audiences Content localization is a big challenge and one that has to be carefully integrated into your publishing workflow However you set up your business processes around localization make sure your publishing platform can support your workflow and the multiple domains you may need to manage in order to reach geographically diverse audiences
bullDonrsquot let distance impact performance Donrsquot undermine your efforts to develop content for global audiences by letting performance suffer in remote locations Support global content with global delivery using technologies that accelerate content no matter where users reside
3 Support Growth and PerformanceOne of the best things that can happen to your content is that more people want to consume it But whether that content is an article yoursquove posted or a video demo yoursquove published you canrsquot support audience growth if performance suffers as a result
bullPlan for peaks If yoursquore publishing content on a website pay attention to user traffic patterns and be prepared to handle sudden spikes even if they happen unexpectedly Nothing drives users away like poor site performance
bullScale for growth Therersquos a dif ference between sudden audience growth spikes and predictable growth over time Plan for the latter by putting in place a strategy for adding content storage as needed making sure search and sort tools are adequate as content libraries grow and supporting increased delivery requirements as user volumes ramp up
bullSupport dynamic content As content volumes grow you will likely need to target content more effectively and support increased user interaction As you implement web acceleration technologies be sure the services you choose support dynamic content so you can customize material for dif ferent audiences and make sure your interactive content is highly responsive
4 Optimize for MobileConsumer demand for connected devices means your content has to be accessible across mobile platforms Unfortunately the mobile ecosystem is growing increasingly complex and that has a big impact on how you handle content presentation and delivery
bullOptimize for mobile screens You can reach most mobile users by formatting online page layouts and multimedia content for the Apple iOS and Android platforms The best way to do this is to use a single content repository that feeds into custom templates for each platform
bullOptimize for mobile bandwidth Consumer expectations for online performance are increasing as Internet connections get faster and that applies to both the PC and the mobile experience Web acceleration services can improve mobile performance and also customize content delivery based on the speed of a userrsquos connection
Page 9
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
bullKnow the landscape of mobile platforms While Apple iOS and Android run the majority of consumer mobile devices there are still variations in operating system versions and device implementations as well as other platforms like Windows 7 and BlackBerry to consider If itrsquos important to target a wide range of platforms and devices look for a partner that can optimize content for the broader mobile ecosystem
5 Measure and RefineItrsquos not only content itself you need to refine and improve itrsquos also your content distribution methods And the only way to make improvements is to start by measuring the effectiveness of your current strategy
bullKeep track of where your content goes The wide availability of analytics programs means you should be able to keep track of how your content is consumed and shared Pay attention to how users interact with your content over time and how content changes impact user behavior
bullGet detailed about reporting Make sure the analytics reports you subscribe to provide the type of data that can help you make effective decisions about content and distribution changes Frequency and duration of content consumption are good measurements of user engagement as are interaction metrics such as how many times a piece of content is being shared
bullBe willing (and able) to change All the metrics in the world donrsquot amount to anything if you canrsquot act on what you find Stay nimble in the publishing processes you implement and with the publishing technologies you choose to deploy
How Limelight Networks can help you drive content marketing results
Limelight Networks offers cloud-based web content management and media delivery services designed for digital and content marketing professionals For more information on our solutions visit our Content Management and Media Delivery pages online or contact our sales team
copy 2011 Limelight Networks Inc All rights reserved Limelight Networks and the Limelight Networks logo are trademarks of Limelight Networks Inc Other products and company names may be trademarks of their respective companies All services are subject to change or discontinuance without notice November 2011
Page 6
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
bullAssign an effective administrator Content creators arenrsquot necessarily good administrators If possible assign someone to manage operational logistics so that administrative details arenrsquot overlooked
4 Integrate with Other Marketing Systems Communicate regularly with teams heading up other sales and marketing initiatives Although people may operate in dif ferent departments itrsquos to everyonersquos advantage to share ideas and resources when possible
bullRepurpose content as often as possible Get creative about reusing content and make others aware of any material you develop For example a video demo can fill out a blog post act as a spotlight feature on your website home page supplement other materials at a trade show booth and be embedded in whole or in part in an email newsletter
bullUse integration to drive consistency If you are developing content to speak for your organization it should match the message and positioning of other sales and marketing materials If there is no communication between teams the message you deliver to external audiences will be muddled
bullMake the most of your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system Many organizations have CRM systems in place These are typically used to facilitate the sales process but they are most effective when integrated with marketing initiatives as well For content marketing purposes use a CRM system to track which content resonates with which audiences and to determine when and how to recommend further content as a way to extend the customer dialogue
5 Target Content AppropriatelyTargeting is important for any kind of communications outreach and itrsquos no less so for content marketing As is often the case targeting is part art and part science
bullDonrsquot create in a vacuum Content is only effective if people want to consume it Creating content that people want to read listen to or watch only happens when yoursquore engaged with the target audience Donrsquot expect good content to come together without ongoing external dialogue
bullBe contextually relevant Users arrive at your content from many dif ferent places They come from dif ferent referral websites They work in dif ferent industries Theyrsquore at dif ferent points in the purchasing cycle If a user is valuable to you make sure to have content that is contextually relevant on multiple levels
bullUse targeting to make content easier to digest Itrsquos unlikely that users are interested in every piece of content you produce Sorting it by topic and audience is a helpful way of making sure the right users get access to the right material Particularly when you have large volumes of content you can make it easier to digest by directing individual users to material thatrsquos really relevant to them
Page 7
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
Content Publishing and Distribution Five Must-Haves 1 Choose a Flexible Publishing PlatformUse a content management platform that gives you the most flexibility and control over how you publish and distribute content Your technology should support your publishing processes
bullEnsure your platform supports multiple levels of authorization Regulations and internal policies mean not everyone should be able to publish content edit live content or review archives and analytics reports Choose a platform that lets you tier user access and authorized functions
bullGet scheduling flexibility Sometimes you know when content needs to be published well in advance and sometimes multiple assets need to go live at the same time Automated and advanced scheduling features help you reduce work and the potential for human error
bullShare and share alike To support content reuse and content promotion choose a publishing platform that makes it easy to share and syndicate material across any website access platform or device This helps fill the content pipeline and drive content visibility
2 Reach a Global AudienceThe Internet is global which means your potential audience is too Consider how your content is consumed and what you need to do to make sure it is accessible and high-performance for audiences all over the world
bullSpeak the language Use a publishing platform that fully supports multilingual distribution You need tools for translation content association and search and sort functionality Keep in mind that translation applies not only to text but also to multimedia assets that may need subtitling
Page 8
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
bullThink like a local Language isnrsquot everything when it comes to reaching global audiences Content localization is a big challenge and one that has to be carefully integrated into your publishing workflow However you set up your business processes around localization make sure your publishing platform can support your workflow and the multiple domains you may need to manage in order to reach geographically diverse audiences
bullDonrsquot let distance impact performance Donrsquot undermine your efforts to develop content for global audiences by letting performance suffer in remote locations Support global content with global delivery using technologies that accelerate content no matter where users reside
3 Support Growth and PerformanceOne of the best things that can happen to your content is that more people want to consume it But whether that content is an article yoursquove posted or a video demo yoursquove published you canrsquot support audience growth if performance suffers as a result
bullPlan for peaks If yoursquore publishing content on a website pay attention to user traffic patterns and be prepared to handle sudden spikes even if they happen unexpectedly Nothing drives users away like poor site performance
bullScale for growth Therersquos a dif ference between sudden audience growth spikes and predictable growth over time Plan for the latter by putting in place a strategy for adding content storage as needed making sure search and sort tools are adequate as content libraries grow and supporting increased delivery requirements as user volumes ramp up
bullSupport dynamic content As content volumes grow you will likely need to target content more effectively and support increased user interaction As you implement web acceleration technologies be sure the services you choose support dynamic content so you can customize material for dif ferent audiences and make sure your interactive content is highly responsive
4 Optimize for MobileConsumer demand for connected devices means your content has to be accessible across mobile platforms Unfortunately the mobile ecosystem is growing increasingly complex and that has a big impact on how you handle content presentation and delivery
bullOptimize for mobile screens You can reach most mobile users by formatting online page layouts and multimedia content for the Apple iOS and Android platforms The best way to do this is to use a single content repository that feeds into custom templates for each platform
bullOptimize for mobile bandwidth Consumer expectations for online performance are increasing as Internet connections get faster and that applies to both the PC and the mobile experience Web acceleration services can improve mobile performance and also customize content delivery based on the speed of a userrsquos connection
Page 9
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
bullKnow the landscape of mobile platforms While Apple iOS and Android run the majority of consumer mobile devices there are still variations in operating system versions and device implementations as well as other platforms like Windows 7 and BlackBerry to consider If itrsquos important to target a wide range of platforms and devices look for a partner that can optimize content for the broader mobile ecosystem
5 Measure and RefineItrsquos not only content itself you need to refine and improve itrsquos also your content distribution methods And the only way to make improvements is to start by measuring the effectiveness of your current strategy
bullKeep track of where your content goes The wide availability of analytics programs means you should be able to keep track of how your content is consumed and shared Pay attention to how users interact with your content over time and how content changes impact user behavior
bullGet detailed about reporting Make sure the analytics reports you subscribe to provide the type of data that can help you make effective decisions about content and distribution changes Frequency and duration of content consumption are good measurements of user engagement as are interaction metrics such as how many times a piece of content is being shared
bullBe willing (and able) to change All the metrics in the world donrsquot amount to anything if you canrsquot act on what you find Stay nimble in the publishing processes you implement and with the publishing technologies you choose to deploy
How Limelight Networks can help you drive content marketing results
Limelight Networks offers cloud-based web content management and media delivery services designed for digital and content marketing professionals For more information on our solutions visit our Content Management and Media Delivery pages online or contact our sales team
copy 2011 Limelight Networks Inc All rights reserved Limelight Networks and the Limelight Networks logo are trademarks of Limelight Networks Inc Other products and company names may be trademarks of their respective companies All services are subject to change or discontinuance without notice November 2011
Page 7
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
Content Publishing and Distribution Five Must-Haves 1 Choose a Flexible Publishing PlatformUse a content management platform that gives you the most flexibility and control over how you publish and distribute content Your technology should support your publishing processes
bullEnsure your platform supports multiple levels of authorization Regulations and internal policies mean not everyone should be able to publish content edit live content or review archives and analytics reports Choose a platform that lets you tier user access and authorized functions
bullGet scheduling flexibility Sometimes you know when content needs to be published well in advance and sometimes multiple assets need to go live at the same time Automated and advanced scheduling features help you reduce work and the potential for human error
bullShare and share alike To support content reuse and content promotion choose a publishing platform that makes it easy to share and syndicate material across any website access platform or device This helps fill the content pipeline and drive content visibility
2 Reach a Global AudienceThe Internet is global which means your potential audience is too Consider how your content is consumed and what you need to do to make sure it is accessible and high-performance for audiences all over the world
bullSpeak the language Use a publishing platform that fully supports multilingual distribution You need tools for translation content association and search and sort functionality Keep in mind that translation applies not only to text but also to multimedia assets that may need subtitling
Page 8
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
bullThink like a local Language isnrsquot everything when it comes to reaching global audiences Content localization is a big challenge and one that has to be carefully integrated into your publishing workflow However you set up your business processes around localization make sure your publishing platform can support your workflow and the multiple domains you may need to manage in order to reach geographically diverse audiences
bullDonrsquot let distance impact performance Donrsquot undermine your efforts to develop content for global audiences by letting performance suffer in remote locations Support global content with global delivery using technologies that accelerate content no matter where users reside
3 Support Growth and PerformanceOne of the best things that can happen to your content is that more people want to consume it But whether that content is an article yoursquove posted or a video demo yoursquove published you canrsquot support audience growth if performance suffers as a result
bullPlan for peaks If yoursquore publishing content on a website pay attention to user traffic patterns and be prepared to handle sudden spikes even if they happen unexpectedly Nothing drives users away like poor site performance
bullScale for growth Therersquos a dif ference between sudden audience growth spikes and predictable growth over time Plan for the latter by putting in place a strategy for adding content storage as needed making sure search and sort tools are adequate as content libraries grow and supporting increased delivery requirements as user volumes ramp up
bullSupport dynamic content As content volumes grow you will likely need to target content more effectively and support increased user interaction As you implement web acceleration technologies be sure the services you choose support dynamic content so you can customize material for dif ferent audiences and make sure your interactive content is highly responsive
4 Optimize for MobileConsumer demand for connected devices means your content has to be accessible across mobile platforms Unfortunately the mobile ecosystem is growing increasingly complex and that has a big impact on how you handle content presentation and delivery
bullOptimize for mobile screens You can reach most mobile users by formatting online page layouts and multimedia content for the Apple iOS and Android platforms The best way to do this is to use a single content repository that feeds into custom templates for each platform
bullOptimize for mobile bandwidth Consumer expectations for online performance are increasing as Internet connections get faster and that applies to both the PC and the mobile experience Web acceleration services can improve mobile performance and also customize content delivery based on the speed of a userrsquos connection
Page 9
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
bullKnow the landscape of mobile platforms While Apple iOS and Android run the majority of consumer mobile devices there are still variations in operating system versions and device implementations as well as other platforms like Windows 7 and BlackBerry to consider If itrsquos important to target a wide range of platforms and devices look for a partner that can optimize content for the broader mobile ecosystem
5 Measure and RefineItrsquos not only content itself you need to refine and improve itrsquos also your content distribution methods And the only way to make improvements is to start by measuring the effectiveness of your current strategy
bullKeep track of where your content goes The wide availability of analytics programs means you should be able to keep track of how your content is consumed and shared Pay attention to how users interact with your content over time and how content changes impact user behavior
bullGet detailed about reporting Make sure the analytics reports you subscribe to provide the type of data that can help you make effective decisions about content and distribution changes Frequency and duration of content consumption are good measurements of user engagement as are interaction metrics such as how many times a piece of content is being shared
bullBe willing (and able) to change All the metrics in the world donrsquot amount to anything if you canrsquot act on what you find Stay nimble in the publishing processes you implement and with the publishing technologies you choose to deploy
How Limelight Networks can help you drive content marketing results
Limelight Networks offers cloud-based web content management and media delivery services designed for digital and content marketing professionals For more information on our solutions visit our Content Management and Media Delivery pages online or contact our sales team
copy 2011 Limelight Networks Inc All rights reserved Limelight Networks and the Limelight Networks logo are trademarks of Limelight Networks Inc Other products and company names may be trademarks of their respective companies All services are subject to change or discontinuance without notice November 2011
Page 8
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
bullThink like a local Language isnrsquot everything when it comes to reaching global audiences Content localization is a big challenge and one that has to be carefully integrated into your publishing workflow However you set up your business processes around localization make sure your publishing platform can support your workflow and the multiple domains you may need to manage in order to reach geographically diverse audiences
bullDonrsquot let distance impact performance Donrsquot undermine your efforts to develop content for global audiences by letting performance suffer in remote locations Support global content with global delivery using technologies that accelerate content no matter where users reside
3 Support Growth and PerformanceOne of the best things that can happen to your content is that more people want to consume it But whether that content is an article yoursquove posted or a video demo yoursquove published you canrsquot support audience growth if performance suffers as a result
bullPlan for peaks If yoursquore publishing content on a website pay attention to user traffic patterns and be prepared to handle sudden spikes even if they happen unexpectedly Nothing drives users away like poor site performance
bullScale for growth Therersquos a dif ference between sudden audience growth spikes and predictable growth over time Plan for the latter by putting in place a strategy for adding content storage as needed making sure search and sort tools are adequate as content libraries grow and supporting increased delivery requirements as user volumes ramp up
bullSupport dynamic content As content volumes grow you will likely need to target content more effectively and support increased user interaction As you implement web acceleration technologies be sure the services you choose support dynamic content so you can customize material for dif ferent audiences and make sure your interactive content is highly responsive
4 Optimize for MobileConsumer demand for connected devices means your content has to be accessible across mobile platforms Unfortunately the mobile ecosystem is growing increasingly complex and that has a big impact on how you handle content presentation and delivery
bullOptimize for mobile screens You can reach most mobile users by formatting online page layouts and multimedia content for the Apple iOS and Android platforms The best way to do this is to use a single content repository that feeds into custom templates for each platform
bullOptimize for mobile bandwidth Consumer expectations for online performance are increasing as Internet connections get faster and that applies to both the PC and the mobile experience Web acceleration services can improve mobile performance and also customize content delivery based on the speed of a userrsquos connection
Page 9
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
bullKnow the landscape of mobile platforms While Apple iOS and Android run the majority of consumer mobile devices there are still variations in operating system versions and device implementations as well as other platforms like Windows 7 and BlackBerry to consider If itrsquos important to target a wide range of platforms and devices look for a partner that can optimize content for the broader mobile ecosystem
5 Measure and RefineItrsquos not only content itself you need to refine and improve itrsquos also your content distribution methods And the only way to make improvements is to start by measuring the effectiveness of your current strategy
bullKeep track of where your content goes The wide availability of analytics programs means you should be able to keep track of how your content is consumed and shared Pay attention to how users interact with your content over time and how content changes impact user behavior
bullGet detailed about reporting Make sure the analytics reports you subscribe to provide the type of data that can help you make effective decisions about content and distribution changes Frequency and duration of content consumption are good measurements of user engagement as are interaction metrics such as how many times a piece of content is being shared
bullBe willing (and able) to change All the metrics in the world donrsquot amount to anything if you canrsquot act on what you find Stay nimble in the publishing processes you implement and with the publishing technologies you choose to deploy
How Limelight Networks can help you drive content marketing results
Limelight Networks offers cloud-based web content management and media delivery services designed for digital and content marketing professionals For more information on our solutions visit our Content Management and Media Delivery pages online or contact our sales team
copy 2011 Limelight Networks Inc All rights reserved Limelight Networks and the Limelight Networks logo are trademarks of Limelight Networks Inc Other products and company names may be trademarks of their respective companies All services are subject to change or discontinuance without notice November 2011
Page 9
wwwlimelightcom
How to Master the Art of Content Marketing Share this report
bullKnow the landscape of mobile platforms While Apple iOS and Android run the majority of consumer mobile devices there are still variations in operating system versions and device implementations as well as other platforms like Windows 7 and BlackBerry to consider If itrsquos important to target a wide range of platforms and devices look for a partner that can optimize content for the broader mobile ecosystem
5 Measure and RefineItrsquos not only content itself you need to refine and improve itrsquos also your content distribution methods And the only way to make improvements is to start by measuring the effectiveness of your current strategy
bullKeep track of where your content goes The wide availability of analytics programs means you should be able to keep track of how your content is consumed and shared Pay attention to how users interact with your content over time and how content changes impact user behavior
bullGet detailed about reporting Make sure the analytics reports you subscribe to provide the type of data that can help you make effective decisions about content and distribution changes Frequency and duration of content consumption are good measurements of user engagement as are interaction metrics such as how many times a piece of content is being shared
bullBe willing (and able) to change All the metrics in the world donrsquot amount to anything if you canrsquot act on what you find Stay nimble in the publishing processes you implement and with the publishing technologies you choose to deploy
How Limelight Networks can help you drive content marketing results
Limelight Networks offers cloud-based web content management and media delivery services designed for digital and content marketing professionals For more information on our solutions visit our Content Management and Media Delivery pages online or contact our sales team
copy 2011 Limelight Networks Inc All rights reserved Limelight Networks and the Limelight Networks logo are trademarks of Limelight Networks Inc Other products and company names may be trademarks of their respective companies All services are subject to change or discontinuance without notice November 2011