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The Weekly Wrap: Data Makes Content Marketing Better

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And that’s a wrap of the week ending Aug. 16, 2019

This week I’m thinking about the danger of forgetting that “buy-in” doesn’t necessarily mean “all in.” I offer a fresh take on a news piece asking why so many content marketers overlook one obvious (and effective) tactic. I talk with Salesforce’s Heike Young about finding no-cost ways to use data in content – and why sales enablement strategy trumps TikTok strategy every time. I point to an article that will help you spice up your content strategy. And all that conversation gets done in 30 minutes.

In #WeeklyWrap podcast, @Robert_Rose says buy-in doesn’t necessarily mean all in. Click To Tweet

Listen to the Weekly Wrap

A couple podcast episodes ago, I changed up the format and length. Let’s wrap it up:

  • One deep thought (2:00): Can I or may I? Just like that poor kid in the movie Avalon, many of us ask one when we mean the other. Think about getting buy-in for a new project: Are you asking permission, or simply stating what you plan to do (unless someone steps in to stop you)? Either way, don’t settle for a simple yes/no or stop/go. I explain a handy scale for pinpointing the level of executive support for your idea – and how it could save you from moving on a lukewarm yes that quickly evaporates in the first hint of budget heat.

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: Looking for Content Strategy Buy-In? Don’t Rely on the Same Old Arguments

  • A fresh take on the news (8:15): In an article in Diginomica, my friend Barb Mosher Zinck asks why more marketers aren’t using original research in their content marketing. The article talks about a report from a BuzzSumo and Mantis Research study that found that only about half of content marketers surveyed had created and published original research in the past year. The article goes on to list all the ways original research can help a content program (there are many). My take: Don’t forget qualitative research. Talking with customers to spot trends can help you (and the business at large) in many more ways.
About 50% of marketers surveyed created & published #originalresearch in the past year. @buzzsumo @mantisresearch Click To Tweet

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: 7 Things Successful Marketers Do With Original Research

  • This week’s person making a difference in content (11:48): I’ve known and worked with Heike Young for years, and she never fails to impress. Right now, Heike leads content strategy for retail and consumer goods insights at Salesforce (which is a client of mine). But she’s worked on nearly every kind of content imaginable during her Salesforce career. Her work has been featured in Forbes, Adweek, The Wall Street Journal, and Business Insider, and she’s a finalist for 2019 B2B Content Marketer of the Year (winner announced in September at Content Marketing World).

Heike’s a big proponent of original research, and she takes it way beyond the standard survey approach. She and I talk about how data beats opinions (at least in some circles) and some surprising (and surprisingly low-cost) data sources that can help you uncover insights that will break through the content noise.

#WeeklyWrap convo: @Robert_Rose & @YoungHeike talk how data beats opinions & low-cost data sources. Read more Click To Tweet

We also talk about the incredible power of employee engagement with content ­– and the enablement tricks she’s learned to make content easy for co-workers to find and share. Don’t miss this great chat, then get to know Heike better by:

  1. Reading this article about her work at Salesforce
  2. Following @YoungHeike on Twitter
  3. Checking out her articles on the Salesforce blog

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT:

  • One content marketing idea you can use (30:45): I’d love for you to check out a CMI article by Carmen Hill called How to Make Your Bland Content Strategy Delicious. Carmen suggests, “Data-led content makes for much better stories, especially if you can personalize the message and delivery… Fortunately, you don’t have to be a data scientist, but it does require both art and science to connect the insights in your data to content and conversation.” A great article worth reading (and strategy tips worth doing).
Data-led #content makes for better stories, especially if you can personalize the message & delivery. @carmenhill Click To Tweet

Love for this week’s sponsor: Content Marketing World

The largest content marketing event in the world will return to Cleveland Sept. 3-6, with closing headliner Mindy Kaling. If you want to learn from and rub elbows with the best of the best in the content marketing industry, this event is for you. Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or a content marketing newbie, you’ll find your “tribe” at #CMWorld. Register today and use code ROSE100 to save an extra $100 off your registration.

The wrap-up

Tune in next week for another deep thought, a fresh take on the news, an interview with one brilliant person making a difference in content, and a great content marketing idea you can use. And it’s all delivered in a little less time than it takes the Kardashians to pick a fight with someone.

If you like this weekly play on words, we’d sure love for you to review it and share it. Hashtag us up on Twitter: #WeeklyWrap.

It’s your story. Tell it well.

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Cover image by Joseph Kalinowski/Content Marketing Institute

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Robert Rose

Robert Rose

Robert is the founder and chief strategy officer of The Content Advisory - the consulting and advisory group of The Content Marketing Institute. As a coach and strategist, Robert has worked with marketers at more than 500 companies including global brands such as adidas, Roche, Salesforce, NASA, and Hilton. Robert is the author of four books. His latest, Content Marketing Strategy, was published by Kogan Page in September 2023, and was called “a rich and much-needed understanding of content marketing" by Professor Philip Kotler. Robert is also an early-stage investor and advisor to a number of technology startups, serving on the advisory boards of a number of companies, such as DivvyHQ, and BrandLens.You can follow him on Twitter @Robert_Rose.