Content practitioners create a spectrum of creative content. Some, like thought leadership e-books, entertaining videos, or customer stories, are seemingly filled with storytelling opportunities.

Then, there are the more process-oriented pieces – standards, guidelines, how-to instructions, and other initiatives that relay valuable information. Though necessary, these “constructed” pieces are rarely considered a place to stretch the creative legs.Continue Reading

CMI first described the Chief Content Officer (CCO) job more than a decade ago.

In those days, companies needed senior leaders to spearhead the integration of “content marketing activities” into more traditional marketing campaigns.

Today, content leadership must expand beyond marketing (even content marketing) to encompass an all-communication strategy.

That means today’s chief content officer (regardless of whether that’s the title the person holds) guides the content that makes up every experience a customer, audience member, or prospect has with a brand.

What does that look like in practice? I’ll explain and provide a chief content officer job description you can copy.Continue Reading

Historically, many businesses started their content marketing programs because they believed it would help them rank higher for organic search results. When their target audiences would search for potential solutions to their needs and wants, they would find the brand’s vast array of content and believe that brand is the one that provides the most value.Continue Reading

A poor storyteller can kill a great story.

Think of all those great novels that turn into awful movies. Or, that amazing presentation you put together for the CEO who butchered it.

I recently watched a CEO on stage throw his staff under the bus because he didn’t understand the presentation. He started skipping slides and making stuff up. I felt all the feels for the poor team that put in so much work – only to watch it get botched.Continue Reading

You know that feeling when you’re watching a movie, and a character suddenly starts explaining things in so much detail you find yourself pulled entirely out of the story?

You experienced an “info dump.” And I bet you didn’t like it.

The most familiar movie info dumps usually involve the villain explaining their entire plan to the story’s hero, laying it out in (sometimes) excruciating detail that delays the action.Continue Reading

Is every company now a media company?

Though the answer has yet to be written definitively, I know how most content marketers would respond.

Every successful company’s marketing strategy includes a functioning media management operation.

Put simply, today, you may not be a media company, but you definitely are starting to operate like one.Continue Reading

Do marketers dream of magical tools? (I couldn’t resist that Blade Runner reference).

As we enter the fourth quarter (for many), it’s time for planning. Budgets are due. Plans are being formed. Leftover money must be spent before the year’s end.Continue Reading

Do you know your own strength? What about your weaknesses?

One business management and leadership theory suggests that people and teams will achieve more success by building on their strengths than by trying to fix their weaknesses.

The theory doesn’t mean you should ignore weaknesses. Instead, it suggests you should invest deeply in talents and strengths and minimize the effects of any weaknesses. (You can read more about it in the book Strengths Based Leadership, based on the Gallup organization’s 30-year research project.

I’m all in on this idea. I’ve seen this idea work for content teams that achieve success over the long term. But the choice isn’t always clear.Continue Reading