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Survey: A quarter of U.S. companies have yet to go mobile 0

Companies still have a way to go when it comes to embracing mobile technology, according to a new survey.

Just over a quarter of U.S. companies – 28 percent – do not have a mobile technology strategy, according to a Robert Half Technology survey.

The survey is based on 2,300 telephone interviews with chief information officers from a random sampling of U.S. companies.

In the same survey, 70 percent of the firms have some type of mobile strategy, with the majority – 56 percent – saying they use a blend of apps  and mobile-friendly websites.

The survey also says:

  • The health care industry lags behind when it comes to leveraging the use of mobile devices for customer and patient engagement. According to the survey, 36 percent of respondents from health care companies say their organization has no mobile strategy. More than 60 percent of those polled from business services and retail say their companies embrace mobile technology for customer engagement.
  • Many of the companies with a mobile strategy are not emphasizing the use of apps to connect with customers and clients. Of the CIOs surveyed, 58 percent said their company has not developed a mobile app for customers and clients and has no plans to offer one in the next 12 months. Another 22 percent say their business plans to create a native app for customers in the next 12 months.

Content marketing trending by the numbers 0

Here’s where the state of content marketing is in 2014:

Companies are taking the initiative to create their own content, with 93 percent doing it in house. But, 17 percent of marketers don’t blog at all.

Other people’s content is shared on social media by 56 percent of companies. But, 16 percent of companies have a policy not to share third-party content.

Only 37 percent of companies are tracking engagement like time users spend on content.

That’s just a few of the revelations in “The State of Content Marketing 2014,” an infographic produced recently by Oracle Eloqua and Lookbook HQ. It illustrates trends in blogging, production, sharing and measurement strategies, and is worth a look.

stateofcontent_art

 

Converting scanners into readers 0

Users of mobile devices don’t spend a lot of time digesting lengthy Web content. One research study found that only 16 percent of people read what they see on a website word for word. Everyone else mostly scans the page for the information most relevant to them.

placeit(13)But give the user good information of interest, and even scanners can be convinced to become readers.

That means giving the user what they want in written digital content: compelling headlines, factually rich material, and strong organization of the content.

Your brand is the message that is being presented in the content. It can be sharply written, but should follow Web content basics. Get to the point high in the text. Focus on concise paragraphs. Use carefully worded headings to draw and maintain the reader’s interest. And even though it’s marketing content, resist the self-promotional urge.

Try these steps to convert the page scanners into readers of your written content.

Twitter tips to use for your business 0

British comedian David Schneider has some advice for using Twitter effectively for business.

Schneider, who counts more than 170,000 Twitter followers, did this segment for the Guardian of London as part of its Guardian Masterclasses series. In summary, Schneider encourages those looking to get the most out of Twitter, like those embracing it as part of their content promotion strategy, to follow these steps:

  • Be human. Post as if you’re emailing a friend.
  • Be short. Keep it tight.
  • Be topical in your posts.
  • Reply and engage your followers.
  • Tweet about anything that takes your interest.

Look it over, and tell us what you think.

Going native: The push for customized marketing content 0

The brewer of Miller and Coors wants customers to tune in to their newsroom, and they’re paying big bucks to see that it gets done.

A new alliance between the brewer and online giant AOL is the latest example of how far content marketing strategists are willing to go to ensure their brand message reaches the ideal consumer audience.

mobileadsThe creation of customized brand content continues to flourish on the Web, embraced by marketing pros thinking outside the box to get the attention of consumers in an ad-laden market. The trend for this type of brand marketing — custom content, native advertising, brand content, sponsored content — continues to move upward.

Native advertising on social media channels is projected to jump from $3.1 billion this year to $5 billion in 2017. Increased mobile access to social media, content portals, news  properties, video-sharing sites and streaming services has fueled much of the growth, according to emarketer.com.

The potential to get the brand message out to a lucrative market, while maintaining ownership of the “editorial” content, has companies moving to create entire divisions to develop the marketing editorial content and even distribute it through media channels.

The Wall Street Journal recently introduced sponsored content to its website produced by its in-house custom content division. The Washington Post began selling native ads last year for its site, and Gannett-owned USA Today is exploring the use of native advertising content.

The deal between brewer MillerCoors and AOL is worth an estimated $5 million, according to MediaPost.com, citing sources. As part of an integrated strategy, AOL will produce about 350 pieces of original content that will plug Miller Lite, Coors Lite, Blue Moon ale, or Redd’s Apple Ale. The content will focus on males in the millennial demographic, among the most mobile-device and social-media savvy of consumers.

That content, to be called the “Brew Pub Newsroom,” will appear on AOL properties including the Huffington Post, HuffPost Live and Mandatory.com. Miller Lite will also sponsor a video content segment on HuffPost Live targeted at male millennials.

 

 

 

The pluses of custom content 0

Business owners are willing to invest more into developing content-rich media designed to engage online customers. But it is time-consuming work to create unique brand information that stands out in a cluttered marketing landscape.

contentmktg_artCustom content, highly targeted information customized to the needs of the specific audience, can make the difference to a business with a content marketing strategy.

Custom content can generate some of the most well received forms of consumer engagement. It goes beyond content marketing to educate the customer by using information as the sales point.

Various studies show that most consumers are receptive to custom content, saying it shows the company is interested in building a relationship with them. They also say custom content helps in their buying decisions.

Custom content is also key to connecting with the millennial generation, the most mobile device-savvy demographic that will soon have the biggest buying power among consumers.

Marketing planners seeking to position themselves above the one-size-fits-all approach to content marketing are finding that custom content is a focused and effective way to getting their brand message to a target audience.

Helpful tips for your headline writing 0

Creating content for the Web involves many elements, from well-written and researched text and compelling images to video that promotes your brand. Yet the most effective part of the content can be summed up in a few words.

The headline is what first catches the eye of the reader, the initial words viewed of your marketing content. It is where the SEO keywords go that put your article high on the list of interest. Creative and informative headlines are particularly effective for a mobile device. But, when written without much thought, they can also turn off a potential consumer.

So, how do come up with a headline that attracts the reader and keeps them focused on your content?

These links can prove helpful in your task.

Google joins wearable device game with Android Wear 0

As expected, Google has launched an effort to expand the Android operating system from smartphones and tablets to wearable devices.

android_artGoogle announced in a blog post today the creation of Android Wear. Google will initially focus on smartwatches that will tell the wearer not only the time, but deliver the latest social media posts and updates, messaging, news and photos and more. Android Wear devices will be able to respond to voice commands, and monitor health and fitness. Over time, Android Wear will extend to a variety of body-fitting devices.

Google also released a software development kit preview for its wearable technology, enabling developers to tailor their existing apps for watches powered by Android Wear.

Google says it is working with companies including electronics manaufacturers Asus, HTC, LG, Motorola and Samsung, chip makers like Broadcom, Intel and Qualcomm, and fashion brands like Fossil to develop smartwatches. The devices are expected to be launched later this year.

It’s a huge step for the company to position itself in a still growing market, and it poses unique opportunities for providing content specifically created for the wearable technology user.

The potential for content tailored for smartwatches and other like devices is limited at this point, and creating it for devices even smaller than smartphones looms as a challenge.

But it is something for content managers to think about. With the estimated market value of wearables projected to reach $10 billion by 2015, as the technology becomes more mainstream, more opportunities for content creation suited for wearables will not be far behind.

Why good written content matters 0

Good, quality written content cannot be underestimated. It should present your message in a way that is clear, uncluttered, concise, precise and informative. The better the written content, the more effective your brand marketing efforts can be.

contentmktg_artIt’s easy to overlook the written content part when you’re planning a brand marketing campaign. The focus often turns toward the integration of images, animation and video content to draw and retain consumers with short attention spans.

However, a Web site with sharp graphics and cool images can be compromised if accompanied by poor written content accompanying it.

Badly written text makes you, the content marketer, look unprofessional and your brand unworthy to follow. Good written content that includes effective, SEO-optimized keywords makes for excellent material the customer will turn to when using their mobile device.

Consider the content as if it was a resume for your brand. Experts say one of the most critical mistakes a job seeker can make is submitting a resume that has typos, is disorganized, or fails to get to the point – “This is what I can bring to this position” – quickly enough.

Well-researched, well-written content is a foundation that you should build your content strategy on. Think of it like a resume that effectively sells your business or brand.

Tips for creating a video content strategy 0

The effective use of video content is not just essential to content marketing strategy, it’s a required element. Consider predictions that say 90 percent of Internet traffic this year will comprise of video.

That’s a lot of webinars, product reviews, corporate Q&A standups and branding campaigns to sort through, particularly if you are using a smartphone of tablet device.

Well-produced, well-executed video content that’s unique and shareable can go a long way in ensuring that your brand marketing plan takes off in the right direction.

But putting that component together requires some thought.

Here’s some advice to help the content marketing planning braintrust get started when it comes to video content, courtesy of Business 2 Community:

  • Do explore multiple types of video content.
  • Don’t go on too long, or risk losing audience engagement.
  • Do invite your audience in. It’s okay to encourage the viewer engagement experience.
  • Don’t exceed your ability. Bring in an expert with experience in creating and editing video for best results. It’s better than posting poor video content.
  • Do consider your video marketing distribution and promotion to amplify the brand message and expand the audience discovering your work.
  • Do make sure your video content aligns with the overall marketing strategy and brand. Adhere to the company’s tone and style to enhance its image.