Content + Community + Commerce = Content Marketing

Content + Community + Commerce = Content Marketing. I know I preach this on a regular basis, but marketing, my friends, is shifting. Marketing is no longer a one-way diatribe. I just spent time with some of the best content marketers on the planet at the Content Marketing World conference. The people who are on the pointy tip of the spear; who see this as a grand experiment and want true engagement in marketing. In a nutshell – marketing is moving to a viral, bi-directional, proactive dialogue – where content elicits significant exchange on owned and earned channels and is shared readily by people within their networks.

And yes, content is becoming more and more intelligent, as machines are infiltrating from every direction. Artificial Intelligence (you’ll hear terms like Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Natural Language Processing) is being built into every platform we touch – Facebook, Google, Apple (think Siri), Salesforce, Uber, Amazon (think Alexa), and many you have never heard of before. Machines now process content and data at levels beyond human comprehension – a Google engineer observed: “with so many permutations and combinations, it’s mind-boggling to comprehend what RankBrain truly does (RankBrain is a machine-learning artificial intelligence system that helps Google process some of its search results, in particular, rare or one-of-a-kind queries).” Lesson – make sure you are delivering Grade A, high-test content for AI algorithms, as machines are learning the difference between good content and bad content. The best content has the power to deliver laser-targeted relevance, resonate, and rank when people are searching for it.

The crystal clear message that keeps coming across time and time again is to slow down and take the time to develop content the right way. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. People want quality, relevant content. Content that inspires, educates, entertains and informs. Content that helps them make decisions. Content that enables and doesn’t interrupt (and there’s a fine line here indeed). If you can create strong original content (backed by research – this takes longer but is well worth the effort), you can maximize returns from both humans and machines.

For a deeper dive, related articles and discussions check out the Content Marketing World Twitter feed >>> #CMWorld.

Michael Chase, CMO
St. Joseph Communications

#MondayMashup > http://stjoseph.com/monday-morning-mashup-sept-12th/

Posted on September 12, 2016 in Marketing, Technology, Trends

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About the Author

Michael Chase - a true hybrid – part strategist, part data monkey, part creative director, part global growth hacker (when you're doing bic pen tracheotomies you still have to think of EBITDA) and through and through an innovator.

Response (1)

  1. Amber Burkham
    October 12, 2016 at 7:55 pm · Reply

    I hope this doesn’t come off as excessive a newbie question, but I ‘d like to know how you to the point of having such a grasp on the digital marketing industry. With a lot info on the topic, I am having a difficult time knowing exactly what to think and what not to believe. Any tips?

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