The move to content marketing

I am a strong advocate of content marketing. The magic of story telling in and around a brand. This can lead to real relationships within a market particularly through on-line communities. I am finding this more and more as I work in writing and developing visual content for various brands within the industrial niche market that I am currently working. This is a market of technical depth and provides for numerous real world case studies and applications. The interest in this type of content is extremely high to relevant readers. I thought this graph highlighting the move to content marketing on-line interesting. The graph supports the marketing view that on-line videos, blogs and social media have higher levels of current effectiveness and expectation into the future. 

Engaging Staff through Business Transformation

My current project involves business transformation. This is a family run business in a speciality industrial niche with a 60 year history. Their longevity has provided them with leading technical knowledge and practical skills that sets them apart. However, business management and systems remain in an age of the telex machine. The difficulty of introducing new management techniques centred around technology has proven greater than I had anticipated. Yet business transformation is about people transformation. As I am working through the project I am learning techniques to engage staff to improve their personal skills to effect change. 

Google + for Business Info-graphic

Great info-graphic highlighting advantages for businesses using Google Plus.  

Goolge + for Business

Where is Google Plus Going?

This is a very interest info-graphic and makes me ask the question where Google Plus is going. I have wondered about this and the competition - Facebook. Sure Google has search engine power but Facebook has momentum.


Here are some thoughts from Jeff Bulla " I am finding that it is hardly referring any traffic to my blog (despite having over 7,000 followers on Google+)

In speaking to other bloggers at the “Social Media Down Under” conference recently they agreed that they were only posting there because it was Google. What I am finding also is that Pinterest drives more traffic to my blog than Google+. A lot of users are posting but only because it is a Google property!"

Here are some of the findings regarding Google Plus:

Crucial elements for social media engagement

Altimeter provide a continuing sources of great perspectives and insight into new media. While these are very general they are like channels that can be explored. For each element complete strategies and programs can be designed and implemented to improve your social media engagement. I have been advocating the point of programs that ensures everyone in an organisation should be involved in social media comment. So I particularly like point 2 below.

Altimeter website.

1. Emphasize quality not just quantity

Engagement is more than just setting up a blog and letting viewers post comments; it’s more than just having a Facebook profile and having others write on your wall. It’s also about keeping your blog content fresh and replying to comments; it’s building your friends network and updating your profile status. Don’t just check the box; engage with your customer audience.

Can five categories represent 1000's of product lines?

Business development requires insightful market data. Often a company has this right under their feet in their own accounting and sales information systems.


The problem is they have never creatively translated this data into meaningful information from a behavioural perspective. Here is a live example. This company has 1000's of product lines across numerous brands. But here is the evidence brought right down to five behavioural based categories. Now with this insight a strategic approach to planning can start to emerge.

Facebook Part 3 Maintaining Engagement

Here is the third part to the series: In Search of a Facebook Hero.

Snippet from article: This is different from posting photos, questions or voting panels. Messaging is about a personal appeal for involvement through an offer, incentive or request. Much of this is like planning and entire campaign at an individual or personal level and then rolling it our through multiple individuals to make create a social impact. There is no media selection or scheduling in this type of campaign. It is all about designing the story and the experience you want to take your followers on through very specifically specified call to actions and anticipated behaviours. This way you not only maintain followers you build your very own brand heroes.
Article: In Search of a Facebook Hero