Synopses & Reviews
The guide to creating engaging web content and building a loyal following, revised and updatedBlogs, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and other platforms are giving everyone a "voice," including organizations and their customers. So how do you create the stories, videos, and blog posts that cultivate fans, arouse passion for your products or services, and ignite your business? Content Rules equips you for online success as a one-stop source on the art and science of developing content that people care about. This coverage is interwoven with case studies of companies successfully spreading their ideas online—and using them to establish credibility and build a loyal customer base.
• Find an authentic "voice" and craft bold content that will resonate with prospects and buyers and encourage them to share it with others
• Leverage social media and social tools to get your content and ideas distributed as widely as possible
• Understand why you are generating content—getting to the meat of your message in practical, commonsense language, and defining the goals of your content strategy
• Write in a way that powerfully communicates your service, product, or message across various Web mediums
Boost your online presence and engage with customers and prospects like never before with Content Rules.
Synopsis
How
can you create bold stories, videos, and blog posts that cultivate fans, arouse passion for your products or services, and ignite your business?
Content Rules is a how-to book of both the art and science of developing marketing content that people care about interwoven with case studies of companies that are successfully spreading their ideas online-and using them to establish credibility and build a loyal customer base.
The revised and updated paperback will include:
- The illustrations that are used in the authors' presentations to align the book more closely with their respective platforms
- A chapter on mobile focusing on both phones and tablets in addition to location based content
- A basic primer on "finding your story," the number one follow-up questions that the authors receive from readers
Synopsis
The one-stop resource for creating irresistible content and building a loyal following, revised and updatedHow do you create the stories, videos, and blog posts that cultivate fans, arouse passion for your products and services, and ignite your brand? Content Rules equips you for online success as a go-to guide to the art and science of developing content that people care about. Case studies show how companies have successfully spread their ideas through blogs, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and other platforms—and used them to establish credibility and build a loyal customer base.
This revised and updated edition shows you how to:
Find an authentic "voice" and craft bold content that will resonate with prospects and buyers and encourage them to share it with others
Use social media to get your content and ideas distributed as widely as possible
Get to the meat of your message in practical, commonsense language, and define the goals of your content strategy
Powerfully communicate your service, product, or message across various web media and mobile platforms
Boost your online presence and engage with customers like never before with Content Rules. Find out more at ContentRulesBook.com.
Synopsis
The one-stop resource for creating irresistible content and building a loyal following, revised and updatedHow do you create the stories, videos, and blog posts that cultivate fans, arouse passion for your products and services, and ignite your brand? Content Rules equips you for online success as a go-to guide to the art and science of developing content that people care about. Case studies show how companies have successfully spread their ideas through blogs, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and other platforms—and used them to establish credibility and build a loyal customer base.
This revised and updated edition shows you how to:
Find an authentic "voice" and craft bold content that will resonate with prospects and buyersand encourage them to share it with others
Use social media to get your content and ideas distributed as widely as possible
Get to the meat of your message in practical, commonsense language, and define the goals of your content strategy
Powerfully communicate your service, product, or message across various web media and mobile platforms
Boost your online presence and engage with customers like never before with Content Rules. Find out more at ContentRulesBook.com.
About the Author
Ann Handley is the Chief Content Officer of Marketing Profs, a rich and trusted resource that offers actionable know-how to its 442,000 subscribers. As a thought leader and writer with a passion for good content, she writes and blogs extensively about online business, marketing, and sometimes just life. For more, visit annhandley.com.
C.C. Chapman is a media creator, entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and online marketing consultant. He is the founder of DigitalDads.com and the host of PassionHit.tv. For more information, please visit cc-chapman.com.
Table of Contents
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Big Fat Overview (Sometimes Called an Introduction)
How This Book Works (and Three Promises to You)
Why We Need Some Rules, but Not Others
PART ONE THE CONTENT RULES
Chapter 1 The Case for Content
The Content Rules
What Is Content, and What Can It Do for You?
Good Content as a Competitive Advantage
Chapter 2 The Content Rules
The Content Rules
Chapter 3 Insight Inspires Originality
Who Do You Want to Attract?
Start with the Why
A Quick and Dirty Search Lesson
Back to the Why—and Onto the Who
Set Your Metrics: What Does Success Look Like?
Chapter 4 Who Are You?
Speak Human: How Do You Differentiate Your Content?
Chapter 5 Reimagine; Don't Recycle
Anatomy of a Content Circle of Life
First, Look toward the Sun
Create a Publishing Schedule
Feed the Beast
Aim for Variety, and Do Something Unexpected
Imagine New Creatures
Chapter 6 Share or Solve; Don’t Shill
WHO OWNS YOUR WEB SITE CONTENT?
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A WRITER (OR ANY KIND OF CONTENT CREATOR)
SOURCING CONTENT FROM ELSEWHERE
Chapter 7 Stoke the Campfire
How to Build a Fire
Your Content Campfire
Start with the Small Stuff
Finding the Bigger Sticks
Singing Campfire Songs
Why Doesn't My Content Have Any Comments?
Telling Stories by the Campfire Light
Chapter 8 Create Wings and Roots
Wings for the Web: Findable, Accessible, Shareable
Fishing for Attention in the Activity Streams
How to Make Your Content Go Viral
Chapter 9 The Care and Feeding of Fans
Setting Up a Listening Dashboard
Responding Quickly, and with Sincerity
Chapter 10 Attention B2B Companies: This Is the Chapter You Are Looking For Your Prospects Are Avoiding You
Marketers Need to Pick Up the Ball and Run with It
Content Marketing Is the Key
Additional Steps to Getting Hitched: Content and B2B, True Love Always
PART TWO THE HOW-TO SECTION
Chapter 11 A Blog as a Hub of Your Online Content
The How-To Section
Blogging Guidelines
CHAPTER 12 If Webinars Are Awesome Marketing Tools, Why Do Most of Them Suck?
How to Create and Produce Awesome Webinars
"A Rose by Any Other Name..."
Chapter 13 What's the Difference between an Ebook and a White Paper? (And When Should You Use Them?)
Nine Steps to Creating an Ebook or White Paper That People Will Want to Read
Chapter 14 The Single Biggest Secret to Creating a Compelling Customer Success Story (Formerly Known as a Case Study)
Chapter 15 From Dumpy to Sexy
An FAQ s Makeover
Chapter 16 Video: Show Me a Story
Equipment: What You'll Need
Creating Your Story
Shooting and Scripting
Show the World
But What Am I Going to Shoot?
iContent: Your Own Web Show?
Chapter 17 Podcasting: Is This Thing On?
Chapter 18 Photographs
The Power of Pictures
What Should I Take Pictures of?
Sharing and Tagging
Social Snapshots
Getting the Good Shot
Bring In the Big Guns
PART THREE CONTENT THAT CONVERTS: SUCCESS STORIES (WITH IDEAS YOU CAN STEAL!)
Chapter 19 Reynolds Golf Academy
Greensboro, Georgia
Content That Converts: Success Stories (with Ideas You Can Steal!)
Content That Ignites
Ka-Ching!
Ideas You Can Steal
Chapter 20 The Cool Beans Group
Greensboro, North Carolina
Content That Ignites
Ka-Ching!
Ideas You Can Steal
Chapter 21 U.S. Army
Fort Knox, Kentucky; Fort Monroe, Virginia
Content That Ignites
Ka-Ching!
Ideas You Can Steal
Chapter 22 AskPatty.com, Inc.
Thousand Oaks, California
Content That Ignites
Ka-Ching!
Ideas You Can Steal
Chapter 23 Kadient
Lowell, Massachusetts
Content That Ignites
Ka-Ching!
Ideas You Can Steal
Chapter 24 HubSpot
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Content That Ignites
Ka-Ching!
Ideas You Can Steal
Chapter 25 Kodak
Rochester, New York
Content That Ignites
Ka-Ching!
Ideas You Can Steal
Chapter 26 Boeing Company
Chicago, Illinois
Content That Ignites
Ka-Ching!
Ideas You Can Steal
Chapter 27 Indium Corporation
Clinton, New York
Content That Ignites
Ka-Ching!
Ideas You Can Steal
Chapter 28 PinkStinks
London, England
Content That Ignites
Ka-Ching!
Ideas You Can Steal
PART FOUR THIS ISN'T GOODBYE
Chapter 29 This Isn't Goodbye, and a Gift for You
This Isn't Goodbye
A 12-Point Content Checklist
About the Illustrator
Sean Tubridy