Thought leadership and content marketing are both marketing niches. Thought leadership refers to the contribution of new and innovative ideas to a public and/or industry dialogue. Content marketing is the strategic framework for creating and distributing content. The former is conceptual; the latter is extremely tactical. Because of this distinction, the two niches should not…
Tag: content creation
The 1970s gave us some of the most memorable films ever made, including The Godfather, Network, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. These films and many others inspired generations of creativity in fashion, music, and literature. They also offer numerous lessons for today’s brand and business storytellers. Let’s take a look at the characters…
Categories
The future of storytelling is now
Brand storytelling that is vivid, compelling, well structured, and purposeful is timeless. The way that we share stories, however, constantly evolves. To complicate matters, old methods of sharing stories don’t disappear. Paperback books haven’t gone away; they’ve been supplemented with tablets and readers. Likewise, brand storytellers must embrace multiple platforms and channels, each with its…
As content strategists, we breathe, eat, and sleep content. It’s hard to escape our vocation as content creators and analysts when the world is saturated with content. However, sometimes we need to step outside the ring and look critically at the art and science of content strategy, gathering inspiration from a variety of sources (and…
In content marketing, change is constant. COVID-19 accelerated the rate of change and required companies to radically alter how they market and sell their products and engage with their customers. In 2021, executives expect to work even harder to survive and thrive. Surveys reveal that company leaders plan to make big changes to meet customers’…
Countless experts are weighing in on how brands must build a content strategy in this fragile age. They are largely in agreement that brand messaging must be “human” and “empathetic.” This notion shouldn’t be revolutionary, but somehow it is. Perhaps brand gurus are acknowledging that until now, the expression of their brand identity was canned,…
Most entrepreneurs and marketers understand what they need to do to increase their brand’s visibility. However, the why and how often get lost in the mix. An effective content strategy can help. Some commentators suggest that volume and frequency are the most important elements of successful content marketing. They overlook a number of crucial factors,…
Writer’s block is real, and everyone has an opinion about it. Maybe that’s because even respected veteran writers battle it – to say nothing of the junior copywriter facing a deadline and a pissed-off manager. Potential solutions abound. But many of them boil down to personal accountability and initiative, and writer’s block strikes equally among…
Are blogs dead? The short answer is “no.” Like Paul McCartney in 1969, blogs are very much alive, and they have a long and fruitful life ahead of them. However, skeptics love to question the value of various digital platforms in turn, which has the added benefit of keeping us all on our toes. Blogs…
During the holidays, our holiday messaging overflows with familiar expressions based on tradition and pop culture influences. Most people know what we’re talking about when we refer to the Grinch, “Yes, Virginia,” “white stuff,” and the Charlie Brown Christmas tree. But these phrases and many others have become so ubiquitous and tiresome that the holidays…