• 5 Ways to Turn Existing Content into Engaging Visuals

    5 Ways to Turn Existing Content into Engaging Visuals

    />If your company has existing content that is not being utilized in a visual way, then you may be missing out on a rich source of engagement. Turning your content into engaging visuals may sound like an intimidating task but once you get started you’ll find ways to expand your library of visual content quickly and efficiently. We’ve compiled five ways to help you get the most out of your content and get more eyes focused on your work.</span></p> <ol> <li> <h2><strong>Case Studies</strong></h2> </li> </ol> <p><span style=One of the most effective ways of taking existing content and turning it into a more visually engaging piece is through the creation of case studies. That successful project you put your heart, sweat and tears into for three months? Share it with your audience! Why not create a dedicated page on your website, a sales tool or a company brochure? Highlight your stats with colorful graphs and icons. Hire a professional photographer to capture authentic images of your office or team members collaborating together. Giving your audience a view from behind the scenes is a great way to build trust in your brand and show transparency.

    Ebooks

    If you’re looking to grow your list of prospects, an ebook is a great way to generate inbound leads. An ebook is an electronic version of a traditional printed book that users can view on their computer, tablet or smartphone. Take an existing blog post and reorganize the content into defined pages or chapters. Then, add some complementary imagery to help tell the story. Once you’ve got your snazzy new ebook ready for release try setting up a page on your website where visitors are required to enter their email address to access and download the free content. Publicize your ebook further by taking some of the imagery to promote on your social channels or in a paid campaign. 

    Infographics

    An infographic is a visual piece often consisting of icons, graphs, charts and stats which present otherwise dense or complicated information in an easy to consume way. Your company may conduct meaningful research about market trends or user insights or your annual report could be re-considered as an infographic for investors. Keep a file and make sure to track useful company and industry data and analytics throughout the year. Those stats and figures can easily be turned into powerful infographics that your audience will want to engage with and share. According to HubSpot, infographics are liked and shared 3X more than any other type of content. To support the SYLVANIA State of the Socket Survey 2016, we created a branded infographic for media pitching and marketing purposes, and then broke it down into bite-sized “social snapshots” for spreading the word on social media.

    Video

    If you already have an infographic that’s getting some attention, the next thing to do is elevate that piece into an animated video. Motion tells the story in a compelling, dynamic way and holds your audience’s attention for the duration of the piece.

    If you have a corporate brochure that gives an overview of the history and scope of your services or product, then you already have the outline of a script for an explainer video. A video services agency can turn your script into a powerful video that builds brand awareness.

    Another way to spur off a new video is to do some analysis and get creative! To kick off Black Duck Software’s first-ever user conference, we dug into their history, their customer, and the technical background of their product. The result? A high-energy piece with an epic voice-over from famed narrator Stefan Rudnicki.

    Social Posts / Advertisements

    When it comes to social media it is crucial that your company shares content on a consistent basis. Facebook posts with images see 2.3X more engagement than those without. You can use images from your company’s new case studies, ebooks, infographics and animated videos, and see what your audience reacts to the most. Try reworking a significant stat from your infographic and cropping it into a post that can be easily shared. Mock up your ebook up to look like a physical printed piece and promote your smarts. Take the animated video and split it up into moving GIFs that can easily be shared on social media or used in a paid campaign.

    The possibilities are endless when it comes to displaying existing content in a visual way. For every case study, blog post or other piece of content you produce, think “visual content package” and apply the ideas above. Break out your brand guide! With a uniform look and feel, your content library will multiply, your marketing calendar will thank you, and each new piece will play into one another seamlessly.

    Matter

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  • PR Real Talk: Trade Show Execution – What's Working, What's Not?

    Today, we’re talking about industry trade shows. From the months of preparation to the perfect storm that is: HIMSS, CES, RSA, etc., a lot of time, effort and money goes into creating a successful trade show experience for both your team and your clients. As communication professionals, it’s our job to help our clients develop meaningful relationships with media and analysts, at and around these events. Despite the many advances in digital communications, trade shows remain very important opportunities for that oh so valuable face time that journalists love so very much.

    Trade shows have become one of the cornerstones of any successful PR program. Chances are pretty good that any PR vet you talk to will have some heroic battle story about the time they did 78 briefings at CES, or HIMSS, or wherever. Because trade shows have been integral to PR for so long, they suffer from a very real threat of the – “because that’s how we’ve always done it syndrome.”  Good public relations requires evolution and the ongoing questioning of everything. Are we releasing the most interesting announcement we can at this show? Does our presence at the show have value in the eyes of the media and industry at large?

    A few Matter Communications folks had the opportunity to attend and view a live Twitter chat (#HITMC) last week week led by John Lynn, a well-known and highly respected healthcare journalist and entrepreneur. Co-hosted alongside a communications agency based in Georgia, John discussed what works when meeting with media, tips for engaging editors, and thoughts around press releases at HIMSS. While the chat was healthcare-focused, many of the points brought up can be applied to a wide variety (if not all) of our clients, particularly those that attend the largest trade shows and face the goring challenge of breaking through the noise and finding value.

    A DYING TRADE? OR AN EVOLUTION?

    One topic that raised a few key takeaways is around the continuous battle of the press release. A continuous stable (or base) of each client announcement that has rendered suspicion over the years. Is it really dead? A majority of the PR pros at Matter and across the industry will agree that no, the press release hasn’t died. While the press release is still alive and well, it is not the same tool that it once was, thus our approach may need to be reevaluated. A few of the participants of the #HITMC chat noted that sending out press releases are best done at least one or two weeks prior to HIMSS (or other major conferences), versus right before. This allows the reporter to read and fully digest the material, and provides them an extended time to be able to ask questions prior to meeting your client at the show. Other participants raved about the type of content we are feeding them within our press releases; making it relevant, interesting and NEW. Here are a few examples:

    DATA, DATA, DATA

    Another topic that arose during the chat, and one we’re well aware of, is the media’s insatiable appetite for data. We always ask for it from clients, as reporters really do value hard and fast numbers that support or bolster the stories we are telling on behalf of our clients. Third party validation and data are undoubtedly one of the key ingredients to make our clients stand out amongst their competitors.

    During the next conversation with your client, and if it aligns with your current campaign and overall messaging, ask your client if he/she has any updated case studies or data they have gathered internally. If not, maybe that brings up another conversation about conducting a survey to gather that data. Aside from becoming great pitching fodder for your team, data can lend itself to other assets we love as PR pros such as infographics, info-stamps and even gifographics. Data can provide that extra level of expertise your client is always looking to portray to its customers, industry influencers and the media.

    IN SUMMARY

    When it comes to large conferences, there are always lessons to be learned as you come out of the show. As trusted partners to your clients, it is important to understand and recognize when you need to revisit a certain tactic or approach when planning for conferences large or small. Always be on the lookout for industry intel on what the media wants and how well your proposed strategies and tactics are working. When it comes to PR planning and development the need for evolution is the only constant. To set yourself apart and to really be seen by your clients as a trusted advisor, keep an eye out for the next Twitter chat or take an opportunity to simply ask a journalist what they want. This desire to understand your audience and the state of your industry will help you to set yourself apart from the PR flacks at the trade show, who continue to simply do the same things they’ve always done.

    What other tips do you have when developing a trade show plan? Share yours below!

    Matter

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  • 4 Ways to Go Beyond Reading and Watching with Interactive Content

    Last week, Leo and I attended the quarterly Boston Content meet-up to engage in a discussion about Interactive Content. You’ve likely seen the term on several “trends & predictions” lists for 2016, but what is interactive content, exactly? And how can you use it to support your brand’s content marketing initiatives? Senior Content Marketing Manager at SnapApp, Lena Prickett, was the leader of the discussion and she had four key takeaways for using interactive content to help boost business goals.

    1. Interactive content requires consumers to engage in a way that goes beyond reading or watching

    Bringing users into the experience and allowing them to tailor the content to their interests is what interactive content is all about. This also allows marketers to essentially have a conversation with their prospects. Brands are able to gather additional data to then deliver a more personalized experience to users. It’s one of the best ways to deepen information exchanges with an audience. Especially if you have proprietary data – do something with it!

    2. Interactive content can take on different shapes, but requires you ask the same questions

    Content formats include, and are not limited to: interactive infographics, “gifographics,” quizzes and assessments, data visualization and maps, calculators, surveys, and generators and tools. The latter of which gave this blog post headline a “B+.”

    And I must personally highlight one of 2016’s top trends, 360-degree video:

    No matter what format you decide on, you should be asking:

    • What is my goal? How will this content format help me meet it?
    • What do I want my audience to gain?
    • What resources do I need to make this happen?
    • What existing content do I have that I could make interactive?

    3. Speaking of questions, you need to ask yourself, “Why should this content be interactive?”

    Sometimes it simply doesn’t make sense. If the interactivity is not actually adding any value for your audience, then spend your time and resources on something else.
     
    4. When done right, interactive content can help you meet a variety of business goals, from qualifying leads to increasing blog interaction

    As a content marketer, you’re often competing for people’s attention with Buzzfeed, the king of interactive content. So you should do your best to distract people with your own Buzzfeed-esque, “bored at work” content that ultimately keeps your brand top-of-mind and engaging. If people can engage with your content they are going to stay on your site longer, which can in turn help boost your SEO. The longer someone stays on your site, the more you learn about them and the better you can engage with them in the future. Appeal to the interests of your audience, while giving them something useful. And consider scalability by looking for and creating an interactive tool that will scale across all of your programs and channels; investing in a repeatable, templatable platform is often ideal.

    What types of interactive content do you like the best, and why?

    Tim Bradley

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  • What’s the Difference Between Paid, Owned and Earned Media?

    What’s the Difference Between Paid, Owned and Earned Media?

    Even seasoned PR pros sometimes have difficulty distinguishing between different forms of media in the digital age. That’s because they all bleed into each other, blurring the lines. So, what is shared media versus earned media versus owned media versus paid media? And what exactly is shared media?

    The nuances can be especially challenging for junior folks cutting their teeth at PR agencies.  I’ve seen more than a few otherwise bright eyes go full Cookie-Monster-googly when I discuss this topic in meetings.

    An easy way to understand and remember the differences within the media landscape is an acronym Matter Communications came up with called: “POETS” (Paid, Owned, Earned, Traded, Shared). There are exceptions to all of these, and some of them can peacefully co-exist within other categories, but this will get you smart enough to be dangerous:

    Paid – If you buy a banner ad, or place an ad in a magazine or on the radio, that’s called paid media. You didn’t earn it, you paid for it. And no matter how good or bad your product is, the audience will see/read/hear exactly what you want them to. Paid Facebook and LinkedIn ads fall into this camp, as does (in some instances) rewarding bloggers for coverage. In general, consumers are growing more distrustful of ads than ever, because it’s obvious the media was bought and paid for by a company with its own best interests in mind. That’s where native advertising comes in (in which an ad ostensibly poses as valuable content) but that’s a column for a different day.

    Owned – If a company has a blog, pumps out ebooks or newsletters, creates infographics or “think pieces,”  these are all forms of media they “own” and can use to attract eyeballs to their respective websites or landing pages.  These typically fall into the content marketing bucket and, like Paid media, this helps companies keep control of the brand (to an extent).

    Earned – This form of media is synonymous with “traditional” public relations. A company hires a PR agency, the agency weaves a narrative around the company’s products and/or services, and then pitches that story to online and offline publications, blogs or news outlets. The resulting editorial articles, broadcast hits or blog posts are called “earned” media, since the company didn’t pay the outlets to write about them. The coverage, therefore, was earned.

    Traded – Sometimes two companies will agree to do guest posts on one another’s blogs, or work together on a video series around the same topics. Perhaps they’ll even share booth space at tradeshow or team up for speaking gigs. In these cases one company is yielding part of the discussion to another entity, betting that trading part of the stage will return bigger results from a larger network of interested parties. Here’s where it gets nuanced, but many companies are working with influencers and bloggers to garner coverage or social media love in exchange for access, information or input on a company’s product, etc. Lines = blurred.

    Shared – This one is trickiest to explain and can take on many forms, but essentially, consumers are working in concert with a brand to create and share/promote the brand’s content. For this to happen, the brand must have fans and followers who feel passionately about the brand and want to engage. Or, the brand has to be giving away something of significant value. A recent example is Lay’s “Do us a Flavor” contest, where the company asked fans to help pick the next flavor of potato chips. I participated in this form of shared media, and I happened to recommend Sriracha as a flavor. Alas, Cheesy Garlic Bread won.

    Is this helpful? Let me know if you’ve got a different way of categorizing these buckets in the comments section below.

    Matter

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