The awful truth about succeeding with content in 2014

Content marketing is about way more than delivering information these days.

Sure, how-to and list posts still get some notice. But not like they once did. We’ve all seen too many of them. So has your target audience.

Cyberspace is evolving. And to succeed with content marketing you have to evolve with it.

The bottom line is that attention, not information, is the natural economy of cyberspace. Your content must get into the head, and under the skin of your audience. To do that you must appeal to their wants, needs and desires.

Otherwise they’ll leave you for somebody else who does.

Do you have what it takes to make sure that doesn’t happen? Two blog posts in the spotlight today will help you answer “yes.”

Spotlight: How to write online content that moves readers

Master this copywriting formula to dominate any social media platform via Copyblogger

Could a classic direct response copywriting formula actually make you a better social media marketer? Demian Farnworth thinks so.

In this post he explores how the tried-and-true PAS technique pulls your audience into your message and builds engagement. Never heard of PAS? It stands for Problem-Agitate-Solution, a three-step formula for writing short form messages that get attention.

Here is how it flows:

1. Identify problem
2. Agitate problem
3. Solve problem

It starts with defining the dominant pain point in your audience. Then you agitate by elaborating what it means to them. Finally, you offer a way to solve the problem.

How does this work for your social media posts? He shows you here.

Why educating readers is no longer enough (and how to really build an audience in 2014) via Boost Blog Traffic

Master blogger Jon Morrow has good news and bad news.

The bad news is educational content is not as effective as it used to be. Why? Because the Web is flooded with it. When everybody is publishing informative, educational content the novelty and value goes down. Audience expectations go up.

“The great content of yesterday is the mediocre content of today,” he writes.

The good news is Jon has a solution. Check out his post to get four ways to create great content in 2014.

Best of the Web: Blogger highlights

Social Media Marketing

The definitive guide to tracking social media metrics via Social Media Today

40+ free image sources for social media and blog campaigns via Visually

Why Pinterest’s visual content marketing will continue to rule social media via Business 2 Community

Using cognitive recognition in social media via Maximize Social Business

How to create highly shareable blog content using Facebook via Social Media Examiner

Finding your content mojo via Social Media Explorer

Content Marketing

Feeling uncomfortable: The way to create amazing content via Buffer

Scaling quality content via Moz

SlideShare: A content marketing imperative via Feldman Creative

What the demise of the cookie means for content marketers via Contently

3 signs you’re ready to focus on content marketing via Marketing Profs

Why ignorance is genius when it comes to content marketing via The Sales Lion

2 essential elements for getting started with content marketing via Content Marketing Institute

Response Marketing

What every marketer needs to know about conversion optimization via Quick Sprout

Email list-building from the experts: How to grow a massive email list via Buffer

4 steps to creating an email strategy that drives action via Constant Contact

How a short sentence can increase conversions by 109% via Gigya

4 must-have elements of highly converting CTAs via Crazy Egg

4 ways to turn boring transactional emails into cash via Unbounce

The 3-step approach to successful customer activation via Conversion XL

Branding

When “good enough” is good enough via Hubspot

How often should you change an advertising message? (way less than you think) via Copyblogger

Do people trust content from marketers? via Marketing Profs

Nontent: Content that fails to connect or convert via Feldman Creative

Integrated Marketing

6 mandates for multichannel marketing via DM News

How to cross-promote your email content via Business 2 Community

Fixing the integration disconnect via DM News

Help me solve marketing’s biggest mystery via Businesses Grow

Why your online content needs both social and search optimization via Content Marketing Institute

Repaving the customer journey: Preparing for the future of multichannel via EConsultancy

Visual Marketing

Newswire

Digital Marketing Weekly via JGO Digital

This week’s top business, tech, regulatory and marketing trends for social, search and content marketers.

Need help with publishing content that gets more customers? Let’s talk! Contact me to set up a time to chat on the phone.