Content Marketing X-Rays: Hidden Elements That Make Great Content Work

Content MarketingX-Rays

The Hidden Details That Make Each Piece Just Plain Work

Confession Time!

The only reason lots of us got into content marketing

Confession Time!

Confession Time!

The only reason lots of us got into content marketing

is that one word.

We thought…

We thought…

“Perfect! I like to write, design, record, film, and otherwise create things.”

We thought…

“Perfect! I like to write, design, record, film, and otherwise create things.”

- Corey J. Content

So we always start with this stuff:

•  The Audience •  The Experience •  The Quality •  The Creativity •  The Piece Itself

So we always start with this stuff:

•  The Audience •  The Experience •  The Quality •  The Creativity •  The Piece Itself

So we always start with this stuff:

Which makes us better at this stuff:

•  The Audience •  The Experience •  The Quality •  The Creativity •  The Piece Itself

So we always start with this stuff:

Which makes us better at this stuff:

•  The Subscribers •  The Leads •  The Process •  The Marketing •  The Practice Itself

We believe in the power of quality, craft-driven work.

We believe in the power of quality, craft-driven work.

Unfortunately, many marketers obsess over, well … not that.

Content Farm

We believe in the power of quality, craft-driven work.

Unfortunately, many marketers obsess over, well … not that.

Well, guess what?

Well, guess what?

Wut?

Content marketing ism a t u r i n g

Content marketing ism a t u r i n g

Aw, nuts

Content marketing ism a t u r i n g

Marketers can’t rely on being first. (someone else already was)

Content marketing ism a t u r i n g

Marketers can’t rely on being first.

Nor can we rely on being loudest. (someone else already was)

(readers are already overwhelmed)

We have to be genuinely good at this.

Content marketing ism a t u r i n g

Marketers can’t rely on being first.

Nor can we rely on being loudest. (someone else already was)

(readers are already overwhelmed)

Content marketing ism a t u r i n g

We have to be genuinely good at this.

Marketers can’t rely on being first.

Nor can we rely on being loudest. (someone else already was)

(readers are already overwhelmed)

Must know how to create well, not just market well.

Planning

Production

Distribution

Analysis

And when you think about all the stuff we do

We’ve got tons of support here…

Planning

Production

Distribution

Analysis

But not so much here…

Planning

Production

Distribution

Analysis

To help, I created this:

A bite-sized newsletter to help marketers master the craft of content creation – 1 example of awesome content sent daily.

To help, I created this:

A bite-sized newsletter to help marketers master the craft of content creation – 1 example of awesome content sent daily. I’m Jay Acunzo (Google, HubSpot, NextView Ventures)

*

*

To help, I created this:

A bite-sized newsletter to help marketers master the craft of content creation – 1 example of awesome content sent daily.

You can join the newsletter here.

To help, I created this:

A bite-sized newsletter to help marketers master the craft of content creation – 1 example of awesome content sent daily.

You can join the newsletter here. The following examples are from The Daily Content.

A better way to do link roundups “Easy to create” shouldn’t mean “poorly done”

A better way to do link roundups

Recurring info for each link like “In a Sentence” improves the experience.

“Easy to create” shouldn’t mean “poorly done”

A better way to do link roundups

Recurring info for each link like “In a Sentence” improves the experience.

The Adventure Ratings prompt readers to eagerly scan the post.

“Easy to create” shouldn’t mean “poorly done”

A better way to do link roundups

Recurring info for each link like “In a Sentence” improves the experience.

The Adventure Ratings prompt readers to eagerly scan the post.

Gorgeous, full-bleed imagery immediately tells readers: This is a high-quality, premium article – not an afterthought like many roundups.

“Easy to create” shouldn’t mean “poorly done”

A better way to do link roundups

Recurring info for each link like “In a Sentence” improves the experience.

The Adventure Ratings prompt readers to eagerly scan the post.

Gorgeous, full-bleed imagery immediately tells readers: This is a high-quality, premium article – not an afterthought like many roundups.

View It

“Easy to create” shouldn’t mean “poorly done”

A stress-free, beautiful SlideShare In a noisy content ecosystem, being quiet stands out.

A stress-free, beautiful SlideShare In a noisy content ecosystem, being quiet stands out.

Minimal design is popular, but it can also help content stand out. The “native” experience on SlideShare is cluttered. The whitespace attracts readers better than louder covers.

A stress-free, beautiful SlideShare In a noisy content ecosystem, being quiet stands out.

Minimal design is popular, but it can also help content stand out. The “native” experience on SlideShare is cluttered. The whitespace attracts readers better than louder covers.

The hand-drawn cartoons support the narrative but do so without the aforementioned clutter, which would have been an easy trap.

A stress-free, beautiful SlideShare In a noisy content ecosystem, being quiet stands out.

Minimal design is popular, but it can also help content stand out. The “native” experience on SlideShare is cluttered. The whitespace attracts readers better than louder covers.

View It

The hand-drawn cartoons support the narrative but do so without the aforementioned clutter, which would have been an easy trap.

A story you experience Now among the all-time classics, Snow Fall remains awesome.

A story you experience Now among the all-time classics, Snow Fall remains awesome.

Tough to do it justice here. It’s just one of those pieces you have to see (or see again). Truly amazing stuff.

A story you experience Now among the all-time classics, Snow Fall remains awesome.

Tough to do it justice here. It’s just one of those pieces you have to see (or see again). Truly amazing stuff.

View It

Inside jokes for loyal readers. Something extra for your favorites.

Inside jokes for loyal readers. Something extra for your favorites.

The Game of Thrones theme “newsjacks” the topic, appealing to a broad audience.

Inside jokes for loyal readers. Something extra for your favorites.

The Game of Thrones theme “newsjacks” the topic, appealing to a broad audience.

But hidden away for those who spend more time and dive deeper are some jokes for industry insiders.

Inside jokes for loyal readers. Something extra for your favorites.

View It

The Game of Thrones theme “newsjacks” the topic, appealing to a broad audience.

But hidden away for those who spend more time and dive deeper are some jokes for industry insiders.

A motherfreakin’ pig.

A motherfreakin’ pig. On a motherfreakin’ surfboard.

A motherfreakin’ pig. On a motherfreakin’ surfboard.

A motherfreakin’ pig. On a motherfreakin’ surfboard.

Remove a brand from a piece. Does it still hold up? That’s content. If not, it’s a commercial. GoPro’s video is pure, unadulterated story.

A motherfreakin’ pig. On a motherfreakin’ surfboard.

View It Remove a brand from a piece. Does it still hold up? That’s content. If not, it’s a commercial. GoPro’s video is pure, unadulterated story.

Happy Creating!

Get 1 example of awesome content marketing in your inbox each weekday

in this bite-sized newsletter.

Subscribe and get your first example right away.

Subscribe to The Daily Content