About the Book
Content marketing is the art of communicating with customers and the target audience without selling. It involves the sharing of information, rather than pitching products and services. As traditional marketing becomes less and less effective, today's marketers need to rethink what they've learned about sales and marketing communication. In order to keep current customers, engage potential customers and make a business stand out from the crowd, they need to create content that is both relevant and valuable.

Valuable Content Marketing is written for this business environment showing readers how to generate business through creating compelling marketing content and distributing it effectively. The authors show how to create and share the type of information that clients, customers and search engines really want - on a website, using social media and through traditional print methods. Getting it right means a huge opportunity to connect with clients and customers in ways they appreciate and trust.

Jefferson and Tanton explain how to go beyond artfully produced information to content that is of real value to the target audience. Whether starting a business or looking to grow, their book shows marketers and business owners how to get better results from their marketing efforts.

Readers will learn: the content options available and how to choose the right channel, what type of information to post on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn as well as business blogs and websites, how to define your market niche, how to increase SEO and so much more. Collapse

About the Book
Content marketing is the art of communicating with customers and the target audience without selling. It involves the sharing of information, rather than pitching products and services. As traditional marketing becomes less and less effective, today's marketers need to rethink what they've learned about sales and marketing communication. In order to keep current customers, engage potential customers and make a business stand out from the crowd, they need to create content that is both relevant ... Expand

Authors / Editors Sonja Jefferson is a content consultant with a background in professional sales. Through her company, Valuable Content Ltd, she has helped business owners get their message across, managing web projects and helping them write and publish high quality business books.

Sharon Tanton is a copywriter with a background in telling stories. Working in radio, television, magazine features and internal communications, she helps companies convey their message in a way that audiences appreciate. She has both English teaching and Creative Writing qualifications. Collapse

Authors / Editors Sonja Jefferson is a content consultant with a background in professional sales. Through her company, Valuable Content Ltd, she has helped business owners get their message across, managing web projects and helping them write and publish high quality business books.

Sharon Tanton is a copywriter with a background in telling stories. Working in radio, television, magazine features and internal communications, she helps companies convey their message in a way that audiences appreciate. She has both English ... Expand

Press Coverage

"[T]he quintessential guide to starting, sustaining, and prospering from a marketing model based solely on informing, educating and inspiring potential clients...a great 'laptop-side' reference for any firm that's thinking about shifting its marketing towards content." --Rattleback

"[A] must-read for any sales, marketing, or communications professional. It is an excellent guide for small buisness owners and service providers...offers insightful case studies that illustrate how businesses have successfully and creatively executed the concepts behind valuable content marketing."
--Business Book Summaries

"When well executed, content marketing provides solid branding, augments search engine optimization when paired with a blog and enhances a business presence across numerous social media platforms. The book Valuable Content Marketing will work wonders to help your business achieve those benefits." --Small Biz Trends

 

The Value of Content: Interview with Author Sonja Jefferson on Custom Content Council Collapse

Press Coverage Expand

Reviews Collapse

Awards Collapse

Table of Contents
About the authors 

Introduction: Why you need this book 

Part One Why valuable content? 

01 Marketing has changed. Have you? 
The business development challenge 
How successful businesses are marketing themselves today 
What are these companies doing right? 
The three factors transforming buyer behavior 
The new buyer mentality 
Buyers prefer valuable content 

02 What is valuable content and why it wins you business 
What we mean by valuable content 
The rise of valuable content as a marketing choice 
Five vital things every business needs, and valuable content delivers 
The wider benefits to your business 
How valuable content connects you with your customers 

03 "What do I say?" 
Guiding principles for your valuable content 
Seven guiding principles for your content 
How to find stuff to write about 
Quick ideas starters 

Part Two What valuable content? 

04 Start with a blog Some blogging basics 
Why blog? 
How to create a successful business blog 
How to write a valuable blog article 
A simple template for your blog articles 
Blogging Q and A 

05 Distribute your valuable content using social media 
Social networks - the main arenas for businesses 
Which tool is best for sharing content? 
Valuable content guidelines for all social networks 
Vary the content you share by platform 
How to valuable on Twitter 
How to be valuable on LinkedIn 
How to be valuable on Facebook 

06 Keep in touch with engaging email newsletters 
The importance of keeping in contact 
Email newsletters the valuable way 
How to build an engaged mailing list 
An alternative way to keep in touch - autoresponder emails 

07 Get search engine savvy 
Why you should care about search engines 
What search engines want 
Top five ways to optimize your content for search 

08 Your valuable website 
The role of a good business website 
More library than online brochure 
Traditional website vs valuable website 
Guidelines for a valuable website 
Think content first (before you get the web designers in) 
Instructions for your web designer/developer 
Ideas for key sections of your site 
Tips for writing the content on your website 

09 Add deeper written content: white papers, e-books and books 
The benefits to your business of deeper content 
Your deeper written content options 
What deeper content to choose when? 
10 top white paper and e-book writing tips 
Should you make people fill out a form to download your content? 
The importance of a strong landing page 
Great content needs great design 
Repurposing your stock content 

10 Diversify with different formats: viedo, audio and more 
Different formats to connect with more people 
The rise and rise of video content 
Where to start with video 
Working with a video company 
Wonderful webinars 
The power of infographics 
Podcasts for business 
Online games as sales tools 
Mobile apps 

11 Widen your reach: take your content on tour 
How valuable content wins you PR opportunities 
Getting your content published in industry-leading media 
The etiquette of guest blogging 
Making the most of speaker opportunities 

12 Valuable content for salespeople 
How to use content to start sales conversations 
Valuable content, not brochures 
Tips for valuable content sales campaigns 
The art of good sales copy 
Valuable content and the power of good sales follow-up 
Bringing sales and marketing closer together 

Part Three How to make your marketing valuable 

13 How to write content your customers will value 
Make your writing valuable 
How to be engaging How to write less and say more 
Help with headlines 
Making time for writing 
Making writing manageable 
The importance of editing 
How to stop procrastinating and just do it! 

14 Making it happen: seven steps to success 
Seven steps to success with valuable content 
Step 1 Know your business objectives 
Step 2 Be clear on what you will talk about 
Step 3 Pick the right mix of content creation and distribution tools 
Step 4 Make sure your website is up to the job 
Step 5 Plan like a publishing pro with a content calendar 
Step 6 Put the right team together 
Step 7 Measure, refine, learn and continue 

Conclusion: your new marketing manifesto 

Additional resources 
1 How valuable is your content now? 
2 "Get to know your customers" template 
3 No-nonsense glossary of SEO terms 
4 Checklist for your website content 
5 Questions to help you write a good case study 
6 Planning questions for deeper written content 
Quoted experts and recommended further reading 
Acknowledgements 

Index
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Table of Contents
About the authors 

Introduction: Why you need this book 

Part One Why valuable content? 

01 Marketing has changed. Have you? 
The business development challenge 
How successful businesses are marketing themselves today 
What are these companies doing right? 
The three factors transforming buyer behavior 
The new buyer mentality 
Buyers prefer valuable content 

02 What is valuable content and why it wins you business 
What we mean by valuable content 
The rise of valuable content as a marketing choice 
Five vital things every business needs, and valuable content delivers 
The wider ... Expand