Content Marketing Moneyball – SEMpdx Event Recap

May 9, 2017 – SEMpdx hosted its annual Members Appreciation Night on Tuesday with special guest Larry Kim, founder of WordStream and founder/CEO of Mobile Monkey.  Larry presented a convincing case for data-backed content marketing and shared proven strategies we can employ in our own businesses to find unicorn content – unusually successful content that does well across channels.  Here are a few highlights from the evening:

1. There is a widespread misunderstanding within marketing as to what defines quality content.  For instance, arguments are repeatedly made in favor of content quality over quantity.   The reality, however, is that you need the quantity to find the quality.
2. Marketers need an objective way to discern unicorn content from non-unicorn (“donkey”) content.  To help us, Larry shared his Content Pyramid Scheme: First, produce and audition a lot of content.  For example, you might audition, or send, an email blast to a target list.  Next, measure user engagement rates.  Based on the data, kill the donkeys (low engagement rates) and find the unicorns (high engagement rates).
3. You’ll see unicorns surface when content achieves unusually high engagement rates across all types of content – PPC, SEO, Social & CRO.
4. The problem with infographics is that they cost money to create.  Spend your budget wisely by creating infographics for the unicorns you identify.
5. Brand affinity dramatically impacts both CTR and conversion rates, thus impacting content marketing success.  It’s no wonder, considering how content marketing works: The branded content you create for your target market leads to bias formation, which influences people’s searches when the need arises. 

It was an excellent session filled with ways to measure content effectiveness and boost your unicorns. 

If you’re not an SEMpdx member, join today and benefit year-round!