Making a content marketing plan: How to create a content matrix

Perhaps you, a person with a passion for writing and a very specific knowledge base, also harbor dreams of writing. If you’re anything like most beginning writers (myself included over a decade ago) it can be difficult to know where to start. Given the nature of the internet, a Web strategy is a critical component for success—but again, where should you start?

According to a recent study, 59% of links shared on social media aren’t actually clicked on, suggesting that they were shared on the basis of their headlines alone. Writing headlines is an often-overlooked part of the writing process. After working hard to craft a stellar piece of authoritative content, it can be really tempting to fashion a headline out of the first thing that springs to mind. This would be a mistake. Good headlines are an indispensable part of authoritative content, and today we’re going to look at how you can make your headlines shine just as brightly as the rest of your content.

The other day, a friend was telling me about the new Lego kit he purchased. According to their website, the Hogwarts™ Castle Owlery is “the best kids’ toy to recreate the scene at the Owlery where Harry Potter™ invites Cho Chang™ to the Yule Ball, and more.” You probably noticed the three ™ symbols after the various proper names. With its cousin ®, it’s a ubiquitous part of our lives. But these symbols aren’t just ornaments, and there are rules governing their use. Think of this post as a field guide to these little heralds of intellectual property.

Humans are natural storytellers. We’ve probably been regaling our associates with entertaining narratives from the moment we first started to talk to one another. Now you might be inclined to think that storytelling is something that’s only relevant to folks like Stephen King or James Cameron, but that’s not the case. On the contrary, storytelling makes for effective communication in any discipline. In the business arena, it can help you craft a memorable brand image, which in turn bolsters your authenticity.

Content research is a vital part of creating high-quality, people-first content. This differs from the kind of specialist research my colleague Jason has written about. Content research is concerned with the bigger picture. In other words, it’s the process of coming up with topics to write about in the first place. But it goes beyond simple brainstorming. You’re also trying to choose the best approach for your audience.

Hi there! It’s Jason Loch again. José asked me to do another post about my experience as a content creator, this time focusing on my interactions with my readers and how I’ve used their feedback to shape my online persona. These can be some of the scariest parts of being a creator. Not only is the Internet not known for kindness and charity, but feedback can easily leave you feeling overwhelmed and confused.

For many content creators, Facebook is an invaluable tool in their marketing arsenal. Consequently, there’s a good chance they’ll need to use Facebook’s brand assets at some point. This post will provide some tips on how to use them properly.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been talking about the importance of originality and how it’s absolutely essential if you want your content to be noticed. Authenticity is a key ingredient of original content. But what, exactly, is authenticity and why does it matter?

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been talking about the importance of producing high-quality content. But this requires more than just authenticity and authority. Your content also needs to be structured effectively. If you don’t pay attention to structure, your content might be less impactful than you’d like. Writing a well-laid-out blog post is a bit more complicated than the five-paragraph essays that our high-school English teachers loved so much. Today, we’re going to look at how you can structure your content for success.