Part 1: Method for categorising website content using the "Hero, Hub & Hygiene" structure. Part 2: Method for analysing content ideas to make them more 'sticky' using the SUCCES framework. Originally delivered at the Figaro Paid Search & SEO Seminar on 10th November 2016.
3. Methods for brainstorming
Methods for generating better ideas
Methods for outreaching content
Come talk to me afterwards
What we won’t be covering
4. Part 1:
Disambiguate ‘content’ and introduce concept
of ‘Hygiene,’ ‘Hub’ and ‘Hero’ as content
classifications.
Part 2:
A framework for making your content like
treacle.
9. TitleContent; Hygiene, Hub & Hero
HubHero
“Hero content” refers to the
big, tent-pole events that are
designed to provide a massive
step-change to your audience
growth.
84,784,253 views
“Hub content” is regular, scheduled
content that provides a reason to
subscribe to a channel and return on
a regular basis. Episodic and
formatted series work best as hub
content.
971,350 views
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7FIvfx5J10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krQEinPk1ds
10. Content; Hygiene, Hub & Hero
Hygiene
Hygiene or “help content” means your channel’s basic,
always-on videos. These could include tutorials that
answer the most popular search queries in your
content area. It can also be product demo videos.
8,694 views
84,784,253 views
971,350 views
8,694 viewshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rvjXez4TSQ
11. Reduces old ‘viral’ thinking of ‘fire and forget’.
Content synergy: all content types cross-pollinate.
Increases audience retention.
Increases sales and revenue.
Why?
14. Title
Subtitle
Content; Hygiene
The reason for your
website’s existence.
This is the stuff you want
ranking in Google.
Product / service /
category pages.
Be the most compelling
answer to a searcher’s
question
Hygiene
SEO
15. Content; Hub
Your brand’s voice on-
line.
Content to keep in regular
contact with existing
audience.
Valuable and engaging
content.
Usually content found in a
blog.
Hub
Content &
Social
16. Title
Subtitle
Content; Hero
Expand your audience with
‘sticky’ hero content.
Potential to really drive link
equity.
Produced on a less regular
basis.
More resource intensive.
Hero
PR
20. Simple
Simple = Core + Compact
Single most important thing
Profound like proverbs
Use Schemas…
Describe the film ‘Alien’
Jaws… in
space
21. A pomelo is the largest citrus fruit. The rind is very
thick but soft and easy to peel away. The resulting
fruit has a light yellow to coral pink flesh and can
vary from juicy to slightly dry and from seductively
spicy-sweet to tangy and tart.
22. A pomelo is basically a supersized
grapefruitwith a very thick and soft rind
26. “Gap Theory” of Curiosity
Open a knowledge
gap
Curiosity is a pain
point
Bad movies
The pain of ‘Huh?’
The satisfaction of
‘Aha!’
27. Why the hell does click-bait work…
given that it’s so annoying?
“An eye-catching link on a website
which encourages people to read on.”
– Urban Dictionary
28. about shit that
nobody cares about… number 7 will blow
your mind,
“11.5 things you didn’t know,
cause your jaw to drop clean off,
and make you wee a little bit.”
31. The promise of upsetting our schemas.
‘Huh?!’ reaction achieved.
Knowledge gap of curiosity opened.
Basic human need to acquire knowledge tapped.
‘Aha!’ payoff is rubbish.
Schemas actually not challenged.
Made to feel pain of curiosity without the
satisfying payoff of acquiring new knowledge.
33. Title
Subtitle
Concrete
Make them understand and
remember
Do not speak in the abstract
Don’t forget people don’t
know what you know
Put people in the story
Use sensory references
Make it real
Write with the concreteness
of a fable
34. One hot summer day a fox was strolling through
an orchard. He saw a bunch of Grapes ripening
high on a grape vine. “Just the thing to quench my
thirst,” he said. Backing up a few paces, he took a
run and jumped at the grapes, just missing.
Turning around again, he ran faster and jumped
again. Still a miss. Again and again he jumped,
until at last he gave up out of exhaustion. Walking
away with his nose in the air, he said: “I am sure
they are sour.” It’s easy to despise what you can’t
get.
36. Credible
Make them believe
External credibility
Authority
Antiauthority
Internal Credibility
Use convincing details
Statistics = relationships
Testable credentials
37. Testable Credentials:
“Where’s the beef?!”Ad campaign for Wendy’s in 1984
Original Ad Sequel Ad
Credibility outsourced to the
customers/audience
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dnUs2AqWvs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idnwh6iDnXA
40. Transcendence: help others realise their potential
Self-actualisation: realise our own potential, self-
fulfillment, peak experiences
Aesthetic: symmetry, order, beauty, balance
Learning: know, understand, mentally connect
Esteem: achieve, be competent, gain approval,
independence, status
Belonging: love, family, friends, affection
Security: protection, safety, stability
Physical: hunger, thirst, bodily comfort
41. Self interest isn’t the whole story. Principals may
matter to us even when they violate our immediate
self-interest.
Equality
Individualism
Ideals about government
Human rights
43. Title
Subtitle
Story Driven
Make them act
3 types of story that work:
Challenge – overcome
obstacles
Connection – people getting
along
Creativity – inspiring new
ways of thinking
Stories are simulations that
tell people how to act.
Context for instructions.
46. SUCCESs check-list for sticky content
SUCCESs Yes / No Things to check
Simple YES / NO
Simple = Core + Compact
Find core / is it profound / is it compact / are you using well-known schemas
Unexpected YES / NO
Get their attention & hold it
Create mystery / Open a knowledge gap / break peoples’ guessing machine
/ is it postdictable
Concrete YES / NO
Make them understand & remember
Remove abstract / use tangible schemas / put people in the story
Credible YES / NO
Make them believe
External credibility (authority / antiauthority) / internal credibility (use
convincing detail / statistics to show relationships / Sinatra Test / testable
credentials)
Emotional YES / NO
Make them care
Maslow’s NON hierarchy of needs: Physical, Security, Belonging, Esteem,
Learning, Aesthetic, Self-Actualisation, Transcendence)
Stories YES / NO
Make them act
The Challenge Plot (David & Goliath) / The Connection Plot (The Good
Samaritan) / The Creativity Plot (Newton & the apple).
Beware “The Curse of Knowledge!”
52. The inspiration is a Biblical episode in which Samson kills a lion, and returning to its body,
finds that a swarm of bees have assembled a honeycomb inside it. Implausible as this natural
history may be, it inspired Lyle’s founder, Scottish businessman Abram Lyle, to put the lion
and the phrase “Out of the strong came forth sweetness” on his novel sugar syrup (which was
originally a waste byproduct of the sugar refining process).
Notas do Editor
Assess and amplify the ideas that you have.
Content is an abstract concept.
Is a victim of semantic stretch.
We’ve taken it on and used it to mean too many things, so it’s lost its meaning.
Let’s bring back some meaning and context to this important concept.
Where did it come from?
Almost looks a bit like a funnel, doesn’t it?
Debunk the ‘funnel’
Can be applied to websites, not just video.
Introduce story of LoveAntiques
There is cross-over – not ‘black and white’
Answer question: Why does content need to be ‘Sticky?’
"a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush," which means that having something, even if it is a lesser quantity, is better than taking the chance of losing it in order to attain something else that seems more desirable.
“The fox and the grapes” was written by Aesop
His stories have been around for millennia!
If you haven’t heard the fable… your sure know the phrase “sour grapes” – which is the lesson. This is concrete.
You can see the fox, the grapes… you can even empathise with the fox. You may even be the fox!
Starving artists – not a hierarchy.
It’s interesting that most people will align themselves with benefits that speak to the top, but almost always think that ‘other’ people are more interested in the bottom.
All the needs are important, but don’t rob yourself of tapping in to more profound motivations in your ideas when you’re trying to make people care.
US election! How many Trump voters don’t align themselves with the man himself, but wanted to stick it to Hilary because she offended their sense of honesty and trust, even though her policies may well benefit them more?
Or that she is a member of the political elite who treat the general populace with contempt?
Even though Trump is an unsavoury billionaire, he’s still the one ‘sticking it to the man’ and that’s a group people can identify with. They’re in an underdog story! (Stories: Challenge Plot)
Challenge – David & Goliath
Connection – Good Samaritan
Creativity – Apple and Newton
How are you going to write your next case study?
A lot more (>10x) than you would normally give.
This needs to be sticky.