In a three-day whirlwind of workshops, keynotes and networking events, Content Marketing World Sydney took the city by storm. As CMI’s official media partner there wasn’t much we didn’t manage to get involved with. We attended every talk, followed every hashtag and made it our duty to speak to as many content marketing professionals as we possibly could. Why? So we could bring all of our learnings to those with an interest in content marketing. In our eBook, we’ve taken the event’s top insights – of which there were many – and translated them into practical applications for business owners. So whether you were there to experience the event or not, here’s everything you need to know about Content Marketing World Sydney and how to apply the learnings to your business.

1. CONTENT MARKETING
WORLD SYDNey
HOW TO APPLY THE TOP TAKE
OUTS TO YOUR BUSINESS

2. Where did Content
Marketing World
come from?
In March 2013, the largest annual gathering of
content marketing professionals in the world
came to Sydney!
The first of its kind ever held outside of North
America (a testament to the voracious appetite
of Australian marketers and their interest in
the power of content), Content Marketing
World (CMW) brought together recognised
content marketing experts and local marketing
practitioners for three days of workshops,
keynotes and networking.
How can I apply Content Marketing to my brand?
Industry events tend to pass by in a flash, creating a whirlwind of information – it can
be hard to wrap your head around it all afterwards. In the midst of showbags, meetings,
presentations, workshops and networking events, it’s understandable why you may
come out suffering from information overload!
Over the following pages, we’ll present the highlights of CMW with advice for you
to take away.
Having worked with the Content Marketing
Institute founder Joe Pulizzi over many
years to bring the event to Australia, King
Content was proud to be appointed the
exclusive media partner for the event.
CMW Sydney had a world-class agenda.
Alongside international content marketing
gurus Joe Pulizzi, Jay Baer and Robert Rose,
the event boasted speakers from large
multinational brands like Kraft, Amex and
Spotify as well as local heavyweights from
the AFL, NRMA, McCann and Woolworths.
With critical insights into the strategic
application of content marketing and
‘behind the scenes’ project analysis from
the brand speakers, we believe the advice
presented by the speakers throughout
the event will be essential to marketing
practitioners engaging in content marketing
in the next 12 months.

3. They call him the godfather of content marketing and it wasn’t hard to see why.
Joe Pulizzi – founder of both the Content Marketing Institute and Content Marketing
World event – strode onto the stage in his signature bright orange suit on the first day
of CMW Sydney.
The full research report is available online,
but like us, Joe appeared most interested in
the following three findings:
• 96% of Australian marketers claim to
use content marketing. And the B2B
sector (98%) uses content marketing
more often than both its North
American (91%) and UK (95%) peers.
• Only 29% of these marketers believe
their content marketing efforts are
‘effective’ or ‘very effective’, which means
we rank ourselves lowest in effectiveness
when compared to both UK (39%) and
North American (37%) marketers.
• Yet a whopping 61% of Australian
marketers plan to increase their content
marketing budget over the next ‘12
months.
Introducing Joe Pulizzi…
Joe was there to open the inaugural
Australian event and to discuss the recent
research the Content Marketing Institute
and ADMA had conducted into Australian
content marketing benchmarks, budgets
and trends.
Yes, the adoption rate is fantastic and demonstrates a major shift in the media landscape
since 2010, when King Content was established and content marketing was still an
unfamiliar concept.
However, the disparity between marketers’ belief in the effectiveness of their content
marketing and the increasing budget being allocated to content in the next 12 months
indicates that something’s not matching up.
The critical difference between producing
content and engaging in content marketing
is that content marketing has clear strategic
and measurable outcomes.
To be effective, brands need to stop creating
content for the sake of it, and start focusing
on the types of content that are going to
work, for both customers and business goals.
Likening content marketing to building
an online home for your brand, Joe asked:
“If you’re building a house do you just start
throwing bricks around? No, you call an
architect and create a plan.’’
Content marketing requires strategy.
The time for filling
buckets with content
just for the sake
of it is long past.
So what did Joe have to say?
These numbers are both exciting and daunting
“
”
@juntajoe

4. YOUtility is epitomised in
examples such as the ‘Hilton
Suggests’ Twitter handle. It involves
Hilton Hotels’ staff monitoring
Twitter and answering people’s
questions about anything they can help with
(best local restaurants, what train to catch,
even activities close to a person’s non-Hilton
hotel). They’re using staff time and resources
to help people who aren’t even customers in
the hope that by helping them, rather than
selling, they’ll gain customers for life.
Wave goodbye to classic marketing.
YOUtility has always worked – for brands
of all sizes – but in the current marketing
environment it’s not just an added extra, but
a NECESSITY. The classic marketing strategies
of ‘top of mind’ awareness and ‘frame of
mind’ awareness are not nearly as effective
as they once were because audiences are
splintering. And, fundamentally, they no
longer trust big business.
Social technologies like Siri, Facebook and
Twitter are taking over from traditional
search engines as our primary source of
information. Which means that your business
is now competing for attention with your
customers’ family and friends – personal and
professional relationships are merging.
Hence the need for YOUtility. If your brand
is inherently useful, your customers will keep
you close.
This is what Baer calls “friend of mine”
awareness.
Perhaps the most talked about subject at CMW Sydney was the concept of YOUtility.
“What’s that?,” we hear you ask. It’s the term coined by president of Convince and
Convert and all-round content marketing guru Jay Baer. He describes it as the
difference between helping and selling.
It’s “help over hype” marketing – marketing so useful, someone would pay for it.
Jay Baer on… ‘Youtility’
Sell something and you make a customer today, help someone with the information
they need and you’ll make a customer for life.
First, ask yourself: “How can I help my customers more?”
What are your customers motivated by and what are their needs and their desires?
Can you offer something simply for the sake of offering?
1. Discover customer needs
What are your customers searching for on
your site? What are they talking about on
social media? Go over your analytics with a
fine-tooth comb and if you still want more
information, ASK them in customer surveys
or feedback forms.
2. Map customer needs
Map your customer needs to programs. That
is, what medium is the most useful way to
deliver the information – a blog, a video, a
mobile app, a printed guide? It’s helpful to
think about WHEN customers will most need
the information when making this decision,
e.g. will they have access to a desktop
computer or only their smartphone?
3. Market your marketing
Many marketers fail because they think
the fact that they produced content is the
end of the process. It’s only the beginning.
And this is where social media is so useful
in getting your message to your audience.
But remember, social media should be used
to promote your YOUtility first, and your
business second.
4. Make YOUtility a skill, not a job
Your entire staff should be trained in
YOUtility, in helping your customers. It’s a
skill to be insourced, not a job to be given to
one person.
5. Make YOUtility a process, not a project
YOUtility should be a component of all your
marketing strategies, not a concept to be
employed on a project-by-project basis.
Five steps to YOUtility:
How to apply Youtility to your business
@jaybaer

5. Matt Pinkney on… How to become a publisher
There has been a fundamental shift in journalism in the last five years.
Traditionally, there’s always been animosity between the media and marketing. But
content marketing is starting to bridge that gap. Because storytelling – such an important
aspect of journalism – is at the heart of content marketing. And traditional media models
are struggling.
As one of the largest sporting organisations
in Australia, the AFL recently took the radical
step of creating AFL Media – a separate
business unit that operates on a 100 per cent
owned media model. And it’s managed by a
former Walkley Award-winning journalist
who has worked in newspapers for more
than 20 years.
The goal was to become an independent
news source, a custom publisher for AFL
clubs and a provider of new technologies.
The “ultimate aim is to service the AFL fan
and their desire for complete coverage of
football,” said Pinkney.
So what lessons can your brand learn from
AFL Media? Is it really possible to ‘own’ your
industry online?
1. Tell it, warts and all
It’s important to Pinkney that AFL Media
produces genuine news content that
conveys “the real story” – even if it’s
considered negative coverage. Unless
your customers can trust you to give them
credible information, they’ll go elsewhere.
Transparency with audiences builds trust and
engagement.
2. Don’t forget about design
Design is a high priority for AFL Media.
Content ‘sells’ the story, and design helps to
‘sell’ the content.
3. Package and link aggressively
The curating of related content helps keep
people on your site. For every piece of
content published on www.afl.com.au, there
is a package of related articles, videos and
stats for the reader to consume as well.
4. Be brave
Don’t protect your brand so closely it’s PR,
warns Pinkney. Consumers are too savvy
these days, and can spot a hard sell a mile
away.
5. Hire great storytellers
No matter the company or the
communication goals, every brand has a
story. And telling that story in a compelling
and engaging way should form the crux of all
the content you’re producing.
6. Try, test, discard if necessary
One of the many benefits of digital media
is how easy it is to change and adapt.
Some tactics will work for some brands
and audiences, and others won’t. Perhaps
Pinkney’s best piece of advice was to be
brave – to at least try an idea, watch your
analytics to see if it works and if it doesn’t,
simply try something else.
In 18 months, the site has attracted 3.2
million unique visitors, driven 1.9 million
unique visitors to the clubs’ pages, had 35
million video streams and enjoyed 194%
growth on mobile. It just goes to show the
enormous opportunity for brands that take
a brave approach to attracting fans and
customers.
Six lessons in owned media:
@MattPinkey

6. Julie Fleischer on…
Think your brand has nothing to say? Or that you don’t have the budget or resources
to create good content? At CMW, Julie Fleischer shared the strategy behind Kraft
(an everyday household food producer) becoming a go-to brand for “delicious food
solutions”. Their content mission statement is to:
Create delicious meal solutions
that inspire amazing food stories
which spread to drive sales and
create value for Kraft Foods.
Taxi Mike’s Dining Guide,
by Mike the taxi driver
A Canadian cabby had the ingenious
idea of creating a fluoro yellow flyer
telling tourists the popular coffee
spots, the hottest bars and even
the best cheap eats in town. Sure
the design is primitive, but it offers
invaluable information – including
a street map – which means every
other tourist carries Mike’s number
in their pocket.
Think your company is too dull to be extraordinary?
If a lone taxi driver can do it, so can your marcom team…
Car Seat Helper App,
by Phoenix Children’s Hospital
This app helps parents buy the best
car seat to suit their child’s age,
height, weight and special needs,
as well as state laws. Why would a
hospital develop this? Because using
a safety seat drastically reduces a
child’s risk of injury or death, which
makes their job easier.
Planning guides and videos,
by Holiday World
This budget website allows
parents to plan their theme-park
thrill to a tee, offering detailed info on
everything from weather forecasts and
height restrictions to parking schedules
and safety rules, even what to do with
your pet. They’ve also got multiple
videos of each ride, slow motion or fast.
“
”
Interactive YouTube series,
by Life Technologies
Applied biosystems, cell
reprogramming, e. coli… They’re not
exactly exciting topics, unless they specifically
apply to you. Life Technologies’ YouTube
channel used the tactic of creating an
interactive video series that takes patients
through Q&A scenarios tailored to
their individual medical needs.
The 43 videos have more than
75,000 views to date.
Awesome blog, by River Pools
When the global economy flopped,
so too did the pool business. One
Virginian company decided to start
an awesome blog (their words, and
ours) and even created an extensive
free e-book, The Only Fibreglass
Pool Guide You’ll Ever Need!. They
became the number one source of
pool information in the country, and
business has never been better.
Ordinary businesses creating extraordinary content
What Knot to Do (in the
Greater Outdoors), by Columbia
Sportswear Company
This app is a pocket guide to 70
common knots in six categories –
surely more knots than anyone could
ever need. It offers clear step-by-
step instructions with illustrations to
match, offering
real time relevance and, of
course, YOUtility.
@jfly

7. Emma Cornwell on… The celebrity effect
Our society is obsessed with celebrities.
The idea of brands “piggybacking” off this so-called star power is certainly nothing
new – celebrity endorsement is a go-to advertising approach. And yet few Australian
brands think to use the same tactic in their content marketing strategies.
The NRMA has embraced celebrity bloggers,
something which has seen their entertaining
content portal Live4 (a King Content project)
get impressive hit rates. In her presentation
at CMW, head of publishing at the NRMA
Emma Cornwell discussed their approach.
Rather than positioning celebrities on a
pedestal (as you often see in magazines), the
stars themselves write the content and share
personal thoughts on everyday life with
Live4’s audience – Zoe Foster has blogged
about why we should all eat more cake, and
Rosso fumed over the state of Sydney’s
public transport system. Their profile pulls
people in, and the remarkable engagement
metrics speak for themselves. So why does it
work so well?
In the NRMA’s experience, celebrities are
grateful for the opportunity to get involved.
TV heartthrob Tom Williams says he’d rather
be part of a conversation than not be talked
about at all, and ex-Home & Away star Holly
Brisley loves the idea of working from her
living room (no hair and makeup required).
The key to effective celebrity blogging is to
choose the celebrities that best suit your
brand. Do this well, and their fans will soon
become yours.
The star strategy
Builds
credibility
Positions
your brand
Attracts new
audiences
Raises brand
awareness
Pulls PR

8. Robert Rose is a strategist in residence for
CMI and his presentation was left until late
in the CMW event – for good reason. His
high level of strategic thinking is not for the
faint hearted and his talk on integrating
content marketing was one of the most
challenging from both a technical and
strategic perspective.
While those new to content marketing could
be seen breaking out into cold sweats, those
familiar with the industry were left excited
about the fact that they could now prove
that PPC advertising, SEO, PR and social
media are not the most cost-effective way
to generate and convert leads when used
independently.
Robert somehow managed to grab every
form of digital marketing by the shoulders
and shake them into seeing that they alone
are not the answer to success – and that
the key for all of them is integrating content
marketing. How he did this without insulting
some of the PR and SEO agencies in the
room was a miracle but somehow, he did.
What he proved was although integrating
content into PPC, SEO, social media etc.
may be a long burn in terms of consumer
acquisition, it leads to a far greater spend
across a longer period of time.
In other words, integrating content
marketing results in a greater ROI.
Robert Rose on… Integrating content marketing Business owners and marketing managers
who are currently just using SEO strategies
or PR must start using an all-encompassing
approach to their digital marketing.
Integrating content into current tactics will
have an outstandingly positive effect.
However, it’s important to be aware that
content is a slow burn and is a strategy
for those with time who want long-lasting
results. Taking budget from SEO or PPC and
using this for quality content production
may initially result in a drop in traffic. This is
enough to freak any business owner out. But
bear with the strategy, and the traffic you do
capture is far more likely to convert to a sale.
Remember: less web traffic does not
necessarily mean fewer sales. If you have
fewer people coming to your page but are
feeding these potential consumers with
engaging content, you will actually start to
see increased sales (with less spend going
into the conversion!).Even experienced marketers were astonished with the stats that Robert Rose
presented. Could a drop in online traffic actually result in more sales? And how could
you possibly get that over the line? While many marketers feel confident with the
work they produce, what is often missing is an integrated content approach…
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Ownership benefits
Once you’ve built your audience, your ROI
goes up since you no longer have to pay rent
for media.
month
paid search
content marketing
@Robert_Rose

9. Content marketing isn’t about filling buckets. It’s a long-term strategy to achieve
your objectives and become truly useful to your customers. It’s not about simply
increasing web traffic but increasing sales. Remember, if you have fewer people
coming to your page but are feeding these potential consumers with the engaging
content they require to make a purchase, you’ll actually start to see increased sales
and a much better conversion rate.
Give King Content a call on 02 8204 0600
www.kingcontent.com.au
info@kingcontent.com.au
Want to learn more about applying
these insights to your business?