Content marketing is hard. Set yourself up for the best chances of success by figuring out how to overcome the most common reasons content marketing programs fail.

1. Why Your Content Marketing
Initiatives are Failing
(and how to fix them)
ADRIA SARACINO

2. Adria Saracino
Head of Outreach, Distilled
adria.saracino@distilled.net
@adriasaracino

3. CONTENT MARKETING IS HARD

4. SO, HOW DO WE MAKE
IT EASIER?

5. @adriasaracinoAdria Saracino
DIVIDE AND CONQUER…
LONG TERM
MID TERM
SHORT TERM
TACTICAL STRATEGIC INTERNAL

6. 1
SHORT TERM:
TACTICAL

7. THE ISSUE:
SUBPAR PROMOTION

8. WRONG AMOUNT OF PROMO

9. WRONG TYPE OF PROMOTION
@adriasaracinoAdria Saracino

10. 1. Building and borrowing influence
2. Match promotion to the funnel
@adriasaracinoAdria Saracino
THE ISSUE…FIXED

11. Social
Outreach
Outreach
PR & Outreach
Advertising
Advertising
Advertising
Social
Email
Email
Advertising
Event
Event
Outreach
Email
Awareness
Trigger
Search
Consider
Buy
Stay

12. Blogposts
Awareness
Trigger
Search
Consider
Buy
Stay
Data viz
Free eBooks
Free eBooks
Contests
eBooks - signup
Coupons
Forums
Blogposts
Charity
UGC
Blogposts
Coupons
News stories
Contests
Reviews

13. THE ISSUE:
INEFFECTIVE PITCHING

14. PITCH RESPONSE SIMULATION

15. Know what motivates gatekeepers:
@adriasaracinoAdria Saracino
THE ISSUES…FIXED
MONEY AUTHENTICITY VISIBILITY
Further reading: How to Master Working with Bloggers

16. THE ISSUE:
INABILITY TO LET GO

17. YOU LOVE THE IDEA TOO MUCH

18. 1. Don’t compromise for data
2. Have “checks and balances”
3. Consider testing
o Feedback Army or UserTesting.com
o Ask the gatekeepers
@adriasaracinoAdria Saracino
THE ISSUES…FIXED

19. THE ISSUE:
CRAPPY CONTENT

20. @adriasaracinoAdria Saracino
CRAPPY EXECUTION

21. @adriasaracinoAdria Saracino
CRAPPY GOAL ALIGNMENT

22. @adriasaracinoAdria Saracino
CRAPPY IDEA
Discovery Channel SourceBetter Ideas

23. @adriasaracinoAdria Saracino
THE ISSUES…FIXED
 Who?
 Why?
 Useful?
 Understandable?
 Tracking goals?
 Epic attributes?
The Epic Content Checklist:

24. 2
MID TERM:
STRATEGIC

25. THE ISSUE:
UNSUITABLE GOALS

26. SHORT TERM (OR NO) GOALS

27. @adriasaracinoAdria Saracino
THE ISSUES…FIXED
1. Play the 5-Why’s Game
2. Visualize the goal cycle
3. Track & analyze (ongoing)

28. Awareness
Trigger
Search
Consider
Buy
Stay
@adriasaracinoAdria Saracino
LEAD GEN
RETENTION
SALES
CONSUMPTION

29. • LCV / RFM
• Churn %
• Retention %
• Repeat visits
• Net promoter
score
• Purchases
• LCV / RFM
• CPA
• Avg. $/user
• Latency
• Sign-ups
• Inquiries
• Downloads
• Referrals
• Assisted
leads
@adriasaracinoAdria Saracino
CONSUME LEAD
SELLRETAIN
• Mentions
• Shares
• Links
• Traffic
• Rankings
• Affinity

30. THE ISSUE:
INSUFFICIENT
RESEARCH & DATA

31. INSIGNIFICANT RESEARCH

32. @adriasaracinoAdria Saracino
THE ISSUES…FIXED
Type of research to conduct:
1. Benchmark audit
2. Competitor research
3. [Online] market research
4. Customer research

33. THE ISSUE:
INCONSISTENCIES

34. CONFUSING USER EXPERIENCE

35. @adriasaracinoAdria Saracino
THE ISSUES…FIXED
1. Determine a brand message
2. Create editorial standards
3. Develop an editorial calendar

36. 3
LONG TERM:
INTERNAL

37. THE ISSUE:
INEFFICIENT
WORKFLOW

38. CONFUSING WORKFLOW

39. @adriasaracinoAdria Saracino
THE ISSUES…FIXED
1. Identify internal stakeholders
2. Collaborate on a lean process
3. Create deadlines & governance

40. THE IDEAL WORKFLOW
IDEATION
PLAN
WRITE
EDITPUBLISH
PROMO
TRACK
WHO NEEDS TO BE
INVOLVED HERE?
WHO NEEDS TO BE
INVOLVED HERE?
(esp. for creative assets)
CAN YOU
INTEGRATE WITH
OTHER TEAMS?
HOW QUICKLY CAN
YOU GET HERE?

41. Publisher/Editor-in-
Chief
Managing Editor
Section Editor Section Editor
Writers Photo Editors
Photographers
Design Editors
Graphic
Designers
PUBLISHER GOVERNANCE

42. CCO / CMO /
Consultant
Content Owners
(Inbound, PR, Social)
PR Editor Inbound Editor
Writers Photo Editors
Photographers
Design Editors
Graphic
Designers
BRAND GOVERNANCE

43. THE ISSUE:
NO BUY-IN

44. NOBODY BELIEVES YOU

45. @adriasaracinoAdria Saracino
THE ISSUES…FIXED
1. Invite others into your process
2. Scratch their back
3. Provide ninja education
4. Let results do the talking
Further reading: How to Get Your Boss to Care about Content Marketing

46. TIMELINE FOR
CONTENT MARKETING
SUCCESS

47. @adriasaracinoAdria Saracino
DIVIDE AND CONQUER…
LONG TERM
MID TERM
SHORT TERM
TACTICAL STRATEGIC INTERNAL

48. Thanks.
Any questions?
ADRIA SARACINO
adria.saracino@distilled.net
@adriasaracino