Category: Examples of Bad Content
Keep It Simple to Win: Apple Beats Microsoft on Presentations Alone
Your Content Marketing Must Make It Easy for Your Customers to Understand How You Benefit Them
You may not love Apple or Steve Jobs or their groundbreaking series of iPhones first launched in 2007 Conversely, you may love much of what Microsoft has brought us in terms of operating systems and office productivity applications.
But, it’s hard not to love the way Steve Jobs keeps it simple and compelling as he introduced the iPhone 4 at their Worldwide Developer Conference in June 2010. And, it’s hard to find much to love about Steve Ballmer’s own recent presentation on their upcoming smartphone strategy.
So, when you present information, I recommend emulating the Jobs’ simple and graphical approach: Few words and powerful images.
Read MoreHow Content Marketing by SW Florida Insurance Agency Clobbers a Billion Dollar Competitor
Gulfshore Insurance Shows They Care How the Hottest Issue in a Generation Impacts Their Clients. Big Bank/Insurance Giant Ignores It.
I think we can all agree that the health insurance reform legislation of 2010 will touch each and every one of us. It will impact both businesses and individuals.
If you are a business owner, it is vital that you understand how it will affect you and your employees. Why? Because, unless you are a very small business, you will either have to provide healthcare insurance or pay a penalty for failing to do so. You will have to make some tough decisions in the years to come about how to handle your employees' health insurance needs.
Because of the dramatic impact of this legislation, there is an urgent need for comprehensive and understandable information so that business owners can plan intelligently.
This creates a uniquely powerful opportunity to provide relevant and compelling content for your current and prospective customers. You can demonstrate thought leadership at a time when business owners are desperate to find an information source they can trust.
One local agency is doing exactly that. Gulfshore Insurance in Naples, Florida is doing a superb job of content marketing at the exact moment that the health insurance paradigm shift looms large for everyone in the United States.
Read More5 Content Marketing Lessons to Learn from The Agony of an Auto Dealer Showroom Experience
They Don’t Make It Easy to Buy. They Make You Want to Run for Your Life.
Danger, danger, Will Robinson!! Car salesmen approaching!!
I’m guessing that I didn’t even need an evocative photo for each of you to conjure up your own happy showroom memory.
My own recollection is fresh since I’m considering (ugh!) a new car purchase. At a local car dealer, no less than 5 sales guys tried to foist themselves on me. I was just one salesperson away from hightailing it out of there.
Car dealers and manufacturers spend a fortune getting you in the showroom door. Imagine if they invested equally in delivering a valuable, in-person content marketing experience. One can dream.
But, because we can learn from the awful as well as the awesome, here are some content marketing lessons to take away from the typically painful automobile showroom encounter.
Read MoreDon’t Bury Your Best Work in the Back Rooms of Your Website
If Your Visitors Have To Search for It, They Won't.
I continue to be surprised by the number of marketing and advertising companies who have websites that hide examples of the great work that they do behind a bunch of content clichés that fail to distinguish them from every other similar company.
I recently stumbled upon the website of such a company who is missing its primary content marketing opportunity. They have great stuff, but it's really hard to find.
Content marketing is all about providing relevant, compelling, and easily accessible information to your prospective customers.
In this case, what is genuinely relevant and compelling is the work that this agency has done on behalf of of its clients. That visual content represents potential solutions to the problems that its Web visitors are facing.Unfortunately, the content that counts is lurking behind some same old, same old verbiage.
Read MoreAre We as Stupid as Some Email Marketers Think We Are?
Or Maybe I’m on a special list of empty-headed business people.
But I’m hit by way too many email marketing campaigns that must assume that I’m exceptionally gullible. Perhaps I’m the only person that hates this stuff, but I’m going to share the agonizingly long text of an intelligence-insulting promotional email so you can judge for yourself.
Several normal emails kicked off the campaign promoting an online workshop. That was fine. I’m interested in the topic and am ok getting marketing missives. But, then came the first ‘oops’ email follow up with a lame 'I goofed’ message. And then the pathetic ‘boo boo mistake’ attempt that you see below in appropriate scarlet letters sneaked into my in box. Does this woman really think I will fall for this?
Read More4 Email Promo Practices to Avoid: A Marketing Campaign That Shows Us Exactly What Not to Do
A Sadly Wasted Effort for a Mystery Event That Might Even Have Been Worth Attending
I just received an email promotion that was so wrong-headed that it makes a perfect negative case study. As always we can learn from what is terrific or, in this case, not so terrific.
Here are 4 Major Email Promo Mistakes that You Should Avoid:
- The header: This is the email header I saw in my inbox: “invitation for March 17”. It doesn’t tell me what is happening on that date or why I should care. Since I, like all of you, receive way too many emails, I have no earthly reason to open it.
Your header must entice the recipient to open your email by showing quickly that your reader will benefit. It plays the critical role of a headline in a news story or an advertisement and is even more important because it’s the only thing your recipients may see in their crowded in box.
You Can’t Fake Authenticity as This ‘Live Attendant’ Proves to a Talking Dog
Your honest interactions with customers are critical to your content marketing success. So, please don’t make the mistake that this get rich quick marketing vendor program made with their fake ‘live attendant.’
This lame attempt at artificial online intelligence was amusing, but appalling.
I was awake late one night not too long ago and wound up on a marketing product site that didn’t want to let me go. Up popped the following dialogue between the fictional Lacey and my canine alter ego. Her enthusiasm for her product never flagged in spite of my devious doggy replies.
See if you’re smarter at spotting a prevaricating PC pooch than ‘Lacey’ was in this actual dialogue (or dogalogue).
Read MoreThe Godfather Guide to Direct Marketing: Make Me an Offer I Can’t Refuse
You Must Persuade Me to Act or Your Beautiful Promotional Piece Will Sleep with the Fishes
I was perversely inspired to write this because of a recent gorgeous direct mailing I received from local French restaurant.
They did a lot of things right. There was some beautiful photography that captured the essence of this charming little bistro. They described how the restaurant and its cuisine were uniquely appealing. They shared some impressive awards and recognitions for their excellence. They included their Web address. And, they even provided a little map that showed me exactly how to find it.
There was only one thing missing. But it was the most important thing: They failed to make me an offer that would entice me to dine at the restaurant. In fact, there was no offer at all.
Read MoreLessons from a Business Website That Misunderstands Content Marketing
You must be clear on what you do and how your customers will benefit
I became aware of the Metwell website as a result of a promotion they had sent me via Twitter. Their website is full of unintended ironies as they offer online marketing advice which the website appears to ignore.
It's also a good example of a website with a pretty good layout that is undercut by a lack of focus and a serious shortage of relevant and compelling content.
I found it hard to understand exactly what Metwell does or how they could help me after a quick--and then a more in depth--visit to their website The company seems to know content is important because their site attempts to provide a lot of content, at least on the surface. But they misunderstand the essence of content marketing by failing to make their content relevant and compelling to prospective buyers.
