5 Things We Learned From Content Marketing World 2017
Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.
Content Marketing World, the largest content marketing event in the world, unfortunately has come and gone, but now back in the office I have brought a whole new list of skills and tips to use moving forward.
As a young marketer and first-time conference attendee, I was all-ears throughout the week to soak up as much knowledge as possible from these industry experts.
After rifling through my chicken scratch notes, I decided to put together 5 of my bigger takeaways from Content Marketing World 2017, enjoy!
1) The content marketing field is FILLED with talented individuals
From the keynote speakers, to the other expo hall sponsors, to the attendees, the amount of marketing talent in one convention center was incredible. Not to mention having the likes of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Casey Neistat there to share their stories.
After each of the sessions I was able to make it to, I walked away feeling smarter, empowered, and just excited to get started working. A few of my personal favorites included: Andy Crestodina sharing his expert knowledge on SEO & content marketing, Wil Reynolds on empathetic marketing, and Jay Acunzo on storytelling. This quote especially struck me from Jay's presentation:
"When we pay more attention to the customer, they pay more attention to us".
P.S. if you weren't able to make it to CMW, or couldn't make it to certain sessions, don't fret! Check out the Content Marketing World 2017 on-demand video showcase site to see it all! (hosted by Knovio too!)
2) Video is the now and the future
We were already quite aware of this trend going into the conference, but it was nice to have our notions confirmed throughout the week. Looking around the expo hall, there was countless other companies with video playing a central role in either their product or the way they were presenting themselves. Heck, each of the visitors to our booth either stated video was a central part of their marketing story, or knew that it needed to be and were looking for solutions to get started.
Every step of the consumer journey could use some form of video to get your message across, as it is the most engaging piece of content you can offer.
3) Always ask yourself the question: what's in it for the customer?
The theme of the week was "A World of Stories", with the main character in each of these stories being the customer. They are the main protagonist, and all of us marketers are working to be their trusty sidekick.
This story was told countless times throughout the week, and the speakers stressed the idea of telling a story through your marketing, rather than just trying to sell. Keep in mind what your customer is going to think of the content and messaging, and you will be more likely to capture their attention.
4) Optimization over continuous creation
As marketers, we can sometimes forget the mantra that less is more. We feel that we have to keep creating and creating more content, sometimes saying similar things, to get our message across.
There is no need to continuously create even more content. Sometimes it is as simple as just going back and honing your site, messaging, and collateral.
Repurpose your older blog posts, continuously perfect your site and landing pages, and always stay up-to-date on your SEO strategy. These are just a few of the many techniques you can use to better optimize your current content, and save yourself time creating.
5) There are no secrets to content marketing
"There are no secrets, just hard work". This message was delivered by Jay Acunzo in his keynote speech, and really struck a chord because it was the cold, hard truth.
There are no shortcuts to success in this industry. None of the speakers made it up on that stage by accident. They have worked relentlessly to learn and perfect their craft (and continue to do so).
Content marketing is a long term game, and can't be sparingly utilized here and there. It needs to be continuously invested in, and even if you're not seeing the early returns you want, if you keep working at it, the results will come.
Every marketer at Content Marketing World 2017 was there in search of the perfect solutions for their troubles. If you're looking to get started on resolving your online video & content headaches, Knovio is the perfect start. Create your free account to experience the full platform for 3 videos!