Over Planning Can KILL Your Content Marketing
We see a lot of experts, gurus and people who should know better sharing yesterday's advice. We've read thousands of words about the importance of goal setting, planning and objectives for content marketing.

People talk about creating content marketing calendars and planning everything to within an inch of your life. Good luck with that. Might have worked 3 years ago, but today's social / mobile / connected world means you need to become a NOWIST.

This Curagami post embeds the influential Joy Ito TED talk about becoming a Nowist by pulling from the network to meet demand. Your content needs to do the same.

AND You need to digitally listen. We riff a few paragraphs about what it means to digitally listen such as FOLLOWING those who follow you, Retweeting and curating content from your customers and brand advocates.

Next time you read 1,000 words on planning your "content calendar" STOP and read this Curagami post so you don't over plan your content marketing.

Via Martin (Marty) Smith

If you are going to create #contentmarketing these days it better be EPIC. There is way too much noise. Only Epic Content will do. Here are 5 Easy Steps To Create Epic Content Marketing:

* Get your C-level executives to BELIEVE.
* Think Mobile First.
* Work with customers and creating a "commons".
* COPE (Create Once Publish Everywhere).
* Write a Content Marketing Mission Statement.

Set the stage with those easy steps and EPIC is possible, epic content marketing is probable IF your commitment is strong, you learn fast and you don't mind failing a little. Remember the content you write is NOT about you.

Epic content marketing is always about CUSTOMERS. Answering questions, solving pain points and finding innovative ways to be "of service" are all great ideas for your EPIC content marketing.

Via Martin (Marty) Smith

Here are the content marketing tips for #startups and #smbs shared in this post:

1. Create content before, during and after events.

2. Support great posts about you by writing about them.

3. Don't SELL, CURATE instead.

4. Create content with an eye toward what you want.

5. Tools matter.

http://scenttrail.blogspot.com/2013/11/5-quick-easy-content-marketing-tips.html 

Via Martin (Marty) Smith

Created with Haiku Deck, the free presentation app for iPad

Via Martin (Marty) Smith

How To Get Great Visual Content

• Create tension between your visual and your thesis. 
• Explain the tension quickly. 
• The more disparate the image greater need for immediate connection. 
• Any image can work WITH explanation. 
• Harvest images from Creative Commons (be sure to attribute).
• Harvest images from internal resources. 
• Harvest images by creating contests and games to ASK for them.
  
  Because your written content marketing is only as powerful as the opening and supporting visuals.

Via Martin (Marty) Smith

Content Marketing 101 "Wow you create a lot of content," a friend said at lunch yesterday. I felt the need to apologize (again). "I love Internet marketing,

Via Martin (Marty) Smith

View this infographic for a look at what content curation is – content curation basics, then content curation best practice (with a free download with top tools and resources for content curation)...

Via Lauren Moss

Titles are a significant part of your content strategy because they draw readers into your content. Discover our 9 secrets for writing awesome blog post titles.

Via Martin (Marty) Smith