Abhirupa Purkayastha – Simplifying Life

“Content is king” – you must’ve heard this zillion times, I’m sure. Now let me take you through a couple of latest variations of these 3 famous words by Bill Gates way back in 1996.

• “If content is King, then context is emperor.”
•  “If content is King, then distribution is queen.”
• “If content is King, then conversion is queen.”
• “If content is King, then curation is queen.”
• “If content is King, then data is his queen.”
• “If content is King, then sharing is queen.”
• “If content is King, then engagement is queen.”
• “If content is King, then storytelling is queen.”
• “If content is King, then social media is queen.”

The evolution of content. It’s still evolving BTW

First things first – intelligently written & thoroughly researched content was, is & will always be THE KING. But what has changed is its consumption.

A surfeit of content choices & connected devices coupled with shorter attention span of the online users has changed the landscape of content. Let’s dig deeper –

1.The optimal length of social media posts

• The optimal length of a tweet — 71 to 100 characters
• The optimal length of a Facebook post – 40 characters
• The optimal length of a hashtag – 6 characters
• The optimal length of a LinkedIn post – 25 words
• The optimal length of a Google+ headline – 60 characters maximum

Check the detailed article here 

2.Does it mean – the death of longer articles?

This BuzzSumo & Moz research finds that long-form content actually gets shared more than short-form content. That brings us to this pertinent question – why do people share? There have been a lot of talking about cracking the psychology code of Sharers – people who share content on social channels because the act satisfies their emotional need of telling others who and what they are.

You know it’s very similar to owning an Iphone, riding a Harley, and using Body Shop products. It’s like saying, I share what I am.

But the emotional motivators don’t just stop at projecting one’s identity through sharing. A study by The New York Times gives us an insight into other factors such as –

• Connect with people
• Self- fulfilment
• Informing others about significant issues ( from supporting causes to products & companies they care about).

How does long-form content fit here?

Let’s take a look at some of the articles from 2017 that were shared the most under different categories ( data taken after searches on BuzzSumo) –

Parenting  –  X-Plan: Giving your kids a way out (#xplan).

Shared 1.3 M times. Word Count – 1000 +

Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?

Shared 753.5K times. Word Count – 1000+

The Best 10 Day Home Workout Plan (+ Free Printable)

Shared 672.1K times. Word Count – 650+

This 75-Year Harvard Study Found the 1 Secret to Leading a Fulfilling Life

Shared 317.1 K times. Word Count – 650+

Preventing Alzheimer’s & Dementia Naturally – 9 Diet & Lifestyle Habit Changes

Shared 301.4K times. Word Count – 1000+

All these articles are long, packed with data and useful information, and readable.

Key takeaways:

• Create both short and long-form content.
• What percentage of your efforts ( research, creation, design, and promotion) you want to assign to each format will depend on your business objectives.
• Make your long-form content visually appealing.

Recently I came across an interesting study titled What is beautiful is usable by an Israeli scientist Noam Tractinsky who was puzzled by an experiment on aesthetics & usability by Japanese researchers, Masaaki Kurosu and Kaori Kashimura. They studied different layouts of controls for ATMs. All versions of the ATMs studied were similar in function, the number of buttons, and how they operated. However, some of the ATMs had the buttons and screens arranged in an attractive way, while for the others they were arranged unattractively. Result – the Japanese found that the attractive ones were perceived to be easier to use. Tractinsky was suspicious of the results; he thought the results were simply true for Japanese. He said “aesthetic preferences are culturally dependent…Japanese culture is known for its aesthetic tradition.” But for Israel, this won’t be the case. To prove his suspicions right, he got the ATM layouts from Kurosu and Kashimura, translated them from Japanese into Hebrew, and conducted a new experiment in Israel. And the results were a surprise! The experiment found that the co-relation between usability and aesthetics was stronger in Israel than Japan.

3.Clarity & power still rule

Whether you are writing content for a website, an ad copy, or a research paper – remember your content is part of the user experience. Your content should make the life easier for your users by cutting through the clutter and delivering what they want. Let me give you a simple example:

 “According to a report by United Nations World Tourism Organization, which is a specialized agency of the United Nations, in 2011 international tourism receipts exceeded US$1 trillion for the first time.”

Now compare this with

“In 2011 international tourism receipts exceeded US$1 trillion for the first time, according to a report by United Nations World Tourism Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations.”

Which one of the above examples convey the message clearly in a short time?

When it comes to creating powerful content, there are 3 elements which I think turn a good content into a POWERFUL one

1) Empathy: Empathy is the key to a positive user experience.  It’s about putting yourself in your audience’s shoes. Seeing and experiencing things as they would have. It’s analysing and making decisions with your audience’s eyes.

And to do so you need to prepare the answers to these questions:

• Who is the audience? ( This sounds obvious. But, you will be shocked to see how many writers fail to understand.)
• What do they need to know? What do they want to gain from the content?
• How do I help them?

These questions will help you draft the framework of the content – helping you decide which points to keep and what to exclude.

2) Remain True: Authenticity is a hot topic these days. Marketers and advertisers are trying different ways to create authentic content. Some useful tips to write authentic content include:

• Consistency – your message should be same across all the channels.
• Personal examples – people like to learn from examples or stories happening around them. Bees, Shoots, and Leaves: Amazing Adventures in the Microworld posted in the GE blog is a wonderful example of using personal examples in a branded content.
• Present facts as facts. Don’t distort them because users are smart and you are not the only source of information.

3) Expertise – Following Google’s EAT guidelines (“Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness”), a lot of focus is on writing content where one has domain expertise. Here’re Google’s suggestions for High E-A-T pages –

High E-A-T medical advice should be written or produced by people or organizations with appropriate medical
expertise or accreditation. High E-A-T medical advice or information should be written or produced in a professional style and should be edited, reviewed, and updated on a regular basis

High E-A-T news articles should be produced with journalistic professionalism—they should contain factually
accurate content presented in a way that helps users achieve a better understanding of events. High E-A-T news
sources typically have published established editorial policies and robust review processes.

High E-A-T information pages on scientific topics should be produced by people or organizations with appropriate
scientific expertise and represent well-established scientific consensus on issues where such consensus exists.

High E-A-T financial advice, legal advice, tax advice, etc., should come from trustworthy sources and be
maintained and updated regularly.

High E-A-T advice pages on topics such as home remodeling (which can cost thousands of dollars and impact
your living situation) or advice on parenting issues (which can impact the future happiness of a family) should also
come from “expert” or experienced sources that users can trust.

High E-A-T pages on hobbies, such as photography or learning to play a guitar, also require expertise.

 

Keywords : newsworthy, information distribution, facts, authentic ( drop in your comments to suggest keywords you think describe the purpose & characteristics of a press release)

We all know what a press release is & what purpose it solves. The who, what, when, where, why & how – the quintessential elements of a release. The list of the releases you’ll see here have all these elements, plus, something more. Yes, something more that turns these releases from a barrage of words to remarkably evocative stories.

When digging up releases, I stumbled upon what many consider as the world’s first press release. So here’s a bit of history on press release & how did the world’s first ever press release look like.

Who invented press release?

 

The name is Lee. Ivy Lee. On October 28, 1906 when West Jersey and Seashore Railroad’s electric car fell off a swing bridge in Atlantic City, drowning 50 people. West Jersey and Seashore Railroad  Lee represented the railroad and convinced them to distribute a press release about the accident to the journalists. He even convinced the railroad to provide a special train for the reporters & photographers so that they can visit the accident site. This was unprecedented.

The New York Times was so impressed by Lee’s release that the newspaper printed it exactly as Lee had written it.

 

 

Check Declaration of Principles by Ivy Lee, which he released in 1906; it is considered as an important move in the Public Relations industry.

Press Releases That Went Viral

 

1) Nintendo

 

Nintendo of America Hires Bowser as New VP of Sales
Doug Bowser Brings Decades of Experience, Not Fire Breath, to New Role

Nintendo of America has hired a new Vice President to lead the United States sales organization with a name that’s well-known in the Mushroom Kingdom. Effective today, Doug Bowser (no relation to the King Koopa and Mario’s longtime nemesis) will oversee a variety of sales-related functions, including Sales, In-store Merchandising, Retail Strategy and Retail Marketing. He will play a key role in driving national sales strategies to generate demand and achieve revenue objectives across all of Nintendo’s product lines. Bowser also will manage Nintendo’s key retail customer relationships and will oversee retail marketing for the Nintendo World store in New York.

Bowser will report to Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing.

“Doug Bowser is an outstanding addition to our Nintendo team, as he brings a deep blend of both consumer package goods and video game sales experience,” said Moffitt. “I know he will work tirelessly with our internal and external partners to ensure the broad Nintendo product lineup of hardware, software and accessories are strongly represented throughout U.S. retail points of distribution.”

Bowser comes to Nintendo from Electronic Arts, where he has worked since 2007, most recently as Vice President of Global Business Planning, a role that made him responsible for EA’s console, PC and mobile game forecasting. Prior to EA, he worked at Procter & Gamble in various sales leadership roles in Asia, Latin America and the U.S.

He attended the University of Utah, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in communications.

 

Instead of writing a bland, plain we’ve-hired-a-new-VP PR, the video games giant released a funny and quirky read. A VP who shares the same name as the villain who’s appeared in nearly all the Mario games since 1989 is funny in a way. And Nintendo leveraged it with just the right amount of comedic elements. It’s neither boring nor uproariously funny – it’s just right.

 2) Chevrolet

 

 

Chevy wrote an entire PR in emojis before the reveal of 2016 Cruze. Here’s what the carmaker said “Words alone can’t describe the new 2016 Chevrolet Cruze, so to celebrate its upcoming reveal, the media advisory is being issued in emoji, the small emotionally expressive digital images and icons in electronic communication.”

3) Taco Bell

 

After a 2 year hiatus, Taco Bell returned to Super Bowl with a new product. The release is cryptic and keeps one guessing from start to finish about the product.

 4) Michael Jordan Iam Back

 

 

Michael Jordan’s comeback announcement in just 2 words – “I’m back” is powerful yet subtle, is simple but conveys a wealth of emotions. Here’s shedding light on the making of this iconic press release.

 

He felt that it didn’t require an explanation or a justification,” said Falk, who faxed the final press release to media outlets. “I thought I was a pretty good writer, written a lot of things, but he said, ‘Let me do this.’ So he sat down at the table and thought about it for a couple of minutes and he wrote, ‘I’m Back.’ He said, ‘OK, that’s it.’ It was classic Michael Jordan. It was elegant in simplicity, it communicated how he felt, it said it all.

5) Anacin

 

Moments after learning that the world’s oldest man credits his longevity to a daily dose of six Anacin tablets and one banana, scientists at Insight Pharmaceuticals began to investigate whether ‘Bananacin’ – a banana-flavored Anacin tablet – might be the elixir for longevity.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130726/PH54078 )

According to multiple news reports, 112-year-old Salustiano “Shorty” Sanchez-Blazquez of Grand Island, New York, credits the banana-Anacin combo for his extended life. Born in 1901, Guinness World Records now recognizes Shorty as the world’s oldest man.

“Historically, apples are the fruit most associated with staying healthy and avoiding doctors,” said Jennifer Moyer, vice president of marketing for Insight Pharmaceuticals. “Our scientists had never looked into the banana before. But now that the certified oldest man in the world credits bananas and Anacin as his life-extending combo, we’re certainly going to explore whether a new ‘Bananacin’ product makes sense.”

Anacin, invented in 1916 by William Milton Knight, is one of the oldest brands of pain relievers in the United States. Its unique formula contains two important ingredients – aspirin and caffeine – to deliver fast pain relief from headaches. Anacin is currently available in regular and maximum strength tablets as well as regular strength caplets; Insight Pharmaceuticals is exploring a banana-shaped capsule for the new ‘Bananacin’ flavor.

“Forget the fountain of youth – ‘Bananacin’ could be a game-changer for life expectancy,” Moyer noted. “If nothing else, ‘Bananacin’ sounds delicious! And it only makes sense that the oldest man in the world recognizes the benefits of Anacin, which is one of the oldest brand pain relievers in the U.S.”

While Insight Pharmaceuticals scientists work to bring ‘Bananacin’ to drugstores nationwide, headache sufferers can visit www.Anacin.com to download a $2 coupon for any original Anacin product. Bargain hunters can follow Anacin on Twitter (@Anacin ) to double their coupon to $4.

“We’re committed to helping people have better days by giving them fast pain relief – especially for those great nights that are followed by rough mornings,” Moyer continued. “And if we can somehow discover how to help them add days to their life with ‘Bananacin,’ it’s a win-win.”

About Anacin:
Anacin®, a licensed product of Insight Pharmaceuticals, is one of the oldest pain relievers in the United States and has been a trusted brand for over 50 years. It is a leading cure for minor aches and pains associated with headaches, backaches, cramps, stiff muscles, the common cold, toothaches, and minor pains of arthritis. For more information, please visit Anacin.com or follow us on Twitter (@Anacin ) or Facebook (Facebook.com/AnacinRelief ).

It all started when world’s oldest man, Salustiano “Shorty” Sanchez-Blazquez, credited his longevity to taking a daily dose of anacin and banana. Anacin maker Insight Pharmaceuticals sprang into action and released a laugh-out-loud announcement that’ll tickle your funny bones. BTW laughter can also extend lifespan. So, keep laughing!

6)Netflix Orders Green Eggs and Ham

 

We’d love to share some happy news
based on the rhymes of Dr. Seuss.
Green Eggs and Ham will become a show
and you’re among the first to know.
In this richly animated production,
a 13-episode introduction,
standoffish inventor (Guy, by name)
and Sam-I-Am of worldwide fame,
embark on a cross-country trip
that tests the limits of their friendship.
As they learn to try new things,
they find out what adventure brings.
Of course they also get to eat
that famous green and tasty treat!
Cindy Holland, VP of Original Content for Netflix
threw her quote into the mix:
“We think this will be a hit
Green Eggs and Ham is a perfect fit
for our growing slate of amazing stories
available exclusively in all Netflix territories.
You can stream it on a phone.
You can stream it on your own.
You can stream it on TV.
You can stream it globally.”

 

A 13-episode animated Green Eggs and Ham series is coming to Netflix – and what better way than a DR Seuss inspired rhyme to announce it.

7)TMobile

 

Here’s what TMobile had to say after AT&T’s announced to pay customers $450 to switch back from T-Mobile

T-Mobile US, Inc. (NYSE: TMUS) today announced that pretty much everyone at the company is overcome with emotion and still kind of processing the decision by now-ex-rival AT&T to leave the dark side, step into the light, and join hands in supporting the Un-carrier consumer revolution.

“Call it an awakening,” said Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO of AT&T Mobility, “but I felt it was time to really stir things up and put the customer first for a change. And by “customer” I’m referring to our former customers who switch to T-Mobile, because our current customers don’t really qualify.” De la Vega said that the new T-Mobile switching offer was custom designed to entice its millions of contract customers to go ahead and give T-Mobile a try. “If for any reason you don’t love T-Mobile’s 4G LTE network, which is now faster than ours[i], we’ll actually pay you up to $450 to come back to AT&T, I kid you not.”

Ok, De La Vega didn’t actually say that, but he might as well have. Thanks to AT&T’s apparent change-of-heart and incredibly generous $450 T-Mobile customer buy-back campaign, insane numbers of its very own customers and even families of AT&T employees are enjoying a risk-free, zero-cost opportunity to switch to the Un-carrier. If customers making the switch are not completely satisfied with T-Mobile and its state-of-the-art nationwide 4G LTE network (now fastest in the U.S.)i, AT&T will cover the costs for customers switching back to their own slower network, up to $450 with trade-in[ii]. Details of the new AT&T offer can be found at att.com/att/switcherpromo.

“Wow. I mean … wow,” breathed John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile. “I guess we all have moments of doubt. You know? Like, can the darkness ever be defeated? But that they’ve singled us out in this way is just so affirming. I guess we must be doing something right. I mean, if AT&T can change, it feels like anything’s possible.

“It’s kind of like that scene where Darth Vader’s lying there and Luke helps take off his helmet,” Legere continued, “and you see that, okay, sure, Darth Vader’s pretty ugly, but he’s human after all.”

[….] “Somebody pinch me,” said Mike Sievert, Chief Marketing Officer. “By offering a risk-free way for their millions of customers to come over to T-Mobile – AT&T has helped put this Un-carrier consumer movement into overdrive. At T-Mobile we stand for Contract Freedom, and I want to thank our friends at AT&T for helping us liberate their former customers. This isn’t just about switching offers — it’s about T-Mobile giving customers the service, the network, and the wireless experience they deserve, without having to worry when they switch.”

Sievert noted that AT&T’s recent full-page ad in The New York Times had signaled a real turning point in his mind – that the former industry rival had truly stepped out of the darkness and was seeking to mend its ways and support the Un-carrier consumer movement.

“I mean, a full page ad in The New York Times,” said Sievert. “That says commitment to me.”

Know more such viral press releases? Add to the comments section.

It’s an universal fact that every writer at some point of time in his/her career goes through the dreaded writer’s block. What about you? Do you face it often? Or the ideation bit isn’t your problem, it’s that you often get bogged down in grammar rules? Oh, wait a minute. Your problem isn’t idea or grammar? Even after writing a great copy you aren’t able to convince & convert the users. Over here we’ve listed 20 pages that’ll make your life easier as a content writer- be it ideation, grammar, content strategy or digital marketing. Enjoy the read.

1) Grammarly – From writing tips to funny grammar mistakes the Facebook page is infotainment overloaded.

2) Dictionary.com – Trying to expand your vocabulary then this Facebook page must be on your must – like list.

3) Copyblogger –  Their Twitter page is cramped with useful information – from content marketing to  digital commerce.

4) Grammar Girl – When to use whoever and when whomever? Is it it’s or its? Is it shall or will? This Facebook page will give you all the answers.

5) Word – Check this amazing page on Facebook. It covers words across all languages.

6) Jeff Bullas – Follow him on Twitter to know how to write & market great content.

7) Visually – Their Twitter page is packed with some amazing content marketing nuggets.

8) Ann Handley – Well, she’s the queen of content. Follow her & you’ll know why she’s on this list.

9) Ogilvy & Mather – The No. 1 page to check some amazing nuggets of copywriting wisdom.

10) Quora – Want to know what’s happening in the content writing landscape check Quora.

11) Adage – Viral ads, engaging copies + great digital marketing tips. Like it now if you haven’t yet.

12) Content Marketing Institute – Wise words. Practical tips. No fluff. It’s content marketing decoded.

13) Kim Garst – Follow her on Twitter. From social media marketing to writing content that sells – her timeline is cramped with amazing tips.

14) Reddit – From tools to content writing resources – you name it & it’s there.

15) Buffer – Follow them on Twitter. You’ll learn how the industry is shaping up & how do you cope with it. Must-do thing : check their marketing manifesto.

16) English Forums – It can be your life saver.

17) Econsultancy – You can find the A-Z of digital marketing here.

18) Mental Floss – Often writers get stuck because they’re waiting for ideas to knock on the doors. But ideas don’t just knock & say “May I come in?”. Writers have to chase them. And Mental Floss is the perfect place for chasing ideas.

19) Reader’s Digest – From frugal shopping tips to best foods for your brain, it’s a hub of ideas.

20) Seth Godin – Read him to follow his writing style. Short & crisp for today’s users who’ve an attention span of less than 9 seconds.

Know such more useful pages? Drop a comment. Will add to the list.

Mistake 1: Why’re you outsourcing? No clue!

Primary reasons why agencies/businesses outsource content to freelance writers are

• Lack of resources
• Lack of knowledge
• Lack of time
• Producing enough content varieties
• Lack of budget.

What’s your reason for outsourcing content? Think over these questions first –

• Can your in-house team do it efficiently?
• What’s the investment from your side? Number of resources you would need to co-ordinate with the freelancers; remuneration of the freelancers; time spent on co-ordination etc.
• Will they be able to deliver by set deadlines? If not, then what’ll be your Plan B?
• What guidance will they need to complete the assignment?

The whole purpose is to analyse whether you need freelance writers or not? This will save a lot of trouble down the line. I’ve seen a lot of businesses hiring freelance writers then realizing that their in-house team can do it better than freelance writers. Which, if you ask me is a waste of time for both the parties.

Mistake 2: Define the person first

The pragmatic advice by Lou Adler – Define the job before defining the person. Mention in your posting these important things:

a) What kind of content the writer will be working on? Will it be blogs, newsletter, social media posts, brochures, case studies or press releases?

According to B2B Content Marketing Report the most outsourced content formats are

According to B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets & Trends, B2C outsource more content than B2B companies.

b) What’s the purpose of the content? Is it traffic? Engagement on social media? Branding?

c) For which industry you need the content? Is it real estate, finance, lifestyle etc? You don’t have to tell all about the client in the posting. But, a brief overview of the client’s business will ease out a lot of ambiguity.

d) Who’ll he/she be coordinating with? The marketing or the creative team?

e) Does the writer need to do the research or your in-house team will provide the data?

f) Where’s the client based? This is important Because British and American English are as different as chalk and cheese.

g) Does the writer need to go on a client call? If yes, then how frequently? If the client is based in the US and you’re hiring an Indian content writer then sort it out first.

Then comes defining the person

a) He/she should be grammatically sound.

b) Must have a prior experience writing for similar industry.

c) Consider deadline as sacred.

d) Can write content that relates to the goals.

Mistake 3: Not checking the CV

Sounds absurd, right? A lot of companies when hiring freelance writers don’t even bother to check the CVs. The only criterion for selection is how they write the sample topic. But that’s not the correct way to go about hiring. Often it also happens that freelance writers don’t email their CVs, they only send you a couple of their sample articles. In such cases ask the writer to email you the CV.

Important things to check in the CV

• Are they currently working? If yes, then ask how frequently they can submit the assignments? Suppose you need 5 blogs per day from the writer – will her/his schedule allow it?
• Check previous employment. Are they writers by chance or passion? I get a lot of CVs from event managers to engineering students – all trying to dabble in content writing. 9 out of 10 times I’ve seen their passion for writing dwindling after first assignment.
• Check the references and call them.

Mistake 4: No contract

No contract = a lot of trouble. The contract between your company/agency and the freelance writer should include these points –

• services the writer will provide
• deadline
• response time
• originality of the work
• remuneration
• changes
• cancellation
• confidentiality
• payment & collection.

Mistake 5: No guidelines on communication

Are there any guidelines regarding who’ll communicate with the freelancers, what’ll be the mode of communication, time etc. Where I work we always communicate via email; so both the parties have all the important things in writing. The reason for doing so isn’t lack of trust but clarity.

Mistake 6: Not interacting at all

Sadly a lot of companies hire freelance writers without even talking to them. I think one should talk to the writer at least once before hiring. After all, you don’t want to work with a person whose DNA doesn’t match with that of your company.

Ask them behavior based questions and check how they’re responding. Also, note whether they’re asking questions or not. You can understand many things about a person based on the questions he/she asks.

Mistake 7: Selecting only on the basis of price

What a writer quotes isn’t in anyway related to the quality of the article he/she’s capable of submitting. I’ve seen writers who come with a higher price tag delivering content that in one word can be described as gibberish.

Mistake 8: “I don’t need you” attitude

Seriously? Remember content is the king? And good content writers are the queen. Having a team of creative, grammatically sound, intelligent & honest freelance content writers is an asset. It requires a lot of hard work, patience and time. Don’t ruin it with your I-really-don’t-need-you attitude.