Content Marketing Hubs Deliver ROI

Last week I was part of the panel for the Marketing Superhero webinar hosted by OnPath where we discussed how to create demand generation strategies for 2012. I chose to make my tip about Content Hubs.

A Content Hub is a content marketing program that takes full advantage of a bigger content asset to combine lead generation with lead nurturing and gain optimal value from your investment in content development.

A Content Hub serves to:

• Generate leads and/or engage prospects by providing a valuable, extended experience.
• Presents the topic in a variety of ways through a variety of channels that all lead back to the hub.
• Keeps marketers on point by focusing everything around one topic important to buyers.

Here's what a content hub looks like:

In this example, I've used a webinar as the anchor content in the center of the hub. You can also use a white paper or other "big" content asset. Most marketers don't gain the true value of their most meaty content investments. In the case of webinars - the usual campaign includes:

• Send webinar invitation emails to your database.
• Promote through social media.
• Send a reminder email the day of the event.
• Hold the event.
• Send the archive link and file the webinar away as completed on the task list.

What a waste of your investment.

Instead, consider all the ways you can use that content - both pre and post event.

From the Pre-event perspective:

In addition to the above usual stuff, pull out a couple of the topics that will be covered in the webinar and write several blog posts to give people a preview. Get them excited and include the link for registration.

Start a discussion in a LinkedIn group that will appreciate the topic. Don't just post an advertisement for the webinar. As a question or two that will be answered in the webinar and discuss why it's important to consider the ways various answers might affect whatever. Then invite people to attend. Also submit it to events on LinkedIn.

Issue a press release that includes a two-minute preview video with the presenter. Have them hit on the high points of what attendees will learn. Include the biography and picture of the presenter and perhaps a one-page checklist or cheat sheet that people can download that will encourage them to sign up for the webinar to learn how to use it.

After the Event:

Take the slide deck and spiff it up for SlideShare. If it's mostly graphics with not a lot of text - which most good presentation decks should be - add some brief text to clarify the graphics and ensure that when you flip through the deck, the story unfolds without gaps. Post it to SlideShare and embed in in a blog post.

Take all the questions that were submitted during the webinar and write a Q&A blog post. If you don't have enough questions, create some more that your readers will find useful and answer those too. Even if you answered them during the webinar, people won't remember. Those who didn't attend the webinar may be inspired to go watch it. Never forget that webinars have a shelf-life that needs to be addressed.

Have the recorded audio transcribed, edit it and turn it into a white paper. Use some of the slides as graphics or the information on them to create sidebars. Voila - you have another meaty content asset and perhaps a new lead generation vehicle. Add in some expertise that wasn't covered in the webinar to make it fresh and new.

Take several of the points made in the webinar and spin a new article series that you can use in a nurturing program. Cull out several two or three minute snips of audio and create short podcasts that you can embed on your website along with the other materials.

Remember to create a comprehensive display of all the resources so that your Content Hub is useful, rich and worth returning to repeatedly. Make it the destination for people interested in that topic.

Creating Content Hubs gives marketers a number of content assets all focused on a topic prospects have expressed interest in learning more about. It streamlines the creation process and escalates the ROI marketers can earn from their investments.

One of the biggest challenges marketers state is creating relevant content. Another is creating enough of it. With a Content Hub, you can nail both challenges with ease. A Content Hub is an excellent way to gain more traction with your content marketing efforts.

Comments

[Eoghan]

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[Ian Brodie]

Hi Ardath,

A thought for webinars as content hubs:

Usually you know the topic well enough in advance that you can ask questions on forums/linkedin groups that you can then cover on the webinar.

"What's your biggest isse with..." etc.

This can generate real engagement because the webinar is partly a response to the hot topics people have raised.

Ian

[Ardath Albee]

Hi Ian,

Excellent addition. Thank you!

[Arriane]

I added this post to my bookmarks to refer back in the future. I recently read a post comparing direct marketing to content marketing and thought you might want to check it out. http://www.inboundsales.net/blog/bid/48652/Direct-Marketing-vs-Content-Marketing-What-Works-Best-For-Lead-Generation