Brands

Strategist Six: This Week’s Top Stories Like the ‘Twitter Extortion’ Debacle

Successful content marketers need three things: a fierce desire to learn, an almost super-human ability to process information, and an understanding that procrastination is an art. This week’s Strategist Six has your back for all three. Happy reading.

This Week’s Top Stories in Content Marketing

1. FTW: How USA Today Mastered Viral Sports Content (USA Today)

USA Today is living proof that there is no such thing as ‘old school’ content. In just 9 months, the publisher’s ‘For the Win’ section has built an audience growth engine driven by catchy headlines and heightened social sharing. Lesson learned: viral content is driven by strategy, not luck.

2. Extortion Over $50,000 Twitter Handle Sets a Chilling Precedent (Entrepreneur)

Have a highly sought-after Twitter username? Be prepared for hackers to extort you. California-based web developer Naoki Hiroshima says he was offered as much as $50,000 for his handle, @N, and attempts to steal his name were ongoing. He was finally forced to give up the coveted name when hackers hijacked his PayPal and GoDaddy accounts. Lesson learned: watch your back.

3. Personal Storytelling With API-Driven Infographics (Visual.ly)

Successful storytelling requires more than a one-size-fits-all approach. That’s where data comes in. Read how one content company harnesses the power of technology for communicating personal anecdotes, and see how data visualization can piece together a personal narrative. Lesson learned: multimedia is powerful for storytelling.

4. Facebook Mobile Ads Now Account for Majority of Ad Revenue (Mashable)

We’ve finally reached the inflection point – the majority of Facebook’s ad revenue now come from mobile. On Wednesday’s earnings call, Facebook announced that, for the first time, mobile ad dollars have topped 50 percent. This announcement comes more than a year and a half after investors raised concerns about the platform’s ability to monetize on mobile. Lesson learned: mobile is quickly becoming the heart of content and information consumption, and native ads are probably the only hope for monetizing mobile.

5. Exploring What Consumers Say About Digital Content Brands (MediaPost)

Brands want consumers to read and engage with their content. But what do consumers want? This article breaks down why audiences value utility, quality, point of view, and reliability. Lesson learned: there’s no room for shortcuts.

6. Omnichannel Marketing: Measure, Optimize, Repeat (Digiday)

Today’s consumers are in the driver’s seat, and it’s up to brands to keep up by monitoring full-cycle customer journeys. Among over 350 professionals in industries such as retail, e-commerce and financial services, 62 percent reported already having omnichannel strategy. Lesson learned: the success of your company’s content strategy will depend on all of your other marketing activity.

Love what you see? Make sure to share it. Until next week!

What’s the deal with the Content Strategist? At Contently, storytelling is the only marketing we do, and it works wonders. It could for you, too. Learn more.

Image by Fumi Yamazaki

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