I have read many definitions of content marketing but, whenever somebody asks the question: "What is content marketing?" none of those definitions really get the message across.

I've put together three definitions which I think are more succinct, if a bit similar.

Which one do you think is best? Your comments would be most welcome...

And if you have a better one, let's here it. Click through to post your comment.

Thank you!

Best wishes

Colin

Three tips for establishing a good online reputation

Two out of three New Zealanders will Google a person before meeting with them for the first time. Which begs the question, what are your potential clients and business associates finding when they Google your name?

If you are not actively managing your online reputation, it will be developing organically which, it goes without saying, is a dangerous state to find yourself in. Image by jannoon028

The volume of rubbish content on the World Wide Web is increasing and I believe it is mostly the fault of SEO consultants, and DIY marketers.

Not all DIYers and SEO experts of course, but there are a number of practitioners who are producing content simply as a vehicle to get their keywords and backlinks out there – regardless of the quality of the content.

As a result we are inundated with millions of pieces of junk writing that are cluttering the World Wide Web, a bit like the millions of plastic bags in the ocean.
Image by PopSci Blog

‘Because Y’s a crooked letter and neither you nor I can straighten it’. Remember that expression? 'Why' is a very powerful device for content marketing and copy writing. Here's why...
_{Photo by renjith krishnan}

Did you know that reliance on search engines is changing the way we think? Perhaps even, our ability to think at all...

And what does this mean for marketing?

According to a study by Betsy Sparrow at Columbia University, we are re-organising the way we remember things.

Photo by Pixomar

You already know that the Internet is a very powerful marketing medium.

After all, 93% of New Zealanders will research their buying decisions online
(that counts for business to business too).

You may also know that some companies are making a bundle of sales off their
Internet traffic, while others are getting nothing – not a sausage. Zip.

Which one are you, or are you in the middle? And, why are some companies so successful and others so dismal?

Photo By Stuart Miles

Do not be seduced by the multitude of marketing evangelists out there, or the hype around a particular channel like social media because – while all are valid and powerful – they must be used in the right context.

There are many different disciplines in marketing – SEO, content marketing, public relations, advertising, social media, loyalty programmes, direct mail etc. – and all have their evangelists and their merits, but it is critical to remember that they are all really just channels… to building a relationship with your customer.

The type of relationship depends on whether your business is with the general public (consumers) or business-to-business. While those channels we use to reach both sets of customers are the same, the way we use them differs.

Let me explain. There are two types of relationship and here's how to decide what's most appropriate...

Photo by Photostock

ScienceDaily — Companies that use the popular social-media site Facebook and its fan page module to market themselves to customers can increase sales, word-of-mouth marketing and customer loyalty significantly among a subset of their customers, according to new research from Rice University's Jones Graduate School of Business. The study is featured in the March issue of the Harvard Business Review.
Research for the article, "How Effective is Facebook Marketing?," was conducted by Utpal Dholakia, associate professor of management at Rice University's Jones Graduate School of Business, and Emily Durham, a Jones School alumna and founder of Restaurant Connections, a Houston‐based restaurant consultancy.

Photo by: Graur Codrin

By Colin Kennedy and Fiona Powell

“How can I make social media networking -- including LinkedIn and Facebook -- work for me?”

It’s a common question and one usually accompanied by the unspoken expectation that social media success comes from following certain rules. It’s an expectation bound for disappointment.
Photo by: Jeroen van Oostrom

By Colin Kennedy

Datum Connect’s recent seminar on Facebook marketing was oversubscribed by more than 100% as business owners slowly come around to the realisation that Facebook advertising is probably the most ultra-targeted medium of all time.

Looking to target people whose favourite band is U2 and who are also fans of the book Watership Down? Facebook can do it for you.