Archive - August, 2010

Content Marketing: Top Sites Share High Value Content

By on August 31, 2010 in Marketing with 0 Comments

 A few days ago, Joe Pulizzi and Junta42 released its listing of Top Content Marketing sites. If it's possible to be proud and humble simultaneously, my spot in the rankings (#10) ignited such a feeling.

As fellow J42er, Gavin Heaton points out on Servant of Chaos:

Each of the blogs in the Junta42 are ranked based on a number of factors, explained as follows:

    1. The
      number of posts in last quarter that pertained to a content marketing
      topic. Those posting on 3 or more days per week received the highest
      number of points.
    2. Substantiveness of Posts. Here we
      worked to weed out posts that fell short of adding value to the
      collective body of knowledge about content marketing.
      For example, blogs that simply linked to other blogs or articles
      without adding new information, perspectives or ideas to the commentary
      received lower scores than did blogs that consistently delivered unique
      ideas, thoughtful insights, deep coverage, rich media and the like -
      you know, high-value content – to the community.
    3. Google PageRank. (All blogs were checked on the same day.)
    4. Previous Ranking.

The latest version of the Junta 42
provides a handy reference to some of the leading content marketing
blogs – a very useful resource for those marketers working with social
media as part of their strategy. The August 2010 top 42 content
marketing blogs are:

1 Brian Solis
2 Copyblogger
3 Conversation Agent
4 TopRank Blog
5 PR 20/20
6 Marketing Experiments
7 Convince and Convert
8 Spin Sucks
9 Marketing Interactions
10 ConverStations   <—— very cool!
11 Simple Marketing Blog
12 Influential Marketing Blog
13 Direct Marketing Observations
14 Post Advertising
15 Web Ink Now
16 Social Media Explorer
17 Writing on the Web
18 Inbound Internet Marketing Blog
19 Rexblog
20 eMedia Vitals
21 Vertical Leap
22 Conversation Marketing
23 WeBlogBetter.com
24 Mack Collier
25 Buzz News
26 FASTforward Blog
27 IdeaLaunch
28 Site Booster
29 Freelance Copywriters Blog
30 Social Media Examiner
31 Priority Integrated Marketing Blog
32 Branding & Marketing
33 Shopper Culture
34 Vertical Measures
35 Proactive
36 Web Marketing Therapy
37 ContentMarketingToday
38 Servant of Chaos
39 Ducttape Marketing
40 TippingPoint Labs
41 Sparksheet
42 The MineThat Data Blog

I subscribe to the RSS feed of all the above sites and follow many of them on Twitter. Lots of smarts and forward thinking.  Over 348 sites are listed in the field, and you can browse through all of them.

To find out more about content marketingor how you can become a vendor or post a project for a vendor, check out the Junta42 Vendor Matching Service

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Reflections and Reviews of Augusts Gone By

By on August 31, 2010 in Blog Coach with 0 Comments

At the turn of the calendar, let’s revisit some posts from this and past Augusts:

August 2010

August 2009

August 2008

August 2007

August 2006

A trivial note from August 2005. 

Though the site no longer exists, I wrote my first blog post on August 5th 2005 on the now-defunct Copywriting Watch blog. Though I started writing it with an eye towards exposing the good and bad of copywriting, I began to talk more and more about business blogging. I got turned onto the power of RSS and the potential reach that blogging offers. It was the genesis to ConverStations. Thus, I complete my 6th August of blogging.

Brain Stew 08/30: Conversations & Gleanings

By on August 30, 2010 in Brain Stew with 0 Comments

Occasionally, I have conversations over coffee (guess where) that prick my brain to overdrive. These bits are gleanings and take-aways, ideas and wonderings from these talks.

  • Personal pronouns are important in doing "market research" in the social media space. Keywords may be less important than "key phrases" that include these pronouns. Search Once & Subscribe: Use Personal Pronouns  …
  • I've been having several discussions over the past few weeks about Affiliate Marketing and JV opportunities. As small business owners continue to create content, these avenues might become a way for them to gain a new revenue stream. There is a science to this stuff though help is available …
  • Linebackers don't tackle at the ball carrier, they tackle through the ballcarrier. May we do likewise in our work …
  • You know those little books at the bookstore, the hand held ones sometimes called Little Treasures…I've started calling them Twitter books. Most of the content on a page fits on a tweet…
  • Location Based Services may not hold value for you yet, but I'll bet it will.  Seek the value and you'll find it. Look, when Twitter first started, it was about "what are you doing?" and now it's (for many) "what are you learning?" or "what are you trying?"
  • Someday, I will live in Ireland — or maybe Scotland.  Portland?

Talk with ya soon…

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Justin Brady Designs Elegant Virtual Book Signing

By on August 30, 2010 in Books with 0 Comments

Cover of "In Pursuit of Elegance: Why the...Cover via Amazon

Is Des Moines' own Justin Brady creating a business model on how authors will soon be marketing books?

For the secong time this year, Justin has paved the way for "bringing in" a best selling author to have a "virtual book signing."

Des Moines' second virtual book signing, featuring renown speaker and author, Matthew E. May and his book "In Pursuit of Elegance: Why The Best Ideas Have Something Missing" will take place Tuesday, September 7th at Jasper Winery from 5 – 6:30pm! Register today (it's free — and check out the menu!)

In February, Justin arranged for a conversation with Dan Pink on his ground-breaking book Drive. It was a rousing success.

Here are a few reasons why I think this is a great model:

  • The conversation is center stage. Rather than the author signing books and glad-handing, book plates with the author's signature are shipped in. Books are purchased locally. This gives the author and audience time to focus on having a conversation centered around the book.
  • The audience has a big role. Dan Pink so gets this, So does Matthew May. And so does Justin Brady. The passive role of reader becomes dynamic as they get to have thought provoking Q & A with the author. In Dan's case, we even got to meet his son as they connected via Skype from Dan's home.
  • The ground of conversation becomes level. This isn't a stage and microphone presentation. It's an informal talk around the book, the author, and the applications the audience can take home. Friendships are forged. Enthusiastic evangelists go forth.
  • With barriers broken, business booms. It's my understanding that Dan Pink's team has received several requests by companies looking for Dan to come to Des Moines to speak to their company.

Now, about this book and the event. I've started re-reading "Elegance" to prepare for next Tuesday. I love the book! Why?  I really dig white space. I'm almost addicted to ambiguity. And there is a bit of elegance in the gap. (Here's Matthew May's Change This Manifesto – Creative Elegance: The Power of Incomplete Ideas )

If you have a passion for innovation or design, of business planning or communications of any kind – I encourage your presence. This could become habit.

Should this "book-signing" conversation model continue – and why shouldn't it – Justin Brady should be thanked in a big way for putting Des Moines on the book tour map – virtual or otherwise. By the city, the state, and booksellers and publishers for the idea and follow-through.

Thanks Justin. You are a hero of mine.

Follow 'em on Twitter:

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0-60 Series: Day Three – Writing for the Web and Eye Rests

By on August 30, 2010 in Blog Coach, Social Media with 0 Comments

In this series, we will cover some of the first 60 days of integrating social media into your overall business strategy.

0to60

Day Three – Writing for the Web and Eye Rests

Objective: To begin to write specifically for the web-based reader and their reading and sharing habits.

Tools: Your new blogware platform (WordPress? Typepad? Blogger?). Notice I didn't say MS Word.

Writing for the Web

Writing for the web is different. Different from most print journalism. Probably much different than what your English teacher taught you back in the day.

One reason is because the readers read differently. Another is the dynamic nature of web pages with hyperlinks, moving parts, and back buttons. If we are to write with the reader in mind (and who and how they might share what you've written), we must be aware of their reading habits.

A post I always require my students to read is Blog Posting – Give Them Eye Rests.

Slow Down Their Scroll

Readers on the web are scanners and surfers. They scroll and move on in the fast lane. Even if you writing is great, they still may not slow down. Help them navigate safely by providing rest stops along the super-information highway. These "speed bumps" might include:

  • Bold text your take-away phrases (a 7-10 word phrase is better than a single keyword)
  • An image that helps tell the story (preferably positioned on the right of the text)
  • A list, either bullets or numbered (you don't have to love these, but know that readers do)
  • Hyperlink text (instead of spelling out the 5 W's & H, link to them — contextually)

By giving these "gifts" to the reader, they are more likely to remember what you've written (at least the bold take-away), and they are more likely to share it with others (it's good AND easy-to-read)

Readers will stick with you if you are considerate of their habits. Think about how you read on the web. Do you scroll and scan or read every line?

See what I mean?

Note that during these 60 days, I would have about 20 face-to-face or live conversations (Skype or other form of video/screen sharing). The other days are self-paced — though plenty of homework.

You can get this series emailed to you in a gradual release format (one-a-day for 60 days). FInd out how you can get started today.

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Google Voice + First Time Callers = Guest Post?

By on August 29, 2010 in Conversations, Cool Tools, Social Media with 0 Comments

A few days ago, I confessed how I have a few customers "calling in" their blog posts using Google Voice. The combination of transcription and audio file has made it quite easy for some busy business owners to "blog" as we can still capture tone and inflection with the audio. We just clean up the text, add a few links and an image.

After talking with my buddy, Mike Wagner, I'm going to experiment again with Google Voice. This time, mashup up this site as part blog & comments, part guest post, part call-in show.

Each week, I'll pose a question here. If you want to take part, just call in your answer to my G-Voice # at

515-999-0734

This week's question:

What is the most close-knit "offline" community you participate in and what makes it so close-knit?

I'll post your answers mid-week here. When you call in, there's a few things to consider:

  • I'd like to post both text AND audio. Let me know when you call if you want just the text posted.
  • You only have 3 minutes to leave your message
  • Let me know which site to link to on your comment (website, twitter, facebook…something of yours)
  • We'll close up the call-in submission Wednesdays, Midnight Pacific.

Are you a first time caller, long-time reader? 

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Whistle Stops: 08/29/10 – Let’s Get Blogging Edition

By on August 29, 2010 in Blogging, Whistle Stops with 0 Comments

Whistlestops_39_3 Whistle Stops are conversations, eye-openers, or tools representing the
brain train discovered while traveling along the Conversphere.  From
business to education, life hacks to giving back, these are the posts and
links that have in some way grabbed my attention!

A great deal of talk this week about whether blogs are still relevant, but there's also some fantastic "back-to-basics" chatter being offered up:

Wow!  Lots of great stuff. I found all of these in my RSS reader and shared them earlier. Grab a seat on your deck and a beverage, and soak up the knowledge (and then apply what you learn:-))

Happy blogging! Maybe I'll see you in #blogchat tonight.

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Strong-End Summit: Content Marketing and Conversational Media

By on August 27, 2010 in Brain Stew with 0 Comments

It’s been a while since I’ve worked in a cubicle, but I know (and you do too) that Friday afternoons are a bit more relaxed. Relaxed doesn’t mean lazy though. And why not utilize sites like YouTube and SlideShare productively and end our week strongly.

This week, we’ll focus on Content Marketing and Conversational Media. Let’s get smart:

What is Content Marketing?

What is Content Marketing? from OpenView Venture on Vimeo.

Joe Pulizzi of Junta42 “We Are All Publishers Now“

Seth Godin and Tom Peters on blogging

Scott Ginsberg: Writing is the Basis of All Wealth

ROI of Social Media – Case Study w/ Boesen the Florist


Have a strong weekend and come out creating on Monday, dig?

Make a Dent in the Universe

By on August 27, 2010 in Brain Stew with 0 Comments

I've talked with a lot of folks recently are are tired of the stuck they are rooted (rutted?) in.

I ask about their passion and the extraordinary and they cling onto passivity and the ordinary. They don't like it or want it, but still — they dig deeper roots in their stuck.

Several times this week, I've launched Garr Reynold's deck on Daniel Pink's brilliant book, Johnny Bunko. I watch the person I show it too. I see nods and smirks (they see thruth). But, at least this week, the slide that gets them is No. 169.

I've heard big sighs, a cheer, and even seen a tear.

Career Advice '08
View more presentations from garr.

If you feel trapped, stop. Go make a dent in your universe.

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Social Media Playbook: Blog or Twitter or Facebook? Or…?

By on August 26, 2010 in Blog Coach, Marketing, Social Media with 2 Comments

Since 2006, I've written:

  • 1500 ConverStations blog posts
  • 7000 Twitter entries
  • I dunno how many Facebook entries (FriendFeed populates most of it)

Do the blog posts take a bit longer?  Yes, quite a bit. 

Do the blog posts allow me to be more findable, and therefore more profitable? Yes, quite a bit.

Here's my caveat:  I don't believe it's an "or" question.  I think blogging and tweeting and facebooking, especially if you can do it all in a manageable time, are all important.  But if you skip one, don't let it be your blogging.

Maranda Gibson of AccuConference commented on a recent post on, and how she like to use the tools in conjunction with each other and "using one without the other limits conversations." Great point!

Maybe we should look at Twitter and Facebook (and other social sharing spots) similarly** to our "leave-behind" material, such as business cards, brochures, sales sheets and our blog as "the catalog."  

Too many companies (especially small business) are putting all their eggs in the Twitter and Facebook arena as a replacement to producing deeper content on a site such as a blog. Not a great idea for long-term success.

I don't sell blogs.  I'll coach folks to improvement on any tool (and success on the whole if we have the right strategy and mindset)

Don't skip the foundation.

**I say similarly in the vein of size and scope, not of purpose or message type

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