Blog secrets for tomorrow: Content Marketing World 2012

There's just no point blogging if you're not generating business, says Jason Falls (@jasonfalls). Most blogging is bullish*t.

Why? Because it's not delivering leads.

SO, at risk of paraphrasing to the point of inanity, here are a few tips to fix your blogging. I'm keeping it short because clearly, mine needs work!

Tracking

Make sure you know:

1. What are people saying about you?
2. How many people are responding to your calls to action?
3. What is your conversion rate?
4. What is your sales rate?
5. Rankings is (sic) old school (why? because they're tailored for individuals these days)
6. Conversions by source

If your blog isn't delivering on these kinds of metrics, think about whether you're actually achieving anything at all.

Build an audience

Your content needs to be 'holy smokes' ie be:

- Amazing

- Shareable and...

- Provide clear calls to action.

So follow at least these two of the five 'F's of word of mouth marketing. This will work in financial services - we just have to get cracking and do it.

1. Talkers: industry leaders to your mum...target them...build your own audience

2. Topics: try a) helpful ideas b) thought leadership c) entertainment or d) stirring stuff up

This post, in case you're wondering, falls under topic idea a) helpful ideas! But to get most traction? 

Use tactic d) - stir stuff up. 

It's most effective in getting attention. Politicians have been using it since time immemorial.