Content Strategy for the Masses

Amazon put out an open call today for series creators and producers to pitch a kids show (ages 2 through 14) to go through an incubator. The selected pitch would receive $10K and development support. The developed series will secure $50K and up to 5% of merch. The series will be part of Amazon’s new Instant Video offering.

Here’s a link to the FAQs. Some interesting highlights:

If Amazon Studios produces my series, what role will I have in the production?

And here’s a link to the Development Agreement.

I find the open call approach, rather than reaching out to established producers, an interesting angle. I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts on this development. What do you think of the “up to 5% of merch” deal? Were you approached by Amazon? Is this a fair deal for the producer?

A couple of years ago, Google was in a pickle. A search for a common phrase would often result in spammy content farm lists rather than real articles from professionals. While Google has made some strides to re-establish its stake as a reliable search leader, us users may be feeling a little burned.

Content Science released a study recently that shows 65% of web users deem its content unreliable, and most people need to rely on recommendations from experts or someone they know to determine credibility.

So, more people than ever are using the web to find unreliable content.

What can we learn from this?

- When you’re creating content for the web, think about influence

- Think like a journalist. If you’re creating content, you need to back up your claims with reliable sources

- Engage in social media. Answer questions posed by your followers and consider what elements of your content is ‘sharable’

- Be likeable and personable in your posts. You are not a robot!

- Make sure what you write is original and creates an emotional response beyond boredom

- Measure your results! Are people reading your content? Have there been social media shares? Keep track of the analytics and analyze to help improve your site.

Following these key steps can help improve your chances to be influential and credible content.  Need help? Ping me and I can help you get started.

In Cannes recently, a number of top execs gathered to learn everything there is to know about social television – the act of adding the social networking experience to TV watching. Think: adding a hashtag to your live event.  Twitter UK’s top exec told the attendees that social television is happening, whether they want it to or not.  This is true, but maybe the focus should shift slightly.

As the industry works to better personalize the broadcast experience for its viewers, from adding full length content on their own websites to selling their catalogue rights to Netflix, there will be an increased marketing challenge to help audiences find their programs. Why? Because for those of us without cable,  it’s challenging to know what shows to watch because there’s no lead-in from a top rated show, or because programmers are selling preroll ad spaces to legitimate companies, not filling it with in-house advertising to promote their latest show (for the most part).

I find my shows by listening to podcasts, reading tweets (beyond a Get Glue check-in), or overhearing what colleagues are watching. I’m more compelled to watch a show when I see most people on my Twitter feed are tuned in versus seeing a big box ad for the program.  In fact, seeing everyone watch a program live makes me twinge a little for ye olde days of cable because there’s a community building on social media I can’t be a part of because I can’t see the show. I’m missing out.

So, how do you do start a social TV campaign?

- take part in some social listening. What are people saying on Twitter or Facebook about you? About your competition? Gather the data and think up a fun angle to build a community. There are free and paid-for ways to gather this type of data, from Google Alerts to customized packages.

- don’t ask your coordinator to handle your social TV just because he/she is always on Facebook. Hire a professional and check their credentials. Have they created a social media campaign before? Do they understand and take part in social TV?

- Don’t rely only on Get Glue, Miso or other social TV check-in sites. They’re good for creating a reminder to watch, but take the community to the next level now that you know they’re tuning in.

- Let the conversation happen organically – viewers can sense a fake tweet from a mile away. If your staff is writing tweets to support your program, be 100% transparent.

- Concerned about people revealing spoilers? Those without cable are used to hearing the ending of shows – doesn’t mean we’re not going to still watch it. In fact, sometimes letting your fans leak the spoilers results in more people watching.

- Keep your fans interested by holding fun hashtag games on Twitter. Ru Paul’s Drag Race asks its fans to come up with ’70s drag names between broadcasts, for example.

- Don’t rely on contests to build your community. People who enter contests tend to jump in and out without full engagement. Make it rewarding to talk about your show with retweets and engage them in conversations.

Any other tips? Let me know in the comments.

“Can’t You Just” and its equally evil cousin “Can You Just” can be applied to any profession. It’s when someone believes they’re providing a simple solution to a complex problem. Here’s a perfect example written from a designer, pulled from the hilarious website, Clients From Hell.

While a lot of people in the tech industry are on the receiving end of these three words, it can happen at any time to anyone. “Can’t you just use Photoshop?” “Can’t you just do just hire the writers from the Simpsons for your new TV show?” “Can’t you just build another Facebook?”

What are your best “Can’t you just” moments? Share in the comments…

Ginny Redish, the author of Letting Go of the Words, says Good Web Writing is based on usability and:

• is like a conversation
• answers peoples questions
• lets people grab and go

Using this as a base, let’s look at an email alert I received this week and determine if it was successful in its digital writing to get me excited about a new product.

Who am I?:  I signed up for this newsletter because I love coupons. It’s true. No shame.

(Lesson: A pay-off will get someone to sign up for a newsletter. Coupons, recognition, additional secret information that no one else could get… If you’re creating a persona around people who sign up for your newsletters, be sure to include one who is in it to get something)

Their latest newsletter featured a link to coupons, but also prominently featured a new product. I thought maybe I’d get another pay-off if I clicked on “check it out” to learn more about the product. Why else would they want me to click on it? The newsletter blurb gave me all the information I need… why would I need to know more?

 (Lesson: Don’t automatically assume your users are as excited about your new product as you are – if you want visitors to read more on the product, provide a reason to click on the link other than ‘to provide more information.’ Also, stop using “check it out” online. Just. Stop.)

So, I clicked on the “check it out” to enter the site.  It featured lots of information about the product (which I didn’t read), rollovers on a graphic (some of which didn’t work) and links with animations to show the razor’s different features (of which I clicked on one).

(Lesson: If good web content is like a conversation, this one was one-sided. It successfully answers questions a user may have about the product, but doesn’t answer: why am I here?

The website also featured a “love it, pass it on!” link, which I thought – ok – maybe sending info will also provide a coupon. So, I clicked on it.

Who in their right mind would send their friend an email about a new razor? Really think about this… What is interesting about this?

(Lesson: Including interactivity and opportunities to share content is great – but not all content is worth sharing. Adding a pay-off “send to 5 friends for a free sample” would encourage more use of this form)

I clicked on this “buy it now” link, thinking it might be good to find out where to buy one – and maybe I’d find a deal:

So, I click Buy It Now, and the following pop-up appears:

Wait… wha? Why is it even an option?

(Lesson: Anticipate what the user will do when they come to the site. Good web writing answers a visitor’s question – not make them ask more. Also, if you offer something on your site, such as “Buy it Now!” or “See the video clip now!” it’s in your best interest to make sure the content exists every time. Also, avoid industry speak. Rather than partner online retailer, try “online shops” and let the user know where they can find it in the real world, if that option is available)

How Did This Email Campaign Do?

• the web writing was like a conversation – not really. While there were efforts to share the information, there was no anticipation of the user’s part of conversation when they would open this site.
• the website answered questions – the campaign answered questions the who, what and how about the razor, but did so in the well written introductory paragraph on the newsletter. It didn’t effectively anticipate the where and why questions a visitor would ask, such as “where can I buy this?” or “why am I here?”
• the website let me grab and go – since the campaign didn’t answer real user questions, there was nothing to “go” with on this site. I could grab the link to the site and send it to a friend, but what am I grabbing and why would I share it?