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If you are responsible for content marketing in your organization you know the importance of proper planning, organization, work flows and structure of content. The days of throwing social spaghetti content at the wall and hoping it sticks are over and done.

If you are interested in how you can best prepare your content marketing for success then you have landed on the right blog post and podcast today.

What is included in this article and episode #228 of the Social Zoom Factor Podcast: 

• 2017 content marketing statistics
• 2017 content marketing predictions
• Why you need a content marketing content calendar
• How to use our 2017 content marketing editorial calendar template (download now)

Smart marketers and leading brands both big and small know that content is at the core of every social conversation with prospects, current customers, online community members and more. It is content that delivers value, context and inspires the reader, viewer or listener to open, click, read, listen, share and even buy.

The social networks simply provides a medium for brands and marketers to communicate in unique and personal ways with other human beings. We can’t take the conversations for granted and just assume that because we write the message, the blog post, the status update or even create a stunning Instagram image that our audience will find it useful.

We must do our research and not only understand who our our audience is, but also know exactly what their needs are and how we can help them solve their most simple and even biggest life or business problems.

Social savvy marketers know how to leverage content marketing to better inspire, connect with and help their audience achieve their goals. They know how to write the blog post headlines that grab attention, the blog post content that gets read, the visuals that gets shared.

Smart social content marketing managers know how to whip up 140 character conversations and Facebook posts that keep their audience engaged and continuously activated toward growing closer to their brand.

Content marketing is at the foundation of every business of every size. Regardless of your industry, niche, age of company or primary communication medium used, you better have a content marketing strategy to connect you and your brand with your target audience, customers, partners and stakeholders.

 2017 Content Marketing Statistics You Should Know… 

• Approximately 200 million people use ad blockers. This includes approximately 16% of the US population.
• 70% of B2B marketers plan to create more content in 2017 compared to 2016. (Content Marketing Institute)
• Top 3 B2B goals of content marketing are lead generation (85%), sales (84%), lead nurturing (78%). (Content Marketing Institute)
• 94% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn as part of their content strategy. Other popular platforms include Twitter (87%), Facebook (84%), YouTube (74%), and Google+ 62%).
• Blog content is getting longer and more visual – average blog post is up 19% at 1050 words. This is up from 808 words in 2014. (Orbit Media)
• Long form blog posts generate 9x more leads than short form. (Curata)
• 53% of email are opened on mobile devices (campaign monitor)
• 69% marketers report video marketing budget is increasing in 2017 (Ascend2)
• Average reader spends 37 seconds reading an aritcle or blog post. (newscred)
• Demand for infographics has increased by 800% in the past year (unbounce)

We are excited to announce the availability of our 2017 content marketing editorial calendar template.

The 228th episode of the Social Zoom Factor podcast provides a detailed tutorial to help you create your own content marketing editorial calendar for 2017.

How to get a grip on your content for 2017:

Step 1: Download the 2017 calendar here-> Content Editorial Calendar.

Step 2: Listen to the 228th episode of Social Zoom Factor podcast for step by step directions for how to use the 2017 content calendar template.

Step 3: Subscribe to the entire series  on iTunes, Stitcher or SoundCloud!

What is content marketing?

Content marketing is an umbrella term encompassing all marketing formats that involve the creation and sharing of content in order to engage current and potential consumer bases. Content marketing subscribes to the notion that delivering high-quality, relevant and valuable information to prospects and customers drives profitable consumer action. Content marketing has benefits in terms of retaining reader attention and improving brand loyalty.
*Source: Wikipedia

Editorial calendars are important because they: 

• Help you focus on needs of your audience
• Help you inspire and connect with your audience
• Help you provide value to your audience
• Force you to think further than today and tomorrow
• Help you integrate across mediums
• Leverage across mediums, different audiences
• Create once, use many (= increased ROI)
• Streamline resources
• Drive internal teamwork
• Fuel idea generation and innovation
• Create a drumbeat approach to content development
• Help set expectations with your audience
• Help you create loyal brand evangelists

Editorial Calendar Highlights

1. Monthly conversation theme.
2. Weekly conversation theme.
3.  Blog post title.
4. Social Post.
5. Channel.
6. Target audiences (primary, secondary & tertiary)
7. Author
8. Editor
9. Purchase cycle (awareness, consideration, preference, purchase, loyalty)
10. Draft due date
11. Primary keywords (5-10)
12. Blog categories
13. Supporting image(s)
14. Other supporting media (image, video, podcast)
15. Embed in other resource kits or publications
16. Syndication
17. Possible whitepaper (y/n)
18. Client testimonial / graphics
19. Call to action

Social Zoom Factor Podcast #228 Episode Highlights

• Tutorial for how to use our new Content Marketing Editorial Calendar Template for 2017
• 2017 Content Marketing Predictions
• 2017 Content Marketing Statistics and Trends
• Why every business and marketers needs a content marketing editorial calendar
• Why you manage your content marketing like a publisher
• Benefits of using a content marketing editorial calendar
• The importance of knowing your audience
• How to organize and keep track of your content marketing assets such as visuals, call to actions and more
• Leveraging content you already have to increase business results and ROI

Supporting Resources: 

• Content Marketing Editorial Calendar Template for 2016
• Audience analysis worksheet to help you identify and prioritize your top audiences.
• Content Marketing in a Nutshell (episode 50)
• How to Create a Content Marketing Framework, Strategy & Plan
• Evergreen Content Marketing in a Nutshell
• Content Marketing ROI: Leverage Content You Already Have (episode 30)
• 16 Content Marketing Golden Rules
• Brand Humanization in a Nutshell (episode 5)
• 8 Steps to Develop a Social Business Plan and Strategy (white paper)
• Social Media Audit, Consulting and Marketing Services from Marketing Nutz Agency

How to Subscribe to Social Zoom Factor Podcast 

•  iTunes
• Stitcher
• SoundCloud

This Social Zoom Factor podcast episode is sponsored by the following: 

• Freshbooks
• Hostgator