Is this the new face of power and influence? By Contributing {grow} Columnist Stanford Smith. ve been thinking about what makes a person influential. Can it come from a single tweet? The other day, I saw an infographic that plotted the hockey stick growth of Draw Something. The addictive Pictionary-like app was released on Feb 6th 2012 and was slowly growing without much fanfare. Then something incredible happened… On March 1st, Jersey Shore cast members Vinny Guadagnino and DJ Pauly D tweeted about the addictive gaming app. Immediately app downloads took off. Think about it. He didn’t. MORE >>

by Joe Chernov | Tweet this At Eloqua, two principles guide our content marketing efforts: “Content as a Service” (content should help people be more productive in their jobs or lives) and “Content as a Franchise” (each piece should contribute to a larger content “franchise,” a brand with its own attributes, voice, versions and even shelf-life). The Blog Tree series of infographics embodies both of our philosophies. Today we published the third installment of the series. Called The Blog Tree: UK Edition, our latest infographic centers on bloggers in the UK. The Blog Tree: UK Edition. MORE >>

In a recent podcast on OpenView labs , I discussed how content strategy can drive real results for businesses of all sizes. talked about how every business needs a content strategy – it is not just for large companies. also answer the question of whether content marketing is just another term for marketing. Finally, I discuss how can companies get started in content marketing and also how to get past “campaign-brain” and create the mindset that puts customers first. The answer is yes and no. Does Every Company Need A Content Strategy? And customers are simply tuning out! MORE >>

This is the third (and last) in a series of blog entries about sick sales funnels.  In the first installment, I reviewed symptoms that may indicate the presence of illness. In the second, I discussed questions and issues that could point to a diagnosis.  In this installment, I’ll prescribe cures to make the patient fit enough to run triathlons. Let’s review the obvious tactical remedies. Segment and focus like there’s no tomorrow:  Your marketplace is not homogenous.  Your content, messaging, style – in other words, everything – need to be tuned for a particular segment.  No related posts. MORE >>

Every time we host live webinars (and as this long list suggests , that is quite often), quite a few attendees get confused about what to do with the hashtag we provide. What is it? What does it do? How do you create one? Let me explain! What is a hashtag? Twitter hashtag is simply a keyword phrase, spelled out without spaces, with a pound sign (#) in front of it. For example, #inboundchat and #ILoveChocolate are both hashtags. What does a hashtag do? In that way, Twitter hashtags solve a coordination issue and facilitate a conversation. How do you create a hashtag? 1) Check If It’s New. MORE >>