Let’s face it, we are all time-poor these days and, yes, we all hate having meetings for the sake of it. But believe me when I say you do not want to skip your editorial meeting when you are running a Brand Newsroom. The editorial meeting is really what holds your content marketing efforts together. Below are four tips for running a successful editorial meeting that will help your content marketing skyrocket to success.
1. Refer to your content marketing strategy
So many businesses put a great deal of effort into content marketing without actually having a content strategy. It’s so common, I’m no longer amazed by this.
According to the Content Marketing Institute, 88 per cent of business-to-business marketers currently use content marketing as part of their marketing strategy, yet only 32 per cent have a documented content marketing strategy. So the first step is to make sure you have a strategy.
But a content marketing strategy isn’t just a document that is created and then forgotten. In your editorial meeting it’s essential that everyone is focused on this document and, in particular, your content marketing mission statement. There are too many times when content production ideas are pitched, and even commissioned, when they actually fall outside of your mission and goals.
2. Review analytics and performance
You don’t drive to a new place without looking up what’s the best way to get there, so why wouldn’t you research the best way to navigate your future content creation efforts?
Take a look at what content has performed best, what has had the most engagement and which pieces started great conversations. Ask questions such as ‘why did that perform well?’ What was it exactly about that topic people were interested in? Analytics play a crucial guiding role in deciding what pieces of content should be created next and, of course, are essential in successful content marketing. I’m not just talking about Google Analytics here — look at your social reports and engagement online.
3. Have a qualified managing editor
One of the most critical people in your editorial meeting — and for your content marketing efforts in general — is the managing editor. Having a strong, experienced managing editor is crucial to ensuring your editorial meetings run smoothly and your editorial structures are in place to consistently deliver solid content.
Just like at traditional newspapers, the managing editor coordinates, suggests ideas, assigns content ideas and puts the best content forward for distribution. Another crucial part of their role is ensuring the final delivery of the content is at the highest level of quality. If you are not producing content that stands out and differentiates you from your competitors, you might as well be chucking your money down the drain. An experienced managing editor will ensure you can achieve this.
4. Make sure you have an agenda item for repurposing your content
Did you know that in Australia:
- 57 per cent of people watch online videos once a week or more on a smart phone
- 52 per cent of people watch online videos once a week on a computer
And of those people:
- 66 per cent of computer video watchers said: “I was fully or mainly focused on the videos I watched”.
- 63 per cent of smartphone video watchers said: “I was fully or mainly focused on the videos I watched.”
(Source)
These statistics really do speak for themselves. You must be creating more than just written blog articles.
One of the greatest strengths about content marketing compared to advertising or traditional marketing is the fact that each piece of content created has the potential to be an asset to your business. That is to say, it can be used again and again, as opposed to paying for a billboard or television ad, which stops as soon as your money has run out.
All of your previously written blog articles can and should also be turned into visual content. Have a look at the content you have previously created and consider how you might turn it into an animated video or infographic.
Here is an example:
Here is a written blog post.
And here is a video created from the written blog post.
Running a successful monthly editorial meeting is really a core ingredient in the success of content marketing. Content marketing isn’t just one person’s responsibility; the reality is that it’s a coordinated effort. A regular editorial meeting will ensure everyone in the team is on the same page, creating content that fits with the strategy and giving your content the best possible chance of success.
If you want more tips on editorial workflows, I suggest listening to this Brand Newsroom podcast where journalist and experienced Lush Digital Managing Editor Dan Hatch shares his insights. Alternatively, feel free to call on us on +61 8 9228 3380 and we will be more than happy to help you.
