Content Marketing World is different to every participant. You may find it boring I keep encouraging you to go there for yourself. But it’s really worth it. Just to get your own perspective. It’s impossible to grasp everything that happens there in those four days with just one mind. There are so many attractive events going on simultaneously. And the choice is yours.

The CMW2016 theme – no doubt remembered by everyone – was the Star Wars film. The main scene looked like the inside of a spaceship, there were stars and music by John Williams.
Remember the Star Wars opening crawl? A similar entry was prepared about content marketing – which was the main character. Unfortunately, I can’t remember the text exactly, but I really loved it and how it built the atmosphere. Maybe the CMI will give access to it online one day.

The final highlight of the intense conference days was Marc Hamill, that is Luke Skywalker who closed the CMW2016.
What about content marketing trends? Which of the content marketing experts did I like most? Whose reflections did I agree with and which of them are still resonating in my mind? Joe Pulizzi, Robert Rose and Marcu Sheridan discussed very important issues, accurately pointing to the challenges we’re about to face.

Joe Pulizzi
We are at the point where many people deal with content marketing and specialize in it. It’s fantastic, that’s something we should enjoy. But the disheartening part is that only a small portion of people identifying with content marketing do it the right way. Research shows that only 20 percent of them are successful. At the same time, it is this group which is 100% engaged in what they do. And engagement is not only about everyday work and chasing deadlines, but also about strategic thinking and prioritizing tasks.

Unfortunately, as many as 80 percent of people:
– believe they “must” do content marketing (because it works, because that’s what you do, because it’s cheaper)
– create more and more content but it doesn’t stand out
– are not consequent in communication
– focus on promoting activities and not on building value
– address with their content more than one target group

And only 20 percent know what the key to success is:
– one target group – one message
– message that is important to the customer
– consequence and timing in building the message
– message that builds value apart from the product and service that you sell

I trully would like the proportions to alter. Joe presented an even more radical view and claimed that if someone is doing content marketing half-heartedly, they should stop doing it altogether. They should invest in advertising instead of spoiling the market with their practices.

Marcus Sheridan
“We have a silos-type organization. Nothing can be done,” I hear a lot of that. Marcus was right to point out that if a person at our company is not interested in our project or the responsibilities it carries, and says: “I don’t have time for this” – they are simply saying that what we’re offering is not important to them. “I don’t value it enough to do it if I don’t have to.” This means that each organization should take care of its internal customer. If you want sales to use content marketing they must be convinced it helps them in doing their job. Without selling the idea internally you can’t successfully move it any further.

Robert Rose
I admire the way Robert is developing, both intellectually – pointing to the key challenges in the sector – and as a speaker. His speech was prepared and conducted perfectly. 
What did Robert talk about?

If you’d like to view more graphic records of the lectures visit the author’s website

Robert shared his experience in working with companies which are successful and those which take up the challenge of going through a change. For those who see content marketing as a remedy for any problem he emphasized that CM is not a tool TO REPLACE advertising. Content marketing and advertising work for business together. A well implemented content marketing strategy increases the effectiveness of advertising campaigns.
I will remember for long the sentence by Eliyahu Goldratt quoted by Robert: “Tell me how you measure me, and I will tell you how I will behave. If you measure me in an illogical way… do not complain about illogical behavior.” It perfectly illustrates the problems we are having with setting the measures of success. This is especially painful when the measures are focused on how easily the results come, and not on building the business.

Great thanks to all the fantasticly prepared speakers and organizers of the CMW for such a shot of inspiration. See you next year!