I can’t say I can see the trends, but I can find the other people finding the trends… This great post (from Jan. 29) at Content Marketing Today, talks about the slow death of advertising/publishing trade-pub model, and the growth of grass-roots content-marketing by B2B manufacturers themselves.
“As Content Marketing Goes from Optional to Obligatory for Business, Penton Suffers and Miller Electric Shines
Penton’s shift to online only for Welding Design & Fabrication symbolizes the decline of traditional media. At the same time, Miller Electric shows just how powerful content marketing can be as a replacement for traditional publishing—even when publishers take their acts to the web.”
Whammy! Essentially, Newt Barrett is saying the flimsier publishers get, the less value they have…increasing the potential value of creating your own content. The example of Miller’s videos is great, as it is more than white papers.
This is a great whammy at the end of the article, in case you didn’t get it:
“Smart Business are Becoming the B2B Media—No longer out of Choice But out of Necessity.”
I guess this is more mainstream-trendy as they’ve written a book on the subject. Maybe my lack of use of trade-pub advertising has left me out of the loop. But I’m paying attention now!
It is amazing how much writing a book puts you on the map. There are so many people doing great things, who don't have time to write and their opinions are tossed aside. It really is a shame, but that's the way it works I guess.
Yeah, but you too can hire a ghost writer and self publish and you'll be on the map as well. Instant GURU status. haha Before long we'll all hand someone our “book” instead of a business card.
Hiring a writer is one way, but for enough detail, you really need a staffperson to do it. You could outline it and let someone finish for you, I suppose.