Book Review; Content Marketing for Dummies

Content Marketing for Dummies is the definitive guide on how to create, promote and benefit from custom created content for your online marketing.

The Bottom Line

Content Marketing for Dummies is an actionable and easy to follow guide to marketing with content. You’ll learn about the different types of content, how to create them and promote them. There are lists of tools and approaches to help make your marketing efforts successful. Recommended reading for everyone who wants to make their business successful.

Description

• Published by: Wiley Publishing, Inc.
• Written by Susan Gunelius
• Paperback, 346 pages.
• Features seven main sections, covering the why and what is content marketing to the how to.

Guide Review

I must say, I love a good Dummies book. The format is consistent and easy to follow. The modular style of the books allows them to be read either from front to back or by random chapters. This is great, as it saves lots of time. Simply jump to the section you are interested in and start reading.

The book addresses seven main topics:

1. Getting Started with a Content Marketing Plan
2. Marketing with Long-Form Content
3. Marketing with Short-Form Content
4. Engaging in Online Conversations to Share Content
5. Acheiving Long-Term Success
6. The Part of Tens
7. Appendixes

One of the things I love about the dummies books, is that they are an easy read. This book is no different. It breaks this complex topic into easily understandable segments that can be implemented.
For example, Chapter 5 (Using Video, Audio, Online Events and E-Mail for Long-Form Content Marketing) discusses “Creating Videos”. Instead of simply advising creating a video and uploading it to YouTube, Gunelius breaks it down. Over eight pages, you’ll learn about:

• Creating Videos
• Knowing what kind of videos to create
• Finding tools to create and upload videos
• Uploading videos for maximum sharing and discussion
• Creating a YouTube channel
• Creating screencasts
• Promoting your videos

After reading this section, you will be ready to get started. You will know what type of content you should film and with what type of gear. You will know the software to use to edit it, how to create your YouTube channel and how to upload it. And the final step of getting people to view it. It is all here.
Many marketing books are great on concept, but low on the actual how-to of implementation. This book covers both.

How to Write For the Web

One of the other sections that is very useful for getting started with content marketing are the tips on how to write for the web. Gunelius covers formatting, proofing, writing long and short form and finding your voice.

Why I Recommend Content Marketing for Dummies

There are many books about generating traffic, creating blogs and branding. This book ties all these concepts together in an exceptional way. If you want to create effective (and low cost) marketing you should buy this book.

Article by Susan Gunelius in http://onlinebusiness.about.com/
Book Review; Content Marketing for Dummies