Ann Handley : Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business (New Rules Social Media Series)

Content Rules equips you for online success with a one-stop source on the art and science of developing marketing content that people care about. This coverage is interwoven with case studies of companies successfully spreading their ideas online-and using them to establish credibility and build a loyal customer base.

Boost your online presence and engage with customers and prospects like never before with Content Rules.

"What To Talk About When There's Nothing to Say," from the authors of Content Rules

How do you create content when you don't have breaking news to share regularly? If you want to remain relevant, you need to find a way to converse much more frequently than when you have big news. Consider these 10 approaches:

Chat with customers.
Ask customers a single question, such as "What's your biggest marketing challenge?" or "What's a strategy you used to grow your business this year?"
Interview luminaries.
Q & A interviews with thought leaders, strategic partners, or flat-out interesting creative thinkers make for compelling text, audio, or video content.
Share real-time photos.
Upload photos from industry events, meetups, or other gatherings. Fresh content matters here, and the faster you can get your photos up, the more likely they will be shared.
Monitor search keywords.
What keywords are people using to find your blog or website? Those keywords can inform your content stories and suggest new opportunities based on what customers are already interested in.
Trawl industry news.
Share an opinion about a recent news story that's affecting your industry or audience. Be timely; you could benefit from the extra boost of being one of the first to comment on the topic.
Go behind the scenes.
Show things that your readers or followers don't usually get to see. Share photos that give an insider's view of your company, or tease some new, compelling content, product or event that you'll be launching soon.
Go to an event.
Take session notes, conduct interviews, or take photos. Real-time blog or tweet the sessions that offer value to your community, and share with your audience what you learned, enjoyed, or were surprised at.
Share best practices or productivity tips.
People are always looking for efficiencies, and this type of content is always highly useful and shareable.
Invite guest posts.
Give your readers or employees or an expert in the industry the chance to guest post for your blog. Don't limit yourself to written content.
Create a regular content series.
A themed series is a great way to help you create regular content. Pick a day of the week and post the same type of content on that day.