Dear Reader,
Happy Lunar New Year to those of you who celebrate this holiday.
The holiday started on Sunday, January 22nd with the new moon and lasts 7 days.
Maybe the rest of us should celebrate this holiday as well.
Why?
Because it lasts 15 days to allow people time to travel to visit their family and friends in their hometowns
According to Chinese tradition, years follow a cycle of 12 different animals. Each has its own special characteristics that are especially auspicious for marriages and births. Further, each animal is associated with one of the five elements: Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal.
Table of Contents | Volume 11, Issue 4
- Marketing Lesson of The Week – What You Can Learn From Digital Books
- Social Scene – Which Video Platform Works Best For Your Audience?
- Marketing Reads – New Book: Belonging To The Brand
- Mark Your Calendar
2023 is the year of the rabbit. People born during the year of the rabbit are believed to have many talents. They form close relationships and are generous and lucky.
Since the Year of the Rabbit represents a water element, people born during this year tend to ‘go with the flow’ and, more importantly, have a great memory.
The bad news:
They don’t take big risks and are indecisive.
My favorite part of Chinese New Year is that snow pea greens are in season. Snow pea greens are a delicate vegetable but don’t let that fool you! They come with a hefty price tag.
Why?
They have a limited growing season. Hence are in great demand. (BTW, you can get them slightly cheaper at farmers’ markets!)
Recommended Reading
While my Jewish mother never cooked snow pea greens, they taste great sautéed with fresh garlic. Even better, they make the perfect side dish for any main course.
BTW, When my husband and I were in Arizona last May, we got lucky and saw the lunar eclipse at the Lowell Observatory. It is located in a registered “dark area”. This means that locals can’t put up lights and signs nearby.
Marketing Lesson of The Week
► What You Can Learn From Digital Books
Last week, I attended Digital Book World. It was in-person and in New York City for the first time post-pandemic. For many attendees, the event felt like coming home since NYC is home to many of the great book publishers and stores.
As an industry, book publishing continues to evolve, so that it’s no longer the beauty of printed words or the physicality of the book’s pages.
Instead, readers have a variety of options and devices for consuming books. Also, they can get other forms of long content where, when and with the device they choose.
What surprised me most at this content-focused event?
The lack of content marketers.
Why? (Dare I tell you the secret?)
Because they could learn a LOT about how to transform their boring content into special, must-consume formats that this small segment of the book industry offers.
Actionable Marketing Lesson:
- Expand your content marketing offering by testing these non-print book options!
Recommended Reading
How Many Of These New Content Options Do You Use?
What surprised me most about last week’s Digital Book World was that they still clung to an out-of-date word, book. I soaked up the presentations thinking about how my fellow content and voice marketers could use these approaches.
While I’m sure that you know this:
The biggest secret every speaker had was about “story”! (Did you hear that Robert McKee?)
With the expanded use of audio and voice technology to listen to books and content, you can reach a much bigger audience.
All you have to do is transform your existing content into different formats to expand your audience. Yes – it’s that easy.
Even better, these publishers don’t think in terms of content!
For example:
My colleague and friend, Chris Penn. collected all of the content from his 2022 newsletter and transformed it into a book. While he gave it away to existing and new readers, I’m sure that he didn’t stop there. He published it everywhere books are sold and promoted!
Recommended Reading
To take advantage of these new digital book options,
- Break your content marketing into shorter sections.
- Make sure each section stands by itself. It has to tell an entire mini-story or drama on its own.
- Use cliffhangers to get readers hooked to read the next section. Like the end of a traditional television show, a cliffhanger leaves the story unfinished. So your audience wants to find out what happens next.
Other options for breaking your content into other formats include:
- Spotify. The music provider is entering the book market since it builds on its spoken word content.
- Substack. Supports free and paid newsletters.
- SCRIBD. Is still alive and owns Slideshare. Its benefit is that it allows you to use a variety of content formats.
- Kickstarter. Has special options for books. This may not work for all voice and content marketers.
- Audiobooks. While Amazon has a lock on this format to date, don’t overlook the fact that your audience likes to listen to other people. Read to them.
Attention content marketers: These options may require your audience to pay to use them. If so, you can use them as another revenue stream or provide them to your best customers.
Actionable Marketing Lesson:
- Test other methods of providing and distributing your content to more people.
Recommended Reading
Social Scene
► Which Video Platform Works Best For Your Audience?
Social media marketers pay attention to both their audience and government regulators.
If your audience consists of GenZ in the US, here’s how they consume video content:
- 88% like YouTube which helps your brand discoverability;
- 76% prefer Instagram to engage with their friends; and
- 68% choose TikTok to find out what’s hot.
But regardless of your location, both the US and UK governments are clamping down on social media aimed at the “Under 13” demographic with these regulations:
- The US Supreme Court will hear arguments on Section 230. It will make social media platforms liable for content posted by users regardless of age.
- New UK Online Safety Bill could make tech CEOs serve jail time if they fail to protect children from harm online.
In either case, your options are poor and carry fines for employees and companies.
Recommended Reading
Marketing Reads
► New Book: Belonging To The Brand
Belonging To The Brand is filled with inspiring ideas and captivating case studies making it a practical guide for every company that believes marketing can be something more than interrupting customers.
Recommended Reading
- Marketing Rebellion – AMG Author Interview with Mark Schaefer
Plan Ahead: Mark Your Calendar
► Voice Lunch Fridays – Every Friday at 1 pm ET
An open and often free-wheeling discussion of all things Voice and AI hosted by Alan Firstenberg and Mike Novak.
► Open Voice Network – Jan. 25 at 10:00 ET (16:00 CET)
Q1 2023 All-Hands Meeting
Register now to attend OVON’s first All-Hands Meeting of 2023 for a discussion of the objectives and challenges of the year ahead.
► Project Voice 2023 – April 24 – 28 in Chattanooga, TN
The number 1 event for Conversational AI / Voice tech in America
► Creator Economy Expo – May 1-3 in Cleveland, OH
If you run a content-first business this event is for you!
Use the code AMG100 to get $100 off any pass.
Hurry: Super early bird pricing ends on January 27!
► Are you hosting an event that you’d like us to add to the Marketing Calendar?
If so, let us know by using our Contact Form with the Subject Line:
Event For AMG Newsletter Calendar.
Welcome New Subscribers!
If you enjoy reading the AMG Newsletter,
please forward it to your friends and colleagues.
Happy Marketing,
Heidi
P.S.: Want Heidi Cohen to contribute a quote or other commentary to your next article, presentation, video, research, or book? Then hit reply to this email and ask.
P.P.S: Did you miss last week’s AMG Newsletter? Previous newsletters can be found in the AMG Newsletter Archive.
Photo Credit: “Zodiac – Rabbit” by chooyutshing, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
