I hear from my friends in the video content marketing business that they’re frequently asked to create a viral video. As if it’s something they can just whip up, post it to YouTube, and it will become the next Charlie Bit My Finger, garnering millions of views in a few days. To tell the truth, you can’t actually create a viral video. You can create a video, and it may or may not go viral. But, there are a few things you can do to help your video go viral. It’s not a guarantee, but it will increase your odds. Keep it short. Definitely no more than 4 – 5 minutes. MORE >>

Here are the slides from a webinar we did recently for CommPartners’ Wit and Wisdom series. This was a particularly fun one, with a GREAT, active chat.  Get the free recording and archive here. You’ve heard that more engaged members lead to better retention. And maybe you’d like to build more interactivity into your webinars. But what if your subject matter experts are not “social” What if your participants are not so participatory? How do you even start? . Hear what other associations are doing, and how they are training speakers (and participants!) MORE >>

While it may not be possible to accurately predict the future, examining marketing’s past and present helps us shape and inspire what’s yet to come. That’s why we’ve collected the predictions of the industry’s top interactive marketing experts—bringing you exclusive insight into marketing trends that will be relevant to your brand in 2013. Jay Baer, Convince and Convert. Jeff Eden, DEG Digital. Brent Hieggelke, Urban Airship. Marcus Nelson, Addvocate. Joe Pulizzi, Content Marketing Institute. David Berkowitz, 360i MORE >>

Organizations that try and act like they are social without understanding what “social” means are setting themselves up for failure. Most organizations have adopted social technology in some form or another. Many organizations have even set up “social media” departments and hired “social media gurus” to run them. They gather followers, propagate marketing messages and compete for attention. Yet behind all the “social signs” the majority are acting out a part while in real life the cultures of these organizations are anything but social. MORE >>

Content marketing works.  It is without a doubt a giant killer for small businesses.  Failing to create and publish content is a sure-fire way to watch your business disappear. Strong words?  Correct?  You bet. Traditional Marketing is a Losing Battle. The normal marketing playbook is growing more obsolete every day.  Although the tools are getting fancier, potential prospects are getting smarter.  Your customer can filter out your advertising by creating email filters, unsubscribing, or watching their favorite TV programs on Netflix and Amazon. . It sells. Small Business Content Marketing. MORE >>