Author: Adam Barber

Adam is a director at Castleford Media, a custom news and content agency based in Sydney, Australia. Castleford is a leading provider of tailored content marketing solutions, supporting our client's web, social media and email campaigns with unique, white label content and expert consultancy. You can follow Castleford on Twitter @castlefordmedia or connect with Adam on Google+.

By castlefordmedia published January 2, 2013

3 Reasons to Put Australia on Your Content Marketing Radar in 2013

australia on content marketing radarWhen you flick through your favorite search, social media, and content marketing blogs, you probably don’t see many articles about Australia. With a population of just 22 million, web consumption below the global average, and e-commerce penetration that lags behind leading markets, we can’t quite claim to be at the center of the digital universe.

But as we look to 2013, that could be about to change. Those of us who work in the content marketing space “Down Under” are seeing some great opportunities for local and international brands to drive awareness, engagement, and leads with the right content strategy. Recent signals from the government, consumers, and the business community all suggest a really positive outlook for digital content.Continue Reading

By castlefordmedia published July 12, 2012

Why Content Marketers Need to be Involved in Website Redesigns

website redesigns, CMIFor some years now, SEOs have been making their case for early involvement in the web design process. Fed up with getting asked to “SEO” sites after all the big decisions have been made, the search crowd has produced a stream of blog posts, white papers, and wireframe templates to secure their place at the table from the outset.

In an age where more and more businesses are looking at content to fuel their online marketing activities, it’s time for content marketers to make a similar push. Whether it’s a funky new website or an overhaul of an existing site, the content strategy should be getting discussed from day one.Continue Reading

By castlefordmedia published May 23, 2012

How to Transform Your Social-Savvy Employees into Content Champions

content champions, CMIIf you have people at your company who spend a lot of time on social media, you might worry about the impact on your productivity or whether your social media policy needs tightening. But in the right circumstances, these LinkedIn luminaries and Google+ groupies can be real assets to your business. By tapping their personal networks, they can promote your content marketing activities and help you generate wonderful new content ideas.

So if you have potential content champions on your payroll, here’s how you can get some real value out of them.Continue Reading

By castlefordmedia published March 26, 2012

Great Content Marketing Ideas for Using Google Plus

When Google+ was unveiled last year, a lot of content marketers wondered if they really needed another social media platform to develop and maintain. But, with the more recent introduction of Search Plus Your World, Google+ is getting harder to ignore.

So if you’re still figuring out how to make Google+ part of your content strategy, it might be helpful to take a look at a couple of examples of popular and engaging Google+ pages. I’ve chosen Dell — which has embraced Google+ and is doing some really interesting stuff with its profile — and also “Wired” magazine. Unlike Dell, “Wired” produces content as its core business; but like Dell, it has invested time and resources in its Google+ brand page and has quickly built a large following.

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By castlefordmedia published November 28, 2011

4 Media Law Tips for Content Marketers

Content marketing is not without its challenges. From coming up with compelling new ideas for articles, to getting your target audience to notice and engage with them, successful campaigns require skill, hard work, and an element of good fortune.

While it may not be top of the to-do list, media law is becoming an increasingly important consideration for content marketers. Whether you’re producing content in-house or outsourcing it, there are steps you can take to avoid writing your way into a sticky situation.

Having worked with these issues for 10 years, I believe there are a few things you should do yourself — or demand of your suppliers — to protect your business and your content:

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By castlefordmedia published October 21, 2011

4 Tips for Managing Content Marketing Mishaps

When it comes to content production, you never have to wait too long for the next high-profile gaffe to occur. One that grabbed my attention recently was when the Daily Mail website published the wrong story after the Amanda Knox appeal verdict.

It’s very common in the news business for journalists to prepare different versions of a story to cover opposing outcomes. That’s great when it helps you scoop the competition; it’s not so great when you post the wrong version.

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