Mobile Access to Media Content - iPhone, the Catalyst

I was one of those that waited on line for hours at the Apple store that day in July of 2008 when the iPhone 3G first went on sale. It was an interesting and friendly set of hours with a nice mix of Boomers and kids... with very little 'in-betweens.'

I consider myself primarily a Windows guy, yet love great gadgetry when I see it. I purchased the first iPhone for my wife when it originally came out and with the launch of 3G and the app store - it was time to give up my clunky Windows Smartphone as the iPhone was a must have. I was convinced this was the catalyst of mobile content ubiquity... high-speed data access, great user interface, business class secure feature set (email, contacts), quality web experience and a funnel of applications marketed to folks with disposable income. The launch was a game changer for Apple (just like the iPod) and a real win for consumers.

Coming from years in the mobile media space on both the vendor side (technology services to media companies) and the media company side (running the mobile business) the iPhone symbolizes that mobile is now a key media distribution channel. This statement may come across rather controversial and some of my colleagues will challenge me here, yet the data will confirm my POV as mobile revenues are growing exponentially since its launch.

Why now? Why the iPhone? Below are four reasons to chew on...

1) Real consumers (not only geeks) are actually able to do things faster and more efficient on good mobile devices (like the iPhone) aside from just talk, email (for BB users,) or navigate through several clicks on a carriers deck. I know my fellow iPhone users are nodding their heads with a smile. Yes, it is flat-out faster to get your email, update your Facebook status, check the weather, Tweet, search eBay, etc. on your iPhone - rather than on your computer. Whether the kudos should actually go to the carriers or Cisco for delivering faster and more accurate packets over the network, or more likely Apple for bringing this all together for consumers - mobile is finally here. The faster media companies figure out how to create and deliver their valuable content to users outside of the traditional core website, the better poised they are to survive in these crazy times.

2) The traditional focus on acquiring and retaining traffic to a core website destination (ex. menshealth.com) by users sitting in front of their computers is yesterdays interactive media growth strategy. This does not mean media companies should stop all activities focused on building traffic to a core site, rather it means diversify the strategic focus to distribute content where and when your target consumers want it. We are already seeing this with the sizable growth of the social web (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.) - consumers are consuming content in different ways and in different places. More noticeable is that valuable content is being consumed based upon recommendations from 'enablers' - trusted friends. At the same time new interactive media sites and brands are stealing traffic and revenue from established media brands in key content verticals. The moral of this story is that mobile will continue to play a more important role in what and how content is consumed. More importantly, you may not want to put your mobile strategy lower on the priority list as you may find, over time, it will hurt your overall growth metrics.

3) The iPhone/iTunes application store (this includes other app stores... Google, Palm, Nokia, Blackberry.) Some may say application and content stores (powered by carrier decks... Verizon, AT&T, etc.) have been around and very successful for years - what is so new and impressive about Apple's store? Apple has over 15,000 applications launched over the past seven months (many of which are actually really good and useful) making for a very different experience from scrolling through menu screens on a traditional cell phone. Whether you are playing Checkers or Connect Four with your kids or using your iPhone to make sure a picture frame is level before affixing to a wall- the apps work well, they are visually appealing, and most importantly usable by your typical "Joe Consumer." Did you ever wonder why historically mobile applications were only marketed to teens? Clearly teens were the only ones producing revenue for carriers and media companies from the sale of mobile ringtones, screen savers, etc. There had to be such a compelling mobile application for a media or young technology company to invest in before getting funded. Even mobile music applications struggled to get funding. Not until the iPhone and the app store had mainstream consumers (with disposable income) been the target for mobile applications. The iPhone app store is a game changer for all stakeholders in the media ecosystem, from content owners/developers all the way through to consumers. Apple has successfully created a model that works and that others will capitalize on as well.

4) Business Model. Unfortunately we will see some media companies turn off their lights over the next few years. Advertising revenue will suffer and this is the primary revenue source for most in the interactive media business. If you follow the news religiously there is lots of extreme commentary on the "downturn of advertising" and the "glut of inventory" spelling doomsday for the media business - I don't buy it. I do, however, agree there will be a decent market correction and its effects will be far reaching. At the same time there is a renewed emphasis from media companies to explore paid business models (subscription services, a-la-cart pricing, etc.) I know this as I am involved in a consulting project with a large media company to to do just this. Apple's app store is all about paid content - compensating media companies for the creation and distribution of their valuable IP with real $$$, rather than future advertising. Yes, there are many free applications in the iTunes app store - some powered by an advertising model. However, the business model I believe will prevail in the current economy for mobile applications is a (low cost... $1.99, $4.99) paid one. For that reason, many Media companies are evaluating what Apple (and others) are doing with their application stores (and the revenue generated) to generate their own strategies on how they can capitalize on the revenue opportunity there. We urge media companies to do the research and contemplate their business model strategies carefully as consumers are hurting in the pockets too and not accustom to paying for content. However, in the spirit of revenue diversification, paid models are effective. And, with the launch of the iPhone 3G and the app store, Apple has created a solid model for success with its critical mass.

Joe Berkowitz
joeberkowitz@gmail.com
http://joeberkowitz.com
Follow Me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jsberkowitz

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35 Ways to Market Content With Social Media - Share Articles, Blogs, Videos & More

There is no denying that the popularity of social media is increasing by the day. For sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter (herein known as "The Big Three"), the fastest growing demographic consists of users 35 years and older. Though social media was once considered a fad for kids, it has evolved into a viable marketing opportunity for business.

For the casual user, social media is a way to connect with friends and family. For the business user, social media works by sharing compelling content to capture the attention of your target audience. When you do this well, you can count on generating website traffic, client leads and even media attention.

"The Big Three" revolve around the concept of a status update. When you update your status, everyone in your network can view what you have to say. This is where the real opportunity lies. Instead of updating your status to report what you're having for dinner or that it's time to pick up your kids, share interesting content and watch the magic of social media unfold.

Type of Content to Share on Social Media Channels

1. Your new blog posts

2. Someone else's blog post

3. An article you've written

4. An article from somewhere else

5. A video demonstration

6. A funny or controversial video

7. Before and after photos of work you've done

8. Humorous or inspiring photos

9. Client success stories/case studies

10. Free e-book

11. Special report

12. White paper

13. Upcoming event announcement

14. Live reports from an event you are currently attending

15. Book reviews/recommendations

16. Recommended products

17. Recommended services

18. Tips for doing something better

19. How-to suggestions

20. A series of related posts

21. Recent media coverage you have received

22. Inspirational advice (preferably your own, motivational quotes are over-used online)

23. Forward someone else's update (with proper credit attribution)

24. Breaking news alerts

25. Leads for opportunities (media, clients, etc.)

26. Requests for participation (guest posts on your blog, speaker for an event you're hosting, etc.)

27. Interesting photo from a recent event

28. Teleseminar/Webinar invitation

29. Contest announcements

30. Special sales, offers and discounts (delivered sparingly)

31. Request for audience feedback

32. A compelling question you want answered

33. Anything offered for free

34. Insider tips that people won't find anywhere else

35. Your opinion on just about anything with target audience appeal

Secrets to Success

1. Content should appeal to your target audience and provide value.

Also, it doesn't always have to be directly related to what you do. For example, a mortgage broker might share community resources, local event announcements and family-related tips. This type of information would likely be more appealing to the broker's target audience than current interest rates and articles about mortgage insurance (though you can occasionally include those too). The point is to become a valued resource.

2. Follow the 90/10 rule.

Avoid selling online and you will achieve more sales. That's right; we're all tired of being sold to. When you provide value, you build loyalty and trust. It's fine to include sales offers up to 10% of the time, but make sure you are primarily serving up useful content.

3. Use compelling titles and descriptions.

You only have a limited amount of space to share information which means that a good title can make the difference between a reader who clicks through or completely ignores your post.

4. Track your results.

Pay attention to user response. If you're receiving comments and your content is being forwarded to others (for example, retweeting on Twitter), that is evidence that your efforts are working. Also, your network should be growing steadily as a result of the value you're providing.

5. Use links wisely.

When you share compelling content, it provides an opportunity to link back to your website or blog. This is great for building website traffic. However, not every post needs to have a link. Mix up your posts so that some simply offer something short and sweet. You can also shorten links and track the number of click-throughs with a service like http://bit.ly.

6. Be consistent.

You will get the best results from marketing content through social media by participating on a regular basis. Ideally you should share something every day, even multiple times per day, to stay visible. You can automate some of your updates with services like ping, socialoomph, and hootsuite. But don't automate everything! Keep reading...

7. Engage with your audience.

Social media involves a two-way conversation. It's not just about shoving data out into your network and waiting to reap the rewards. Reply to people who comment, forward and share useful content from others and make sure you have a human presence in social media land.

8. Build a social media plan.

You can venture into social media haphazardly or you can form a plan that makes sense for your business. A plan should identify your target audience, include a strategy for ongoing content generation, should identify frequency of updates and indicate the amount of time and resources you are going to allocate to managing your social media strategy.

9. Implement a 30-day challenge.

Use the suggestions outlined here and focus your efforts for 30 days. The results should be obvious. If they aren't, then there is something amiss with your strategy. Ask others for input or solicit the help of a social media expert. There is opportunity for every kind of business to benefit from social media. You simply need to find the strategy that works for you.

Stephanie Chandler is an author of several business and marketing books including "LEAP! 101 Ways to Grow Your Business" and "From Entrepreneur to Infopreneur." She is also founder and CEO of http://AuthorityPublishing.com, a custom publishing and marketing company. Additional information is available at http://StephanieChandler.com

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30 Social Media Content Writing and Management Tips

Simply developing a Facebook and Twitter page is not enough in today's social media arena. Long gone is the 'build it and they will come' mentality. Just like the best websites, your company needs to create and maintain superb social media profiles that are regularly updated with fresh, compelling content to stay ahead of the competition in your industry. If you do decide your company is going to step into the social media waters make sure you're committed. Creating profiles and leaving them to die a slow death could be dangerous to your brand's reputation (customer's may see this as a lack of care and attention to detail). Even worse, this behavior may give potential customers the impression you're no longer in business. Many people will not take the time to track down your website for more information. If you created social media profiles, people expect that you're watering them and taking care of them. If you don't they may move on to the next business that does. Tips to consider when developing content for social media communities.

Create simple & clear language. Say what you mean. Avoid high-talk & jargon. Avoid complex words & terms.
When creating long post write short summary w/punch that you include at the beginning so readers know what to expect. Long copy loses readers. Don't bury the lead at the end of the post, because they may never read that far.
Use abbreviations. 2009 - '09, and - &, Attention - Attn, a.m. - am, September - Sept. AP isn't a must in social media composition when you're trying to get out tight succinct messaging.
Remove articles if post is still clear like: a, an and, the or other words like that, which, has, had, etc.
If you want people to take action include information so they can execute with ease: include URL, phone # and address.
Spell out brand's name in entirety on first use in post for keyword/search. OK to use acronym after that.
Check your post for misspellings and grammatical errors. Don't rush process even though it's a quick update.
Use action-oriented verbs to create interest & drive fans to execute.
If you want people to take action include information so they can execute: include URL, phone # and address.
Spell out brand's name in entirety on first use in post for keyword/search. It's okay to use acronym after that.
Check your post for misspellings & grammatical errors. Don't rush process even though it's a quick update. That's when the most mistakes occur.
Avoid excessive use of exclamation points. Possibly the worst offense. Cheapens content & denotes screaming.
Use action-oriented verbs to create interest & drive fans to execute.
Use images and media, like video, to highlight content and create interest.
Avoid using parenthesis in content posts, as it can stop readers eyes or think information isn't as important.
Use capitalization appropriately. DON'T USE ALL CAPS LIKE THIS. It's salesy, screamy & turns readers off.
Create an editorial calendar in 1-month periods. Pre-flight general & evergreen posts with social media management software. Drop in breaking news as it happens.
Think twice about everything you post. How will this help your community? Is it relative? Will they care?
Use Google Reader and add Google Alerts to pull content keywords on fly w/o waiting for emails to come to inbox.
Check out @kurrently - Real time search engine for Facebook & Twitter to find trends & news http://ow.ly/2K65W
Make sure your communications goals match your business goals. Research & plan your content strategy.
Read @copyblogger 's blog. http://ow.ly/2X9sK
Keep it positive. Don't use social media to rant. If you say something seemingly negative to readers, be constructive and objective.
Get C-Levels educated/engaged. Too busy? Have them share one social media hub to push out strategy, share insights & build trust.
Set up Posterous: Share thoughts, photos & vids w/your friends & family the easy way.
Collaborate across departments in your organization to capture rich content. Re-package & push out to online communities.
Find 2-3 exceptional media articles & write blog post about what this means to your industry.Discern SMSO: Social Media Snake Oil. Make sure your content comes across authentic, not cheesy or sleazy.
When working with a client regarding community management, it's about being a steward of social media theory and practice, as well as a patient, interested teacher!
Enjoy your work as a social media practitioner. Remember you control your client's brand reputation and should be honored and respectful they hired you to such perform such important work.

Learn more about social media marketing strategies for your company at http://genuinemediaco.com.

Lisa Loeffler, president of Genuine Media, specializes in social media strategy, audits, training & community management for businesses.

She helps clients cultivate a strong brand presence in social media communities that are led with a sound strategy tied to business objectives. She teaches clients how to develop strong relationships in their social communities, improve efficiencies, save time, as well as magnify current social media communities they've already developed.

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Optical Media - The Best Solution For Storing and Distributing Digital Content

Summary

For most businesses, the ability to collect, store and distribute content is not a benefit, but a requirement. In today's information-driven society, it is important for every professional to have the capability to gather information (whether it is records, data, multimedia, etc.) in one central, secure form-one that will not only stand the test of time, but that can be quickly and easily accessed when you need it, wherever you are.

Before the development of optical media, magnetic tape, LP records and other types of vinyl records were the primary resources for the storage and distribution of content and media. In their time, these were logical and useful options. However, optical media, such as CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs, gave the world an unparalleled solution for the storage and distribution of music, video and data - a solution that keeps growing and expanding. From physicians and university professors to retail clerks and independent business owners, people from all walks of life have discovered the benefits of using optical media to store and distribute their professional information in a dynamic and secure manner.

Even as more industries realize the value of optical media, this solution continues to offer bigger, better and more robust benefits. This white paper highlights the reasons why optical media is the number one choice for the storage and distribution of digital content.

Introduction

Optical media is the leading storage and distribution solution. It combines all the benefits professionals look for in one convenient package. Optical media is:

Inexpensive
Archival
Durable
Searchable
Reliable
Secure
Versatile
Printable

More space for your buck.

CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs are extremely cost effective. A full-color permanently printed disc costs $.70 for a CD, $.80 for a DVD and $5.00 for a Blu-ray disc. Affordability is especially helpful if you are sending stored information to multiple parties. When it comes to storage space, size does matter. Optical disc capacities vary from 700 MB to 25 GB. With that kind of range, you have the added advantage of selecting the exact storage size that fits your needs. Now you can store your data efficiently and dole it out cost effectively-and still have room left over to grow. In terms of value, nothing beats an optical disc.

Live long and prosper.

Optical media offers an unparallelled archiving solution, allowing you to minimize bulky libraries and files of information into a less complicated, handheld solution. Not only is optical media both small and portable, but it outlasts any conventional form of record keeping. ISO tests confirm that a properly maintained CD will last more than 100 years. DVDs and Blu-ray discs can survive for more than 50 years. When you use optical media, you not only have a small, efficient method of gathering and transporting your data, but you can be assured that your media will last through the generations.

A match for Mother Nature.

Of all portable media storage solutions, optical discs are the toughest in the industry. Dust and fingerprints generally do not disturb the functionality and readability of a disc and, in general, optical media can withstand a reasonable amount of water, heat, humidity and even harsh chemicals. One user of optical media states: "Last summer I had some music CDs and a bottle of weed killer in my car. One afternoon, my trunk got pretty hot and the weed killer leaked all over my stack of CDs. When I got home, I washed them off with some warm soapy water, carefully rinsed them and stacked them in the dish rack to dry. The next day, they were ready to use. Had this happened to an iPod or USB drive, I would have lost my entire music library."

Of course, proper storage, general care and common sense are fundamental to the lifespan of discs, and surface scratches can pose the threat of permanent damage. However, when appropriately stored and cared for, optical discs are the sturdiest and most resilient digital media storage solution available today.

Seek and you will find.

Do you remember trying to fast forward to your favorite song on a cassette tape? Now, think about how fast and easy it is to search for music on a CD with a touch of a button. Long gone are the days of having to listen to an entire tape from beginning to end or hunting and pecking to find the one thing that you are looking for. Optical access media provides direct access, rather than linear access to data so you do not have to spend valuable time trying to find the track, document or video that you require. Today's world is fast-paced, and time is critical to the success of your business. When you store your data, music and video on a disc, you can always find what you need, when you want it.

Have optical media, will travel.

Worldwide, a 120mm optical disc is the most universal method of storage and transportation of information. Because disc technology is the industry standard, you can take a CD, DVD or Blu-ray disc anywhere in the world and find a place to read it. In addition, optical media is the only technology that scales from laptops to enterprise solutions-discs can easily travel from the smallest laptop to the largest server room. When you walk in to a meeting, conference or office with an optical disc you'll be able to use it. Wherever you are, so is your media. As one technical trainer says, "I have done training sessions all over the world and the one thing I never worry about is getting my content to appear or play - it's always on a CD or DVD."

Safe and sound.

Technology is available to password protect optical media, further securing and protecting important and private records, data and media. Rimage embeds this technology into its systems to make password protection of disc content as easy as checking a box and typing in a robust password. Do you want to prevent unauthorized duplication of video content? A different check box enables video protection that does not interfere with playability. Both can be used on-demand-for one disc or hundreds of discs. Optical media proves a storage solution that is safe and secure-protecting your information from those who shouldn't have it so you can easily provide it to those who should.

What does optical media have that printed media doesn't?

Granted, we do not yet live in a paperless world. Paper is still prevalent at home, school and in the workplace, and it is still an effective means of amassing and communicating information. A printed product brochure can have great photos, diagrams, copy, color and, ultimately, a great impact. But it can't have moving demos, flash videos or recorded end-user testimonials. With optical media, you can provide everything printed media can and much more. You can, for example, record a complete product catalog, embed an interactive system selector and have music play while the user reads the disc. And that's just the beginning. With advantages like these, you can reach your established customer or fan base and go the extra mile.

A label is worth a thousand words.

Optical media has it all. Effective and affordable storage capabilities? Check. Ease of distribution? Check. Longevity, protection and versatility? Check, check and check. Add printing ability to this combination and you've got a world-class solution. A 120 mm optical disc is the only form of data storage and transportation that has enough real estate on the surface to tell a user what's on the disc before it is inserted into a computer. If a disc contains music, you can print a label that lists all the songs, times and artists right on the surface. If it's software, you can print the version, revision level, platform, language and even the fine print in your legal disclaimer-and still have plenty of room for your corporate logo. Furthermore, since the data on a disc lasts up to 100 years, it makes sense to have label printing that lasts just as long.

Rimage's Everest thermal retransfer printing lives up to these expectations. We use the same print technology used on credit cards, which is strong, durable and time-tested. Find out more about Everest printers and Rimage's optical media solutions at Rimage.com.

About Rimage:

A pioneer and innovator in CD, DVD, and Blu-ray Disc production technology, Rimage provides state-of-the-art CD, DVD, and Blu-ray Disc publishing, duplication and printing solutions. From economical desktop systems to high-volume production units, Rimage provides digital publishing platforms to fit every need. Rimage also offers a full line of consumables and support programs to ensure the quality of the finished disc and uptime of the system.

In addition to robust hardware platforms, Rimage's state of the art software is second to none. Rimage software provides a seamless integration to any end-user application, making it easier to produce discs. Rimage provides application developers with a unique software development kit (SDK) and application programming interface (API) to simplify integration of end-user applications with Rimage hardware.

Visit http://www.rimage.com for more information.

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CMS - Content Management System Infrastructure Strategies For the Broadcast and Media Industries

Newspapers, television and radio companies are creating content and information at an ever increasing pace.

Traditionally, electronic content has resided on widely disparate technologies, locations and represented only operational transactions. As organizations move operations to online content and establish partnerships, via portals and extranets, with customers and suppliers, "digital content" becomes distributed among many parties.

This presents both opportunities and challenges in building content management systems reflecting the information holdings of the organization.

Content storage and management are key components of an efficient media market. A digital asset manager is required to manage the main repository of an organization's historical content. It would contain the raw online electronic content targeted for expanding distribution to new distribution channels. The critical factor leading to an efficient media market is the ability for online content creators and consumers to perform complex searches and analysis without slowing down the content production operation systems. An online content market is:

Subject-organized - information describing content is stored in a database and is organized by subject so that all the references relating to the same files are linked together;

Time-stamped - changes to the descriptive data in the database are tracked and recorded so that reports can be produced showing changes over time;

Non-volatile - data in the database is never over-written or deleted, once committed, the descriptive data is static, read-only, and retained or archived for future use; and

Integrated - the database would contain information relating to most or all of an organization's production content. Search information would be consistent.

For example, an online content market could be used to search and find all audio, video and text about elections in 2008, or all new medical research papers between December 24th - December 28th 2006.

A core goal of an online market is to integrate content and applications at the data level. Media and data would be extracted from production operations systems, cleansed, transformed, transcoded and placed into the media market according to organizational business rules. Although the notion of creating a centralized content warehouse is conceptually appealing, it is operationally infeasible in many environments. The size and localization of audio and video content may required a distributed, federated approach to be financially and technically practical. Departments within an organization should be encouraged to retain ownership of their content and assume responsibility to share and publish according to well-defined sharing agreements.

Rather than spending a lot of money on a centralized content management system, or CMS, implementing smaller federated local CMS systems, and integrating them organization wide through federated content management sharing software is often a more practical approach.

Federated Media Market

Federated media markets include independent local content file stores within the organization. Local staff members would select and publish video and audio into the system, which would then be integrated into the federated media market model. In most current environments, online content resides in local departmental storage, often implemented using differing closed system commercial products, localized terminology and query languages.

The federated media market approach involves the creation of an information hub containing descriptions of online content of interest to the entire organization, while data of interest to the local department would remain in the local production file stores. The federated market would be used to find internally published content anywhere in the organization. In addition, federated content for new vertical lines of business and distribution channels would be efficiently created by re-purposing accessible media. The federated approach is appealing in that small files containing text descriptions and file location references can reside in the federated content hub, while the large video and audio files can reside in local content stores. A federated media market positions organizations to efficiently enter e-Media markets.

e-Media

e-Media is based on inter-company partnerships among content consumers and content creators. These partnerships are based on the requirement to share online content, and related content information through inter-operable business processes, common data sharing protocols, and open standards such as the extensible markup language. e-Media partnerships require content distribution among specialized software applications for content management, application integration and back-end fulfillment systems such as media distribution and billing.

The dynamic nature of the inter-company relationships and the distributed content contained in existing proprietary systems requires new approaches to storage and cataloging. The federated media market approach allows local staff members to manage locally relevant content while sharing portions of local production content with the federated media market. Specific agreements on how much media and data will be available, the protocols and standards to be used to access and share e-media, the security attributes and distribution permissions of shared media, and quality standards to which these partners must adhere should be carefully defined prior to implementing a federated media market.

A "web service" model to create dynamically configurable customizable data markets is recommended. Media market concepts and tools would include mechanisms to access the databases of these web services to obtain e-Media-specific data regarding those services, e.g., performance metrics, status information, and meta-data which would then be stored in the federated media market. The use of intelligent software agents interacting with hosted media to gather relevant information for the federated media market is recommended. A successful Federated Media Market can become a knowledge repository consisting of low resolution representations of the source media, the source media text information from the local data mart, company wide metadata, workflow patterns, and the company media dictionary.

A federated media market positions organizations to profitably enter e-Media markets.

Joe Tighe
IT Infrastructure Consultant
http://joetighe.wordpress.com

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How to Repurpose Your Content Online

How can you leverage your content online?

The following is an excerpt from Marketing Shortcuts for the Self-Employed (2011, Wiley) by Patrick Schwerdtfeger. The book has 80 chapters covering dozens of online marketing tactics that deliver results, especially for small business owners and self-employed professionals. The book is being released on June 7th, 2011. Learn more at 80shortcuts.com.

If you’re smart about content creation, you can create it once … and then repurpose it seven different ways! You can literally flood the Internet with your expertise and work less than most of your competition.

Think about your content as either beginner, intermediate, and advanced. The idea is to give the beginner content away for free to demonstrate your expertise and build trust with your audience. Your beginner content becomes your blog posts, your articles, your podcasts and your videos. The intermediate content is free as well, but only in exchange for their email address. Your intermediate content is used to build your list. And your advanced content is what you’re actually selling; it’s where you drive revenue.

Well, your website or blog is the perfect place for some of that beginner content. Try to organize your beginner content into a series of “lessons” and then write an article about each one. Always make sure your articles are at least 500 words long. If you write an article that’s longer than 1,500 words, break it into two separate articles. Are you ready? We’ll be using your articles in seven different ways, maximizing the bang you get for your buck.

If you don’t have your website built yet, don’t worry. The important thing is to realize how your content can be repurposed on the Internet. Knowing this process will help you deploy your online strategy once you start building.

Step 1 – publish on your blog

First, publish your article as a post on your blog. Easy enough. Your blog is the center of your online identity and any content you publish should also be published (or at least summarized) on your blog.

Step 2 – social bookmarking

Second, ask some of your friends to bookmark your new blog post on a few of the large social bookmarking sites like Digg, Delicious, Reddit, and StumbleUpon. Doing so will introduce your content to a huge audience who then have an opportunity to endorse it and pass it along to others.

Step 3 – blog carnivals

Third, visit BlogCarnival.com and submit your new blog post to a bunch of upcoming blog carnivals. Carnivals are like online magazines. There are large prominent bloggers on the internet who host “carnivals” about one topic or another, and they can feature your blog post within their carnival, exposing your content to their readership in the process.

Step 4 – article directories

Fourth, modify your article slightly and publish it on EzineArticles.com and some of the other article directories on the Internet. You could even use a distribution platform like iSnare.com to get it on hundreds of article directories within days. Each directory will allow you to include a link back to your website so this strategy will result in hundreds of one-way inbound links to your website.

Step 5 – ebook directories

Fifth, summarize your article into a punchy bullet-point PDF file and make sure it includes plenty of links to your website. Upload your new PDF to the many free e-book directories such as ebookdirectory.com or ebook2u.com. Yes, it’s true. There are dozens of e-book directories and their visitors are searching for information. They can find your information . . . but only if you upload it.

Step 6 – audio podcasts

Sixth, read your article into a microphone and record it. Now you have a podcast that you can register on iTunes and dozens of ‘‘podcast directories.’’ Podcasts accumulate incredibly loyal listeners over time with 90% of them listening to your podcasts at the gym, commuting to work or walking their dog. Not only that but audio content does a great job of inspiring trust among listeners.

Step 7 – YouTube videos

Seventh, get a Flip digital video recorder (about $200) and record yourself as you explain the topic you wrote about in your article. Don’t worry. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Just speak about the concept as if you were explaining it to a friend. Once you’re done, add your website address to the video and upload it to YouTube. Video inspires trust better than any other type of content. And besides, YouTube is the third highest traffic website on the internet (after Google and Facebook).

These seven effective ways to get your beginner content out into the world will cost you next to nothing (except perhaps if you need to invest in the Flip recorder). Yet very few people take advantage of these opportunities to spread their message across the Internet. By following these steps, you can take one piece of beginner content – one lesson – and use it in seven different formats, populating multiple platforms with your expertise.

This is powerful stuff. It’s extremely efficient and caters to the different ways people use the Internet. Don’t make this more difficult than it needs to be. Most people think they need to create new content for every platform. No way! That’s too much work. You could write one lesson every week or two and end up with a massive online identity within a few months.

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