Kim's Blog

Quality Content and Lead Generation

Posted on March 3, 2010 at 02:58 PM

Now that we have officially rung in the new year, it is time for me to make some new predictions for 2010. And as I look back into my crystal ball, I have 10 predictions for what the coming year will look like—both for Education and content.

What is my third prediction for content?

Companies will focus on quality content to improve lead generation.

In the 1990s, every company was debating whether or not it needed a Web site. Companies had meetings about it, discussed the pros and cons, and pondered it for months. If your business did not have a Web site back then, your customers probably had a difficult time contacting you. If your company does not have a Web site today, your customers might not even know you exist.

For most companies, building a Web site is not the problem—but how do you drive traffic to it? With a plethora of information available to consumers via the Internet, it is becoming increasingly difficult for companies to distinguish their message from the messages of others. And as more businesses continue to push online marketing initiatives, SEO, and social media campaigns, establishing your company as the authoritative voice in your market is becoming much harder.

The best way for companies to develop a successful marketing strategy and increase lead generation is to focus on developing quality content, and I expect more and more companies to recognize its value in the year ahead. If companies want to separate their brand identity from the other the white noise out there, they have to create engaging content that their customers find relevant and meaningful. Quality content will increase conversion to sales, the amount of time consumers spend on your Web site, and the number of unique visitors to your page. Smart businesses will find companies who will not only build their digital presence, but who will get them the traffic they need to grow.

Check back next week to find out my next 2010 prediction for content.

Connecting Through Content

Posted on February 22, 2010 at 01:22 PM

Now that we have officially rung in the new year, it is time for me to make some new predictions for 2010. And as I look back into my crystal ball, I have 10 predictions for what the coming year will look like—both for Education and content.

What is my second prediction for content?

As the economy begins to slowly recover, businesses will use quality content to reach out to their market and connect with their customers.

The recession may come to an end this year, but economists are not predicting much of a recovery. Growth will be slow, job creation will be a challenge, and the housing market will continue to struggle. Economy.com predicts a 1.2 percent growth for Chicago in 2010, and the Chicago unemployment rate is set to peak in the third quarter at 11.5 percent.

But as businesses continue to maneuver through this difficult time, I expect content to play a pivotal role in the recovery process. With the worst of the recession behind us, now is the time for businesses to reconnect with their market and to let their customers know that they are still here. Digital media outlets like e-mail, blogs, social media networks, and e-newsletters offer companies an important opportunity to create viral exposure for their brand and to do so in a relatively inexpensive way.

In order to reconnect with their market during the recovery process, companies can:

• utilize e-mail marketing and clean up their bounce back rate;
• update their LinkedIn status to inform their network of exciting things happening with their business;
• create a Webinar on their latest product or service to reinstate themselves as the authoritative voice within their market.

For more information on e-mail marketing, social media, or other digital media initiatives, go to the S2EO blog here.

Check back next week to find out my next 2010 prediction for content.

Content and Recovery

Posted on February 19, 2010 at 01:06 PM

Now that we have officially rung in the new year, it is time for me to make some new predictions for 2010. And as I look back into my crystal ball, I have 10 predictions for what the coming year will look like—both for Education and content.

What is my first prediction for content in 2010?

Companies will focus on generating quality content to aid them in training, sales, Human Resources, and online marketing initiatives.

Now that 2009 is over (farewell!), companies are looking to enter a period of recovery in 2010 and beyond. Unfortunately, due to cuts in staffing and resources, businesses will need to adapt and adjust to a new sense of “normal.” But with technology constantly advancing, companies have an opportunity to innovate and evolve in order to stay competitive and move forward.

Here at Shakespeare Squared, part of our ability to remain successful is our continuing focus on providing quality content to our clients. And while at one time the majority of our content came in the form of textbooks and workbooks, today we find ourselves creating content (educational, marketing, and more) for a variety of industries. We create and maintain Webinars and podcasts, white papers and Web articles—and in the coming year, more and more businesses will get on board and do the same.

I believe that we will see businesses providing new employee training over the Internet via Webinars, podcasts, and interactive programs and quizzes. Companies will utilize social media communities to align their sales force and increase productivity, and they will implement online marketing initiatives such as e-newsletters as an efficient and less expensive way to connect with their clients. Videos and ways to optimize them will make a large splash on the Web, too—much more so than today.

Most people have heard about social media and online marketing, but how many businesses are placing the right value on these tools?

How will your company recover in this economy? That should be the question your company is asking, and acting on the answers will be the most important move your company can make.

If you would like more information on some of these technologies and their impact on businesses, read our S2EO blog here.

And don’t forget to check back next week to find out my next 2010 prediction for content.

Technology and Innovation

Posted on February 9, 2010 at 08:54 AM

Now that we have officially rung in the new year, it is time for me to make some new predictions for 2010. And as I look back into my crystal ball, I have 10 predictions for what the coming year will look like—both for Education and content.

What is my last prediction for Education?

As the federal and state governments continue to struggle to formulate policies, children will be the ones to miss out.

Nearly a year after the Obama administration allocated $100 billion of its economic-stimulus package to improving the nation’s public education system, few substantive changes in education have been made. While the surge in funds did prevent teacher layoffs and the cutting of programs in school districts nationwide, it is difficult to determine the lasting affects of the initiative on K–12 policy.

However, with Race to the Top (RTT) and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) at the forefront of Education, it is time for technology and innovation to come together to help school districts lower costs while embracing the highest standards of the most successful school districts in our nation. Through the adoption of common core state standards, school districts can begin to defray costs as states like Texas seek to include digital products on their adoption lists.

By incorporating more technology into the public education system, states can lower the cost of learning per student and eliminate the high textbook cost problem plaguing many school districts. It is my hope that between the new federal policy and the bridging together of technology and innovation, we will begin to see a decrease in the cost of materials per student by the end of 2010—and with it, more lasting positive changes in our public education system.

Check back next week as I kick off my five predictions for content in 2010.

Boosting Student Achievement

Posted on February 3, 2010 at 01:23 PM

Now that we have officially rung in the new year, it is time for me to make some new predictions for 2010. And as I look back into my crystal ball, I have 10 predictions for what the coming year will look like—both for Education and content.

What is my fourth prediction for Education?

Curriculum for gifted students will expand, and states will allot money for programs and technology for them.

As a subcategory of Special Education, gifted programs are often put on the backburner in school districts. I know many parents who had to fight for their child to be tested and for courses to be designed for their gifted child. In fact, gifted programs were some of the first to be cut under No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The problem I have with NCLB is that it fails to recognize the potential of gifted students to raise standardized test scores—by giving them an opportunity to participate in programs that will really motivate and challenge them.

When my 11-year-old daughter was recommended for a gifted program (at age 6), we were told to go to the Center for Talent and Development at Northwestern University. Since our school did not have any programs to help her, and she was starting to display signs of boredom in the classroom, we decided to check it out.

The center aims to integrate rigorous coursework with fun learning activities to both interest and stimulate students—courses like Adventures & Fantasy, the Computer Gaming Academy, Robotics, and Poetry Slam. Many of these courses included collaborative learning methods, inquiry-based learning, and self-discovery.

These courses sound great, but we need to find a way to offer these types of classes in mainstream schools and to translate them to every student in some capacity. And unlike NCLB, Race to the Top seeks to boost student achievement through the implementation of more innovative and creative curriculum. With this in mind, and with technology and STEM in the forefront, we are truly poised to focus on children who may not have been left behind, but who were definitely forgotten.

To find out my next prediction for Education, check back next week.

Sleeper States to Step Up

Posted on January 25, 2010 at 02:58 PM

Now that we have officially rung in the new year, it is time for me to make some new predictions for 2010. And as I look back into my crystal ball, I have 10 predictions for what the coming year will look like—both for Education and content.

What is my third prediction for Education?

Race to the Top will boost states that have not been top performers.

Last week, the Department of Education announced that 40 states and the District of Columbia applied for a share of the Race to the Top fund. And with usual movers and shakers like Texas stepping out of the competition, Race to the Top promises to spark action among states that have not been performing well under NCLB, pushing them to the forefront of educational reform.

Ohio says that it plans to use RTT as a motivator for educators to move from the fifth-best school system in the nation to the first in four years. And according to a report by The New Teacher’s Project, other states to watch out for include Colorado, Delaware, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Wisconsin. The winners of RTT awards will not be announced until April, but it looks to be an exciting time for Education.

To find out my next prediction for Education, check back next week. 

Authentic Assessment

Posted on January 18, 2010 at 03:07 PM

Now that we have officially rung in the new year, it is time for me to make some new predictions for 2010. And as I look back into my crystal ball, I have 10 predictions for what the coming year will look like—both for Education and content.

What is my second prediction for 2010?

Assessment will become a broader term.

As a result of Race to the Top, states will need to cultivate their creativity and originality to target the different ways that students learn. States will have to pay greater attention to Special Education subgroups like ELL, remedial, and gifted students and truly assess students beyond just standardized testing. Unlike traditional testing methods, authentic assessment moves away from rote learning techniques and instead aims to evaluate students in “real world” contexts. Children who learn differently will have an opportunity to demonstrate their skills and knowledge through a variety of tasks and projects.

To find out my next 2010 prediction for Education, check back next week.