DX3 Canada 2012 was a success! Check out some of my key takeaways on the content side of things.

1. DX3 Canada Content Takeaways
Posted by: Aimee Beck on: January 26, 2012
In: Content Marketing | SEO Copywriting
I spent all day yesterday at the DX3 conference. It was great to see some familiar
faces and I also had the pleasure of chatting with some great new minds of the
digital world. Best of all, I picked up lots of tips and tricks of the SEO copywriting
and content marketing trade.
Content was a hot topic buzzing around the showroom floor. Some of the CMS and
Iaas/Saas software was new to me, as were some of the thoughts shared by
speakers and audience members alike. It was also rejuvenating to hear – or should I
say re-hear (new word of the day, we‟ll call it an Aimee-ism) – familiar information.
Do you ever notice that when someone new says something you already know, it still
sounds fresh. That‟s because they bring a new perspective, a slightly different angle,
a new approach. I love that!
Here are some bits „n bites I feverishly jotted down on my iPhone yesterday – I think
you‟ll find them valuable, too. If nothing else, I‟ll give you my “new” perspective on
something you already know.
Don‟t reinvent the wheel. If you need content ideas, look around to see what
others are doing, then do it better.
We live in a world of social media overload. There are only so many hours in a
day and there‟s a ton of info to absorb. Keep your content short and to the
point. Cut through the BS.
Be unique. Be controversial. You‟ll get others‟ attention and spark some great
conversations when you evoke emotion.
Keep your content simple. Your audience is (probably) filled with busy
everyday folks just like you and me. Don‟t go all corporate and fancy on their
ass–they get enough of that at the office.
Consider video content (you don‟t need to be a model or an idol). When you
want to learn how to bake a pie or change a tire or build a treehouse, you go
to YouTube to watch someone show you how to do it. Share your expertise in
video format – people like it.
Use lots of whitespace, avoid the clutter.
Keep it simple visually as well as contextually. Studies have proven that
animated ads annoy the hell out of people, so don‟t litter your pages with
them.
Use short sentences. Use short paragraphs. Use bullet lists. All of these are
easy on the eyes.
Use headlines. People don‟t read every word on every page – they scan. A
friend and former colleague of mine, Ian Everdell, shared his eye-tracking
studies yesterday, and guess what? People scan and stop at headlines. Go
figure.
That‟s it for me – at least that‟s all that was on my little iPhone notepad. I know I‟ll
remember a lot more as my brain defrags over the next day or two, so I‟ll be sure to
share more. Remember, short „n sweet!
Cheers,
Aimee