So, you think LinkedIn Groups are a waste of time? Chances are, if you’re simply “hanging out” here and there, you’re right. But like any networking effort — whether it be an in-person event, trade show or online forum — you’ll only get out what you put in. And, forget the shortcuts. There are no magical, cookie-cutter formulas that will rake in millions from the network. LinkedIn is powerful — but, requires real work.

First, the proof.

When it comes to professional networking, lead generation and lead nurturing, LinkedIn is simply unrivaled. LinkedIn’s value is especially evident for industry thought leaders and B2Bs aiming to make quality connections that specifically need their “niche” product or service. If you’re unclear about your sales plan and networking strategy, LinkedIn will only go so far. If you’re looking for quickie meetups and fast cash, forget it. However, if you’re serious about finding leads the old-fashioned way — by actually going out there and meeting people — LinkedIn Groups is a powerful tool.

Lead Generation / Conversion

According to a recent MarketingProfs study, those LinkedIn visitors coming from LinkedIn Groups account for the biggest percentage of business leads (measured via web forms) overall (~57.0%), followed by individual LinkedIn profiles (11.5%) and LinkedIn company profiles (9.2%).

First-Time Visitors

Nearly one-half (45%) of all leads to websites arriving from LinkedIn are first-time visitors. That level is higher for those arriving via “groups” (63.2%).

So how can you maximize the power of LinkedIn Groups without making it a second job?

Learn to Separate the Worthwhile From the Worthless

If you’ve ever joined a worthless LinkedIn group, you know the drill. Spam, self-promotion, irrelevant posts…yada…yada.

Here’s the good news: There are LinkedIn Groups that are flourishing, valuable, active and downright awesome. But, only the smart LinkedIn members know how to sort out the riff raff.

The most common mistake we see clients make is joining groups without taking a close look at their value. It used to be that you could only “sniff out” a group’s value by lurking and hanging out for a while. Not so anymore! Late last year, LinkedIn released the Groups Statistics dashboard for each group. 

LinkedIn Groups Statistics remains one of the most underutilized tools — yet it can quickly make your time on LinkedIn more productive.

Using the dashboard, you can look up the demographics and growth of each group. Better yet, you can also find out the quality of the networking and discussions.

Say “Sayonara” to the spam and “Hello” to the helpful!

1. Go to any group you’ve joined (open groups allow you to do this ahead of joining)

2. Go to More…> Group Statistics.

3. Now, click on the “Activity” tab.

4. Take a close look at the ratio of “Comments” to “Discussions”

• Comments = Reactions, Comments and Interaction
• Discussions = New “Posts” to the Group

Is this group worth your time? I think not.
The group below consists of a lot of people who like to start discussions. But no one is actually committed posting comments or responses. Looks like a bunch of posters but no participants.
Bye-bye time sink!

.

How `bout this one?
Hmmm…only if you like watching paint dry.
Where is everyone? Unless this is a group that just started, don’t waste your time.

.

Like Goldilocks said,
“This one is juuuuuust right.”
A good balance of discussions and comments. Get in there and start rubbing elbows!

How to Leave a Group

Okay, you’ve found your good groups and your time-sink groups. Don’t be shy about dropping those time sinks in a heartbeat. Your time is valuable. By leaving worthless groups, you claim back precious time that you could spend with quality groups that respect your time and energy.

Here’s where the elusive “Leave Group” function lives…

1. Click the More tab in the row under the group name and select Your Settings.

2. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the “Leave Group” button.

Your Turn
Have you found your LinkedIn Groups activity to be productive or a waste? Have you tried vetting your groups using the dashboard?

Kevin McNulty (@netweave), an esteemed friend and colleague in the industry (I can see his eyes rolling — he’s so humble), asked me for my thoughts on this week’s Marketing Profs Report showing that Social Media usage among Inc. 500 companies was up, while blogging was down. Although I am far from a bandwagon jumper, Kevin knows I am a proponent of well-planned, well-executed blogs for business. When launched and maintained correctly, blogs can become a hugely powerful part of a company’s content marketing arsenal. But, certainly not a magic bullet. Blogging has to be part of a larger content strategy — including the smart use of social media channels.

Usage is Down. Effectiveness is Not.

First, let’s look at some effectiveness numbers. According to Hubspot, businesses that blog have a clear advantage:

• 68-77% more leads
• 55% more website visitors
• 97% more inbound links to their website
• 434% more indexed pages on Google

My first reaction when I saw the dip reported by MarketingProfs was a simple nod of the head. I’m not altogether surprised. Although data from multiple sources continues to tout the fact that blogging is effective, there are many realities that I see factoring into the dip in usage.

Corporate Blogging is Hard

Yes. It’s true. Blogging (effective blogging that is), along with other content-intensive media, requires a high level of effort, skill, planning, resources and strategy. But, don’t take my word for it. Research shows that the biggest challenge for marketers today is “producing the kind of content that engages prospects and customers.” The second biggest challenge was simply producing enough content. (Source: 2012 B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets & Trends).

Although many companies have the very best intentions when launching into a blog, many quickly find they may not have the right resources, planning or corporate culture in place to do it right. I’ll refrain from tooting the Well Planned Web horn too much here…but this is where having a content marketing partner can help.

The SEO Sugar Rush is Over

Blogging has reached the end of its “something shiny” phase. In other words, those companies that were leaping on the blogging bandwagon rather than blogging for the right reasons are likely outta the picture. There was a time where many companies blogged strictly for Search Engine Optimization benefits — rather than to add real value during a prospect’s research or buying stage. Blogging is not a magic-wand tool. Companies that use blogging for delivering true value to audiences will gain real, long-term benefits (a.k.a. leads).

Blogging is Not Right For Everyone.

Part of why our team sees blogging as such a powerful medium, is because the majority of our clients have a “complex sale.” In other words, our clients’ products and services typically require continued discussion with prospects to aid in product research, education and decision-making. Becoming a part of the prospects’ research process through helpful, informative content creates a relationship of trust. Blogging, when part of the right content marketing mix, is amazingly effective.

Let’s face it… the same cannot always be said for the “less complex” sale. Buying pizza, an airline ticket or a baseball bat just doesn’t demand the same depth of content to build the relationship. In fact, those relationships are far better off being nurtured and built through social media outlets like Facebook (which also requires a dedicated expertise, by the way).

Status Quo Content = DOB (Death of Blog)

If blogging doesn’t become a “high-yield” tactic, it’s often one of the first items cut in the corporate marketing budget. The #1 reason for blog death: Status Quo Content. Ditching the “words on a page” mentality and embracing highly-relevant, highly meaningful content takes dedicated, planning, time, (and dollars). But developing a real Content Marketing strategy can dramatically turn around the effectiveness of a corporate blog, as well as your other online marketing efforts.

Your Turn

Does your company have a corporate blog? Is it well planned and maintained? What has your experience been?

.

.

Related Reports -

• 10 Ways to Ditch “Status Quo” Content in 2012

By: Marie Weber
If you watched the State of the Union (SOTU) address online this week, you may have noticed there was an option for watching an enhanced version of the speech. As a content marketer I thought this was a nice feature, but I was more impressed by how the administration really leveraged the SOTU this year. Here are some lessons from the SOTU to apply to your own marketing campaigns.

Now, before we get started I will ask you to put your political views aside. For those of you who don’t have a love affair with our current President, let’s just focus on effective content marketing techniques — not politics!

1. Video: This may go without saying but when you are presenting, training, or giving a speech for your business; have it video taped, post the video on YouTube, and embed the video on your site.
2. Photos: Even if you are having your presentation taped, don’t forget to take photos. These photos can be used on your site, or they can be made into a slideshow. Also, try to get photos before, during, and after. One of the most popular pictures from the SOTU, where Barack Obama hugged Gabrielle Giffords, happened before the speech.
   

   President Barak Obama hugs Gabby Giffords

3. Transcript: If you are going to put together a presentation or speech, get it transcribed.  This gives people who do not have time to watch your video a chance to consume your content faster (especially if they are skimming). The transcript is also important for the search engines so they can index your content more efficiently.
4. SlideShare: Take any supporting slides, charts, graphs, and imagery.  Turn that into a SlideShare presentation.
5. Action Items/PDF downloads: Now that you have presented all of the wonderful information, help make it actionable.  For the SOTU, the White House put together an 8 page PDF outlining the Blueprint for America, a summary of the policies outlined in the speech. Granted I think this could have been made clearer by including the actual action items President Obama said he was going to do, vs the ones he needed congress to pass a bill for, but you can see how this format helps outline and highlight the main points of the speech. For your situation, consider providing a resource list, case study, check list, or action items.
6. Get Social: Get participants/viewers to connect with you. The White House took questions on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.  They also are setting up a Google+ Hangout for Jan. 30th. They are encouraging people to use the hashtags #SOTU and #WHChat and have multiple twitter accounts (@Whitehouse, @VP, and @gov).  Include this type of information in your presentation so people know how to promote your event, connect with you, and share ideas and feedback.
7. Go behind the scenes: I personally am a huge fan of watching special features (my husband considers it one of my hobbies) so when the White House put together a quick video [less than 5 minutes] going behind the scenes, I was excited. I realize I am probably one of the few people that actually seeks out special features. But for the really curious in your fan base — the people who like extra information, enjoy research, or just find you really interesting — they will appreciate the extra effort.
8. Go mobile: Did you know the White House has an app (for both iPhone and Android)? Did you know you could have watched the SOTU from your smartphone?  If not, now you do.
9. Leverage what you already have: Leading up to the SOTU, the White House was showing videos from the previous 12 months — a year in review if you will. This was all content that they already had that they organized and curated to highlight events, holidays, and memories. Consider how you can add related videos, or posts to your content (usually pretty easy to accomplish with plug-ins). Or instead of silence before your next webinar – consider showing highlights from other presentations you have done.
10. Make it interactive: This is how you could see who was sitting in the First Lady’s Box at the SOTU. This interactive feature was an efficient use of space, linked to more information about each guest. This brings me to my next point …
11. Make it personal: When you can understand who some of the people are, and why you are seeing them at the SOTU, it makes it more personal. You feel more connected and invested in what is going on. How can you personalize your staff introductions, events or other “about us” content?
12. Blog – Before, During, and After: While this might sound counter intuitive (“How can I be blogging during if I am giving a presentation?”), the ability to schedule content ahead of time means you can literally be giving a presentation at the same time WordPress (or any other solid platform) is publishing your latest blog post (and HootSuite is tweeting your scheduled post.) While the SOTU did not actually have any blog posts during the presentation, there were 6 blog posts leading up to the speech and so far 7 blog posts related to the SOTU after the event.
13. Make sure you have a clear call to action: Read, Learn, Find, Understand, Connect, Ask, Watch, Join, Submit (questions/information), Download, Share, Like, Email, Tweet, Hangout, Check out, See, Follow, Subscribe, Call, Click.  Get the idea? Obviously there are a lot of different calls to actions, but fortunately with social media plug-ins many of these can be easily managed.
14. Build an email list: Yes, one of those calls to action is to join the email list.
15. Make the information easy to understand & anticipate your audience needs: This one is a little more complex, and really takes getting out of your own way to think about what questions your audience is going to have. For the SOTU it could be, “Did anything really get accomplished over the last year?” The White House addressed this with 19 “Signs of Progress in 2011″ and links to the We Can’t Wait landing page. Which brings me to…
16. Infographics: While I have not seen any infographics for the SOTU yet, if you go to some of the other landing pages on whitehouse.org you can find infographics. Considering how powerful infographics can be, this may be one area where whitehouse.org can expand their content in the future.  However, whitehouse.org has also been good about providing a quick fact (basically a slide from a presentation) to go along with a landing page, action item, or blog post. So the next time you are trying to find an image to go with content on your site, consider looking at some of the presentations and infographics you have already put together.

As you can see from the list above, the SOTU was not just one event. The President’s administration looked at ways to leverage the event and create multiple pieces of content that had a variety of uses. A great example of content creation, distribution, and repurposing.

Your Turn

What other conferences or presentations have you seen that do a good job of leveraging their content before, during and after the event?

Happy 2012! Did your online content create leads in 2011? Or just a lot of work?

Let’s get real. Online content is NOT a magic marketing bullet. Sure, you may get a short-term “sugar rush” of traffic with certain content. However, for businesses with a longer, more complex sales process, that sugar rush simply won’t do.

In 2012, get serious about a content strategy that’s based solely around your prospect and customer needs. Relevant content rules now more than ever. But what exactly does “relevant content” mean? It means your content will “lock eyes” with each of your audiences and deliver helpful resources and information that turns them into believers, customers and advocates.

“Irrelevant content spins wheels.
Meaningful content wins deals.”

This year, vow to provide content that:

• Makes them a hero
• Solves their problem
• Makes their professional life that much easier

If this is the year you plan to get serious about your Content Strategy, start by embracing a new attitude about content and ditching the “status quo” content from the past.

Will 2012 be the year you discover the power of well-planned, hyper-relevant content?

Illustrator: Unknown

Related Reports -

• 10 Ways to Ditch “Status Quo” Content in 2012

By now you’ve probably seen Google’s very cute hidden holiday treat. No? Okay, let’s cover that first.

In Firefox or Google Chrome, visit Google’s Search page and perform a search of the words Let it snow to see a flurry of snow fall from the top of your browser, rapidly filling up (and fogging up) your display. Use your mouse to wipe the snow away, or wait for your screen to become obscured enough for a Defrost button to appear, clearing it all up. Too fun! Read more here: at http://wpw.mx/sO5XUb 

But LinkedIn’s Got a Treat Up Its Snowy Sleeve Too!

We’re not into spoiling the fun, so here’s your hint!

Go to your LinkedIn Home Page. Then check out who’s viewed your profile recently. We’ll leave it at that!

Way to go, LinkedIn, on getting into the holiday spirit. Although LinkedIn is not seen as the “sexy” social network, looks like they managed to inject some holiday cheer into its typically serious, professional site. Care to share any other hidden holiday gems you’ve found?

During a recent project, I got a crash course in Healthcare Reform. Not ObamaCare but rather the undercurrent of initiatives causing a major paradigm shift in the industry.

To survive the shift, healthcare entities will have to marry new-school technologies with old-school industry values.  And, the key initiatives, when stripped down, are strikingly familiar.

That’s when it hit me: Is Content Marketing experiencing its own form of health reform? As we forge ahead into new opportunities and media, are we realizing a need for a firmer grasp on the values of old?

Let’s look at the similarities more closely.

1. Quality Focus

In Healthcare: Profitability is still a goal but it’ll no longer be achieved just by seeing as many patients as you can. It’ll be about quality service and keeping as much of the population healthy as possible.

In Content Marketing: SEO and SEM are no longer the golden goose. Good content doesn’t just entice as many clicks as possible in an attempt to hock as many widgets as possible – it’s not that selfish. It respects the savvy consumer that wants to be educated and empowered rather than sold to. It strives to solve problems, add real value and create mutually beneficial relationships.

2. Engagement and Relationship Building

In Healthcare: Proactive outreach is replacing periodic visits with the chronic few. There’s a focus on creating stronger relationships between physicians and patients, and engaging patients to be participants in their own health outcomes.

In Content Marketing: “Insights” content like white papers, blogs, worksheets and other resources make connections and add value – especially to B2B relationships. Aimed beyond just winning the immediate sale, Insights content establishes the source as the industry leader, authority or innovator rather than a quick-fix vendor. And it arms prospective clients to be educated partners in their own business solutions.

3. The “Meaningful Use” of Audience Data

In Healthcare: A focus on the “meaningful use” of electronic medical records and technology to provide the best, most comprehensive care possible. The use of timely and relevant patient data also optimizes office visits and helps with preventative care.

In Content Marketing: Smart content strategies begin with audience discovery and persona profiling. It’s no longer just about what they’re searching for and how. It’s about discovering their problems, motivations and sales barriers. And every touch is optimized to begin creating meaningful interactions.

4. Preventative Maintenance

In Healthcare: Patient data and clinical expertise is combined to proactively identify, reach out and address risk factors. When done well, that process is automated. In between visits, patients can be proactively engaged with online tools and apps designed for self-maintenance and the prevention of chronic illnesses.

In Content Marketing: Smart content addresses the audience’s pre-existing conditions and risk factors,  if you will – educating and addressing sales barriers even before the first sales contact. Smart content also doesn’t just sit around on a website waiting to be discovered, it also seeks and socializes. Smart content introduces itself wherever it can: on your blog, your social networks, press release sites, and your printed marketing pieces.

5. Quality Measurement

In Healthcare: Profitability will no longer be the primary measure of how well a health organization is doing. Dollars will still matter but physicians will receive incentives based on the quality of service provided and their ability to keep their entire patient population healthy.

In Content Marketing: Traditional ROI is not the sole metric. Return on Engagement – and its various measurements – has emerged as an equally important metric that translates into both dollars and consumer loyalty. We’re looking more closely at things like lead generation from gated content, the conversion rates of consumers who’ve visited (and educated themselves) on our blogs, the satisfaction of customers as expressed on social networks through likes, follows and +1s. And we’re not only concerned with the folks we’ve already converted to trackable leads and contacts, but with every audience member and fan that engages us on every channel.

Like all marketing efforts, Content Marketing has one ultimate goal — to produce new customers or clients. That’s a given. However, HOW content achieves this goal is a different story. In fact, there is no one magic recipe for creating effective content that sells. That’s actually what makes Content Marketers’ jobs so much stinkin’ fun! Content has to be as unique as the company we’re marketing for.

Hence why I love asking this question of marketers: “What Makes Content Effective?” The response is either a Scooby-Do look of confusion or an emphatic answer that sparks a debate, battle cry or both.

I recently asked members of AMA Tampa Bay to complete the sentence below and put some ideas out there to get things started. The result? A great discussion and some terrific answers!

CHIME IN: Complete this phrase in 3 words or less:

“Effective web content…”

• …enlightens
• …educates
• …empowers
• …engages
• …inspires
• …influences
• …solves a problem
• …evokes emotion
• …incites action
• …informs, mobilizes, connects and unifies (Eric Sturm)
• …connects and awakens (Ken Donaldson)
• …brightens and motivates (Jay Roth)
• …keeps it simple (Andrew Rappa)
• …builds relationships and sales (Susan Follick)
• …is the only kind we should ever see (Bill Ziff-Levine)
  Okay, okay, Bill went over three words…but we couldn’t bring ourselves to eliminate such an awesome answer!
• …stimulates thought (Jay Roth)
• …generates interest (Jay Roth)
• …reinforces image (Jay Roth)
• …helps build identity (Jay Roth)
• …opens doors, removes barriers (Jay Roth)
• …requires no words (Andrew Rappa) (video content, that is — good point, Andrew!)
• …creates raving fans (Ashley Ray)
• …leaves them begging for more (Kathy Pabst Robshaw)
• …engages customers (Scott Huetteman)
• …fuels passion, instills trust, engages (Tracy Blalock)
• …engages, educates, enlightens (Dave Yee)
• …is brief (Tim Staney)
• …influences key influencers (Crystal Fischer)
• …builds customer loyalty (Charles Visalli)
• …builds interaction efficiently (Dan FitzSimons)
• …is addictive – like a drug (James Johannessen)

Your Turn

Don’t hold back!
3 words or less! — “Effective web content…”

This week I had the surreal honor of attending Content Marketing World 2011 in Cleveland. I say “surreal” because I was surrounded by people who didn’t just chant “Content is King.” These people are actually running the kingdom.

The overall message that emerged from the conference was simple but refreshing:
Keep it Real. Make it Meaningful. Don’t Suck.

1. SEO is no longer in charge.

Finally, a conference where SEO, keywords and “gaming” Google are not the obsession. The message: treat Google like any other visitor. As Lisa LaCour of Outbrain said, “We need to write for readers, not robots.” Yes, the recent death of content farms (courtesy of the Google Panda Update) was shamelessly celebrated at Content Marketing World. We still respect SEO, but we’re no longer slaves. Just ask Marcus Sheridan, CEO of River Pools & Spas. He literally saved his business with Content Marketing. His best keyword tool? Listening to his customers.

2. Real-Time Content wins.

Just as SEO no longer rules, our days of “sitting on” content opportunities in order to “play it safe” are long gone. David Meerman Scott challenged Content Marketers to differentiate themselves (or their brands) by responding to news, events and happenings immediately. Forget calling a meeting that will be rescheduled or running the idea by legal or PR. If you’re a thought leader within your industry, you better lead the pack with real-time content or simply get out of the way. The moral of the story for those of us who are planners by nature: build room within editorial calendars, assign owners (give them autonomy), and build content teams that are nimble.

3. Fascinate readers or die.

Sally Hogshead, author of Fascinate, delivered a killer keynote like only Sally can (she truly embodies her message). Bottom line: your content must fascinate and emotionally engage readers or you’ll lose them–plain and simple. The best way to do that? Get in touch with your own fascinating “triggers” — then deliver content like only you can. Don’t think you’re fascinating? Go learn your F-Score and get to work.

4. Build trust, not page views.

We all know that creating content isn’t enough. It must be seen. But, unlike recent years when the theme was “pump up the volume,” now we can all focus on what really matters: relevant traffic, quality leads and  solving our readers’ problems. This is especially relevant for B2B Content Marketers. Rather than 1 million views from anyone and everyone, shoot for 100 views by readers you can truly help. Solve their problem. Earn their trust. Win their business…for life. Ardath Albee, author of eMarketing Strategies for the Complex Sale challenged us to create content that directly addresses every step of the sales process, obstacle by obstacle. B2B content must directly address the workarounds prospects already have in place and the “what ifs” that are inevitable within organizations.

5. Be honest.

I admit, my first response to having Kevin Smith at Content Marketing World was a 100% pure “WTF?” Kevin’s closing session was a lesson in how Content Marketing trumps traditional marketing every time. He said, “Put ego aside and let your audience sell your stuff!” I quickly learned (along with the rest of Content Marketing World’s attendees) that Kevin chopped out the middleman in the movie business and spoke and interacted directly with his audiences through podcasts, personal appearances, you name it. Bottom line: Kevin produced “smack you over the head” content instead of producing traditional commercials. It worked. His mantra: “Just go out there and be f***in’ honest.” Nothing and no one rings truer to the power and spirit of Content Marketing. Thanks Kevin. You were inspiring in a very unexpected and sometimes uncomfortable way!

Want to learn more?

The Content Marketing Institute blogged a terrific play-by-play of Content Marketing World. This amazing team organized what was, by far, one of the best industry events I’ve ever attended. Those of us lucky enough to attend this inaugural year are still in awe of how the CMI team managed to pull off such a flawless event. Keep your eye on Content Marketing World to learn more about 2012.

The creative process in Corporate America can be chock full of…oh…shall we say…”challenges.”

Last week I heard a respected colleague mention that the challenges of gaining project approvals are even worse now because of the economy. Seriously? Don’t worry. I’m not about to jump on the “blame the economy” bus. But, I will say that the fear brewing inside American jobholders may be exacerbating decision traffic jams that already exist—making approvals and project progress downright painful.

What Causes Approval Gridlock?

No matter what state the economy is in, approval gridlock typically happens for a mix of reasons.

Cause #1: No Clear Audience

Who is your content or design serving? When teams don’t clearly define and commit to who exactly they’re talking to, reviews instantly become unfocused and subjective.

Solution:

An Audience Definition phase and a resulting reference guide should be in place for all Content Marketing teams before even a smidge of content is produced. Don’t assume this will be something you’ll pound out in a day or delegate to a writer. This process takes time and sets the stage for all your Content Marketing efforts. Don’t skimp. Do it right.

Cause #2: Lack of Planning, Preparation and Communication

This one gives me hives because it is oh-so avoidable. It’s also the most common.

Listen up. Any corners you cut today to “just move on” with getting the creative process going will bite you. A recent study shows that only 3% of content managers, designers and writers have magic wands. Only 4% have mind-reading abilities. Okay…so I made those stats up. Sounds silly, right? Yet, time after time too many project teams jump into the creative process simply “hoping for the best” or insist on taking the “we’ll figure it out as we go” road. Why? Because they lack the discipline, patience or processes.

Solution:

Give your creative teams the tools they need to deliver awesomeness. Pull together a thorough brief with background, objectives, links, relevant wire frames, examples — everything they need to literally “become one” with the project or task. In addition to informing creative members, it forces the strategic team to think through the details and commit to decisions. Yes, it can be painful. But, it’s a good pain — at least compared to that of dreaded gridlock.

Next, discuss the details in person or by phone whenever possible. That’s right… you actually have to talk to each other to do this right. This gives everyone the chance to ask questions, address gray areas and read the subtle nuances of what the team really wants. Good writers and designers are masters of the nuance-reading. They can be so good, in fact, that others mistake that gift as a magic wand. We’ve already covered that. Don’t go there.

Cause #3: Fear of Failure

This one is simple but mighty uncomfortable to look at. Whether you blame the economy, the state of the company…whatever… the reality is this: When people are afraid of losing their security and their livelihood, they sometimes feel like they must justify their existence. But, let’s be fair. This isn’t limited to approvers. This human-nature response can happen to everyone on the team. Just as the approver feels they must be uber-critical to appear significant to the organization, a writer or designer may over-engineer a simple request in order to feel like their talents are important. This is not to say everyone operates this way. But, where there’s Approval Gridlock, there’s often fear.

Solutions:

• Acknowledge each person’s input and value they bring to the team.
• Revisit the project objectives, goals and direction. These often get lost in the cycles of review.
• Make it safe to “just say yes” to the simple solution. Some teams collectively churn up complexity and feed off one another. Be the voice of reason. Encourage the team to “step back”and see it from a simpler point of view.

Cause #4: Lack of Ownership

Often tied to #2, many team members are afraid to have the buck stop with them so they keep lobbing an approval back over the fence.  They fear that if any blame game happens down the road, all eyeballs will be on them. This is often the symptom of deeper cultural or political issues — but the reality is, it exists.

Solution:

Insist on having one final decision maker for each content area. We find that “breaking up” ownership (Amy owns “A”, Matt owns “B”, etc.) helps ease any pressure. Mapping ownership with expertise on the content also makes sense and causes others to feel proud of what they know. Be sure your agency or Project Manager enforces this ownership.

Cause #5: No Clear Process

We’re all crazy busy. If you don’t make it easy for your team to review and approve content or creative elements, they’ll eventually throw up their hands and stop caring. Their focus on quality and accuracy will quickly become disrupted by unclear next steps, kludgey review parameters and unknown expectations. This often creates a bottleneck and frustration — causing deadlines to pass and approvals to sit dormant.

Ask anyone on the Well Planned Web team about process and they’ll probably get all warm and fuzzy. We are obsessed with it. We believe that great content is born from clear structure, a clearly defined outcome and tons of collaboration. That collaboration requires process. Without process, collaboration dies and quality content dies with it. And, let’s face it…mediocre content becomes words and pictures designed to fill a page. Yikes! Pass the Rolaids.

Solution:

Be sure your Project Manager clearly defines checkpoints, handoffs and collaboration points. And, by all means, get the review streams OUT of email! Today, project collaboration platforms such as Central Desktop, SharePoint, Huddle and other tools make it easy to create work flows and structure to make reviews efficient and convenient. But, don’t let the tool replace in-person or phone communication. Mark my words — you will run into speed bumps. A good PM flags the trouble spots, facilitates a quick call and gets `er done. A good PM also recognizes when the process needs to be tweaked or refined. It’s critical the team flexes right along with it.

For us, we average 90% of approvals completed within Central Desktop (our tool of choice). But that’s because we have a process for bubbling up the other pesky 10% — which is reassuring for everyone.

Note: Do not assume a traffic manager or coordinator can act as a Project Leader or Manager. Tackling the facilitation of gray area content or “stuck” approvals requires an experienced, proactive and efficient manager who knows Content Strategy and can bring peace to the process, rather than chaos. That’s a special skill — not one that I’ve seen too many traffic managers possess.

What If You’re Still Stuck?

Feel like your team is still cycling round and round?

1. Ask yourself, “Is this really gridlock? Or are we genuinely collaborating on a hard concept?” Recognize how to tell the difference between an approval traffic jam and a push for excellence. Many managers and approvers get impatient when teams are further defining a message or exploring ideas — and they often jump in wanting to “fix it.” Sometimes the exploration of certain concepts or ideas are the best thing that can happen to “stuck” processes. However, if this has to happen for every single project for hours at a time, revisit your direction and briefings process.
2. Don’t fight an instant approval — Really. It’s okay to say, ”Approved” or “I Like It!” In fact, it’s usually the result of clearly defined requirements and goals. If you fear that an instant approval will appear as “lazy,” don’t search for things to nitpick. Take the time to explain exactly why you think the content, design or concept works — mapping it right back to the defined objectives and requirements. It will not only ease the process, it will give the team confidence and make future discussions easier.
3. Ask your PM to outline the process once again. Sometimes “stuck” approvals are a symptom of folks just not understanding what they’re supposed to do next. Asking for a review of the process often gets everyone back on track. This is often the time to address any questions with any collaboration tools you may have.
4. If you’re outnumbered, let go of the grudge. Sometimes, even if you’re right…you’re just outnumbered. Unless you’re the final owner of the decision, let your peers decide, then let it go.
5. Focus on accuracy and facts, not subjectivity. Challenge any team members who stalls an approval based purely on subjectivity. Opinions really are like belly buttons — everyone has one. And, when any of the fears listed above are at play, it can be easy to hide behind opinion rather than aim for a productive solution.
6. Ask for someone else to take a stab. If a content producer, writer or designer is struggling and you feel like the team has given absolutely clear, constructive direction, it’s time to move the project or task over to someone else. At first, you may chalk it up to a learning curve . That’s fair. But, if your team has its act together and there’s still a constant struggle, it’s time to review whether he/she is truly the right fit.

Your Turn

Are you a client, content manager or approver? Do you ever face gridlock?

I was invited weeks ago, but put off joining Google+ until recently. Then, I waited `til I had a few dedicated hours to delve into the network. I confess, part of me really wanted Google+ to fail. After all, it’s just one more Social Network I have to learn. And Facebook’s hype-machine has desensitized me to any claims of social media greatness. I even wrote some words of sadness on the networks, asking Google to stick to what they do best—Search!

But, oh how my feelings have quickly changed.

I’ve literally only been using Google+ for a week or so… yet I already see huge advantages and potential.

1. Brings Networking Down to Size

Most refreshing is that Google+ is based fundamentally on “Circles” — where you build groups of contacts and friends into the groups that resemble…wait for it—real life! Let’s face it, we’ve all endured some level of social “whiplash” going from a colleague’s Facebook post to viewing your sister’s sonogram.

2. Grown-Up Conversations

With Google+ you can still choose to mingle with the masses. But…if you want to limit your visit to professional contacts, now you can click on your Professional Circle. Feel like “visiting” your extended family but want to turn off the “noise” of industry chatter? Switch circles. Yes, Facebook offers some similar functionality…but Facebook is fundamentally based on mass communication…not intimate, smaller discussions. With Google+, it’s no longer “the loudest one wins”. You control who you see, who you listen to, and who you talk to. I’ve spent a social media lifetime trying to do this very thing in HootSuite for Twitter.

Google+ brings a refreshing new approach to focused, less-frenetic communication. In fact, Google+ users are two to three times more likely to share privately with one of their Circles than post publicly.

The results? Not only do you get to tune out what you want at any given moment, you also put more thought into what you’re about to post. Any good content producer will tell you to “envision your audience” before producing content. That’s a heck of a lot easier when you’re forced to define your audience right off the bat!

3. Finally—No Self-Serving Group Organizers!

With Google+ you create and manage your own circles. No one else even sees them—and they can’t “rally” to be included in your circles. No pesky notifications. No races to recruit new followers. Just simple networking — simplicity you’d expect from Google.

4. Posting Options You Control

Ever had a moment where you forgot to add a link to a Facebook post — or you fat-fingered someone’s name? Or want to add something after the fact? Unlike Facebook, Google+ actually allows you to edit and update your posts. You can even Link to an individual post, disable comments or prevent others from resharing. Really Google? You’re letting me control what happens to my content? Thank you. That’s mighty Google-like of you!

5. Google Listens, Tests and Plans

Google+ only supports Consumer profiles right now. Why? They want to release their Business Profiles when the time is right and they’ve sufficiently tested and created an optimal experience. In short: they want to do it right. This is completely in line with how Google tests and releases every other product. I always feel like Google respects my time, my learning curve and my attention span. So far, Google+ appears to do the same.

In fact, much like Google’s regular communication from Matthew Cutts, Product Managers at G+ are keeping us apprised of developments and plans AS they happen. When Google decided to pull the plug on releasing Business Profiles too soon, they communicated, explained their rationale and even produced some quick, informal videos addressing their decision. When’s the last time you saw a Facebook Product Manager do this?

*Sigh* … Google+ is so Google-like, they’re making it impossible to ignore the network. I can’t wait to see the evolution and value it can bring to Well Planned Web and its clients. We’ve already got many ideas brewing!

Your Turn

Love it or hate it…please chime in on your Google+ experience so far!