Today SHIFT is launching a Digital Content Marketing practice!

The companies that, for years, chased after “ink” in the mainstream media are now starting to think like publishers themselves.  Creating and sharing multimedia that helps spur dialogue in blogs, forums, Twitter, etc., has become almost as important as getting that elusive WSJ clip. 

Why?  Because great content will be shared and discussed and linked to … which enhances loyalty, as well as a company’s organic search presence … which boosts credibility, and sales.  

Long-time readers of PR-Squared already know that I’ve been a big advocate of Content Marketing approaches, via posts such as:

• Empower & Inspire with Content Marketing
• Produce, Propogate, Promote
• Content Marketing: Think MULTI Media

Now I put my money where my mouth is.   

SHIFT’s Digital Content Marketing unit will offer the following services:

• Digital Video Productions 
• Mobile / Studio Podcasting
• Live Remote Video Capabilities
• SEO Programs
• Additional Digital and Community Building Services, including Facebook application development and presence management

Additional information on each of these services can be found in the new Digital Content Marketing section of our website. 

This new service area is being spearheaded by my colleague Bob Collins.  I’ve worked with Bob for over 12 years.  He started, nurtured, and spun-out several of our most successful agency teams over the years. 

And Bob’s become a Social Media zealot in his own right: he was entrusted with leadership of the Boston Social Media Breakfast when Bryan Person fled for warmer climes.  Our new group is in good hands.

But, here’s a twist:

Starting an initiative like this is a huge step, and right now our primary job is to continue delivering excellent PR work.  Content creation represents a big investment.  But Bob is so charged up by the concepts and capabilities we’ve pulled together that he wants to make a real run of it.  While we’re maintaining a strong, ongoing affiliation with Bob and will offer SHIFT-branded services under his auspices, he’ll be acting as an independent.  A project like this is the very definition of that next gamble I’ve discussed in the past, and I can’t think of a better, more qualified person to take a swing at this…

Why spin out the Content Marketing practice on the very same day that we launch it?  Because we know that there are many boutique PR shops who would also benefit from his expertise.  And they might not be comfortable working directly with SHIFT.

So, we’re not only going to offer SHIFT’s Digital Content Marketing services to clients and prospects, Bob is also going to white-label those same services for our agency competitors.

That’s right.  You get to offer the groovy services that we now offer.  And take all the credit!  Meanwhile, we get to learn from those experiences to improve our own game down the road.

It’s a tough, weird economy and a weird, new world in PR/Marketing.  We look forward to offering a breadth of cool new services to clients, partners, and competitors alike!

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