Erika Heald is the host of the weekly #ContentChat LinkedIn Live video podcast for content marketers, held Mondays at noon Pacific. As a B2B marketing consultant, she helps organizations define and execute content marketing strategies that drive business and professional growth. As a creator, and gluten-free blogger helping people discover gut-friendly farm-to-table food. She frequently speaks at B2B marketing industry events on employee brand advocacy, content strategy, customer experience, AI readiness, and social media topics. You can find her on her blogs erikaheald.com and erikasglutenfreekitchen.com.
The #ContentChat Bulletin: The Secret to Staying on Message Across a Distributed Team
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As a content marketer, I absolutely NEVER feel like my team and our resources is enough to do what has to be done. So how does a nonprofit organization like Slow Food USA stay on message and create a vibrant community across hundreds of local chapters, and pull together an event like the recent Terre Madres America with only two staff members, neither of whom is a content person? That was the biggest question on my mind as I volunteered at the content-rich, exceptionally inspiring event a week ago. It turns out the answer is having a very clear and easy-to-understand mission, that's activated through their programs. "Slow Food USA strives to create a world where all people can eat food that is good for them, good for the people who grow it and good for the planet." This mission is brought to life through their programs:
As a volunteer at the event, I had people from all over the continent coming up to me asking me what Slow Food is, and is it the opposite of Fast Food? Thanks to the organization's clarity around how the mission comes to life, I was able to talk about whichever of these aspects was most likely to resonate with the person who asked me. This is a great example of how content governance—in this case, in the form of a clear overarching message backed up with specific examples of how to bring it to life—gives communicators and creators a much needed framework for consistency, while allowing plenty of room for creativity. While I never saw a brand voice chart before I worked my first shift at the booth, aw a longtime supporter and newly reactivated member, I had the tools I needed to talk about the organization's work on a national level, at my local chapter level, and on my own personal level. Having this framework gave me the confidence to meet everyone I talked to where they are, and give them a tangible answer to their questions, and helping them to see how joining the organization and participating with these programs and their local chapters could help them reach their personal goals around community and sustaining their local food cultures. That's the thing about content governance frameworks—they make it a lot easier to create authentic content that connects with others on a human level because they provide a starting place for conversations with your audience, not a packet of canned messaging they have to regurgitate. Coming Up on #ContentChatContent Chat is my weekly LinkedIn Live video chat focused on sharing expertise and ideas amongst the content marketing community. Join the conversation on Mondays at noon Pacific / 3 p.m. Eastern. RSVP for our upcoming conversations by clicking the chat date below to get a reminder and to access the chat. We are on a short hiatus due to IRL challenges that have popped up but will be back soon! Get Involved with #ContentChat
How Scalable Is Your Content Program—Really?To celebrate the pre-launch of my book Content Foundations: The frameworks you need to scale your content with AI (and humans) without losing your brand voice., I’ve updated my Content Governance + Scalability Assessment. This 2-minute quiz reveals how ready your content operation is to grow without you and your limited time becoming a bottleneck. You’ll walk away with a quick self-assessment and some pointed ideas for what to fix next. Content Marketing + Related Jobs
Send Us Your Content Jobs!If you have a content marketing contract position, full-time job, or freelancer opportunity, reply to this email and let us know. We are always happy to share jobs with the community at no cost. ICYMIBurn the Playbook MAICON Until next time, stay safe and be well! Cheers, Erika |
The #ContentChat Bulletin
Erika Heald is the host of the weekly #ContentChat LinkedIn Live video podcast for content marketers, held Mondays at noon Pacific. As a B2B marketing consultant, she helps organizations define and execute content marketing strategies that drive business and professional growth. As a creator, and gluten-free blogger helping people discover gut-friendly farm-to-table food. She frequently speaks at B2B marketing industry events on employee brand advocacy, content strategy, customer experience, AI readiness, and social media topics. You can find her on her blogs erikaheald.com and erikasglutenfreekitchen.com.
I've got some big news to share: my book, Content Foundations, is Coming Soon! After years of helping content teams and thought leaders go from content chaos to clarity, I’ve woven together my most essential frameworks, templates, and hard-earned lessons into one place: a book! I’m thrilled to officially announce that Content Foundations will launch in early 2026! This book is your guide to building a content engine that scales—with both AI and human creators—without losing your brand voice...
When I attended CEX (the Creator Economy Expo) last year, I had Ruth Carter be my witness that I was committing to writing a book before the next year's conference. Spoiler Alert: I did it! And I'll be publishing it through Tilt Publishing. But that is a story for the next edition of the newsletter. Because right now, I want to share some of the conversations and presentations from CEX that I believe are critical for all content marketers — not just creators — to hear as we enter the 2026...
It can be fun to break the mold—to try something new and unexpected in your content marketing program. But there is one mold you shouldn’t try to break: your brand’s voice. Yet, it seems to be the one standard that most frequently does get broken. But why is that? Unfortunately, there isn’t any one answer to that question. The many reasons why brands have inconsistent voice include: No defined brand voice chart for content creation Multiple freelancers creating content you haven’t explicitly...