Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business

Chapter 27. Indium Corporation: Clinton, New York

"The mantra of my marcom program is simple: content to contact to cash," says Rick Short, director of marketing communications at Indium Corporation, a manufacturer and supplier of specialty alloys and solders.

Indium sells electronic assembly materials globally to the electronics, semiconductor, solar, and other markets. As part of its marketing, it publishes white papers, a Facebook page, and a YouTube channel. But what's most impressive is its blogging program, which has been a key driver of business leads.

We know what you're thinking: a blog about solder paste? Seriously? The Indium blog (actually, blogs) are so hyper-specific that, "most people in the world chuckle when they look at it," Rick admits. "They can't believe people really care about this stuff. But my customers do... They love this stuff! [So often] we hear, 'You're so into solder paste that you have a blog about it? You must be the dude for me!'"

Content That Ignites

Rick realized several years ago that social media could be a powerful marketing force, and he set about experimenting with it. He jumped in and began blogging on his own, about topics of personal interest but unconnected to Indium. "I wanted to be a leader, and I didn't want people to say I led us astray," he says. "My first phase was to learn a lot myself, so I could establish respectability and integrity," and speak from a point of knowledge.

Once Short had learned everything he could about blogging, ...