Bay Area Content Marketing Meetup Turns 9 Years Old

As we get ready celebrate Thanksgiving in the U.S., I want to give thanks to members and presenters of the Bay Area Content Marketing Meetup. I'm also thankful for close friend and Meetup co-organizer Rich Schwerin .

The group was formed in 2015, which means we turned nine years old in 2024! In the early days we had a hundred or so early members who lived in and around San Mateo, California. My employer let me use our office after hours and we’d gather in a conference room with a projector, pizza, bottled water and soda.

We had modest growth from 2015 to 2019 and even had a Q&A with Congresswoman Jackie Speier. Joe Pulizzi visited us (in person!) in March 2020. A few days later, county and state authorities in California issued shelter-in-place orders.

We moved our meetups online, which helped us attract a global audience. With our online talks anyone in the world could attend. And even if the time-of-day didn’t work out, you could watch the on-demand recordings.

We now have 3,200+ members!

Here's a collection of photos that I collected over the years:

Our presenters come with expert knowledge and wide smiles:

How to use PR to its full potential

Our final presentation of 2024 took place this week. Colleen Martell , owner at Martell Communications and Message Shapers showed us how to use PR to its full potential. I fed the YouTube captions from Colleen's talk to ChatGPT and asked it to provide a summary. I then did some basic editing.

?? Content PR: Integrating Content Marketing and PR

Colleen introduced the concept of "content PR," which blends traditional public relations with content marketing strategies. She emphasized the need for creating and promoting owned content, such as blogs, white papers, and videos, to establish thought leadership.

Example: Using data-driven articles or research findings as the foundation for a broader PR campaign, ensuring that the narrative aligns with what audiences are already searching for online.

Key takeaway: "Content PR drives visibility and builds authority beyond traditional press coverage."

?? Story Packages: PR Is More Than a Press Release

A story package goes beyond a press release by bundling elements such as visuals, infographics, video clips, and pull quotes that media outlets can use directly.

Example: Instead of pitching just an announcement, provide reporters with a full package that includes an executive’s prepared commentary, data insights, and multimedia.

Key takeaway: "Help journalists tell your story with ready-to-use materials that fit into their formats."

?? The Power of Themes: Consistency Over Time

Colleen encouraged marketers to use themes to guide their PR and messaging efforts. Themes create a consistent narrative over time, making it easier for audiences and journalists to understand a brand’s position on key issues.

Example: If a company focuses on "innovation in cybersecurity," all PR campaigns, content, and press engagements should reinforce that theme to build credibility.

Key takeaway: "A cohesive theme across all touchpoints creates lasting impressions and strengthens your brand identity."

?? Contributed Content: Tapping Into Industry Expertise

Colleen highlighted contributed content as a way to establish credibility and domain authority. She suggested offering bylined articles, op-eds, or thought leadership pieces to targeted media outlets.

Example: A tech company CEO could write an article on the future of AI for a major industry publication.

Key takeaway: "Contributed content allows you to control the narrative while aligning with reputable outlets."

On-demand replay

Watch the recording of Colleen's presentation: