Tim Ash named as one of the Top Online Marketing Influencers to Watch in 2016This coming May 17-19 brings a new kind of excitement to Sin City when the Content Marketing Conference rolls into Las Vegas for the second year in a row.

This year’s theme? Actionable tips, hacks, and tactics. It’s a topic that makes perfect sense, and in many ways is long overdue. So much of what we talk about in the world of content marketing is conceptual. We focus on the what, primarily because it is so difficult to figure out what exactly it is that our clients need. But here’s the thing: what comes after the what?

This year’s conference is all about what’s next, the strategy beyond the starting point, a look at what you can do with the magic you already have. What’s more exciting than that?

For starters, this sneak peek at the 7 things you’ll learn at CMC 16.

How to Practice Noise-Cancelling Communication
When you finally realize that content truly is king, it’s way too easy to cover the world in words. But in the world of content marketing, more is not necessarily better. Sit in on a session led by Josh Bernoff, author of Writing Without Bullshit, and you’ll learn how to dial back the noise and maximize the “meaning ratio,” converting fewer words into greater power.

The Key to Leveraging Visual Media
Anyone who has a phone and an Internet connection knows that viral video can take a brand from no man’s land to the forefront of society’s very fickle consciousness in a matter of days, if not hours, but… how? We’d like to believe that if we film it they will come, but you need more than that. You need Greg Jarboe, who not only knows that you can track 1.2+ billion videos across 30+ platforms but also why that even matters. Want to find rising stars who’ll promote your content? Interested in pre-launch hacks and tips for identifying trending topics? Greg’s got it all in one 50-minute master session. How’s that for a value-packed afternoon?

Why Writer’s Block is No Big Thing
For some people, improv comedy can be terrifying. But nothing’s scarier than an impending deadline and a blank Word doc. The comedy and content worlds combine under the chuckling watch of Kathy Klotz-Guest, who knows how to convert brain freeze into brilliance, no Carrot Tops required (though he does have a residency at a casino just down the street). A lack of ideas is never funny, but learning how to use the idea-generating techniques and creative muscles built up in this interactive session will give you something to smile about.

The Secrets to Simplifying Social Media
There are some 2.3 billion active users on social media and 91 percent of all retail brands currently use at least two social media channels. That tells us two things: the audience is out there, and so is the competition. If you’ve ever used social media for branding purposes, you also know that it very much feels like the more you learn the less you know.  Larry Kim for Wordstream has the strategies you need to achieve a conversion rate a whopping 35x higher.

Who You Are
No, there’s no couch at this year’s conference dedicated to solving your existential crisis. But if your brand is having identity issues, help is on the way courtesy of Erica McGillivray, the Senior Community Manager at Moz. Consumers don’t fall in love with a product, they become attached to a brand and everything it stands for. If your brand’s logo is the coquettish glance from across the room, your brand’s voice is what woos customers into that first date. Your content can do the rest, but only if you do, in fact, know who you are. If you’re not positive how to get that across, you’ll want to Sharpie Erica’s session into your conference schedule, stat.

How to Grow Bigger and Grow Better
WriterAccess has experienced exponential growth over the past few years, so it only makes sense that the company’s own Byron White, WriterAccess’s CEO and chair of the conference, will be sharing some tips on everything from production hacks to identifying your brand’s key differential. He’s moderating two panels on growth at scale and global content creation so you can scale smarter, not just faster.

The Names of Your Colleagues
It might not be on the agenda in any official capacity, but one of the greatest perks of the Content Marketing Conference is the chance to sit in the same room with some of the people responsible for the products you love and the content you pore over each and every day.

These people are your colleagues, your teachers, your students, and perhaps even your future partners – step up and say hello, share ideas, compare notes, discuss last night’s Cirque show, or just nerd out in complete confidence that you’re with people who totally get where you’re coming from. Those 10-minute tête-à-têtes in between sessions may be worth the price of admission all on their own.

And don’t forget about our four inspiring keynotes! There’s just so much to learn in three short days. Go here for a peek at the agenda and here to see a complete list of 30+ amazing CMC speakers.

Haven’t registered yet? Don’t wait — you won’t want to miss this.