When coming generations gaze back at our era, they probably won’t say that the 21st Century came bearing robotic cars, affordable space travel, or any of sci-fi’s other grandiose tropes. Instead, those distant observers might simply note that when the robot overlords took over, the first task they applied their cold mechanical hearts to was making digital advertising as boring as possible. Will you earn a place in history among the revolutionaries who fought for more humanized content?

Creating outreach that relates on a personal level is one of the modern marketer’s hardest tasks. Here’s why building organic connections matters and how to stand on the right side of content progress by catching a few premium CMC 2020 keynotes.

What’s. The. Problem. With. Sounding. Robotic?

Some marketers don’t take issue with lifeless content. After all, they might claim, the idea is to get people on the page, not publish transcendent literary works. Unfortunately, these advertisers are ignoring the next leg of the mission — keeping people invested for the whole message.

Your readers might not be breathlessly awaiting Angelou-level prose or Tolkien-style worldbuilding, but your writing still needs to seize their attention. It also needs to hold on long enough for them to seriously consider sticking along through the next few sentences, paragraphs, or pages.

This reality isn’t news to most. After all, the majority of readers only get through about one-fifth of any content containing over 600 words. As the web grows more media-heavy, you’ll find your marketing assets in closer proximity to competing brands, entertainers, algorithmic content, and multinational megacorporations. Adopting an accessible, human tone is the smartest way to win attention and look lively by comparison.

Where Can You Go to Make Your Marketing Feel More Organic?

The 2020 Content Marketing Conference lineup includes multiple talks aimed at those seeking humanized outreach. Try one of these three standouts to make a mark that resonates:

Building Trust by Bringing Vulnerability Online

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Speaker: Margot Bloomstein

Want to give your brand a more realistic personality that prompts interaction? Instead of hiding your foibles, argues Appropriate Inc brand strategy consultant Margot Bloomstein, take a cue from truly successful marketing giants by exposing your human side. Learning these practices will help you promote customer loyalty and buy-in by revealing the journey behind your products and services — while making your brand feel less like the musty byproduct of some grimy corporate boardroom.

Creating Engaging Video That Makes Fans “Know” and Trust You

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Speaker: Renee Teeley

We all know that moving pictures trump most other media when it comes to arresting human consciousness, but it’s also painfully apparent that some videos are sheer agony to watch. Sit down with Powtoon Chief Evangelist Renee Teeley to find out how careful content creation and deployment practices can make your brand story more deserving of its intended viewers. As a bonus, you’ll also explore how to work with influencers, earn trust with live videos, and apply viewership data to business purposes.

Creating Content for Brand “You”

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Speaker: Veronica Romney

What defines a distinct brand voice? LoSoMo Inc founder Veronica Romney elucidates how successful brands establish authority without compromising their self-driven narrative identities. This talk is crucial if you want to differentiate your outreach and level the playing field with global branding giants.

Learn to Leverage Your Vulnerabilities and Establish Trust

Having brand weaknesses isn’t an impediment to good marketing, but failing to take advantage of them can ruin your outlook. CMC 2020 is an excellent opportunity to take a stronger stance by getting people invested in your enterprise. It might not cure all of your past marketing missteps, but attending is a surefire preventative remedy against future content slips — so plan your trip now.


Not everyone can make a living doing something they enjoy. Luckily for Anwar J., writing is a lifelong passion, and he’s been fortunate enough to have worked with more than 1,000 clients who were just as enthused about his output. Anwar has been writing since childhood. His earliest work was actually the result of repetitive classroom punishment, a la Bart Simpson. Today, he’s glad to put those admittedly painful memories to more constructive use by supporting himself and no small number of cats.