Want to know a secret? The majority of businesses engaging in content marketing are doing it wrong.
Content created and posted online for your business includes material beyond the written word, encompassing media of all kinds — video, photo galleries, slideshows, surveys, etc. Collectively, this assortment of original content is your company’s intellectual property and has value as a business asset. It takes time and effort to build, so if you want to make it work for a positive ROI, there are five essential truths that must be realized.
1. You must have a set strategy based on reaching specific goals.
Outlining specific objectives is critical in planning and promoting efforts to get there. Identify how your company is currently positioned in the marketplace and where you want to be. What differentiates your offerings from competitors? How can the power of communication bring you closer to meeting those objectives?
2. You must create content of value to your target market.
Be a thought leader. Your messaging should be relevant, with a common theme that directly relates to your product or service.
Understand your target customer’s persona. What are their needs and priorities? How does your solution meet their needs? Map out the customer journey to bring them closer to their goals.
Give to others and they’ll want to share what they’ve learned and give back. Demonstrations, how-to lessons, and free advice are strong ways of delivering obvious value. Make sharing easy with social icons in place.
3. You must publish consistently.
Extending beyond your company website, content marketing makes greater impact, leaving a wider footprint through the use of social media, guest blogging, articles, etc. Distributing content through multiple channels on an ongoing basis is key.
4. Focus on your Customers Need to Buy, rather than Your Need to Sell
Don’t pitch your product or services. The overall intention is obviously to influence consumer behavior, however pushing out content that is focused on selling will turn a lot of people off. Create a larger story. Engage your audience to inspire profitable behavior. Clarify the problems your product or service addresses and illustrate clear benefits of buying in to what you offer.
Invoke curiosity to interest your reader to want to learn more – so they’ll go to your website where you then convert them into customers.
5. Top it off with Calls-to-Action
Once followers have been brought into your website, be sure the point of entry continues with engagement, yet features clear calls to action. Use a landing page. Make it easy to know what to do next, whether it is to sign up for a newsletter, make contact, or order now.
Karen Etchells is a Digital Marketing Strategist with Innovast Digital Marketing, helping businesses find success online with Website Design, Content Marketing, SEO, Social Media Management, and Email Marketing.