Traditional marketing of the past has become uninteresting to consumers and non-effective…we own DVR’s to fast forward through commercials, we flip past print ads and immediately hit the “X” when an online ad pops up. And smart marketers are starting to understand that there is a better way to stay relevant and fresh. Content Marketing.
So what exactly is content marketing, and how is it different?
Content marketing is the technique that involves creating insightful, engaging and consistent content—with the goal of developing brand loyalty and a devoted customer community. Effective content will help you provide your customers with relevant information and keep them interested in wanting more, and eventually help build a deeper relationship with them.
Content marketing can include a variety of tactics:
- Blog posts
- E-books
- Email newsletters
- Podcasts
- Videos
- Social media posts
- White papers
Just like PR and social media, content marketing can have significant impact on brand awareness and be highly effective at positioning you as an expert in your field; all while increasing credibility and recognition without the costs associated with more traditional methods. It is at the end of the day, the act of communicating with your customers and prospects without selling.
Tips On Creating Great Content and How To Promote It:
1: Be Transparent
Make sure that your content is unique and the true voice of your brand. Nobody likes a phony, especially consumers. Don’t fudge details—your audience knows you are flawed, be willing to communicate with them authentically and honestly.
2: The Blog Will Become Your New Best Friend
Sharing your content on a blog will not only allow your customers to understand your position as a thought leader and who you are as a company, but it is also an easy and effective technique of driving traffic to your website and boosting your SEO ranking.
Publish at least once a week and vary your content. It’s okay to stray outside of your specific genre. And for even greater visibility and traffic, cross-promote your posts though your company’s social media channels.
2: Say It With Me: Social Media
Social media is one of the best ways to post and share your content. Having a consistent presence in the social media world will help establish you as relevant. Being socially transparent and able to communicate with your customers in a real-time manner will quickly help you develop relationships with potential customers. Frequency is key, especially in the changing world of Facebook rules and updates – try daily or at least a few times per week. At least two times per week, you should be sharing content from other sources (news articles, other companies, studies, stats, etc) with links back to the original source. Use at least two different platforms that are relevant to your company, whether that’s Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and let’s not forget about the sleeping giant…LinkedIn. With more than 259 million members and 142 million unique visitors a month, LinkedIn is here to stay and will become the go-to news source and distribution channel for many B2B companies.
3: Just Say No To The Sales Pitch
Effective content marketing minimizes the need for a sales pitch, and in fact, renders it useless if self-promotion is used within it. Many consumers are now distrustful of advertising messages are likely to immediately lose interest in your company if you choose to self-promote. Instead, provide customers with the creative and engaging information they want and might even be interested in sharing. Long story short, just skip the hard sell…no one wants to hear directly what you’re selling any more.
4: Spice it up with Videos and Graphics
There’s a reason why no one reads past a few paragraphs in news articles anymore…most often it’s too boring, and they don’t have enough time. A picture is still worth a thousand words so include images. By using infographics, video, photographs, and graphics, you might capture the attention of someone who otherwise wouldn’t have read it at all.
Using visual elements also has a technical advantage as well—real estate. When promoted on social media platforms, posts with images or videos take up larger space in newsfeeds, and thus are more likely to be viewed.
5: It’s 2014…Be Mobile Friendly Already
According to Pew Research, over 50% of American adults now own a smartphone, and 42% own a tablet computer. Marketers will need to ensure that their mobile audiences feel that they’re getting the same experiences on smaller screens, as they would be on a larger computer screen. Make sure that your website and blog are mobile responsive so your content can be clearly viewed, read and shared on small screens.
6: Get to Know Your Fans
Instead of creating content according to what you want and find interesting, truly look at your followers. What do they like, what do they respond the most to, what do they want to hear about, what would be relevant for them to know…these types of questions are what you should be asking yourself before you start writing content. Still not sure what to write? Just ask your followers! It’s as simple as that and you just engaged in a two-way conversation with your fans.
Have more questions about what content marketing is, and how to create an effective strategy? Feel free to contact me with comments, questions or ideas of your own.
Written by Alison Eiler
Marketing Coordinator
Alison@FullTiltMarketing.net
