Embarking on a content marketing strategy from scratch can be a daunting prospect. The encyclopaedic amount of information at one’s fingertips, while seemingly helpful, is overwhelming – a swift Google search on the topic yields more than 300 million results, so where to begin?
Needless to say you’ve already heard about the SEO-boosting benefits of creating and curating high-quality content, of the potential thought leadership status waiting to be earned, of the increased flow of ready-warmed leads to your website.
Since you’re likely already aware that excellent content is now one of the most effective ways to convince and convert, this blog post does not set out to do any further convincing, but rather to offer practical advice on getting started.
The 4 questions to ask before you start content marketing
To better understand how to join those already engaging their audience with regular engaging, informative content, it is vital to first consider four basics of a good content strategy, namely:
1. Who am I writing for?
Too many businesses fall into the trap of creating content with their peers in mind, as opposed to their target audience. Say yours is a graphic design business that has recently created a highly technical piece on user experience design. This might appeal directly to other professional graphic designers, but less so to potential customers. Drawing as one does from industry blogs and journals, our thought processes are naturally influenced by our daily reading material. Take a step back and evaluate whether you are writing for the right audience. This needn’t mean never writing a technical piece again, but reconsider where this might best be pitched.
2. What common problem can I solve for them?
Having made the decision to create content with your potential customers in mind, it pays to know exactly who your customer is with pinpoint precision. So if yours is a legal business, rather than creating content on finding legal representation in general, think about the specific services individuals might be seeking out online. Perhaps they will be looking for legal representation relating to divorce, employment issues or bankruptcy. Once you’ve identified your target customers’ precise needs, the leap to creating content that serves their need is greatly lessened.
3. How can I engage this audience?
Once you’re established who you’re writing for and the topics they are interested in hearing about, the next challenge is to capture attention and pique sufficient interest to entice all-important clicks. And more often than not, this boils down to working out your story (every company has one) and writing compelling pieces that convey it. Always strive to relay the story behind the product or service rather than details of the product or service itself.
4. How can I compel them to take appropriate action?
Even the most compelling, tightly-crafted stories amount to nothing unless they prompt their reader to take some form of action. Ensuring that every piece you publish offers a clear message to customers should increase conversions and in so doing increase the ROI on content creation. As well as the obvious appeal of conversions, bear in mind that there will be a desired outcome for the audience, that is something positive your reader will be able to do having consumed your content.
With everybody and their dog now self-appointed publishers of content, it is easy to felt left behind in the race to make one’s company a respected online destination. Let’s not underestimate the importance of getting back to basics, first creating a clear mission statement that clarifies your company’s reason for existing, and working from there to determine how content can form part of a more successful overall marketing endeavour.
Photo: Winston Hearn
