5 steps to smarter content marketing
Does creating content sometimes feel like an unwanted chore, even if people are telling you it should be an increasingly important part of your marketing activity?
Are you lost as to where to find inspiration, how to present your content, and looking for ways to make the constant creation of content easier?
Working smarter rather than harder is a challenge worth accepting to get results that will raise your online profile and help drive real returns.
Our top five content marketing tips will get you started:
1. Focus on adding value
What content adds value for your customers and convinces them you have all the answers? What gets people coming back for more each time and drives the most engagement from your audience?
All too often businesses talk about themselves rather than concentrating on content that moves the dial and makes connections.
2. Establish a strategy
You can keep creating good content but still miss the mark if you take a scatter-gun approach. Stepping back to examine what you want to achieve longer term will always save time later, and being able to articulate your strategy helps to maintain your focus.
3. Start filling the gaps
If you aren’t a brand-new business, you probably already have some of the key content you need – it’s all around you. Questions asked in emails, conversations with staff, customer service phone calls – all of these are jumping-off points for new content.
Stop to listen, tune in to your audience needs and aim to fill the gaps you find.
4. Use a content marketing calendar
Setting up and maintaining a content marketing calendar keeps you focused. Taking the spontaneity – or the ‘oh no what do I post now?’ factor – out of the content creation process speeds you up and results in more meaningful content.
With a planned content calendar and a simple content flow you’ll never be stuck for words again.
5. Measure results
Setting goals or objectives for each type of content will validate your efforts and highlight what is and isn’t working.
There are many ways to track your content, from simple views of content, number of retweets, number of people who sign up to your newsletter to sales numbers – choose those that will help you reach your goals.
Now, more than ever
As we move through such uncertain times, online communications are more valuable than ever. Content marketing done well will drive your target customers to discover your solutions and products that meet their exact needs.
If you’re still not sure where to start, we can help you adopt a simple approach to make your content work harder and drive better results – right now. We’re based in Oxfordshire but we also work nationally and internationally.