When your brand or company is new or growing, the idea of developing and implementing a marketing strategy can be overwhelming. But marketing is an essential part of growing your business. So below are some tips on helping you make the most of your time and getting the best results from your marketing efforts.
As you build your strategy, you may hear a number of terms you’re not familiar with and it may seem like you will never be able to make sense of so much complex information. But fear not. One of the most important terms you will hear as you go about promoting your brand is “content marketing.” Because this type of marketing is so effective, it is one of the first strategies you should master.
What exactly is Content Marketing?
Content marketing is a strategy that involves the creation and distribution of useful content to your customers and prospects on a regular basis. This type of marketing is not intended to promote your company’s products and services directly, but rather to build a strong relationship between your brand and each individual customer. As customers come to rely on your for information and/or advice, they are more likely to come back and make purchases from your brand as well.
Content Marketing Tips
Below are some tips designed to help you get started with content marketing.
1. Define your audience.
The first step in creating a viable content marketing strategy is to determine the audience your content should target. For example, if your brand sells software products for accounting professionals, your target audience may be independent accountants and CPA’s between the ages of 25 and 55 who either lead an accounting team or run their own business. After defining your audience, you should write each article, blog post or social media update as though you are directly talking to the members of this group.
2. Be consistent across all channels.
If you are utilizing multiple channels to distribute your content to your customers and prospects, make sure that the content posted on all channels is consistent. Content should not necessarily be repeated word for word, but you should draft posts that complement one another.
3. Don’t overdo it.
When it comes to content marketing, more is not always better. Although it is important to post content on a regular basis, you don’t want to bombard your readers with too many posts at one time. Make sure you post new content at least several times each week, but avoid releasing new posts more than once in the same day.
4. Create valuable content.
Make sure that all of the content you post provides your audience with something of value, whether it be information, advice or tips. If your content is not valuable, users will not return to read more of it in the future and they may even unsubscribe from your email list or social media profiles.
5. Regularly evaluate and revise your strategy.
Don’t expect your content marketing campaigns to be perfect on the first try. Some trial and error is required before you find what resonates with your readers. To identify areas in need of improvement, evaluate the results of your content marketing efforts on a regular basis using quantifiable data, such as website traffic to your posts or open rates on your emails, etc. Determine the success of each of your efforts and make changes to your future campaigns accordingly.
The bottom line is that providing fresh content for your clients and prospects on a regulator basis is an important part of your overall marketing success and will pay significant dividends. Use these tips to help you get it right.
