How do you keep your business in the forefront of everyone’s mind or ahead of the game in the most effective way?
The most important tip we can give is to ensure that your marketing strategy is kept up to date and that you are reviewing and tweaking it every step of the way. If something doesn’t work – change it! If something is out of date – update it.
This is where your content marketing strategy will come in. Content marketing covers everything from your Facebook posts and advertising to the text on your website. Ensuring that everything is up to date all of the time.
What is content marketing?
According to the Content Marketing Institute: Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.
Therefore content marketing is a planned and strategic marketing aim that concentrates on producing valuable and relevant material with a goal of attracting a clearly defined audience. Social media is an integral part of content marketing.
The most important word within that explanation is ‘valuable’. This means that anyone can write copy or produce social media posts and articles, but the vital component is the value that is produced within that content.
Why content marketing
When planning a marketing strategy, there are points that must be addressed in order to reach the audience you are trying to target. Writing content for the sake of writing will not only give you burnout but it will become a pointless exercise that has no meaning whilst taking valuable time from your business.
So what points can we address to ensure that our content marketing strategy has the correct structure? First let’s understand the buying cycle of your potential customers:
Awareness
A customer may have a problem or a need but not be aware that there is a solution for them. This is where awareness of their need begins and what triggers the rest of the cycle.
Research
A potential customer is out there researching what product or service will provide a solution to what they are looking for. They will be searching Google for all types of keywords related to that problem. For example, if they are looking to change their hairstyle, they will be searching for hairdressers local to them who meet their requirements. They will also be thinking about the new style they may want by searching for inspiration or examples they can take to the hairdressers.
Comparisons
By now, the customer is aware that there are services out there to help them, so they start to compare products or services that tailor to their requirements. They will whittle down services and compare prices against other companies who offer the same deal.
Buy
Finally the customer will make a decision to purchase the product or service based on the results of their research and comparisons, completing the buying cycle.
How can I use content marketing for my business
With the buying cycle in mind, it’s necessary to fill in the blanks for the customer as much as possible. If they come across YOUR brand first and like what they see, they will come back to you when they make their decision.
Therefore, you need to make your content:
- attractive
- to the point
- easy to access
In everything you do, ensure that these 3 things are met and the customer has a clear route to purchasing from you.
In order for the client to want to buy from your business, you must ensure that you are solving their problem, which is where YOUR research comes in. You need to understand your customer and target audience and work your material and content into being attractive to them. It may look good to you, but does it look attractive and relatable to the people who are buying? If not, you need to think again. Good and accurate content is key, up to date information, relevant to the now, and in line with the core values of your business which your audience is already starting to get to know and love about you.
Once they start to follow your content and they feel that they have a connection with your brand, you need to make sure you’re providing value in everything that is produced. That is everything from your social media posts, to your newsletters, to your website copy and beyond. Everything needs to give a clear and concise message of a solution for that audience.
Going straight to the point and not beating around bush will enable your audience to know exactly what you are about and that you have nothing to hide by not over-complicating things. If your audience love your business – they will be following everything you say and do – therefore make it worth their while engaging with you.
The final point to help push the buying cycle through is by making everything easy to access and easy to follow. If you’re asking someone to ‘Buy Now’, give them a button to click right underneath your content. Don’t hide it away at the top or bottom of a page where they might not even see it. Ask people to make an action by directing them to where you want them go. Make every step easy for them to follow so they don’t get bored or lost and close your content down. Once they’ve switched off, it will be harder to get them back.
Brand Awareness
Content marketing is all about brand awareness and raising your brand profile – engaging with an audience to provide a service that they need. By keeping your marketing efforts as straightforward, clear, regular and up to date as possible, it gives your brand more chance of being noticed.
When your brand becomes known and loved, your following will start to grow. This in turn will generate leads and then you will start to see business growth.
By pushing your brand forward and providing value in your content, you are showcasing yourself as an industry expert and are expressing your desire to be known within the your niche. Don’t forget that online marketing has a global effect, you never know who you are reaching on the other side of the world!
Conclusion
Remember that you are only trying to reach those interested in your target audience. Don’t spread your wings too wide or try to reach everyone – it won’t work! Be unique and specific in your research and content writing. Write FOR the people that are searching for you. Provide value FOR the people are needing your service. Don’t write for your family or friends, yes they may share your content, but they’re not the ones buying the product. You need to aim DIRECTLY to the people who need to hear what you have to say and provide value and something that’s of worth in everything you produce.
If you’re looking to get ahead of the game in your content marketing or you simply don’t have the time that this needs to put into your business, we’re here to help at the click of button – get in touch today!
