Content marketing has been the focal point of most digital marketing strategies in recent memory. A result of this spotlight on content as ‘king’ has led to a lot of it being produced, a lot of which is of mediocre quality and originality for its audience.
There is still importance in producing content as it forms the backbone of any online presence. Engaging or not, content allows Google to crawl your website and assess your business’ relevance to specific keywords and search terms. More importantly good quality content is the key to having an engaging website design which ultimately leads to a higher conversion rate. Any way you look at it, quality content creates leads and converts them into paying customers; therefore it is a vital element for any small business website.
Don’t let the current state of content marketing deter you from establishing a strong voice in your market. Follow these 3 steps to create compelling content that will set you apart from the rest.
- Address a Pain
Go back to basics. Look at your own experience within your own industry, what has been an ongoing problem which customers have faced? Look for low hanging fruit, your topic doesn’t have to be the latest buzzword or trend. It does however; have to be valuable for your audience. Often the most simple problem is one that no one has addressed but a will have widespread relevance.
- Answer a Question
This is easier said than done. If this pain exists, than the complexities which contribute to it may be hard to pinpoint or address. However this is where it helps to put the brakes on and keep it simple. Although your answer may not be ground breaking, don’t tell your consumers something they already know.
Inject some personality into the discussion and establish a viewpoint that hasn’t been explored by anyone. It may not solve the problem but you will provide food for thought.
- Tell a Story
The problem with a lot of business or marketing motivated content is it’s focused on facts and doesn’t provide much entertainment for the reader. You don’t want your audience to feel like they have to work hard in order to figure out why your content is relevant to them. As we’re hardwired to think of everything as a narrative, an effective way to communicate your proposition is by telling a story.
Think about how what you’re communicating relates to the everyday or has a linear progression. Every problem has a start, middle and an end, and by communicating this with a dash of colourful language- your audiences will feel liberated from the purgatory of beige content produced by your competitors.
- Listen Twice as Much as You Speak.
There are multiple ways to get your message across, but each with varying degrees of effectiveness. Once you’ve established the message you want to reach your audience, you need to decide on what the best way to get this across will be. As safe, easy and familiar as a blog is – it may not be the best way to present an interview for example.
Observing how your audience engage with different types of content is invaluable. Audiences will tell you what the most effective channel is for specific content- all you have to do is listen.
- Understand the Role of Social Media
The written word isn’t the only way you can tell a story. If you’ve got a great portfolio of images think about using image specific social media channels to communicate your narrative. Not only is this a great way of having diversified and engaging content, but you’ll have access to a much larger audience.
According to content marketing strategist, Jeff Bullas; Instagram has over 150 active monthly users and Pinterest has over 20 million active monthly users- and all that is separating you from them is the right hash tag.
- Start Planning for Video
Often video production is dismissed at expensive, timely and difficult to produce. Although some video content may take a fair chunk of investment, it is possible to produce low budget video content without sacrificing the value for your audience. There is wealth of resources online explaining how video content can be produced on the cheap- provided you have a little creativity.
Considering video on within your website design is well worth the investment, as according a recent report- 80% of online visitors, will watch a video, whereas only 20% will actually read content in its entirety.
Great content is focused on establishing a solid connection and two way relationship with your consumers. Once you get to know your customers better, not only will effective content be easier to produce but your content will be more engaging and provide more value for your audience. In a content saturated market, positioning yourself as a trusted and valuable resource is paramount to the success of your online marketing.
This article was contributed by Magicdust, a full service digital agency providing businesses with quality website design, ecommerce solutions and online marketing services.