What is content marketing?
It’s all about building your reputation as an expert online. That doesn’t mean posting loads of mediocre articles and blogs in the vain hope that someone will read them. Content marketing is about providing quality, informative and interesting information that will add value to your readers.
The 3 elements of content marketing
If you want to excel at content marketing there are 3 things you have to do:
- Create content that sells you
- Write content that’s optimised for the search engines to increase its longevity
- Repurpose your content and spread the word
Are you sitting there thinking – “What’s the point? It’s not as is anyone reads stuff like that anyway.”
If you think like that you’ll never get anywhere. Instead you have to think of your content as a huge loud speaker that will tell the world how great you are, what an expert you are and that what you have to say is worth reading.
Once people start to see your content plastered all over the web they’ll think of you as a market leader, a giver of great information and will be more inclined to give you a call or drop you an email when they need your services.
In a nutshell – Content generation means you’ll get found
So what is content?
It can be anything: white papers, reports, articles, blogs, videos, FAQs, audio etc.
Creating content in a variety of forms will make sure you appeal to a lot of different audiences. Not everyone likes to get their information through reading, some prefer to listen or to watch – offering a range of formats will provide something for everyone.
Making your content great
1. Should it be promotional?
Nope – be subtle. If you are obviously selling something it’s going to come across as an advert rather than advice. Offering information positions you as an expert who is open and approachable.
2. Be relevant
Make sure you know what your reader wants and give it to them.
3. Well-written
Engaging, well-written, interesting – get those 3 things right and you’re practically there.
4. Relevant to your company
For arguments sake, let’s say you’re a copywriter. If you suddenly start writing about the latest engineering practices your audience is going to be left wandering what on earth’s going on. Make sure you write on topic within the realms of your expertise.
5. Shout about it
If you’re going to spend time creating content you have to promote it. Use everything you can — social media, PR, search engine optimisation. That way you’ll make it stand out so your audience can find it.
At the end of the day, if you want your content marketing to work make sure you:
- Write regularly
- Write well
- Write relevant material
- Promote it.