Now you’ve decided to get cracking on your content marketing campaign, how’s it going?
After a brainstorming session with your team, you have come up with a list of topics you want to write about.
Stop right there. Before you sit down and waste many hours writing, you’ve entirely missed the point of content marketing.
There are probably loads of things you want to talk about, but the question you’ve failed to ask is, does your audience want to read about them?
You see, if you want people to engage with your content, you have to give them what they want.
Think about:
- What’s important to them?
- What’s going to help them do their job better?
- What do they need to know?
You must write for your audience
This is often quite difficult for people to get their head around.
In their eyes, the purpose of getting involved in content marketing is to promote their businesses. Therefore, it makes sense to write about their products and services and what they’ve been up to recently.
The problem is that kind of information is already on their website. So, when their potential customers are ready to buy, that’s what they’ll read. It’s unlikely to whet their appetite when browsing the net for the answers to their problems.
But, if you write stuff that’s directly aimed at them – insights from your industry, future trends, how to solve common problems, etc. – you are far more likely to gain them as a regular reader of your content.
Then, when they’re in the market for what you offer, guess who’ll be at the top of their list? That’s right, your company.
Why?
Well, you have been generous with your information and helped them overcome challenges and shown them how they need to adapt for the future.
That’s right; in their eyes, you are amazing. A leader in your field. Their future supplier.
Brainstorm the right way
Now when you’re looking for ideas, ask the people on the frontline. Staff members who are in daily contact with customers know what their challenges and fears are because they chat with them.
Input from customer services, product managers, and subject matter experts can all be used to create a content strategy that adds value to your audience. Your people are a fabulous source of information, so make sure you tap into it – it’s a resource that’s all too often overlooked.
Sally Ormond, Briar Copywriting Ltd, is a freelance copywriter working with clients around the world to create engaging content that their audiences want to read. Call her on +44(0)1449 779605 to get your content strategy firing on all cylinders.