Content Marketing is a long term relationship, not just a one night stand.
Do you remember the time you were scrolling through Facebook and came across a new blog article from a business you followed? You only had a 10 minute lunch break but this article was so intriguing it compelled you to click on it, which then led you to their website.
10 minutes later, not only did you read the whole article, click through their entire website, started following their other social media channels and sign up to their blog, you also became a customer.
Do you know what started that off for you?
Content!
But not just any content – Brilliant content!
Well written, well thought out content that made you start to feel like you personally knew and connected to that brand …
So What is Content?
Content is anything that adds value to the readers life.
There is a reason why Bill Gates wrote a book on this topic and why there are so many bloggers embracing us with their witty thoughts and expert knowledge. Content is found everywhere. What you are reading right now is content …. text, videos, imagery, podcasts … content is basically anything which adds value to your customers experience when it comes to your brand or business.
By creating unique, compelling and authentic (true to your brand) content you are showing your audience that you are an interesting business which can be trusted. This in turn will give you much more credibility within your industry.
Why is Content KING?
Content is the soul of your business. It’s the substance that attracts your customers and gives personality to your brand.
It’s Great For SEO
Google LOVES content! With one exception, Google LOVES high quality content, especially when your readers land on a page which is exactly what they are looking for.
Want to know how to become better friends with Google?
SEO!
Or if you’re new to the content world ‘Search Engine Optimisation’. If you write a 700 word blog post and add 2-3 keywords relating to that topic, then Google will send more people searching for that particular topic to you.
Be mindful that this can also go in reverse if your readers bounce off your page really quickly. If Google see’s continuous bounce rates off your website, it will assume that your content is not relevant to the topic searched.
Creates Engagement
When you create great content you have a better chance of connecting your customer with your brand. Once people are engaged, they will want to hear more from you, and by forming that emotional connection your readers will naturally want to let others know about you by sharing what they have read.
Great Content = Engagement
Engagement = Exposure
Exposure = More Engagement
More Engagement = Business Growth
Social Media is great for sharing and re-sharing content and when people interact with your company, whether it be a follow, like or comment, it virally sends their activity into their friends newsfeed’s – which becomes even more exposure for your brand.
Adds credibility
One of my favourite words in the business world; credibility! If you don’t have enough credibility, then you may struggle to get your product, brand or business noticed. The best way to add credibility is to incorporate a blog page within your website and try adding new posts 2 or 3 times a month if possible.
Boost your reputation by adding ‘testimonials’. By showing that you are a reputable business that can be trusted, you are gaining the trust of other potential customers. If your business has received any awards, make sure they can be found on your website. Nothing says credibility like winning an industry award.
For more ways to help boost your credibility check out my other post How to create an amazing online reputation.
Generates new traffic
Creating high quality content is a fantastic way to drive people your website. When you have engaging fresh new content and Google is your friend, this will then result in higher search traffic and less bounce rates on your website.
If you are familiar with Google Analytics then you will know that the objective is to get more people to stay on your website, higher new visitor stats and a lower bounce rate. When you start to see those statistics reflect those results then you know that you are generating high quality content which attracts.
Social media along with Google is one of the best ways to drive new traffic to your website. A great idea is to set up a Facebook Ad Campaign, include an engaging and interesting post and target people who are interested in your industry though yet to discover you. By targeting these people, will give you a better chance of driving new visitors to your site. This can also be done with a Google Ad Campaign.
Adds value
Creating contagious content keeps your reader coming back for more. This is why I always suggest blogging regularly on your website. Once your reader is hooked, they will naturally want to hear more from you. The quality of your work depends how people will respond to it.
Three things to ask yourself when creating high quality content are:
-
Is the content entertaining?
-
Is the content visually engaging?
-
Is the content informative?
Creating content which is entertaining helps form an emotional connection with your audience. People generally have more admiration for anything that makes them laugh or cry. Once affected emotionally they tend to discuss and share it with others.
It has been found that 80% of people will be more willing to read coloured visual content then any other content. Which is why visual platforms such as Pinterest and Instagram are so popular.
Informative content is basically anything that your reader can take away with them. This post right now is informative. It is relevant, up-to-date and provides knowledge about a specific topic. A DIY video on Youtube is informative content. It demonstrates how to build/create something, which is perfect for those do-it-yourself furnitures from Ikea (well for me anyway).
“The more informative your content is, the more persuasive it will be” David Ogilvy
Content is what people share and consume. It is everywhere, and if you want your business to grow and be successful, it is important to have a GREAT content strategy.
Creating, entertaining, engaging and informative content will enable your business to strive and thrive so much more.
So…
If content is KING… what is QUEEN??
Stay tuned!
* Stats from Hubspot January 2016
Leave a Reply