Content Marketing

Because traditional advertising is not effective on the web, it is smart decision to include content marketing in your overall strategy. We said, in direct response marketing, this is the type of advertising big brands do.

What is content marketing? How do you create a content marketing strategy? The answer to these questions will help you add it in your overall strategy.

What is Content Marketing?
Content marketing educates the reader. It offers helpful content to influence behavior. The belief is this earns trust. Consumers will then reward us with their business.

It is communication not selling. Content marketing works.

How You Create A Content Marketing Strategy
What are you trying to do? This is the first thing you need to know when creating a content marketing strategy. This will let you focus on creating content that helps moves your plan forward.

What is your content marketing goals?

Are you trying to become an authority?

Are you trying to get more traffic?

Are you trying to build an email list?

Are you trying to get more leads?

Now that you know what you want to do, it is time to start planning how you will get where you want to go. You will not get the results you want if you write without a plan. Planning your content marketing strategy will help your results.

Content Marketing Focuses on the Customer

Who is your perfect customer? Content creation should focus on the perfect customer. The more time you spend researching the customer, the better you will understand their likes, dislikes, desires, and fears.

Some things to consider when doing your research.

What keeps them up at night?

What do they secretly want?

What are their biggest frustrations?

What are their biggest fears?

Now that you know your customer, create content that expresses their wants to them. Prospects will see you as trustworthy by creating helpful content. This helps you convert them to customers.

What Comes Next

Assess the results. Make adjustments to improve your content. This is an ongoing process. Do this regularly to create content your readers will find useful.

Video is an important part of strategy. Some people are not willing to take the time to read text. It is another way to connect. It should offer value. It should not be too promotional. Use a mix of content to keep viewers from tuning you out.

Traditional advertising is what big brands do. Content marketing works by focusing on the customer needs. Set goals and make a plan. You will turn some prospects into customers as you continue to create helpful content. This type of selling is opposite of the hard sale. Soft sales work more effectively.