Starting a business is easy. It is when you look for strategies to expand it that things get complicated. Small-scale ventures and growing start-ups want to widen their customer base. And in this era of digitization, the customers demand custom-made content.
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Content marketing is one of the core areas that you need to focus on. The influx of new websites only adds on to the urgency. If you are a business looking for ways to increase your influence, pull up your socks and get working! Here are some effective content marketing strategies to help your business prosper.
Need for Content Marketing
There was a time when posting paid ads on your website was the way to monetize your content. That trend has died a swift and brutal death with the rise of ad-blockers. Almost every browser out there has an ad-blocker to avoid the promotional content. Only long-term content marketing strategies help a brand in this case.
Content marketing is not limited to the blogs, articles and social media posts. It is a more holistic approach to planning your content. It aims at establishing credible contacts in the industry and earn the trust of the reader.
Know your Market
First, you need to identify your core audience base. What are you planning to achieve through your content? What do you want to talk about? Whom does this content pander to? What purpose does it serve? How is it different from other websites out there? These are a few questions you need to address before you begin working on your content.
Marketers today opt for a more narrowed marketing approach. Is your content promotional? Or do you intend to inform the audience about a particular service? Whatever be the case, you need to have a clear idea of what you’re trying to achieve with your content. Half the battle is won once you figure out your niche.
Filtering your Customer Base
You cannot please all your readers. You need to narrow down your audience base and find readers who value your content. Remember, content aimed for everybody serves nobody. Don’t be generic with your words. Avoid fluff content and write stuff that is credible and relevant to your clients. Also, have a look at what your peers are posting. Understand the kind of topics they are covering and how they approach it. You can take some inspiration from your competition and then improvise on it.
Setting measurable KPIs and analyzing your page viewership is a good way to go. KPIs or key performance indicators are milestones to measure the website’s reach. With these analytical tools, you can figure out what is working for your business. Set small goals, as they are easier to track and monitor.
Be Authentic
Every brand needs its authentic voice to appeal to the reader’s sensibilities. You can draw all the inspiration you want from the existing business models, but don’t imitate them. Read up, explore, experiment and display the expertise you have in the field. Use the analytical tools to understand your demographic. Who are the readers most likely to view or benefit from your content? For more valuable insights, you can check out the customer feedback as well.
Create content that is original, relatable and provides value to the user. Don’t post for the sake of posting new content. You need to plan out a marketing strategy that is not quantity-centric anymore.
Include Infographics
Digital marketing strategy is all about the aesthetics. You can have the most kickass posts but it would serve no purpose if not presented the right way. The trick is to make your content as appealing as possible. The average web user doesn’t have the time nor the willingness to read your article/blog if it doesn’t interest him.
Adding graphics and charts is a good way to draw attention to your content. More and more companies are switching over from the traditional promotional campaigns. Today, you will find websites that are dynamic and rich in vibrant content.
Better SEO Optimization
SEO or search engine optimization is one of the most crucial things that you should be focusing on. Search engines like Google usually rank a website on the basis of its readability. The higher your SEO ranking, the more chances you have of catching the eye of the user.
SEO ranking works wonders for your brand’s online visibility and reputation. Work on your content to make it more. Add the trending keywords and phrases to your blog posts. Always insert alt tags and title tags to your content. This makes it easier for Google to read and index your content.
Choosing the Right Platform
The trick to effective content marketing is consistency and quality. And the right platform helps you lay the foundation for your content marketing strategy. Check out the blog builders and web development tools out there. They usually come with a gamut of readymade templates for you use. These templates work for mobile phones, laptops and tabs- expanding your viewership. Most content marketing platforms come with SEO tools and CMS solutions. With these tools at your disposal, you can create a substantial online presence.
The Bottom Line
Content marketing is not an overnight process. It takes a lot of meticulous planning and an in-depth understanding of what the reader wants. Start small and work your way up the ladder until you become an expert in the field. You need to build your brand image by collaborating with industry experts. Also, don’t be disheartened if things don’t go your way right away. Good things happen to those who are persistent.
Author Bio
Mary Jones is the co-founder & editor-in-chief at TopMyGrades, which focuses on Content Marketing Strategy for clients from the Education industry in the US, Canada & UK. Mary has conducted a series of webinars for AssignmentEssayHelp as an assignment expert. She has extensive content editing experience and has worked with MSNBC, NewsCred & Scripted. She has also authored blogs on Lifehack.org, Wn.com, Medium.com, Minds.com and many more digital publications.