Content marketing is valuable because it accomplishes a number of goals, all at the same time. Good content gets people talking about what you do, boosts SEO and develops, defines and enhances your brand.
But if you’re new to the world of content marketing, it can hard to know where to begin. With content marketing always developing and changing, you need a firm grip on your goals and aims before you jump in. So, with all this in mind, read on for your step-by-step guide.
Your Goals
Before you start thinking about topics and types of content, you need to know what your objective is. This will give you a measuring stick by which to gauge the success of your content marketing efforts and also inform the types of content you want to push out.
Do you want increased traffic? Conversions? Or is it customer engagement and brand recognition you want to develop? Only you know the answers to these questions, and this is the foundation of your strategy going forward.
Your Audience
Now you know what you want to achieve, it’s time to get to work understanding who your audience is. Depending on their age, economic status and other factors, the type of content you produce and promote will change.
You will need to look at things like gender, location, profession and so on. These metrics are definable and easy to delve into, giving you clear indicators of just who your audience is. Younger audiences, for example, are more likely to watch video content on their mobile, whereas older audiences tend to prefer content that is of a completely different tone and style.
When you know this, you can start to build a portfolio of targeted content to appeal to the audience you have identified.
Determine Content Types
In terms of the content you can create, there are many options out there. Blog posts, infographics and video are the most popular forms of content, with video being particularly important.
Blog posts are good – if well done and informative – because they provide original, valuable content to visitors. This, in turn, makes visitors into customers, because they can see you care about your field and regularly provide new content. The key is to add value and be useful and knowing how you’ll do this should be part of your content strategy.
Video is so vital because, as we mentioned above, it’s the best content for mobile devices. Informative and engaging video can provide a huge conversion boost, and it is tailor made for the rising tide of mobile internet users.
Infographics provide a great deal of information in an attractive, easy to digest format. They are also hugely shareable, great for making complex content more digestable, and an easy way to repurpose more of your content to tempt new readers.
If you need advice or help with your content marketing strategy, contact Media Orb today. We can help you define your audience, create the content you need and improve the profile of your brand.
