Have you dumped thousands of dollars into traditional paid advertising only to see mediocre results? Are you struggling to see results from social media? Have you heard “content is king”, but have no idea what it’s king of, exactly?
If so it's time to face the facts—it’s the digital age—your potential customers are looking for a lot more than just a flashy ad. That's where content marketing comes in.
Understanding content marketing is a huge step in unlocking your business growth. Great content can raise brand awareness, authority, web traffic, leads, and sales. But without the right content marketing strategy and execution you won’t see benefits.
So how do you avoid wasting your time and resources on the wrong approach?
Simple. Read this guide.
Welcome! This is the ultimate guide to content marketing that will change your life (okay, maybe just your marketing strategy).
In this guide, we'll give you the lowdown on what content marketing is (hint: it's not just throwing up a random blog post), why it's crucial to your business success, and most importantly, how to create a successful content marketing strategy that'll have your customers flocking to you.
Get ready to step up your marketing game and connect with your target audience like never before.
In good SEO fashion let us start this guide off with some definitions. Like most marketing terms, if you do a Google search for the term "content marketing" you will get hundreds of definitions that all sound kind of the same.
You’ll hear everything from a very narrow definition of content marketing as the use of specific channels like a blog to the “everything is content” definition. This school of thought says that literally anything you create to raise awareness about your brand or sell your product can be seen as content.
While no one definition of content marketing is necessarily “right” or “wrong”. So, what is content marketing according to us?
We like to use a definition of content marketing that helps explain WHAT you’re making and WHY you’re making it.
For this guide we will use this definition: Content marketing is the practice of creating and distributing relevant, valuable, and engaging content to attract, sell and retain a clearly defined audience.
Basically, you're creating stuff your potential customers find useful, informative or fun with the goal of deepening the bond between them and your brand.
This stuff, the content, can be informative blog posts, engaging social media content, helpful how-to videos, infographics or any other type of content that resonates with your target audience. Content can be long form or quite short. It can be visual or written. Even memes can be leveraged as content marketing if you do it right.
Content marketing, in our definition:
Content marketing has been around for centuries, but its evolution has been quite remarkable. From magazine advertising to modern marketing, the techniques used to reach and engage with audiences have changed drastically over time. Let’s dive into the history and evolution of content marketing.
1730–1867: Magazine Advertising
Magazines have been a popular source of information for centuries. During the 18th and 19th centuries, magazines became a popular platform for advertisers to promote their products. Advertisements were placed within the magazines and were designed to attract the attention of the readers. These ads were primarily focused on selling products and services and were often quite verbose.
The first magazine advertisement appeared in Benjamin Franklin's General Magazine in 1741. The ad was for a book and was placed by the publisher. This marked the beginning of magazine advertising, which became more prevalent as time passed. By the mid-19th century, magazine advertising had become a popular way for companies to reach their target audience.
1922–1941: Radio Advertising
With the advent of the radio in the early 20th century, a new platform for advertising emerged. Radio advertising became popular in the 1920s and 1930s and was used to promote products and services to a wider audience. Radio advertisements were typically short and to the point, with a catchy jingle or tagline that could be easily remembered by the audience.
One of the most memorable radio ads of the time was the “Pepsodent Smile” campaign. The campaign featured a catchy jingle that encouraged people to brush their teeth with Pepsodent toothpaste. The jingle was so popular that it became a cultural phenomenon, and Pepsodent became one of the most popular toothpaste brands in the country.
1950: TV Advertising
The introduction of television in the 1950s brought with it a new era of advertising. Television advertising allowed companies to reach a wider audience than ever before. TV commercials became an essential part of the advertising landscape and were designed to capture the viewer's attention in a matter of seconds.
TV advertising was particularly effective because it allowed companies to show their products in action. This was particularly important for products like cars and appliances, which could be difficult to explain in a print or radio ad. The ability to show a product in action allowed companies to demonstrate its features and benefits in a way that was more compelling than any other medium.
Here are just a few examples of TV ads that not only helped to establish the brands as household names but also set the tone for modern advertising and content marketing:
1970–1985: Telemarketing and Newspaper Advertising
The 1970s and 1980s were a time of transition for content marketing. While traditional advertising methods like TV and radio commercials continued to be effective, new forms of marketing began to emerge. Telemarketing and newspaper advertising became popular during this time and were used to reach audiences in new ways.
Telemarketing was particularly effective because it allowed companies to reach customers directly. Telemarketers would call potential customers and pitch their products or services over the phone. While telemarketing was effective, it was also controversial, and many customers found it intrusive.
Newspaper advertising continued to be an important form of content marketing during this time. While newspapers had been around for centuries, they had become an important platform for advertisers to reach their target audience. Newspaper ads were typically larger and more detailed than other forms of advertising, allowing companies to provide more information about their products or services.
1995–2004: SEO, Blogs, Email, and Social Media
The advent of the internet in the 1990s brought about a new era of content marketing. Search engine optimization (SEO) became an essential tool for companies looking to increase their online visibility. SEO allowed companies to optimize their websites and content for search engines, which helped them to rank higher in search results.
Blogs also became popular during this time. Blogs allowed companies to publish articles and other content on their websites, which helped to establish their expertise in their respective fields. Companies could also use blogs to build relationships with their customers and provide them with valuable information.
Email marketing also emerged during this time. Companies could send targeted emails to their customers, promoting their products and services. Email marketing was particularly effective because it allowed companies to reach their customers directly, and customers could respond to the emails and engage with the companies.
The early 2000s also marked the beginning of social media. Social media platforms like MySpace and LinkedIn were established during this time, and they quickly became popular. Social media allowed companies to connect with their customers on a more personal level, and they could use social media to promote their products and services.
2005–2009: Web-Centric Marketing
The mid-2000s saw a shift towards web-centric marketing. Companies began to focus more on their online presence, and they used a variety of tactics to attract and engage with customers. Online advertising became more prevalent, and companies began to experiment with new forms of online advertising.
During this time, companies also began to use video marketing to promote their products and services. Videos allowed companies to showcase their products and services in a more engaging way than traditional advertising methods. Videos could be shared on social media platforms and websites, which helped companies to reach a wider audience.
2010–Present: Modern Marketing
Today, content marketing has evolved into a sophisticated and multi-faceted approach. Companies use a variety of tactics to reach and engage with their target audience. Content marketing is now about creating high-quality, valuable content that informs, educates, and entertains the audience.
Modern content marketing includes a variety of tactics, such as:
Today, content marketing is about creating high-quality, valuable content that informs, educates, and entertains the audience. As technology continues to evolve, so will content marketing.
Inbound Marketing
Inbound marketing, or content marketing, is all about attracting and assisting your audience. It takes time, effort, and strategy, but the result is a durable connection with your target customers. Content marketing looks to teach and help, and it's all about connecting and interacting with your audience.
Outbound Marketing
On the other hand, outbound marketing, or advertising, is all about interrupting and distracting your potential customers to sell your product or service. It's fast, but it's temporary. Advertising aims to distract and interrupt your audience, and it takes a hefty budget to get your message out there.
You might hear the terms owned, earned, and paid thrown around while researching content marketing.
If content marketing refers to WHAT you are making and WHY you are making it, then owned, earned, and paid media refers to WHERE your potential customers will find your content.
Owned, earned, and paid media are often called the trifecta of marketing channels. Effective content marketing can be, and should be distributed through all three.
Let's break it down for you using a metaphor.
Owned media is like the trusty old Honda Civic you've had for a decade. It's yours. You own it. You control it. Your website, your blog, your social media pages, your email list, your mobile app, these are all examples of owned media. It's your platform to create content and engage with your audience. And just like your trusty Honda, you can customize it, upgrade it, and make it reflect your personality.
Earned media is like a gift from the marketing gods. You didn't pay for it, you didn't necessarily even ask for it, but it was bestowed upon you because of the greatness of your brand or product. It's the holy grail of marketing. It's word-of-mouth recommendations, social media shares, positive reviews, press coverage, and any other publicity that your brand gets organically. It's the free publicity that everyone loves, but only a lucky few actually get.
Now, paid media is like the luxury sports car you've been eyeing for years. You want it, you dream about it, but it costs a pretty penny. It's the ads that you pay for on social media, search engines, and any other digital platforms. It's the billboards, the TV commercials, and the print ads. It's the expensive but effective way of getting your message in front of your target audience.
There you have it, owned, earned, and paid media. Three marketing channels that every expert marketer should have in their arsenal. And just like a car, you need to know which one is the right fit for your brand, your goals, and your budget.
We’ll cover this more in depth later in the guide.
Content marketing can be a powerful tool to leverage across the entire customer journey. From making a first-time sale with a customer to keeping them buying everything you put out, content marketing plays a role.
One common model used for the customer journey is the six stages approach, each with its own unique characteristics and needs. Let's break it down.
*Again, with a quick Google search you’ll find many definitions and variations on the customer journey. From the SaaS Pirate Metrics to HubSpot’s flywheel. All have their merits and we’ve actually used many before. For the sake of this article, we’ll use the AICARA model.
Awareness
Your audience is seeking general information about the industry or category of products or services you offer. This is where you should focus on building brand recognition and establishing yourself as a thought leader in your field.
Content marketing at the awareness stage should help potential customers connect your brand with a problem they are trying to solve. Think of it as an introduction to your brand, product, or service as an authority for a specific area of the customer’s life. To do this, consider using search-optimized blog posts, social media videos, infographics, round-ups and interviews, and guest posts.
Content example: BarkPost from the makers of BarkBox is a blog focusing on topics ranging from the best dog beds for your pet to how to reverse gum disease in aging dogs.
Interest
At this stage, visitors have questions or concerns about the industry and are seeking more information about your company. This is your chance to specifically show your potential customers how your product or service will help them solve a specific problem.
Content example: Offer them how-to articles, case studies, how-to videos, original research, gated guides, welcome series emails, webinars, and events.
Consideration
Visitors are now looking for specific information about your product or service. They have specific questions and concerns, and this is where you can provide them with sales enablement articles, your story, landing pages, and case studies or customer stories. Often in the consideration stage, the prospect is weighing multiple solutions to their problem. Your content marketing should aid them in selecting your specific product / service over a direct or indirect competitor.
Content example: An article entitled “Why using Google sheets to write your exercise programs is holding back your personal training business.”
Action
Congratulations, your visitor is now confident enough to take action and make a purchase, start a free trial or contact your business to book a sales call or demo.
At this stage, your content marketing should help to provide them with excellent customer service and support.
Content example: A how-to video walking your new customers through the important steps they should take to get started quickly with your workflow software.
Retention
Once you've acquired a customer, you need to keep them happy with relationship management and customer success. Your content marketing at the retention stage of the customer journey should constantly educate and remind your customers of the value they receive from your product or service. Offer them apps, educational courses, loyalty programs, product updates, support resources, and upsell and cross-sell opportunities.
Content example: One of our favorite examples of outside the box retention content marketing is the Nike Training Club app. Nike developed an entire app loaded with free workouts from expert trainers to remind their users of the value they receive from their products like cross-trainers shoes.
Advocacy
The ultimate goal is to turn your happy customers into enthusiastic advocates who recommend your brand and products to others. Make it easy for them to share their experience by offering referral programs and customer reviews.
Content can be rolled into 3 broad phases across a spectrum based on customer goals during the 6 stages of the customer journey. This model of thinking is especially useful for subscription-based products and services, which we work with a lot.
This model also helps companies organize their efforts and teams as you scale from a one-person marketing department to a fully loaded team because the phases are broken down into a business-centric way that aligns to business goals.
Growth marketing is all about finding new customers. It often focuses on increasing brand or product awareness and driving customers to try or buy your product.
Generally, growth or acquisition marketing efforts fall into two categories: inbound and outbound marketing. You’ll sometimes hear this interchangeably used with push and pull marketing. You’ll often also hear inbound marketing used interchangeably with content marketing at this phase in the customer journey.
It's time to talk about distribution channels. Lucky for you, there are plenty of options out there to get your content in front of the right people to pull them in. In this guide we will cover four of the main channels.
Depending on your target audience and the type of content you're creating, some of these channels may be more effective than others. For example, if you're targeting a younger demographic, you might want to focus more on social media, whereas if you're targeting professionals in a particular industry, you might want to explore forums and communities.
Search
First up, you’ve got search engines. You know, the Google machine. You're probably pretty familiar with how this works—people type in a query, and your content appears in the search results if it's relevant. This includes optimizing your website and content for search engines so that people can actually find you when they're looking for your product or service. It also requires keyword research to help you better understand exactly what your potential customers are searching when looking for a product or service like yours.
Social media networks
Next, is social media networks. The beloved Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and the like. These platforms are great for distributing content and engaging with your audience, but beware—their algorithms can be unpredictable and change at the drop of a hat. Plus, with so much content out there, it can be tough to stand out in the sea of selfies, stupid dances, and cat videos.
Forums and communities
You can also tap into forums and communities where your target audience hangs out. Think Reddit. These can be a fantastic way to distribute your content and build relationships with your audience. The key here is to find a community that aligns with your brand and create content that's genuinely helpful and valuable to the members.
Plus, participating in these communities can be a lot of fun and rewarding. It’s also a great resource for some free insights into your customers.
Email newsletters
Finally, you’ve got email newsletters. Yes, they still exist, and yes, they can still be a powerful tool for distributing your content. With a newsletter, you have a captive audience that's already interested in what you have to say. Just be careful not to spam them with too much promotional content or they'll hit that "unsubscribe" button faster than you can say "clickbait."
Product marketing is another one of those funky terms that can be described in many ways. Product marketing is like a magical blend of psychology, creativity, and salesmanship all rolled into one.
Product marketing is all about positioning your product or new product features in a way that makes your product stand out in a sea of competitors and convince people that they absolutely need it in their lives.
Content marketing under the umbrella of product marketing is all about understanding your customer’s pain points, motivations, and buying habits. What are they struggling with? What are their goals and aspirations? And most importantly, what kind of content and messaging will resonate with them?
Once you've got that figured out, it's time to craft a compelling story that speaks directly to your audience. You need to paint a picture of how your product can solve their problems and help them achieve their goals. You need to create an emotional connection and make them feel like your product is the missing piece of the puzzle that they've been searching for.
Examples can include: sales enablement articles, case studies, or customer stories.
Lifecycle marketing is a game-changer for any marketer who wants to boost their customer retention and drive more sales. Believe it or not, lifecycle marketing is just as research intensive as growth marketing and every bit as important. Lifecycle marketing can have a huge impact on customer retention in subscription-based businesses. It’s also useful in driving upsells, cross-sells, and repeat customers.
At its core, lifecycle marketing is all about understanding the journey that a customer takes with your brand, from the first time they hear about you to the moment they become a loyal customer (and hopefully, an advocate for your brand). It's about creating a tailored experience for each customer based on where they are in that journey. Customers today expect a personalized experience, and if you don't give it to them, they'll quickly move on to a brand that will.
By understanding where each customer is in their journey, you can tailor your messaging and content to their specific needs and interests. And when you do that, you're more likely to keep them engaged and coming back for more.
But let's not forget about the impact on your bottom line. According to a study by Bain & Company, increasing customer retention rates by just 5% can lead to a 25% to 95% increase in profits. That's right, you read that correctly. By focusing on the customer journey and keeping your customers engaged, you can significantly boost your bottom line.
How-to videos or graphics
How-to videos are an extremely effective lifecycle content marketing tool. From a very simple GIF to full blown explainer videos, this is all about helping new customers find the value your product delivers quickly. Depending on the complexity of your product or service, these videos can make or break driving product adoption. This is also a prime opportunity to position your brand as more premium than your competition.
Just think about it, have you ever ordered a really complex piece of furniture online? Maybe from a certain Scandinavian mega-brand? The little illustrated pamphlet that helps you put together your bookshelf is technically lifecycle content marketing. It’s a piece of content designed to help you, the customer, find value with the product easily. In this case, that value is being able to put books on your bookshelf.
Another, better example (in our opinion) is this video from LoveSac.
Compare and contrast the two pieces of content in relation to the brand position of each product.
Ikea = budget, DIY, universal
LoveSac = premium, thoughtful, catered
Webinars
If you're not using webinars in your strategy, you're missing out on a golden opportunity to connect with your customers.
So why are webinars such a useful piece of lifecycle marketing, you ask? Well, for starters, they allow you to provide valuable, educational content to your audience in a way that's both engaging and interactive. Yes they are more labor intensive than creating a one-size-fits all how-to video, but the direct connection with your customers shouldn’t be undervalued. Depending on your target audience, your customer may place a high value on being able to directly ask you questions about your product or service. And when you're able to provide value to your audience, they're more likely to stick around and become loyal customers.
Webinars are also a great way to collect information about your audience and better understand their needs and interests.
Automated drip campaigns
This is where lifecycle marketing can get really fun, impactful, and pretty complex. Advanced email automation tools can give you the power to automate messaging and content delivery to your users based on exactly where they are in the product experience. These can be based on time-delays or even triggered by actions the customer takes inside your app or digital product.
Often, these drip campaigns leverage content marketing assets like how-to guides or self-service educational modules by linking out to them and guiding our customers to your best resources.
Imagine this scenario in which you are marketing a hypothetical workflow organization tool used by marketing teams.
Time delayed drip campaigns could send both of these users the same message on day 2, pointing them back to your getting started materials and reminding them of all the helpful resources you’ve created.
Action-triggered campaigns could send each user a completely personalized message. For user maybe this is tips and tricks you should know after mastering the basics. For user 2, it could be a simple link to module 2 and a reminder that they haven’t completed your quick start actions just yet.
Powerful, right?
Alright, so you understand what content marketing is, but maybe you’re still not convinced you should be doing it.
You might still be asking yourself, why should I do content marketing? Need a little more arm twisting? We’ve got you covered in the nerdiest of fashions - giving you a little history lesson and citing some studies conducted by industry experts.
Here’s a little info on why you should be doing content marketing.
Let's start with some hard facts, shall we? According to a study by the Content Marketing Institute, content marketing generates three times as many leads as traditional outbound marketing while costing 62% less. That's right, you read that correctly. Content marketing not only generates more leads, but it does so at a lower cost. So if you're looking to grow your business without breaking the bank, content marketing is the way to go.
But wait, there's more! Content marketing can also lead to better customer engagement and loyalty. A study by Demand Metric found that content marketing can increase email open rates by 82% and website traffic by 200%. When customers are engaged with your content, they are more likely to become loyal advocates for your brand. In fact, a study by Edelman and LinkedIn found that content marketing can increase brand advocacy by 17%.
And let's not forget about the impact on your bottom line. A study by Aberdeen Group found that companies that use content marketing experience a 6x higher conversion rate compared to those that don't. That's right, SIX times higher. So not only does content marketing generate more leads and better engagement, it can also lead to more sales.
But I know what you're thinking.
So there you have it, my friend. Content marketing is a proven way to generate leads, increase customer engagement and loyalty, and ultimately drive sales. If you're not using it to grow your business, you're missing out on a huge opportunity.
You might be skeptical about this whole "content marketing" thing. You might be comfortable with your tried and true paid media strategies. But guess what?
You don't have to choose between the two.
Content marketing is not a replacement for your other marketing efforts, it's an addition.
If implemented correctly, content marketing will be an investment that will pay off exponentially in the long run. It's a proven method to increase your brand's visibility, establish your credibility, and connect with your target audience in a more meaningful way.
You're ready to create a killer content strategy. Before you start, let's go through a quick checklist to make sure you're covering all your bases.
What is the measurable goal?
If you don't know what you're aiming for, you'll never hit your target. So, first things first, what do you want to achieve with your content? Do you want to drive more traffic to your website? Increase sales? Boost engagement on social media? Whatever it is, make sure it's specific, measurable, and achievable.
What approach shall you take?
Once you know your goal, you need to figure out how you're going to achieve it. This is where the fun begins - there are countless approaches you can take when it comes to content. Maybe you want to focus on SEO and create blog posts that target specific keywords. Perhaps you want to create videos that showcase your products or services. Or maybe you want to use social media to connect with your audience and build brand awareness. The possibilities are endless - just make sure you choose an approach that aligns with your goals and your audience.
How does the creation of it differ?
Content creation is not a one-size-fits-all game. The way you create content will depend on your audience, your goals, and the approach you've chosen. If you're creating blog posts, for example, you'll need to do keyword research, write engaging headlines, and format your posts in a way that's easy to read. If you're creating videos, you'll need to script them, shoot them, and edit them. And if you're creating social media content, you'll need to think about things like hashtags, captions, and images. So, think about how you'll need to create your content to achieve your goals.
What is the outcome for the business?
Last but not least, you need to consider the outcome for your business. What will you achieve if your content strategy is successful? Will you see an increase in website traffic? More leads? Higher sales? Better brand recognition? Understanding the potential outcomes will help you measure your success and make adjustments to your strategy as needed.
Before you dive into creating content, it's important to develop a mission statement. This is the goal post for your content marketing efforts. As explained in Andy Crestodina's Content Chemistry: The Illustrated Handbook for Content Marketing, developing a mission statement is crucial to creating effective content for your audience that also aligns with your business objectives. By taking the time to develop this you can create a clear and concise statement that outlines who you're creating content for, what kind of information you're providing, and what benefits your audience will gain from it. By following this formula, you can ensure that your content is relevant and valuable to your audience, and effective in achieving your business goals. So, grab a pen and paper, and get started on creating your content marketing mission statement.
To craft a content marketing mission statement use this formula: Our content is where [audience] gets [information] that offers [benefit].
So, we’ve convinced you. You’ve decided to give content marketing a shot. Good for you. But now you're wondering what it takes to make it work. Let's break it down.
A website
First up, you need a website. This might seem like a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised how many businesses overlook the importance of having a strong online presence. At a minimum you’ll need a sales page and a contact form so that potential customers can easily get in touch with you.
A blog
Next, you'll need a blog. This is where you'll publish all of your amazing content, from informative articles to engaging videos.
An ESP
It's not enough to just create great content – you need to get it in front of the right people. That's where an email service provider (ESP) or marketing automation system comes in. This will help you build and maintain a list of subscribers who are interested in what you have to say.
A CRM
But it's not just about creating content and sending it out into the ether. You also need to keep track of your relationships with your customers. That's where a customer relationship management system (CRM) comes in. This will help you keep track of who your customers are, what they're interested in, and how you can best serve them.
Analytics
Of course, you also need to keep track of how your content marketing efforts are performing. That's where analytics come in. By monitoring things like page views, bounce rates, and conversion rates, you can see what's working and what's not – and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Social media presence
Last but not least, you need to have a strong social media presence. This is where you can connect with your audience in real-time, share your content, and build a community of loyal followers.
So there you have it—the essential elements of a content marketing engine. It may seem daunting at first, but the investment is well worth it. And who knows? You might even find that you can scale back on your paid media efforts once you start seeing the results of your content marketing strategy.
If content marketing spans the entire customer journey and multiple distribution channels, how in the world do you resource against it effectively?
Like we said above, there is a time and place for all kinds of marketing efforts. Paid and otherwise.
Acquisition content focuses on acquiring new subscribers, product content helps to win and retain customers, while lifecycle content helps to grow your business by providing a valuable experience for your existing customers. While all three categories are important to the success of your business, how much should you be focusing on each?
Our goal with this guide is to help you balance the scale on what content types you focus on and produce.
Have you heard of the 60,30,10 rule? If you’ve seen Netflix’s Interior Design Masters like I have then you know what it is. This principle states that when designing a room, you should allocate 60% of the space to a dominant color or pattern, 30% to a secondary color or pattern, and 10% to an accent color or texture. It's a simple and effective way to bring harmony and balance to your decor.
Just like if you want your space to look put together—if you want to maximize your marketing efforts—you best follow this general rule. As your business evolves, there may be periods of time where the distribution of your efforts isn’t perfectly aligned to this rule. Think of it as a general guideline. That means 60% of your efforts and resources should be dedicated to acquisition—growing your audience and subscriber base. 30% should be dedicated to lifecycle content—providing a valuable experience for your existing customers. And only 10% of your time and focus should be on product content—the ads you make to promote your shit.
I get it, this is a radical mindset change for some companies. But it's how the world works now. It’s how consumers consume in the 21st century. Some will think 10% isn’t enough, but I’m not saying you shouldn't sell. You should sell. And you should make a lot of money when you do. What I’m saying is that when you sell your efforts to sell should be more dialed in and focused. Less shotgun, more sniper rifle. You only have 10%, don’t waste it. Of course, you can always throw caution to the wind and go with a completely haphazard approach, but then you risk your marketing efforts looking like an episode of Hoarders.
Creating content is a crucial part of any content marketing strategy. However, to ensure that your content is effective, there are 5 things you should focus on before creating it:
Different platforms have different audiences, features, and metrics. Therefore, it's important to understand the platform you're using and what your audience expects from it. You should consider who you're trying to reach, what type of content is popular on the platform, and how the platform measures success.
Knowing your audience's behaviors is essential to creating content that resonates with them. You should understand what they're looking for, what their consumption environment is, and how they arrive at your content. This can help you tailor your content to their needs, making it more effective.
Your content needs to be better than your competitors or provide a unique point of view. There are three types of content you can create: topical, evergreen, and viral. By understanding these types, you can create content that's relevant, timeless, or highly shareable.
The delivery of your content is just as important as the content itself. You should consider the title, format, and packaging of your content. This can make your content more appealing, easy to consume, and shareable.
Finally, to ensure your content is effective, you need to optimize it. This means understanding how to "game the system" to get your content seen by more people. You can do this by using relevant keywords, creating meta descriptions, and promoting your content through paid advertising or influencer partnerships.
Creating content may seem daunting at first, but with a little inspiration, planning, and hard work, you'll be churning out high-quality content like a pro.
Step 1: Idea
First things first, you need to come up with an idea for your content. And let's be honest, that's often easier said than done. Inspiration can be elusive. But fear not, friend! All it takes is a little brainstorming, a little research, or a little inspiration from the world around you. Just make sure that your idea is relevant, engaging, and, most importantly, original.
Step 2: Script/Plan
Once you have your idea, it's time to turn it into a plan. You need to develop a script or outline that maps out the key points you want to cover, the structure of your content, and any visuals or multimedia that you want to include. It's important to be strategic and thoughtful in this step to ensure that your content is coherent, compelling, and informative.
Step 3: Create/Capture
Now, it's time to bring your idea to life. Depending on the type of content you're creating, this step could involve writing, filming, recording, designing, or any combination of these. This is where you put in the hard work to turn your idea into a tangible piece of content that can engage and inform your audience.
Step 4: Edit
Congratulations, you've created your content! But hold on, buddy, you're not quite done yet. The next step is editing, and it's just as important as the creation process. This is where you fine-tune your content, polishing it up to make sure it's the best it can be. You need to check for accuracy, consistency, readability, and engagement. Make sure your content is tight, cohesive, and free from any errors or distractions that might undermine its effectiveness.
Step 5: Publish
Alright, you've done the hard work, you've edited your content to perfection, and now it's time to release it into the wild. Publish your content in a format that is appropriate for your audience and the platform you're using. It could be a blog post, a social media update, a podcast episode, or something else entirely. Make sure you're putting your content in front of the people who will find it valuable and informative.
Email Marketing
You want to make sure you’re not blasting out those emails to your audience like a desperate salesperson. Instead, use your emails as an opportunity to provide value and insight. Segment your email list and send out targeted emails to your audience, highlighting your latest content. Use an eye-catching subject line, personalize it, and don't forget the call-to-action. And remember, always aim to educate, entertain, or inspire your audience, not just sell to them.
Social Media Promotion
Ah, social media. The land of the constantly scrolling thumb. To capture the attention of your audience on social media, you need to be strategic. Create eye-catching visuals, use relevant hashtags, and post at optimal times when your audience is most active. Share your content on all your social media platforms, and don't forget to engage with your followers. Answer their questions, respond to their comments, and foster that two-way relationship. And for the love of all that is holy, don't buy followers or spam them with irrelevant content.
Influencer Marketing and Collaboration
You want to reach a broader audience, right? Well, why not collaborate with other like-minded influencers in your industry? Reach out to influencers and offer to guest post on their website or social media accounts. You could also offer to do a collaborative piece of content, like an interview or a podcast. This way, you get exposure to a new audience while also providing valuable insights to the influencer's followers. It's a win-win situation.
Guest Blogging and Posting
Another way to get your content out there is to write guest posts or articles for other websites. Find popular websites in your industry and pitch them some topics. Make sure your content is high-quality, relevant, and provides value to the audience. When your content is published, make sure to promote it on your social media accounts, email list, and website. And don't forget to thank the website owner for the opportunity.
Account Based Content Marketing
If you want to target a specific group of people or companies, account-based content marketing is the way to go. This method involves creating content that specifically addresses the needs and pain points of a particular account or client. You can create personalized blog posts, videos, or even webinars. The key is to make your content as relevant and valuable as possible to your targeted account or client. And when you’re done, promote it using all of the methods above.
So, you want to measure and analyze your content marketing efforts? Well, you're in luck. Follow these four steps to measuring and analyzing your content marketing efforts like a pro:
Step 1: Track your metrics
Tracking your metrics is key to understanding the impact of your content marketing efforts. Metrics will help you see what's working, what's not, and where you need to make changes. Use tools like Google Analytics to track website traffic, social media analytics to track engagement, and email marketing tools to track open rates and click-through rates.
Step 2: Audit your data
Collecting data is one thing, but auditing that data is where the magic happens. Take the time to go through your metrics and identify trends and patterns. Look for areas where your content is performing well and areas where it's falling short. Use this information to adjust your content marketing strategy.
Step 3: Update your strategy
Based on the insights you gain from auditing your data, it's time to update your content marketing strategy. Look at the topics, formats, and distribution channels you're using and make informed decisions about what's working and what's not. Remember, your content marketing strategy should be a living document that's constantly evolving.
Step 4: Optimize your process
The final step is to optimize your content marketing process to improve your results over time. This might involve streamlining your workflows, refining your messaging, or experimenting with new tactics. Use your metrics to measure the success of your optimization efforts and continue to adjust your strategy as needed.
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