Content marketing is a very important part of your marketing strategy. There’s only one small problem. You need to have a steady and consistent supply of content for it to work.
What content do you need to create that will attract the right traffic for your business?
Here are some tips that allow you to build an effective online presence, visibility and traffic for your business.
1. Keyword research
Many successful and profitable websites have built their success on keyword research. Their content is largely created on what the people are looking for online. You can simply use the same strategy.
2. Quora
Quora has a huge amount of traffic. It contains queries on a ton of different topics. Simply find your niche, and look through the queries to discover what people are trying to find out about. Then create content for your target audience.
3. Customer Questions
Your own customer support is an invaluable source of ideas because you hear straight what information your customers and prospects are looking for.
4. Blog Comments
Comments on your blog enable you to listen directly to your marketplace, and you can then create content to respond to those needs.
5. Twitter
Search Twitter and discover what’s happening in your own niche. As well as comments you’ll see links to a lot of other content that could help inspire your own. You can create effective content when you know what people searching.
6. Hot Topics
What are the main topics of conversation in your niche right now? Search hot topics on Google and then create your content.
7. How-To Tutorials
How-to type content is very popular, and providing such content is a great way in which you can immediately gain authority and trust with people. You’ll also find people get referred to your tutorial from others who have benefited from your articles.
8. Items in the News
What’s in the news right now that affects customers in your niche? Always the news attracts a lot of traffic because people want to learn the news. They searching for a new way to make their life better or a new effective solution for their problem.
9. Previous Content
The content you have created before can easily become the basis of new content. You can approach it from a different angle, or use a different media.
A blog post written previously can become the basis of a video on YouTube. Topics briefly touched on before can be expanded into completely new content items.
10. Interview With an Expert
An interview with an expert is very effective because people want to learn secrets and tips from an expert. Just make a list of questions, and record the conversation… use Skype or a Google Hangout.
Content Marketing Tips
You know “content is king”. What you don`t know is where to start when it comes to creating a continuous flow of effective, lead-generating content.
The best approach is to simplify. Determine what content you need to create. Then, plan how to create it, and where to put it to generate the greatest impact. Here are the tips.
1. What
The content must be relevant to your audience, so you need to know what`s most important to them. Then you can provide content they’ll find useful; content that might entertain, surprise, or even shock them.
Useful and high-quality information captures attention, encourages your audience to look for more, and, best of all, gets people talking about your brand.
Also, the search engines love the fresh and high-quality content. So you will achieve higher rankings.
2. How
Research your audience’s needs, problems, and identify specific areas of interest. This can be done through surveys, quick polls, customer interviews, prospect interviews, and general market research.
Curate content for your audience from other industry sources; add your insights and ask your audience to add theirs;
Establish regularly featured content – case studies, customer interviews, product releases/reviews etc.;
Use your articles to create multiple pieces of content. You can create videos, infographics or images. Then post it to social media sites, e-news publications, websites, blogs, etc.;
Encourage your audience to co-create, adding their content to yours.
3. Where
You need a distribution plan. Start by identifying distribution channels and platforms. Combine multiple channels and platforms to maximize the value of the content in attracting audience attention.
Direct them to where you want them to go and driving the action you want them to take. Posting an article on a Facebook or LinkedIn page can be supported by a tweet to let your audience know that something new is there.
E-news subscribers can be advised that something new and of interest is on one of your social media properties or your website. Twitter followers can be directed to the latest issue of your e-newsletter, etc.
Content marketing isn’t very difficult, but it does require doing your homework, building a plan, and executing it with discipline. Take action, create a content marketing strategy and grow your business effectively.
