An online personal branding strategy should include a content marketing component because it allows you to show your expertise. However, many people question how to effectively use content marketing for personal branding. Here are six tips that can help:
#1: Answer your audience's questions
You don't want to produce content marketing for the sake of content marketing. Instead, you want to produce content marketing that positions you as a problem solver - answering your audience's biggest questions. If you're not sure what questions your audience has, check out Quora and Yahoo Answers, or ask your followers on social media. You can also use Google Search to find questions related to your industry.
Keep a running list of these questions, and use these topics as the basis for your content marketing strategy. That helps ensure you are always solving people's problems, which builds your online authority and stature as a subject matter expert.
#2: Don't use content marketing to sell to your audience
The whole idea of content marketing is to produce high-quality content for your audience without selling to them. The moment you try to sell through content marketing, the moment you will start turning off your audience.
Content marketing is a lead generation tool. It helps identify people who may be interested in purchasing your products or services - so you can sell to them through other channels. Selling and content marketing don't mix. Stick with high-quality content, and the sales will come.
#3: Consistently use content marketing
Content marketing can be hard work, and that's why many people abandon it after a while. When you decide to use content marketing, it's essential that you use it consistently to boost your personal brand.
One of the best ways to consistently produce content is to create a content marketing calendar. When you have a schedule, you are more likely to stick to it.
#4: Vary your content marketing efforts
Many people automatically think "blogging" when they consider content marketing. Yes, blogging is one of the most effective content marketing methods, but it's not the only one. In addition to blogging, you can shoot videos, create infographics, publish ebooks, share recipes, make an e-course, write a press release, produce a podcast - the list goes on and on.
When you only use one method of content marketing, you are not reaching your entire audience. For example, not every one reads blogs. Instead, they may watch videos on YouTube. If you don't create videos, you are missing out on reaching this segment of your audience. Diversify your approach to grow your audience.
#5: Post content marketing in different channels
Hand in hand with varying your content marketing methods, you want to vary where you post your content too. Again, if you only post on your blog, you are missing out on connecting with people who haven't discovered your blog yet.
This is where social media comes in. Use Pinterest to share your infographics, and post your videos on your YouTube channel. Whenever you create a content marketing piece, think "where are all the places I can post this?" This will help you attract more people to your personal brand.
Finally, if you are an active blogger, make sure to post your articles on other people's blogs and websites. Again, this will help extend your reach, drawing more readers to your blog and growing your personal brand even more.
#6: Take an occasional risk
It's okay once in a while to take a risk with your content marketing strategy. With the dozens of content marketing methods available, think about how you can stretch your creativity and really express your personal brand.
For example, if you're making a video, consider adding a blooper reel or outtakes video to show your blunders. Video marketing is a great way to show the human side of your personal brand, and who doesn't like to giggle at our own mistakes!
Content marketing, when done correctly, is a fabulous way to show your expertise and boost your personal brand. Put some thought into your content marketing strategy, though, so you are not wasting your time and energy. Think diversification, risk and helpfulness, and your content marketing will be more effective overall, which will translate to a stronger online personal brand.