It's a bad idea to create content for content's sake. Gone are the days when haphazard content marketing without a clearly defined strategy could succeed.
In the absence of a sound plan, content risks languishing on Google's last pages or having a negative impact on search rankings if it's of poor quality. Unless you're equipped to create relevant, high quality content, hold off until you're ready.
If you have no idea where to start, the tips outlined below can assist you in devising a digital marketing strategy that will not only have your readers clamouring for more, but also find favour with search engines.
Have well-defined goals
Your content will go nowhere without clear goals, so take some time to think about the reasons you are creating it. You need to know whether you're trying to generate more leads, boost awareness of your brand, attract past customers or attain better search rankings.
Only when you have defined your goals can you figure out how content can get you where you want to be. If you haven't determined your goals yet, do not pass "go"--content creation comes only after goals have been finalised.
Defining your niche
Once you have a great content marketing plan, you'll be better able to differentiate yourself from your competitors and offer something no one else does and that is valuable to your customers. Don't create content that should never have been published or offers no real value to the reader-there's enough of that on the Internet as it is.
All content you create should be one-of-a-kind, stand out from the crowd, be crafted according to the highest standards, have a voice and offer real value to the viewer.
Measuring your results
There are numerous ways to measure the results you're getting from your content marketing efforts.
Consumption metrics
How many users are reading what you post, how they discovered the content and whether they are fully consuming or sharing it are all valuable things to know.
Retention metrics
The stickiness of your content is important, so measure your bounce rate and suss out whether users are making repeat visits, as well as how many pages they visit each time and whether they are wilfully removing themselves from your mailing list.
Social sharing metrics
Take note of what content is being shared by which users or groups of users. Find out what's prompting them to share it, and analyse your results to determine what type of content gets the most shares.
Leads metrics
If your content is part of the sales funnel, you want to know exactly which part of the funnel it's at. Then you can find out whether it's actually attracting more leads or deterring them. Also ask yourself if there are gaps in content that, if filled, could make the funnel even more effective.
Audience research
Make the effort to truly understand your audience. One good way is to find out what other sites they visit often, as this information holds clues as to what type of content you should be creating. Your analytics should provide information on the types of content that are producing the best results. Finally, ensure all content is crafted with the user, and not yourself, in mind.
Hear what your customers have to say
While data analysis and number crunching have their uses, they can never capture the complete picture. Find out what your customers are saying on social media, as well as in conversations with themselves and other staff members. Speak to your customers directly and ask them specifically what their preferences are-it makes them feel like you care.
Create a content plan
Creating good content isn't just about hiring a bunch of writers. You need to craft personas that resonate and conduct research on your users to find out where you should publish. You should also know at which stage of the sales funnel your users will be at when they access your content, where you intend to publish it, the format of your content and what exactly it should be saying.
Amplifying content
Creating content is just your first challenge. It's common for companies to spend 50% of their budget just amplifying their content and extending outreach. Determine where your users are spending all their time online and make sure your content reaches them there. The more people assist in the amplification of your content, the better, so encourage employers, influencers and users alike to lend a helping hand.
Winning at the content game isn't that complicated, but it's a whole lot of hard work and trial and error. If you create fantastic content and find an audience that values it, you will eventually achieve success if you manage to bring the two together. Once you've laid the groundwork, just rinse and repeat, and eventually you'll have a much stronger brand.
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