Are you ready for your content marketing to bring your business to new heights in 2019? Awesome!
As you probably know, it’s vital to have a proper strategy in place to succeed. Content marketing continues to grow and evolve, and keeping up can be a challenge. Instead of spending hours looking for updates, take a look at these five must-haves for a successful content marketing strategy.
Here’s what you need to know!
1. Make a Commitment to Content Marketing
The most ineffective marketing you can do – in any channel – is inconsistent marketing. No one will pay attention to you if you post on social media once, or send a postcard a couple of times.
Marketing of any type takes commitment. Is your organization committed to content marketing? Is there a budget for it? Is someone (or are multiple people) engaged in creating written content, videos, social media posts and more?
What about search engine optimization (SEO)? SEO is a proven way to build a consistent audience and gain visibility over time. Are you spending time discovering keywords, optimizing content, and positioning your website as credible to search engines?
If you don’t commit to content marketing in terms of budget and personnel, you can’t expect good results – the same as any other marketing effort.
2. Focus on the Customer’s Buying Process
Too many companies waste time and energy telling everyone how great they are. Skip it – no one is interested. Instead, talk about what folks are interested in – their research and buying process.
They say, “Everyone likes to buy but no one likes to be sold,” and your marketing strategy should focus on shepherding your audience through the buying process. Help them become aware of your products and services, understand their need for it, choose the best option, and commit to buying.
One great way to do this is by using long-tail keywords. Someone looking for “party clothes” could have almost anything in mind; someone searching for “clothes for a garden party” has told you a lot more about their intentions.
Do you need help mapping the buying process and choosing keywords? You might want to get assistance from this internet marketing company in Toronto.
3. Build Loyalty Through Content
Consumers are no longer choosing what they purchase and where they buy it based on price and selection alone. Instead, they are interested in a brand’s message, consistency, and broader purpose.
This is great news for content marketing! You can use content to share all of these messages regularly across a variety of channels. If you stand for something, consumers are much more likely to feel loyal to you and buy from you. They even spend more – emotionally connected customers have a 306% better lifetime value than those who are merely satisfied.
4. Educate to Nurture Toward Purchases
If you’re a B2C company, you’re fortunate to have a shorter buying cycle than a B2B company. However, in either case, a significant percentage of your leads are just not ready to buy when they first discover you.
Taking the opportunity to nurture them through your content is often the better strategy. No matter where they are in the sales funnel, you can encourage them to learn more and take the next step forward. Have they just discovered you? Help them understand who you are and why you created your product or service.
Are they interested in what you’re offering? Educate them on the ways that your product or service can make their life better. Use the language they use in their day-to-day life to describe their concerns, and then present ways in which you can help.
Are they ready to buy? Use your sales content to reinforce their loyalty to you and help them decide that your product or service is perfect. Include scarcity or a discount to encourage them to make the leap right now.
After the purchase, provide incredible customer service and encourage them to leave reviews or even become an advocate for your brand. Help them see what else you offer that they might enjoy.
Though this process you can engage everyone, no matter where they are in the sales funnel.
5. Document Your Strategy
Just a few years ago, only 40% of B2C marketers and 37% of B2B marketers had a documented content marketing strategy. Not surprisingly, those that did were much happier with their results and clearer on their ROI.
If you haven’t documented your strategy, you’re missing an opportunity to make it better. Whenever you write something down, you’re forced to face what holes exist in the process. You may find you’re losing leads in specific areas.
More than that, you have to choose someone to own the process and be in charge of execution. That alone can make a huge difference in your effectiveness. Don’t be afraid to make it official – document and assign your content marketing strategy!
When you take these five steps, you’ll be well on your way to seeing great results with your content marketing in 2019.
YES! “your marketing strategy should focus on shepherding your audience through the buying process”.