How to make content marketing work for your brand
In the last few years content marketing has become even more important. It's not what it used to be, but it's still there.
The problem with content marketing in the last ten years or so is that it illustrated how easy it is to get stuff online and then build up a following. It is so easy, in fact, that children can now develop a tribe through a YouTube video (and we're talking young children here, making money) and become famous overnight.
But 'easy' doesn't always mean better.
Content went through a horrible patch where crooks and shady types were able to spam the system, writing 1000 word pieces for article farms and gaining customers because of it. We won't go into too much detail there, but suffice to say it gave us this guy:
The Rich Jerk phenomenon was basically all about online marketing, with most of that space being filled by people who just wanted to make as much money as quickly as they could.
Consequently, this made content marketing look bad. And what's more, it brought us acres of awful, SEO-stuffed content.
(The Rich Jerk was selling an online marketing product, and he promised the lifestyle in the video to anyone who 'worked hard'. That meant anyone who was committed to the task of fleecing people with click bait content)
Now, though, it's all changing. And content has become something inspirational.
The revolution
While it's true that there is a lot of bad content out there, some people are doing it right. They're creating content that teaches, inspires and engages.
However, they will not have got to where they are without a strategy.
Creating a content marketing strategy isn't a complex thing. Follow the simple steps below and you'll be there in no time:
Grab a vision
If I set myself a goal of finding ten new high-end clients by Christmas 2018, I'd ensure that my content was useful, and also pushed readers towards an offer. That makes sense, because I know my end goal is to have more clients and grow my business.
Having a vision and a purpose to your content marketing improves the outcomes massively. It stops you from just developing content for the sake of it. It also keeps you on the path. There's no distraction when you know what you're doing and why.
Build a picture
Big Data brought us a new culture of numbers and personas. Don't get stuck in the mire. Instead, just focus on making sure that you are always trying to find out more about your customers. Use questionnaires, competitions and the data from your traffic monitoring system. Use social media metrics to see what your audience likes and doesn't like.
Build the picture of an ideal client and then create content that serves that client.
Unleash, and track
Once your content is out there and it's starting to build up, start tracking it. I can't stress the importance of this enough. Use analytics to find out what is happening with your site. Use social media metrics to see what is making a difference. And every month, sit down with your team and dive deep into the content.
With high quality metrics software and analytics, you will save time and money by focusing on the kind of content that gets you results.
Make content marketing work for your brand by following the stages above. It's a complex subject and can't be fully outlined here today. But starting small with the steps above will certainly get you on the right path.
I write for brands. This makes them more money. They pay me too, so everyone's happy. If you would like to see some of the amazing content I've created, go to my portfolio here.