Implement a New Content Strategy to Grow Your Brand and Your Business

So in my role at Edgewater, I talk with people daily about revamping websites and building new ones. Typically, the prospective customer will have a laser focus on the design – the look and feel of a website without any real thought about what content will be going into the website. Time and time again, I advise prospective clients and existing clients that presentation is important, but only to showcase great content that is written to help them attain their business goals. A great frame only improves a work of art. It draws your focus to it. Compliments it. But it’s only there to contain… that’s right. Great art. So with that thought, let’s take a basic look as to why a good content strategy is so important.  

Whether you're an established business, or you're just getting started, the importance of using the right content strategy to build your business should not be overlooked. Because businesses of all kinds have undergone enormous transformations due to technology, it's crucial that you do everything in your power to ensure that your business does not get left behind. Even if you recognize the importance of things like web design, SEO services, and content development, it can be quite difficult to implement them in unique ways that lead to lasting results for your business. If you are interested in using the right content strategy, but you're not sure where to look or how to get started, then follow our simple guide below. Let's begin.

Why does content strategy matter?

Business happens online in today's world. You may want to believe that the old ways are still relevant, but research has demonstrated time and time again that most of today's business takes place online. So what can you do to be sure that your business has a strong online presence, and why does it even matter? It matters because so much of your brand's recognition and credibility hinges upon the quality of your content strategy. When you use the right approach to your online marketing, you will notice enormous gains in the overall growth of your business.

Businesses that neglect their content strategy efforts fall away often. Even businesses that were once successful have been overtaken by the online branding and marketing strategies of newer models. Take for example the huge explosion of the popular online streaming platform Netflix. Before them, Blockbuster was the supposed king of entertainment. Because they did not do the work to develop their content strategy for a culture going online more and more, assuming their place as a superior entertainment business, an up and coming company like Netflix was able to topple them all by using the right approach to technology and marketing and, well... let's face it, Stranger Things. (That show rocks!) Anyway, don't let your business fade away as a result of lackluster online marketing. There are so many options available to ensure the growth of your business for years to come.

Why should I hire a content strategy company?

Even if you're familiar with basic content strategy ideas, it's helpful to understand the advantages of using a company that specializes in this kind of work. A good example is the field of SEO (or search engine optimization). A surface understanding of this practice will help you improve your web presence, but if you lack a deeper knowledge then you can actually end up doing more harm than good. I can't tell you how many people I've seen simple Google themselves and think that what shows up in results for them is what shows up for everyone else. Nope. Need an example? Okay, For almost 10 years I worked at Rice University. So when I Google "rice" you think I'm getting the latest recipes for that yummy fluffy white food? Not a chance.

So, we often see people who don't know any better, forcing the use of keywords and unnecessary content, which can quickly alert search engines and customers alike to their insincerity as a brand. When you work with a knowledgeable SEO company, you can avoid this so that you're certain your business is easily discoverable online, while also maintaining its integrity.

While it may be easily observable in your day to day operations and interactions, it's interesting to explore some tangible examples of organizations that have had success by using a focused content strategy. For example, organizations that use marketing automation saw a revenue increase of 10% or more over 6-9 months according to data from Gartner research. When you consider this increase over any significant span of time, it's easy to see that the effectiveness of the right content strategy can have an enormous impact on the growth and success of your business. What's exciting and inspiring about this is that it does not matter what industry you are in, or how much experience you have. Any business can start using the services of content generation specialists to start growing their brand and their business.

Of course, implementing the right content strategy can be a confusing process. It's prudent to choose a company that has years of experience and a proven track record of past success. If you're looking to improve your online presence and grow your business with an amazing content strategy, then <blatant pitch>contact us today</blatant pitch> Yeah, I didn't even try to hide that one. Oh well. Regardless, we'd love to get started on developing the right strategy for your business.

Agree with me? Disagree with me? Comment in the comments section below. I’d love to hear from you.

Sean Rieger is Chief Marketing Officer for Edgewater Digital a boutique digital marketing agency in Houston Texas. Before taking up the torch for small businesses everywhere, he built digital teams, tactics, and strategies for Honeywell, Rice University, the Houston Rockets, and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Everything else about him is kind of boring, so we’ll just skip it. You're welcome.