What is content marketing? According to Joe Pulizzi of the Content Marketing Institute, “Content Marketing is owning, as opposed to renting, media. It’s a marketing process to attract and retain customers by consistently creating and curating content in order to change or enhance a consumer behavior.”
Basically, it’s the art of communicating with potential customers in creative ways rather than spending a ton on advertising.
Instead of the traditional way of promoting your product, you are giving information that makes your potential customer more intelligent. Giving them consistently valuable information would likely be rewarded with loyalty and business.
Here are some tips on how to spread the word:
- Know your customer
Knowing the needs and interests of your potential customers is the key to determine how to creatively appeal to them. Monitor the different social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc) to see which certain topics are trending. Once you’ve acquired a following, use their comments to create content to get more potential customers.
- Be consistent and plan!
Content marketing doesn’t stop with garnering an audience. Maintaining their attention is the next step. Develop a communications plan for the next few months that sustains your overall business goal. Ask for new ideas from your team to keep your audience’s attention.
- Quality!
Remember, content marketing is an introduction to your business. Set a high standard for it. Give the same quality as you do with the other aspects of your business.
Even though you’re treating it the same as your business, the tones should be different. Business transactions are formal; while it should be conversational and casual in social media.
- Be consistent but different!
You’ve acquired a following, created a plan for the next few months, and assured good quality for your content. Don’t limit your content to just blogs. Offer something different like a resource gallery or for example, you could make your FAQ page to answer hard questions related to your industry.
- Share sensibly.
Determine which social media channels are appropriate for your content. Build your company’s presence by connecting it with others on different networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, blogs, etc). Take note of your wording. It might be ignored if it sounds too promotional. Share when it could be beneficial to your followers.
Written by: Lea Serrato