What’s cool about the internet is that it provides alternative avenues not just for individuals who want their voices to be heard but also to businesses who want to have exposure online and get closer to both their existing and potential customers. Now, marketing is no longer limited to traditional media. Your brand can definitely get the exposure it needs just through the use of the internet and of course, the right strategies.
This is where the need of content marketing gets in. Basically, it is all about having your brand promoted online through the use of blog posts or contents in your own website. It essentially being online—where most people are, where they wander as they look for brands that are worth the trust. And the thing is, your business does not have to be big in order to do or afford it. Unlike traditional advertising options, this one is more affordable.
Now if you been nervous about the whole thing, calm down and read on. Delving into content marketing for the first time? Worry no more. Content marketing for small-medium businesses like yours should be easy through this guide.
1. Have your own website or blog.
The belief that only big companies should have their own websites is absolutely not true. Having your own website simply means being online so people can find out about you. We are now in a time when people are most likely to go online whenever they need anything or when they are eager to know more about a particular product or service. Having your own website is also a great start for you to promote your brand online because your website is supposed to contain all the important information about you.
Same thing goes for your blog, although blogs are often less serious and more personal. In fact, some companies use their blogs to generate content not just from the establishment itself but also from people who have already tried their products or services and have something to say about them.
2. If you already have one, make sure it is updated.
So you already have your own website, congratulations! Now, the next thing to think about would be how to maintain it and keep it updated. It is a crucial thing, really, as an out of date website can do harm to your business. The thing is, when a potential client visits your website and gets the impression that it’s old and out of date, he is most likely to doubt your credibility. He might also think that you have already abandoned it and closed down your business so instead of still dealing with you, he might just close the browser and look for another provider he can talk to.
3. Create very useful and compelling copies.
There are a lot of content available online. Now the question is, how can you stand out? The answer is simple: create copies that attracts people to your brand. To be able to do this, you should identify your readers first. This will allow you to effectively address them in the best way possible. The use of an intriguing headlines is also helpful. Knowing what your readers want and that will make them click on your article is the key to increase your site’s traffic and boost its reputation.
Then, above all, make sure that your content is able to give your readings something. Persuading them through a powerful headline is like giving a promise. Make sure that you fulfill your promise in the end so as not to betray your readers.
4. Use different media in making your copies more interesting.
The thing is, there are lots of ways on how you can make your copies more interesting. As we all know, there are a lot of cool stuff online which you can incorporate with your articles to make them more interesting.
Images and videos are among the top picks. They are not only entertaining; they also guide your readers to understand your article even better most especially that a large number of them are very visual. Apart from videos and images, you can also make use of applications like meme and typography generator to make your post more fun to read. There are a lot more you can made do with, actually. Just don’t hesitate to try things out.
5. Optimize your site.
Now that you already have your own site with good content, the next thing you should do is to optimize it and make sure it has the optimum chance to rank well on the search results page. One way of doing it is doing search engine optimization or SEO. Among the most common approaches to SEO involves properly inserting keywords, create interlinking links, cite related and existing posts and last but not the least. Making sure that your content will satisfy the intent of the person when he landed on your page.
6. Don’t forget about social media.
Social networking sites also play a very important role in businesses nowadays. Apart from providing a cost-efficient platform for brand promotion, these sites can also be used for more effective customer relations. Besides using social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to promote your freshest and hottest web content by sharing and therefore generating more traffic for your website, you can also make use of them to get insights and even responses from your followers. Social media will allow you to get access to the thoughts of your followers, too.
7. Build strong connections.
The saying no man is an island is definitely not obsolete, most especially in the context of content marketing. If you want to make your brand more noticeable online, you really have to ensure that you connect with people, particularly influencers like bloggers. These people can help you spread the word and since their opinions do matter, you can get extra exposure as you work with them.
8. Be consistent.
Lots of things happen on the internet each time. So, if you are really serious about dominating content marketing, you have to be really consistent. Remember, good content marketing practices and techniques could be less effective if you are not consistent. So what if your site is number one today? Once you stop, you lose the game. After all, you competitors are working hard, too.
9. Don’t stop learning.
Since the internet is fast-paced, you have to be very dynamic, too. Otherwise, you could just be left behind whenever there is a latest development in content marketing. Now, to always remain on the top of the game, do not be afraid to learn new cool things and learn how to take risks and try what seems to be worth trying.
Even magic requires hard work. Content marketing, which also does a lot of wonders with today’s brands, works in a similar way. Lots of things has to be learned and discovered. But of course, as long as you know what to do, it should be very easy.