What is content marketing?

15 Aug

Content marketing is the creation and publishing of articles, content and information aimed at a specific target audience. As an ‘inbound’ marketing strategy, it aims to attract attention and draw customers in to find out more about you.

The subject of the material is often based upon an existing question or problem that customers already have and might already be looking for an answer for, such as ‘how to’, what is…’ or ‘where to find…’.. Content is typically published through digital channels such as social media, email marketing, website blogs, video and stories etc, but can also be published through press magazines and newspapers. Cross-promoting content across multiple channels is a great way to build momentum and maximise your reach.

When you publish an article online through a website blog, content marketing has the added bonus of improving your SEO as search engines such as Google can see that you have unique, quality content that readers are interested in. If people have clicked onto your website from social media, an email newsletter or another website, then Google’s rating of your site will improve further. And by including relevant keywords and phrases, you can make it even easier for Google to find your article and deliver it to a reader who is searching for what you offer.

What should I talk about?

When you first started your business, you had an idea or a skill that made you think ‘I could do this for a living’. Something that excited you, that you knew was different and worth putting into business. Now is the perfect time to remember that feeling - even more so if your business has evolved since then. Recapture what makes you special, and share that ‘shine’ with new customers who will be attracted to it, and existing customers who will be reassured that you are the best person to be working with.

Think about your ideal customer and brainstorm what problems they have, and how you can fix that problem for them.

What commonly asked questions might a new customer want to know? How, what, where, when, why etc
What makes your business special? What do you do that your competitors don’t?
If you make a product, can you explain how it is made or show behind the scenes?

Also think about different ways that customers could enjoy your content; video, audio, podcasts, downloadable and shareable graphics, infographics, listicles, interviews, case studies….

A website blog is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate your expertise and show customers that you know what you are talking about. If you are the only company that makes a certain product or offers a service that’s different from other businesses, then a blog article is a great way for you to explain all those features and benefits. Sharing background information gives your customers confidence to buy from you, and encourages them to trust you as they see you as a real person with experience rather than a faceless business.

It’s a good idea to stick to one subject per piece of content and to publish them in a logical order, for example, taking customers through different stages in your sales cycle or introducing new products as they are launched. Whether you write articles, make a video, record podcasts or create infographics, your content can form the foundation of your social media campaign.

Remember your brand ‘voice’ when creating any type of content. To learn more about brand language, read our article ‘How to find your voice’.

Get creating!

As the expert in your business, you are the best person to brainstorm your content. If you want to make a video, start by storyboarding what you want to say, how you want it to look, who will feature in the video, what products or props you’ll need, what graphics or screen content you want to share, and who will record it for you.

If you’re writing an article, start by planning your article with bullet points, include any relevant statistics and facts (with sources) and then start to flesh out the text. It’s unlikely that you’ll sit down to write an article and find the words flow effortlessly and in a logical manner, so be patient with yourself. Type your thoughts as they come into your mind and allow yourself to reorder and rewrite them as many times as required - you’re likely to think of things to add once you step away from your article and do other tasks.

And if you’re not a confident writer, don’t put yourself under pressure. You are the expert in your business and that’s why people buy from you. Why not hire a copywriter to create your article for you, either based on your bullet points, or by researching and suggesting viewpoints and subject areas to include?

For visual content, a graphic designer will be able to help you create graphics either to accompany your articles or as standalone downloads and shareables, or there are free online tools such as Canva and Pablo that you can use.

FREE CHECKLIST:

If you’re writing a blog article, don’t miss our FREE checklist of ‘10 things to do before you post a blog article’ which will help you confidently share accurate, interesting and engaging content that will boost your website SEO and help your customers to find your article.