Nowadays, everyone talks about content marketing; however, many businesses rush the process without careful planning. So, let’s begin with what content marketing is and why it’s an essential facet of your marketing strategy.

Let’s start with the definition.

content marketing (noun) – marketing that tries to attract customers by distributing informational content potentially useful to the target audience, rather than by advertising products and services in the traditional way: content marketing through blogs and email newsletters

Dictionary.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.dictionary.com/

More businesses than ever have embraced social media as the “go-to” marketing tactic, creating visuals and stories to share information and engage consumers. However, there is a lot of poorly written and irrelevant content floating around the internet. Done correctly, content marketing can be an effective way for businesses to expand their reach, increase brand awareness, drive leads, and position themselves as thought leaders.

The key to effective content marketing originates in the creation of a strategic plan. If you’re simply sharing information for the sake of sharing, hoping something will stick, you’re likely missing the mark. Yes, your content may reach a few customers or prospects, but not as many as anticipated.

With a well-defined strategy in place, you can focus your efforts to target those individuals or businesses that are truly important to your success. Here are a few ways to improve your approach.

Post with a Purpose

Instead of haphazardly posting any content that seems slightly interesting, review each piece and then ask yourself, “Why does this matter?” to my target market. What benefit will it have for your customers or followers? What is your goal in sharing that information? Align content with your business goals and always be looking to educate or engage your customers. You may come across a great article, but if it doesn’t fit with your brand or doesn’t provide your audience with relevant information, you’re taking away from the positive momentum you’ve been striving to build.

#Know-your-Audience

Don’t try to be everything to everyone. Concentrate your efforts on who your target audience is and what interests them the most. It’s not about you; it’s about them. Build loyalty. Whether you’re appealing to young professionals, car gurus, or savvy investors, use your customer personas to shape your strategy and messaging. Take the time to review website and social media analytics to see which previous posts have gained the most traction and engagement. Leverage customer feedback and social listening to find out what is top of mind. Then you can begin organizing your content calendar.

Plan in Advance

Rather than having multiple people writing blogs and sharing posts on whatever topics interest them, put an organized plan in place. Break down content topics by week or month and select a theme. But, be flexible enough to change your topic depending on current events. For example, the effect of COVID-19 has impacted how we all conduct business. A timely podcast on “How to stay in contact with your clients during uncertain times” is more relevant than “Event planning tips for your next social gathering.”

Sit down with your team and brainstorm a list of blog topics, assign writers, and determine deadlines. Identify reliable resources. Brainstorm keywords that your content will fit within. Having an organized calendar will make creating and sharing content easier, and it will help position your business as a thought leader in your respective industry.

Find the Right Medium

People respond differently to different mediums. Ask yourself, what is the best format for conveying the message? Is it through an article or blog, a podcast or audio clip, a video, or an infographic? Using different mediums will generate responses from different sectors of your readership. Change things up from time to time to keep your audience engaged and the content interesting. Pay attention to how your audience reacts to the different formats and track what generates the most activity.

#Make-use-of-SEO

Make sure your intended audience can find your content by incorporating keywords and phrases that align with common search terms. Using Google Analytics is an effective way of tracking keywords and guiding search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. Try adding popular hashtags and note the response. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new approaches until you find what works. And keep in mind – as industries evolve, so do trends and buzzwords, so stay abreast of what is happening in your target market.

Partnering with a marketing strategist can help your business get on the right track and improve your content marketing efforts. Stop wasting time with haphazardly designed marketing initiatives and zero in on what tactics align with your business goals, objectives, and audience. Start putting out content that matters and that your clients want to read. Contact YGL Enterprises today to learn more about how we can help. With our “focused strategy – marketing solutions realized” approach, we guide you in taking your business to the next level in a systematic way.