Content Marketing is the base of every marketing strategy. Brands whether big or small require content marketing to stay afloat. Its relevance today cannot be ignored, hence businesses that wish to be on top of the marketing game, need to follow an effective content marketing strategy.
Content marketing is the need of businesses today, however, it may seem a bit complicated if you do not have experts by your side. Here, we have compiled a list of Do’s and Dont’s for Content Marketing which will help you formulate a great strategy.
THINGS YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF (DO’S)
DO KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
To effectively communicate and connect with your customers, you need to first know them. Understanding your target audience is essential before you start creating content that might not be relevant. Do thorough research on what section of the audience is likely to buy your product or service, understand their requirements, buying tendencies, and pain points before addressing them. Once you know what your audience wants, you will be able to curate better content which they find relatable.
DO CREATE RELEVANT CONTENT
The content you put online should be relatable and informative. You need to be double sure about what you want to put on your website as it acts as a link between you and your customers. For a better conversion rate, you need clever content.
Restrain from putting up anything that adds little value to your customers. You must align your content with your brand image and customer requirements.
DO STRATEGIZE YOUR CONTENT
Content marketing has a wide scope, but jumping out the gun without having a clear understanding of your objectives will reap no fruits. A properly documented strategy is likely to give you results. Hence, you should have a clear idea of your goals, the processes involved and the metrics that would determine the success or failure of your content.
DO KEEP CONSTANTLY UPDATING
Content reaps benefits for long, but with time it may require some revisions too. For example, an article written for nanotechnology a year back will have to be updated to add-in any discoveries in the field during the twelve months. Thus, to keep the content fresh and relevant, you need to update it from time to time. It is better to revise it than to write it again from scratch. Also, updating your content pushes it higher in google ranking.
DO MEASURE YOUR EFFORTS
Content marketing is much more than content creation. If you want to do some serious business then it is necessary to set some goals to check whether you are on the right track or not. To know whether your content has succeeded in its goal or not, you need to analyze it on the four metrics which are Consumption, Share, Lead Generation and Sales. These metrics let you know whether people are liking your content or not, which content is being shared, creating leads or is encouraging sales. You can also take the help of Google analytics to have clarity on how well your content is performing.
DO ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE
Content influences conversions, but to make that happen you need to engage your visitors with something meaningful. Put up something informative for the readers that addresses their queries. Strike a conversation with them as and when possible and let them know about you and your team. Great content ensures better user experience which eventually leads to more business.
DO PROMOTE YOUR CONTENT
Promoting your content is quite important. People will not come to know what you have put up for them unless you promote it. Post your content on social media, share it on online groups, connect with influencers, invite guests, create polls, etc., to increase content’s visibility.
DO ENSURE QUALITY
Putting up quality content regularly results in increased credibility of your brand among the customers. However, putting up content just for the sake of doing so is not a great idea. Rather than worrying about quantity, look for quality. Thus, rather than focusing on the frequency of your posts, check on the quality of the content.
THINGS YOU NEED TO AVOID (DON’T)
DON’T MAKE IT ALL ABOUT YOURSELF
Promoting your business is important, but continuously talking about your products or services can annoy your customers. The readers visiting your page are looking for some answers to their queries. Instead of putting-off your potential customers by constantly talking about your product or service, engage them with meaningful content that answers their queries and encourages purchase.
DON’T JUST SELL
The ultimate goal of every business is to increase sales. However, customers are not coming to your page to read out a tedious sales pitch. You need to work out content that adds value to customers ensuring that they come back to you and buy your products or services. You need to keep a balance by making it not too obvious and neither shying away from selling.
DON’T BE EVERYWHERE
There is a lot to content marketing. Before you venture out, it is better to test the waters. Know your goals and strategize according to what your capabilities are. Being around everywhere can make you lose focus. Start with small steps and build thereon. You can also take the help of the experts.
DON’T EXPECT QUICK RESULTS
Content is a long-term asset that you need to constantly keep building upon. Great results will come over time, but do not expect any miracle too soon. It is obvious that you want to know where you are heading, but trying something for just six months and then expecting sudden growth in leads will take you nowhere. Don’t be discouraged or disappointed just keep on creating great content and you will succeed in your goals.
DON’T IGNORE CALL-TO-ACTION
CTA is an important part of content marketing strategy and you cannot afford to ignore it. Every blog you write or content you post online has a purpose which is to direct your reader through the various steps of making a purchase. Before you start a piece of content, know what you want to achieve through it. Be clear about the direction of communication and what action you want your reader to take.
Creating content is not enough, you need to optimize it as per the customer requirements, constantly update it and measure its effectiveness through various metrics. Have a clear understanding of your goals to know where you are leading to. Remember Great Content builds Great Brands.
