If you’re looking to build your business and drive more traffic to your website, then content marketing is the way to go. According to a whitepaper published by Marketo, “content marketing has been proven as an effective tactic for engaging customers and increasing brand loyalty.” With over 78 percent of marketers now using some form of content marketing, it is no wonder that it has become so popular.
The following tips will help you with all aspects of writing your content plan:
Develop Your Content Marketing Strategy
When putting together a content strategy, the first thing that comes to mind is keywords. However, keywords do play a large part in search engine optimization (SEO), but they are only one aspect of SEO – not the entirety. You should also consider your target audience, what type of content they respond to, and what will grab their attention.
Once you have a good understanding of your target audience, it is time to start creating content. The best way to do this is by knowing what content is already popular in your industry and creating something similar, but with your own spin. This will help you attract people who are interested in your niche, as well as those who are looking for new information.
Another important part of content marketing is distribution. You need to make sure that your content is getting in front of the right people, whether it be through social media, email marketing, or paid advertising. And don’t forget about tracking and measuring your results so that you can continue to improve your content marketing strategy.
If you’re looking for more tips on how to create an effective content marketing plan, be sure to check out Marketo’s whitepaper, “The Marketer’s Guide to Content Marketing.” In it, you will find detailed information on everything from developing a content strategy to measuring your success.
3 Types of Blog Posts
It is no secret that blogs are a great way to generate traffic and leads for your business. In fact, according to HubSpot, businesses that blog generate 55 percent more website visitors than those that don’t. But not all blog posts are created equal. There are three types of blog posts that you should be using in order to engage your audience and generate the most leads possible:
1) The “How To” Post
According to HubSpot, posts that provide an in-depth instruction on how to do something are one of the most popular types of blog posts. This is because they show your audience that you are a thought leader and an expert in your industry. If someone has a problem or wants to know how something works, they will turn to your website for the answer.
2) The “Listicle” Post
While most people think of BuzzFeed when they hear the word listicle, it actually refers to any post that is similar to a list (i.e., 10 Ways That X Affects Y). Listicles are popular with audiences because they allow them to consume information quickly without having to read through long paragraphs of text. Many of the most popular listicles include ones like “17 Grumpy Cat Quotes That Will Make You LOL.”
3) The “How-To” Listicle
Just when you thought that listicles couldn’t get any better, here comes the how-to listicle. According to HubSpot, these posts are just as popular with audiences because they combine two successful types of blog posts into one. So instead of creating a single post on how to do something, create a listicle with tips on multiple topics so that your audience can stay engaged for longer periods of time.
Create Quality Content That Your Customers Will Love
Now that you have a solid content marketing strategy ready to go, it is time for the fun part – creating your content! You need to keep in mind that this is not just about create a Wikipedia page for an artist what you want to say, but rather about what your customers want to read, this means no more self-promotion and talking only about yourself. Instead, focus on quality content that will help people solve problems or answer questions they have related to your industry.
There are plenty of ways to create valuable and engaging content for your business: infographics, videos , podcasts, case studies , ebooks , and webinars . You can also write articles like this one or record social media posts like Facebook Live videos . The key is to mix it up and keep your audience engaged.
Promote and Distribute Your Content
Once you have created your content, it is time to start promoting it! This can include sharing it on social media, emailing it to your subscribers, or even placing ads for it. You should also make sure that your website has a strong SEO foundation so that your content can be found by people who are searching for information related to your industry.
Track and Measure Your Results
As with any marketing tactic, you need to track and measure the results of your content marketing in order to see how well it is performing. This includes things like website traffic, leads generated, and conversion rates. By doing this, you can figure out what works and what doesn’t, which allows you to continuously improve your content and marketing.
With these tips a change or improvements in mind, you should now be able to develop a strong content marketing strategy that will help you increase website traffic and gain more leads. This is an effective way to grow your business – just keep track of the results so that you know when it is time for a change.
Now that you know how to develop an effective content marketing strategy, it is time to get started! Keep in mind that this is a process that takes time and effort, so be patient and stick with it. And don’t forget to track and measure your results so that you can continue to improve your strategy.
