Content is King. For a while now in the marketing industry this has definitely been a buzz word and as we saw in our 2016 Marketing Trends – Part 2 blog this is something that will continue for the foreseeable future. Content Ideas generation is at the heart of marketing in today’s world and especially so for a small business as your content then influences your website, blogs, emails and social media activity.
So often my clients say “I just don’t know what to write”. Hopefully the following article will help. For me, the first step for generating interesting content is to get a watertight content plan in place. Dedicating time to thinking about what to publish, and when, takes a lot of the pressure off.
Create Content Ideas with your audience in mind:
The type of content you choose to publish should always be based on your business, some forms of content will be more successful than others when it comes to your target audience. The first questions to ask are ‘what does my audience want?’ ‘why are they on my website?’ and ‘what do they hope to get from their time here?’ Perhaps they want to read news, discover industry insights, to be entertained, or to be tantalised and inspired. Perhaps they’re looking for an answer to a specific problem, which your expertise can address. Taking an audience-led approach to content marketing will not only help you define the type of content ideas you should be creating and the tone of voice to write in, but will also help you to maximise results.
Choosing the right Content Mix:
There are so many types of content to choose from, and it may be the case that some are more relevant for your audience and business than others. Try to alternate between the following types of content: blogs, articles, infographics, videos, image-based posts, slide shows, brand-focussed news or testimonials – only you can decide what mix can work for you and your business. If you run a product-based business, you might like to rely more on image-based content, for example.
What to Write:
You may often find yourself sitting down at your computer and asking ‘what should I write about today?’ If you’ve run out of content ideas, a good starting point is to think about what’s in the news, what’s coming up in terms of national/international events, or even what’s trending on social media. Can you link your brand to what’s happening in the wider world? Staying current is key to attracting new audiences. As mentioned in my previous blog on content trends for 2016, you could also consider content curation. This is where you take a certain topic and put together a hub of information from other sources. Your audience will thank you for making their lives easier, and you might even learn something new along the way. Just remember to fully credit any outside sources you use. Here are some thoughts to get you started about where you could go for inspiration!
Rules for successful Content Marketing:
Having a plan in place is important, as a regular posting schedule can loyalise your online audience. Many internet users have fairly short attention spans, so keeping content to no more than 500-800 words in length is ideal. Maximise the reach of your content by sharing each piece across your social channels – this can also provide you with the basis for regular social posting. Finally, I’d advise sticking to writing about what you know. If you’re keen to tackle a new subject or type of content, why not ask a contact for some advice first? Don’t create content for the sake of it – remember: quality over quantity wins every time!
If you think you could benefit from a helping hand in writing a content plan for your business please do get in touch via email: sophie@rimumarketing.co.uk.
Wishing you a successful March!
Sources: http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2011/02/content-mix/
