Content is King: Lead with Content
Content is king. Have you heard this before? This is a quote often used when speaking of content marketing strategy!
But what does it actually mean?
It implies (and for multiple reasons, you will see!) that high-quality, unique and relevant content significantly contributes to the online success of businesses.
Do you currently have a content strategy? If you don’t, keep reading because you are turning your back on a very powerful tool to attract and retain clients.
Content marketing makes you stand out from the competition
Your content is the prelude to your offering.
But why do you need a prelude you may ask? Can’t you just promote your products and services and start selling?
It might have been true decades ago, but it sure isn’t the case anymore!
In a world where the average American sees between 4,000 and 10,000 adverts a day both online and outside of the online space, you’re going to need a little more to sell your products.
Consumers are truly flooded with a significant amount of information each day. With the competition being so high, it’s important to care about what you put out there and how you get in touch with your potential customers.
People won’t spend money on you before they know and trust you!
They first need to experience you and your brand. And that’s the goal of your content marketing strategy! The content you publish will help introduce your brand, make you stand out, and will aid in establishing a trustworthy relationship with your audience.
What does “content” really mean
The huge difference from traditional marketing is that we’re not talking here about paid ads!
Content Marketing is the creation and sharing of online material. It encompasses all parts of your business that people can connect with: this includes your website, blogs, emails, portfolios, and your social media. Essentially anywhere that you can be seen, and provide information and content to your audience, is an opportunity for you to sell and market not just your services, but your brand as well!
Content marketing is creative, personalized and it carries a lot of value. It’s not about creating just to create. It’s about sharing valuable information and truly connecting to your audience.
A KILLER CONTENT MARKETING STRATEGY FOR INTERIOR DESIGNERS, READ MORE
Content Marketing for SEO and Google Ranking
Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is the process of improving the quality and quantity of website traffic to your website from search engines. The most common one? You know it is Google!
And yes, your content marketing is what improves both your SEO and Google ranking.
The more optimized your content is, the higher up you will rank on Google, the more chances you will have to be found by your audience, the more website clicks you will get, and essentially, the more revenue you will be able to create.
Using specific keywords in your written content will help Google (or another search engine) to identify who to send to your site! It’s thus important to have a clear idea of who your audience is and what they are looking for.
A steady stream of fresh content, such as blogs or landing pages, that use relevant keywords in a conversational manner, will get the attention of Google.
Get the attention of Google, and you’ll get the attention of people who are using that search engine every day. Once you have captured their attention, you can build a stronger relationship with this audience, improve engagement and brand recall, and ultimately translate interest into sales.
Content Marketing for Social Media and Community Building
Social media is quickly becoming a hub for lead generation and sales. People are connecting with experts directly through social media as it offers a space to share your work easily.
What is great about having a social media account is that it will help you to build your community of trusted clients. You can interact with them in real-time and it is easy and simple for people to re-share your content and work.
The personalized and intimate nature of social media means that you will also build trust faster with your audience than through a traditional website or email communication.
You want to ensure you create content that brings value and important information that people can’t find elsewhere. Make it clear why people need to hire you. But also spend time creating a more personal relationship with them. Sharing behind-the-scenes content for example is always a great way to connect and show the people behind the brand!
Hashtags on social media work in a similar fashion to keywords on your website. Using specific hashtags will allow people to find you and here again, you’ll want to know exactly who you are targeting to pick the right hashtags!
Knowing your audience will also help you to identify which social media is best for you!
For more info, check out TOP 3 SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS FOR INTERIOR DESIGNERS
Frequency & Strategy
Content creation is not a one-time-only thing! Staying consistent is key! Nothing is less useful for a business than an infrequently updated Instagram or Facebook page. You have to be creating new content frequently and this is why having a strategy is really important.
The more you post, the more people will get familiarised with you and your work. But don’t compromise quality over quantity! If you consistently share high-value content, people will come back for more. You build trust this way and also an element of excitement and anticipation.
Having a calendar, and/or scheduling your content helps you to stay on top of things and to make sure it is supporting your bigger goals.
Still unsure you need a content marketing strategy? Check out the following 4 reasons:
1. Increasing Brand Awareness and Recognition
Fresh and regular content allows you to define your brand. Every piece posted creates a library of work that people begin to identify as yours. Delivering content aligned with your brand will make it easier for people to notice you. Eventually, when someone is in need of your type of product or service you will come to mind.
2. Build Trust
Content builds trust in a completely different way than paid advertising. It moves customers through your funnel in a way that feels more organic and personalized. Brand authority and reputation are also expressed through content. Your content reflects your business status. You are an expert in your industry, you want people to know this from the start, this is why your content should reflect your expertise.
3. Increase Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty
Content allows you to give real value to customers and to interact with them. When people feel appreciated, they will come back for more. Offering freebies through a newsletter, discount codes for friends and family, sharing testimonials – adding a personal touch, no matter the size of a company is important.
Having a variety of content will keep your audience connected with you. People are drawn to different things, so be sure to utilize a wide range of resources for your audience such as eBooks, blogs, videos, testimonials, infographics, interviews, etc. The more regularly you update your content, the more likely people are to visit your site. People will want to see what’s new. Essentially publishing new content brings people back, often. And Google loves it, too!
4. Generate Sales
Here we are! Now that your audience trusts and loves you, they are ready to buy! Quality content leads to more sales. Because your content reflects your expertise and has been so useful to your audience, once you release a new offer or once they need your services they’ll be ready!
To learn more about content marketing and to increase your reach and engagement check out our blog here
Content marketing shows an audience who you are, what you do, and often it’s the first step in attracting potential customers. After all, first impressions are the most powerful and the content you will share will be the first impression your audience will remember! Every post, website update, or change in content is an opportunity. An opportunity to attract new customers, retain existing ones and make more sales.
If you need help building your content marketing strategy that will support the growth of your business, we’re here for you!
Click here to schedule a Complimentary Brand Consultation.
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