Content is everywhere. Every day, consumers are inundated with text, image, audio and video content via email, social and text from nearly every organisation we engage with online or off. There is no disputing the popularity of content marketing among B2C and B2B marketers alike.
But because of the significant initial expenditure of time and resources you need to dedicate to content marketing, you may still be questioning whether or not it is an appropriate strategy for your own business. From strategy, drafting, publishing, distribution and measurement, some marketers still question the ability of content to deliver a return on investment. Some even don’t understand that its value can be measured.
Our web experts share some serious benefits businesses like yours can realise from developing and implementing a comprehensive content marketing strategy.
1. Authority and visibility for organic search
When adopting a content marketing strategy, you’d want your content to be read, liked and shared by customers. One of the primary reasons for that is to develop domain authority on the keywords and phrases your business wants to be found for in search engines like Google.
Maintaining authoritative content is a core principle behind how Google determines search engine rank. In some categories, content must exhibit Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness or E-A-T. Otherwise, you are not even considered for top search engine positions.
Consistent, high-quality relevant content can both establish your visibility in organic search results, which in turn builds brand awareness (among other beneficial marketing byproducts detailed below). Of course, establishing yourself as an authority on any topic is not a simple or quick task. It’s worth getting right, though, as the long-term benefits can be enormous.
2. Increased organic and referral traffic
Simply put, content that ranks higher in the search engines attracts more clicks from those looking for the top-ranked answers to their queries. In other words, this traffic is based on consumers searching for specific answers. This means you need to target and properly tailor your content with strong calls to action. That way it can lead to prospects quickly becoming customers.
Relevant, high-quality and high-ranking content is also more likely to gain the attention of other website owners looking to better inform their audience or build their own authority through association. As such, quality content will attract valuable inbound links from relevant third-party websites, which will in turn further add to your growing authority.
These links from relevant sources have the dual effect of driving both traffic and authority for your business, which in turn can have a positive effect on your rank. All of these components, beginning with the content you create, are effectively intertwined.
3. More social engagement
As stated, all content should be created with the goal of having it read, liked and shared. The latter are both signals of social and organic authority or social proof. To this end, content creators should be diligent in including calls to action within their content and providing easy ways for readers to share content either via social media or otherwise.
Additionally, the creation and distribution of high-quality branded content open up two other increasingly important channels: user-generated content and influencer marketing. Today’s consumers, and particularly those who are in a younger demographic, will quite often take to social media (particularly Instragam and now TikTok) to back the brands, products, and services they like and trust. Their followers, by extension, are likewise more likely to trust and purchase from brands validated by their peers.
The same principle relates to influencers and their loyal followers. Influencers have their own personal reputations to uphold. As such, they are only going to work with those brands that reflect their values and generate high-quality, engaging content.
4. Targeted content for the customer journey
A well-defined content marketing strategy accounts for the provision of content to support your consumers throughout their buying journey. That journey may consist of awareness and consideration stages to conversion, retention and advocacy stages. Content created for each stage of this journey enables your consumer to confidently complete each stage. At the same time, it builds long-term trust in your business and brand.
Content marketing is very much a growth strategy. Here are a few different ways content moves the needle:
- Awareness content primarily designed to educate users is the first step in driving them to your website or other online points of presence. (e.g., blog and social posts, whitepapers, infographics).
- Consideration content enables your users to gain a deeper understanding of your specific offerings relative to others available to them. (e.g., case studies, webinars, reviews).
- Conversion content helps your prospects validate their decision to actually choose your solution over others. (e.g., demos, free trials).
- Retention content bolsters and supports your offering with continuous value adds and helps your customers ensure they have made the correct choice (e.g., help documentation, customer newsletters).
- Advocacy content shared with now solidly entrenched customers entices and enables them to share your offering with other potential customers from a position of trust (e.g., referral requests, testimonials, webinars).
5. Higher conversion rates
When all of the above benefits are taken into account, quality content marketing campaigns tend to convert at a higher rate than most other marketing techniques.
Targeted, trusting consumers are much more likely to buy than those who have been temporarily swayed by a catchy three-line ad or clickbait headline. Again, people generally choose to purchase from brands they trust. And trust is developed over time via relevant, authoritative content.
As noted, strong and clear calls to action incorporated into your blog posts, articles, videos and other content will aid in progressing your prospects through to conversion.
6. Multi-format content
The beauty of most content is it can be repurposed and reproduced in multiple formats for sharing across multiple platforms and channels furthering your potential reach and brand awareness. For example, a single case study can initially be created as a traditional combination of text, tables and images. It can then be repackaged and shared in the video, infographic, blog post, social post, social ad, podcast or print formats.
By establishing a set process for repurposing content you can introduce time and resource-saving efficiencies to positively affect your bottom line.
7. Evergreen content
While creating fresh, new content is challenging and generally labour-intensive, there is also an opportunity to save significant time by leveraging evergreen content.
While core concepts may remain constant, environmental changes frequently require updates to the specifics of product and service offerings. As time passes and situations change, there is always the potential to take existing high-value content and update it to reflect the “new normal.”
Brands have had to be particularly agile over the past 24 months in order to react to changing social and societal norms. Those who do so successfully benefit from time savings, as well as boosts in customer trust and loyalty based on their willingness to be empathetic and flexible.
8. Low cost in the long run
Creating fresh, new content may be challenging and generally labour-intensive. However, there is also an opportunity to save significant time by leveraging evergreen content.
While core concepts may remain constant, environmental changes frequently require updates to the specifics of product and service offerings. As time passes and situations change, there is always the potential to take existing high-value content and update it to reflect the “new normal.”
Brands have had to be particularly agile over the past 24 months in order to react to changing social and societal norms. Those who do so successfully benefit from time savings, as well as boosts in customer trust and loyalty based on their willingness to be empathetic and flexible.
Post content on your Top4 advert
Our location-based marketing platform Top4 are baked in with several features that allow you to post images, articles, announcements and promotions pertaining to your business.
With our Article Post module, you can maintain an engaging and unique blog to further improve your rankings. But, as previously mentioned, the content you provide has to be relevant and useful for your prospects and customers.
In addition to the Article Post module, the Top4 Galleries feature allows you to showcase the products that your service and business sell. Add your real photos of your businesses to increase exposure to potential customers.
You can also show photos of your interior or what is inside your service and business office. This really works if you own a restaurant, cafe or bakery. Showing your restaurant’s features, such as a kids area, bar venue or smoking area gives additional details of your business that might attract certain potential customers.
Furthermore, use the Galleries feature to promote what you do. If you do campaigns, fundraising or any local promotions, show it on your Top4 advert. Upload the photos of your activity and let your potential customers know what you do and the causes you support.
As far as content goes, Top4 also has a feature that lets business owners share promotions and discounts. With our Promotions feature, you can easily add specials when you launch a new product or offer any product discounts to your current and potential customers.
This feature can also be handy when you want to make announcements about your local business, like reopening schedules or in-person appointments post lockdowns.
To find out how we can help you with your Website + Marketing, using our unique location marketing platform called Top4, get in touch today at www.top4marketing.com
Looking to build customer loyalty through social media? Don’t forget to add your business to Top4.com.au
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