There’s no better time than the beginning of a new year to kick-start your content strategy.
Whether you are launching your own company, trying to build your brand or consolidating the hard-earned reputation of your business – content plays a fundamental role in unlocking its true potential.
The production and distribution of well-constructed, quality content that provides your audience with engaging and relevant information can effectively position your brand as an industry leader. For instance, nearly 65% of B2B marketers believe content marketing programs were more successful in 2017 than the year before.
Generating quality content requires investment. And savvy business owners and marketers recognise the potential in maximising the value of the content they have commissioned or created. Here are the top tips for getting the most out of your content.
1) Publish your content on a blog or website
Become your own publisher! Owning and controlling the “master” platform on which you content is published, such as a website or blog, not only makes sense from a marketing viewpoint for social media distribution, but also drives consumer traffic to your main ‘shop front’. Publishing your work is the only way to build a steady readership.
For optimal results consider the aesthetics of your website. Make sure that it is easy to navigate and visually pleasing. Don’t be afraid to mix it up a little with visual, written and multimedia content.
Where possible link to other content that you have created, reputable websites or relevant, complementary online resources that your audience will see as an extension of the content you are providing. This can help to build an association between your brand and your content. Building trust between your readership and your business.
Finally, publishing content is an SEO win! High quality content that meets the needs of your audience is favoured by Google. Websites and blogs that are regularly updated with fresh, relevant, original content are more likely to be presented as one of the top results for a relevant Google keyword search.
2) Re-purpose your content
A little creativity can see one inspiring content idea transformed and repurposed across multiple platforms – targeted specifically to the environment of the channel and the audience needs. Consider linking one of your more popular blog posts to your latest e-newsletter and gain the attention of some less proactive members of your readership.
A few small edits can also see digital content ready for print publication or vice versa. Additionally, consider fleshing out the detail of a specific idea from a recent blog article that may lend itself to an industry-leading white paper.
Other blog posts may result in the perfect start of a series, or may be easily simplified into a fun, shareable infographic.
3) Social media
Take advantage of your social channels to reach an audience that is already willingly engaged and actively interested in your brand. Share content via your Facebook page, LinkedIn page, Twitter, or even Instagram. The organic reach of the content that you share is free and a great method of staying in touch with your target market. Write a snappy headline and an inviting introduction to entice a click through to the content. Invite or incentivise your audience to share the content if they have enjoyed reading it. This will help grow your organic readership.
For the best results consider the type of content that you present on each social platform. Every social channel attracts a slightly different audience. Embrace the opportunity to use images, video and infographics – there are some great royalty free online image libraries such as Unsplash.com to provide inspiration. Always link back to your original “owned content” or landing page. Keep an eye on the metrics collected by your social media channels and adjust the type of content that you publish based on the content that gains the highest level of interest.
4) Paid promotion
If you have a little more wiggle room in your budget, paid promotion can give your content the boost it needs to gain a broader audience.
Paid promotion via social channels allows you to promote your content to a very specific target audience. Facebook and LinkedIn offering users the ability to select their audience based on particular demographics including gender, location, employment type, online behaviour and interests. This means your content will be served to an audience that is already ‘warm’ to your content, giving you the opportunity to reach a larger pool of potential customers.
Native advertising presents another effective means of paid promotion. Tools such as Outbrain distribute your content on popular sites including the online home of traditional news media or magazines to help you access a broader audience. This is particularly useful when your content ties in with topical and timely news and events.
Whatever your business goals look like for 2018, maximising your investment in quality content can only help bring them to life.