Content marketing is a fantastic tool for companies to engage with current and potential customers. It allows for brands to control their message and can have a profound effect on sales if a piece of content goes viral.
Well-written content should be at the heart of any marketing strategy. However, over two-thirds of businesses don’t currently have a documented approach for their content strategy. But this will change as an investment in strong content continues to grow, with 75% of marketers looking to increase their spending in this area.
For those looking to write like a marketing pro, we have outlined some essential but easy-to-follow tips that will help grow your audience.
Research
Before putting pen to paper, it is crucial to identify the keywords which will help structure the article. Using online tools – such as Ahrefs – will allow you to determine the high volume and low competition keywords. This increases the potential to appear on the first page of search results, which captures 92% of all traffic.
Using a research-first approach means that content gaps can be identified and exploited. This will lead to a higher chance of marketing success. Useful research also helps identify the most effective content types. Where the chance of ranking on Google is low, informational content is a better option than commercial content.
Content optimization
Marketers often overlook optimized content, yet it remains one of the key pillars of success for content creators. Breaking up a long block of text into smaller sentences helps improve readability and entices readers to finish the article.
Including interactive elements throughout, like single question polls and quizzes, makes content more engaging and improves shareability. It makes even basic content look like it was created by a marketing pro.
Also, images have now become an essential feature for any well-written article. They help increase search engine rankings and break up long stretches of text. It is important to optimize the images with correct naming conventions, utilization of alt tags, and focusing on smaller file size.
Technology tools to become a marketing pro
A key ally of any content professional is the vast number of online tools created to facilitate the improvement of writing. Plugins such as Yoast for SEO and Grammarly for grammar provide feedback on how to improve the quality and readability of an article.
These tools identify the best practices of articles that Google and other search engines tend to rank better. They are also a great way to declutter an article and ensure grammatical accuracy.
Educate your readers
Great marketers understand that potential customers don’t just want to read content that is aimed at selling. Becoming an authority on a subject and helping to educate and inform customers is essential.
Helping people achieve their desired goal through fresh and straightforward content should be the primary goal. Content must be free of complicated jargon, which will help build consumer trust and keeps customers returning to the brand.
One of the benefits of informative content is that it is more likely to be shared, with infographics being one of the most shareable mediums. People are typically unwilling to share pages that aim for the hard sell. So make sure to provide potential customers with useful content.
Furthermore, when undertaking link building, informative content is more likely to be linked to than content that is looking for the hard sell.
We discuss if hard-selling days are over and explore the new emerging marketing trends.
Choosing a type
The primary aim when choosing your content type should be to increase customer interactions. Not all content types are created equal. Certain types of content have a far better chance of being shared and becoming viral.
We discuss about what makes content go viral.
For example, “why” articles, which tend to provide readers with a focused conclusion, perform exceptionally well. Similarly, list articles that provide numerous points on a specific topic gain the most social traction.
Evergreen content are topics that remain relevant and doesn’t have an expiry date. Creating this type of content helps build brand authority and keeps customers returning. Evergreen articles tend to be broad in their focus and remain relevant for more extended periods. But, it is vital to create a mix of content types because too wide of a discussion can be unappealing for customers looking for specifics.
Call-to-action
A compelling call-to-action can have profound effects on sales outcomes. Interestingly, consumers are more likely to part with their personal information if they are offered something in return. Using a call-to-action, with the promise of a free webinar, report, or eBook is likely to result in much greater success.
Providing something informative for free ties in with becoming an authority on the topic and increases customer engagement. There are a vast array of techniques at the disposal of professional content marketers. Every piece of content should be built on a solid foundation of research.
Content must be optimized to make it easy for both consumers and search engines to read. Fundamentally, content must be useful and give readers something they can share.
These techniques and strategies do not guarantee immediate success but when applied strategically and consistently, they definitely help your brand’s outreach.
Speak to a SYNC consultant to learn more about how you can become a content marketing pro and how to start your PR. Drop us an email at [email protected]
This article has been updated on 10 June 2020