Content Marketing components
As content marketing enters the mainstream
in Australia, I’m seeing a lot of worrying advice given to business owners
wanting to improve their websites. Some of it has to do with content but even
more relates to social media and search engine optimisation (SEO). This is
particularly troubling because a sound content marketing strategy needs three
distinct components in place to be effective. Those components are:
- Original Content is information, education and possibly even entertainment designed to establish your authority and expertise within your business. Content can take on a variety of formats including blog posts, infographics, video, print magazines, email newsletters, customer success stories, white papers and even photographs.
- Social Media encompasses online activity designed to attract potential customers to your content. Each shopper has a different social networking fingerprint. The goal is to understand what information they need when they’re shopping. Most consumers don’t want a relationship with a brand; they’re looking for help making purchasing decisions.
- SEO – It’s no longer enough to stuff your website and online content full of keywords about your business. You must understand where consumers are spending time and how they’re searching for information.
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| The 3 Essential Components to any Content Marketing Strategy - 2013 Global Copywriting |
“No strategy” marketing plan
When all three components are present, a
content marketing initiative is perfectly positioned to increase your traffic,
build trust for your business and deliver valuable word of mouth
recommendations. Use them in isolation and the results will be disappointing.
Stand-alone
content – This is sometimes referred to as the
“Post and Hope” method of marketing. You can invest put a lot of effort into
terrific content, but if no one knows about it there’s not much point in going
to the trouble of creating it.
Social
Media strategy - When social media is your only marketing strategy, two
things happen. You spend all your time in broadcast mode and you really have
nothing to talk about. Social media without content is just chit-chat. Very few
people feel compelled to buy after being bombarded with a one-way message
offering no real value.
Solo
SEO – Google has very clearly stated they intend to
deliver valuable search results to their client. Their measure of value is how
much original content is being published and how often it’s being shared.
Traditional SEO agencies are quickly converting to content marketing as SEO
strategies become increasingly dependent on content for success.
The key to online sales
If I could leave you with one piece of
advice, it’s this. Find someone who
incorporates all three components of content marketing before making any
investment in content, social media or SEO. While it’s tempting to rush in
and get started, too often no real results are achieved. Rapid changes in
technology, the maturity of social networking and Google’s focus on content
create a complex environment for online business owners to navigate. Spend time
developing a comprehensive strategy and you’ll be rewarded with targeted
website traffic you can easily convert into sales.
I’ll be a speaker at the Future Proof
Workshop on how
to develop an effective content and social media strategy at the Online Retailer
Conference in Sydney, 19 August 2013. Why not join us?
