What is content marketing? It’s the art of understanding exactly what your customers need to know and the science of delivering it to them in a useful, compelling way. Learn the secrets for coming up with the right topics to engage readers, hiring and managing the best writers and putting content solutions together to earn trust and drive sales. These 20 savvy tips tell you how to implement a content marketing strategy to win the war of words on the web.
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Content Marketing
TipsWhat is content marketing?It's the art of understanding exactly what your customers need and want to know, and the science of delivering it to them in a useful, compelling way. It's engaging content created by great writers using testing techniques that wins the war of words on the web.For more content marketing tips to engage readers and keep them coming back for more, visit ideaLaunch.com. Tip 1
EstablishTrust First
Earning trust is the ultimate goal of content marketing. And it's not easy. Start by listening to your customers and asking them questions. Discover their problems and supply the solutions they need. Make sure that the content you create is something customers can believe and offers guidance and advice in a meaningful way. This type of information will build trust in your company as a solution provider and eventually lead to the sale.Tip 2
Listen UpWith SocialMedia
Listening to what people are saying about your company, your brand, your service and your competition is the starting point for content marketing. Traditional methods for harvesting data include customer surveys, focus groups,feedback tools and other methods that tend to push out questions that pull in the answers. But Social Media has changed all that. Online conversations can be tracked and measured with free tools like Search.Twitter.com, Google Alerts, Technorati, Boardreader and more.Tip 3
Listen Upwith Analytics
Listening to what people are searching for on the web is another starting point for content marketing. Keyword research tools offer insight on keyword popularity, pay per click price and the hot topics for content creation. Web analytics tell you which keywords drive traffic to your site and what pages readers land on for answers. Bounce rates tell you if visitors like the content they find, and conversion rates tell you if they believe what you say.Tip 4
Beyond SearchEngines
Social media takes you beyond search engines. You understand how to conduct keyword research to find the current memes in your online community. What tags do people use, and what's top of mind? Social media referrals not only happen, but such leads are more valuable. Why? Because prospect customers became interested by reading something valuable that resonated and caused them to want to work with you - and tell their friends about you.Tip 5
Stop Selling& Start Selling
Talking too much about your company, your product features and benefits, your exceptional services and awards is guaranteed to turn off customers. Instead, focus on customers' needs and wants. Your customers demand educational content without the marketing spin. Cut back on the self-promotional speak and earn trust with your customers with quality information that's readily available online. Quality content makes you a trusted advisor and partner with your customers.Tip 6
Bewarethe Bias
Turning your company's website into a "destination" site for your target audience is an ambitious goal. Why? Readers view information sites created by companies as "biased" and therefore less valuable. If possible, create intellectual articles and videos from industry leaders outside your company to help validate your commitment to knowledge vs. sales. Offer free tools that solve problems on-the-fly. Remove all promotions within any rich content to confirm your commitment to thought leadership.Tip 7
Great Contentfrom GreatWriters
Great content is more than useful information. It's compelling, entertaining writing that hooks readers and keeps them coming back for more. After all, searchers and browsers are readers. So a successful content marketing strategy begins with great writers who know how to craft a story and tell it well. Carefully screen writers, and hire only the best. Great content isn't easy to write, but some writers have it down to a science. Find the best writers.Tip 8
Pick Writerswith Expertise
Who does your customer want to talk with on a daily basis? Probably your product experts and customer service people. Develop content that answers your customers' product and service problems, and have your employees use your content in their conversations with customers. Content that solves questions in a genuine voice will do more to engage customers and grow your business.Tip 9
Tips BuildTrust
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