A content marketing strategy is a roadmap that not only tells you what content you are going to create but how you’re going to create, promote and ultimately use your content to attract, retain and convert more readers and followers into NEW CUSTOMERS.
While pretty much every small business and startup understands the value of content marketing, it can be intimidating to get started. The most engaging social media pages are regularly posting blog posts, launching podcasts, or dipping their toes into the world of video, and it can seem overwhelming. Today, we are hoping to get rid of some of that pressure you’re feeling and simplify the process of creating a foolproof content marketing strategy for 2020.
1. Define your Content Marketing Goal: Before you start with WHAT you’re going to create, it is crucial to define WHY you’re making it. How are you going to measure the success of the campaign? More engagement? More likes? More followers? More sales?
If so, how many? Best-selling author, prolific marketer and entrepreneur Seth Godin explains the importance of understanding your why early on. “Matching what you build to where you put it is more important than what you build in the first place. That’s why we need to start by understanding what is this for?”
2. Social Media Stories: The art of storytelling is about relating to your audience, not only telling your story but how you contribute to theirs – how can you help them solve their problem. Using the story feature on Facebook and Instagram allows you to reach followers faster and will enable you to be more creative. Five hundred million users publish Instagram stories, and more than 1 in 3 said that they have become more interested in a brand or product after seeing it on Instagram Stories. Be authentic; show your personality. Be Specific – speak to your audience and avoid being generic.
3. Create content with the intent of collecting email addresses: Your email list is one of the most valuable assets your business has. Ultimately you have a hand-picked list of people that have a direct interest in what you do or sell! Many companies fail in creating a way to capture the email addresses of their clients and potential clients early on. There are several ways to add email subscribers to your list:
- Start with your current and past clients. These are people that are already interested and have used your product or service.
- Give incentives when visitors go to your website or social media page in exchange for their email address (20% off, free shipping, a free download of an e-book).
- Contests and giveaways. Contests are excellent content for your story, as well. Send them to your website to enter to win a giveaway.
- Collect email addresses from ALL customers.
By now, you should know pretty much everything you need to plan and execute a “rock star” content marketing strategy this year. If you create content that’s helpful to your target audience, they’ll give you their email for it. This is the beginning of effective inbound marketing, and certainly the signs of a great content strategy.
If you have any questions about getting your content marketing strategy off the ground, drop them in the comments below or give us a call at 828.209.8066.
