As someone who grew up relocating on a regular basis, I used to find the question, “where are you from?” tough to answer. When it comes to my career, I find I often face a similar need to explain. Plenty of people understand what content marketing means. But, just as many, if not more, have no clue. So, when I attend a networking event and introduce myself as the owner of a content marketing business, sometimes I’m met with a blank stare that only shows recognition after I further explain that I’m a copywriter.
Content marketing isn’t new and it isn’t a particularly difficult concept to grasp. But, it’s incredibly valuable to businesses, both big and small. Ultimately, content marketing offers brands an authentic way to connect with their audience.
What does content marketing mean? More importantly, what does it involve for business owners who are already managing perhaps more than they care to, especially if theirs is a new venture?
4 Ways to Access Your Audience Through Content Marketing
If you Google content marketing, you’ll get no fewer than 2,330,000,000 results. A quick check of the dictionary (digital version) defines content marketing as “a type of marketing that involves the creation and sharing of online material (such as videos, blogs, and social media posts) that does not explicitly promote a brand but is intended to stimulate interest in its products or services.”
Wait. Content marketing doesn’t promote a brand? Nope. Content marketing is about making a connection with your audience. Keep that in mind as you consider the following four ways you can better access and connect with your audience through content marketing…
Stake Your Spot within Your Industry
Creating and sharing compelling and informative material about your business is a solid way to stake your spot within your specific industry. In other words, your content helps establish and lend resonance to your unique voice. This helps position you as an authority within your particular realm for your audience. So, create content that represents what you do and why. You’re not alone in your field, but what makes you unique? Your audience needs to know.
Invite Engagement
A well-crafted blog post is a great way to educate your client base about your product or service. Adding a CTA at the end of each post that invites readers to respond or otherwise engage with your content opens up the opportunity to share feedback that could help shape your business. Excerpted facts, statistics, or even a thought-provoking question from each post can be highlighted on social media. Clicks and comments let you know how your content is being received, along with what sorts of information your audience most appreciates and needs.
Continue Conversations with Existing Customers
Once your content is connecting with your audience, you’ll find it’s easier to continue conversations with existing customers about their needs and how you can meet them. Those conversations could be about your specific products and services, shifts within the market that might affect those products and services, announcements regarding new hires, new locations, or anything newsworthy that your audience should know about your brand and industry.
Introduce Yourself to New Prospects
Committing to a content marketing strategy and creating original content on a consistent basis is a smart way to introduce yourself to new customers. Those social media shares and likes from your existing audience will help attract new viewers to your website, which should help convert those visitors into clients over time. Leverage your content in order to get in front of more people who need your particular good, service, or expertise. Always think from an audience perspective and you should be able to establish meaningful contact.
If you can’t invest the time to champion your brand’s content marketing on a strategic and scheduled basis, give our team a shout and let us come with a plan for how best to structure and share your brand’s story.
