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Have you noticed how much more difficult it has become to get people to click on ads these days? In fact, millions of people have started using ad-blocking software just to get rid of ads!
Fortunately, there is still an effective way for you to reach out to your target customers and turn them into loyal patrons, and that is content marketing.
People may not want to keep seeing ads on their screen, but they most definitely want information. And in this article, we will tell you how you can provide prospective customers with valuable information while encouraging them to patronize your brand at the same time.
People tend to appreciate brands more if they are able to get something of value from that brand, and that “something of value” can be something as simple as information. Read on to better understand how content marketing can propel your business towards success.
Double Your Web Traffic with Content Marketing
Sure, content marketing isn’t just about getting more traffic. In fact, there is so much more to content marketing than traffic. But if your content marketing strategy cannot even attract the minimum amount of traffic to get your business off the ground, then there’s no point in continuing it, is there? This is why it is important to learn how to gain more traffic through content marketing before you even think about such things as search rankings and conversions.
Here are a few suggestions on how you can attract prospective customers via content:
1. Guest Post to Extend Your Reach
When you guest post on legitimate and popular niche-related blogs, you effectively expand your audience base and showcase your expertise. Most of those who allow you to guest post on their blog also allow you to post a link to your own website either within the body of the post or in the author bio. Either way, you get the opportunity to draw those who are impressed with your content to your website.
2. Showcase Your Expertise by Publishing How-to Videos
When you do research on your target customers, among the things you need to find out are their interests. You then have to identify which of their interests are aligned with what you have to offer.
Do your target customers want to take better portrait photos? Are they interested in learning food photography? Do they perhaps want to master photo editing?
If your business is in any way related to photography, then you may want to create a series of how-to videos covering these and other related topics.
For this purpose, it is a good idea to create a YouTube channel where you can upload your videos. Make sure your Youtube video titles and descriptions are clear and specific. You may then want to post links to your website in the description. It is also a good idea to keep videos with entry-level tips on your YouTube channel and then provide links to more advanced tutorials, which are embedded on your website.
3. Share Your Knowledge Via a Q&A Series
Many people find Q&A posts interesting because they are easy to browse. You can also use them to your advantage by showcasing everything you know about your niche/industry. And they are very attractive to consumers because they open up opportunities for engagement. For example, at the end of a Q&A post, you could encourage readers to express their own questions in the comments section so you can address them in a future post.
Q&A sessions open paths towards engaging with your readers and earning their trust.
Ever hosted a webinar? That is another effective way to use a Q&A session to win more traffic.
Post teasers and invitations on your social media pages at least a week in advance so people can prepare their questions. You may then post the webinar on your website for the benefit of those who were unable to join, or transcribe the webinar for those who prefer reading. In fact, why not do both?
And, guess what? This type of content often gets shared, which increases the chance of gaining more traffic.
4. Be an Influencer by Building a Network
In content marketing, should you stop at earning the trust of your readers? Most definitely not!
You should also strive to earn the trust of other content marketers, particularly those who are influential in your niche/industry. Once you’ve ensured that your website is content-driven, start getting to know those people who constantly create innovative content, regardless of whether they have a small, medium, or large website.
The key is in surrounding yourself with people who consistently produce high-quality content. This will strengthen your reputation as an authority in your niche and as someone who values quality.
5. Earn More Website Visitors from Offline Interactions
Web traffic can be found not only on the Internet, but even in the real world. Attend niche-related and industry-related conferences and join niche-related/industry-related conventions. This gives you the opportunity to meet people who either belong to your industry/niche or are interested in your industry/niche. Open up conversations with them and invite them to visit your website (you may want to give out business cards for this purpose) some time.
Bring Your Business to the Global Stage with Content Marketing
Global. An intimidating word, isn’t it?
Or is it?
Going global does not necessarily mean marketing your business to every single country or locality in the world, so you don’t have to be intimidated by it. When we talk about going global through content marketing, it simply means extending your reach beyond your own locality and being able to compete with various brands from all over the world.
You don’t even have to go global. We’re just saying that you can.
The decision to go global (or not) depends on a number of factors, including the nature of your product, your budget, and the goals you have for your business.
• If your products are highly localized (e.g. traditional costumes and accessories for local entertainers), then perhaps there is no need to go global.
• If your budget is tight at the moment, then perhaps this isn’t the time to think about going global.
• If your vision for the business is to be the best in the industry locally, then maybe the challenge of going global isn’t for you.
If you want to go global with your business, content marketing definitely gives you a huge advantage.
What’s important is for you to realize that, should you wish to enter the global market, content marketing can be an effective way for you to do so. The Internet gives you the opportunity to reach people from across the globe at any time without having to spend that much.
When you post high-quality content on your website and/or social media pages, it gets seen by people from all over the world and if you open your website to the global market, people get the chance to buy your products regardless of where they are.
Here are a few tips on how to attract a global audience with your content:
1. Combine Evergreen Content with Trending Content to Keep Your Website Fresh
Of course it is advisable to consistently produce evergreen content—compelling and useful to your readers even long after it is published—so as to build your authority and become a go-to source of information for certain topics. This is the kind of content that helps you build a lasting relationship with your readers and turns them into loyal customers.
But that’s not to say you should shy away from producing some fun content that covers trending topics and milestones. These are the kinds of content that show people that you’re keeping up with the trends and are aware of what’s happening around you. It also adds “humanity” to your brand and makes you more relatable. A good mix of evergreen and trending content effectively makes your website and your brand global.
2. Repurpose Content to Appeal to Various Audiences
Do you have long-form content such as a white paper or case study? You can break that down into several short videos for an interesting YouTube series or perhaps turn it into a SlideShare presentation. You may also want to create a number of short articles from that long-form content to post as a blog series or craft an infographic using statistics taken from your long-form content. Repurposing is a major part of creating global content.
3. Use Tools and Resources to Manage Your Content
There are tools you can use to make global content marketing easier to handle, and a CRM is one of them. This tool helps you track your customers and determine what kinds of content they consume, share, and download. You’d also do well to have a content management tool, which enables you to easily manage the content creation process. It would also help for you to seek out resources that provide valuable advice on messaging and value propositions.
Conclusion
Yes, content marketing plays a major role in ensuring the success of any business these days. But in order for it to truly work to your advantage, you need to understand that it isn’t something that delivers instant results. It is a long-term solution you need to work hard at and spend a lot of time on. It is something you need to consistently work on if you really want to achieve the desired results. So, be patient, be consistent, and be smart. Soon enough, you’ll reap the rewards of your hard work.