The verdict is in, and content marketing is the future. While traditional marketing has focused its attention on direct advertising as means of promotion, consumers are turning more and more to beneficial and engaging content as a way to find and connect with organizations. In fact, recent data from HubSpot shows that 47% of buyers will look at three to five pieces of content before connecting with a salesperson.
If your organization is yet to join the 82% of marketers implementing content marketing in their strategy, there’s no better time to start than right now. Without content, you’re missing out on one of the best ways to engage your audience and boost traffic.
Getting started with little or no preexisting strategy can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. Here are three tips for starting out with content marketing at your organization.
Three is the magic number
Running a blog for your organization might feel like low priority when compared with your other tasks, but studies show that it can drive major traffic to your website. And it isn’t enough to simply add a tab to the top of your website and occasionally post a few thoughts. Your blog needs a regular stream of unique content to grow and keep an audience.
According to experts, the rule of thumb is to share a new blog post at least three times a week. Doing so will boost your search ranking, develop brand awareness, and drive increased traffic to your site. And with additional eyes on your organization, you’re likely to start seeing increases in conversions as time goes on.
With content, frequency is key. Commit to posting regularly and watch as your numbers grow.
Leverage SEO opportunities
Landing on the first page of search engine results doesn’t happen by accident. Organizations that earn that envied spot have learned the value of search engine optimization (SEO) and are actively seeking out opportunities to boost their ranking.
Make sure that any content you add to your website has a greater chance of ranking by checking for high volume, low difficulty keywords. Sites like SpyFu are excellent paid resources to help you find keywords you have the capability and expertise to speak on.
Know your audience (and your competition)
Undeniably, one of the most important tips for building a great content marketing strategy is to get to know your audience. What kind of customer do you want to draw to your organization? Once you have identified your ideal customer, the content you create must be tailored to meet the needs and interests of that audience.
Your organization isn’t the only one looking to capture the attention of your desired audience. It’s also important to look to your competition. Their content will be directly competing with yours for customers, and learning about their offerings can help you to strengthen and differentiate your own.
Your content marketing strategy is one of the most effective tools in your organization’s arsenal. If you’re ready to reach for the next level in thought leadership, brand awareness, and customer engagement, contact us today to learn more about how Allarium helps clients to develop and implement content strategy in an approachable, scalable fashion.
