Time Saving Tips for Content Marketing

The latest trend in marketing right now is “content marketing” or “content strategy” but what does it mean and how can you capitalize in it?

Content marketing is basically how to develop your marketing content strategically and use it across multiple marketing platforms. In the past, when a company created marketing content, very little strategy went into the design and creation of it. Of course, they ensured the messaging was right and target audience was identified but content strategy goes well beyond those points. If a company created a brochure, there was no consideration on how to use the material online in say a blog or social media or how to optimize content to cross multiple platforms.

Things to Consider When Creating Content
However, many elements are changing the way we write our marketing content:

• Marketing time is stretched so writing one marketing piece and repurposing it for many channels is even more important today.
• Keywords in blogs and on websites play a vital role in how search engines rank your website. This is not entirely new but the emphasis has increased in recent years so keywords are considered from the very first step in content strategy.
• Consumers research products/services online. In fact, 60% of consumers are more likely to be on the lookout for products when looking at websites that use content marketing (Source).
• Current changes to search engines algorithms have affected how our blog ranks and is viewed. For an example, Google’s recent algorithm update is focused on quality of content, not quantity so posting quality rich content is better than pumping out short, poor quality blog posts daily.

Consistency Across all Marketing Mediums
With this in mind, here are few considerations when creating your marketing material:

• Keep all your marketing platforms in mind when developing your content. If you are writing a sales letter to send out to prospective clients, think of how you can rework the content to fit into a blog post and later be shared on social media.
• If using a digital medium such as a blog or website, consider your keywords and how they influence your website and blog rankings. Check out Google Keyword Tool for help here.
• Have a catchy title. A snappy title intrigues the reader to read more when they see it on social media and on your home page.
• Your first line needs to grab the reader and pull them in. Opening with something catchy gives them a reason to keep reading the rest of your post. You have mere seconds to capture their attention before they are pressing the back button.
• Avoid big paragraphs – they should only be 2-4 sentences per paragraph. Large block text is usually skimmed over and is difficult to read or retain.
• Use bullet points when listing things or conveying important points. They are easier to read and have a better retention value.
• Avoid overpromising or things you can’t prove. Example: This will be the best sandwich you will eat in your life. You can’t prove this so why make the claim?
• Avoid buzzwords and clichés. Ensure your reader will understand the language and terms you are using.
• Unless it is simply a branding awareness ad or post, close with a call to action – make them want to interact with you. At the end of a blog, ask a question so they will leave a comment. On a website, have a contest entry if they go and like your social media pages.

In a letter or email, tell them to call to book their next consultation.

What tips do you have for great content creation?

Photo credit: JD Hancock / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)