Content marketing is a proven way to build your brand and increase sales. 59% of content marketing budgets are spent on content creation and distribution according to Target Marketing Mag due to the return on investment. The best brands in the world have developed long-term relationships with their customers through consistent, quality content. In an age when we consume countless amounts of content through various social platforms, content marketing can be what you need to scale.
Content marketing educates and empowers your customers.
What makes a piece of content valuable? How do you know if the content you’re producing is valuable. Your content is valuable if it helps your target audience solve real problems.
Here are 10 content marketing ideas that will improve your brand and gain the trust of more paying customers:
Evergreen educational blog posts
This is type of content has produced a great deal of success for companies all around the world. For those who don’t know, what does evergreen mean? Evergreen content is content that stays true and still provides value over the years. For example, a dentist writing a blog post on the top 10 foods to avoid for a better smile will never get old. A physical therapist might create a blog post on 3 stretches that will help people with tight hips. Evergreen blog posts provide you with content you can share over and over again.
Industry predictions
One way to set your brand apart from your competition is to share your thoughts on the direction of your industry. You can share your insight through different types of content such as video, infographics, and blog posts. Here are a few ideas you can use and customize to your business when it comes to content focused on industry predictions:
Here’s what every HR director needs to know with the new California state laws
10 things you need to try with your YouTube marketing in 2019
This is how VR will change real estate sales
Avoid tax penalties by doing these 7 things in 2020
Here’s what China’s new tariffs will mean for small businesses
Share your knowledge on Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories are a quick way to educate your followers and gain organic engagement. Stories don’t stay forever unless you add them to your highlights. By using Stories, you can share industry updates and tips. You can use Instagram Stories to run polls and quizzes to better get to know your followers and help them make better decisions.
Facebook Live videos with a guest expert
An effective way to increase your organic reach on Facebook is by using Live videos. To get more fans and engagement, team up with a guest expert on a topic in your industry. The video doesn’t need to be super long. It could even be a 5 minute chat on a trending topics. For example, if you run a mixed martial arts (MMA) school, here are a few different experts you can team up with:
Strength and conditioning coach
Sports psychologist
Nutrition expert
Amateur MMA champion
Muay Thai champion
MMA referee
When you team up with experts in your industry, you organically increase your reach and engagement because they have their own following.
Infographic explaining how to use your product/service
It’s not uncommon for a business to receive negative reviews from customers who don’t understand how to properly benefit from a product or service. It’s not fair to an appliance company’s online reputation to take a hit from customers who don’t use their products properly. It’s not fair to a tax accountant to deal with a complaining client who doesn’t send the tax accountant all of the information needed to file taxes. An infographic can help customers be more empowered. When customers are empowered, they will be happy and be more loyal to your brand.
Email marketing campaigns
Another way to regularly connect with your followers is with email marketing campaigns. There are many different things you can share via email from notifying customers of discounts and sharing blog posts with them. Remember that one of the keys to successful email marketing is consistency.
Polls on Facebook
Do you want to gain a better idea of your audience’s knowledge? Do you want to know their opinions about the features of new products? Facebook polls are a simple way to gain quick feedback. Here’s how to create a poll on Facebook that people will engage with (link). You can gain more information on your audience in an organic way.
Instagram Live ask-me-anything (AMA)
An AMA Instagram Live event is an effective tool if you regularly receive a high percentage of engagement on your Instagram Business Profile. This content marketing idea can be a great way to develop relationships with followers especially if you have a large following. Industry thought leaders can gain new followers and further establish themselves as experts after an effective AMA session.
Guest blog post collaboration
Like the Facebook Live videos with industry experts, the power of a guest blog post is in the collaboration. Your guest should be from a company whose products and services compliment your business. Doing so will create more opportunities to pass business to each other. Another benefit of a guest blog post is improved SEO. You’ll be able to earn more backlinks to your website.
Educational workshop
One way to increase brand awareness while creating more opportunities to increase sales is by running a workshop. Workshops give your followers and fans a chance to interact and actively learn together. You’re able to better empower your customers by helping them gain more knowledge.
The workshop you host could be an hour long. It could a few days long. The important thing is that you focus on providing value the entire time.
Always provide value by helping your target audience solve their problems.
Always keep in mind that content marketing is about the long game. It’s important that you’re consistent in your content production and that you continue to share your knowledge. Your investment in content marketing will put you in position to be an industry leaders and will help you develop long lasting relationships with your customers.
For any questions you might have about content marketing, email Josh at josh@jamiascreative.com!