Your business needs a way to separate itself from your competition and one of the most effective ways to do that is with content marketing. 94% of buyers use online research to make decisions and content marketing can be the difference maker in the growth of your business.
Customer loyalty can be earned with content marketing.
What is content marketing? Content marketing is a strategic way to develop relationships with customers and turn them into advocates for your business with content such as video, blog posts, and infographics. This blog post covers how to start content marketing for your business to increase revenue.
Keep this in mind
If you are wanting instant results, stop reading this blog post and hire a sales person who can quickly land deals for your business. Content marketing is all about the long-game and investing in your target customer. Nothing about content marketing gets you a deal right away. With this strategy, you are able to demonstrate your knowledge and how you can help your perfect customer solve his/her problems.
Exceptional content marketing keeps customers happy. PC: JP Valery
How to start content marketing for your business
The first thing you need to ask yourself when starting content marketing for your business is , “Which problems are people paying me to solve?”. How do your products or services help people improve their quality of living? Below are a few examples:
High-end farm-to-table restaurant provides cooking classes to help customers eat healthier and gain a better understanding of local produce
CPA firm offers tax planning to save money and reduce stress experienced by business owners
Catering company creates memorable experiences with excellent service and food
Hardware store provides quality tools and accessories to help homeowners and contractors complete projects
Local pet store provides pet owners with tools, food, and classes to provide the perfect forever home for their animals
Hopefully the examples above help you have a better understanding of how to sum up the solutions your business provides. Let’s use the local pet store as an example for the next part of this blog post.
Content ideas that will help you gain more customers
Presenting at classes and workshops are an effective form of content marketing. PC: Priscilla du Preez
If you’re the owner of the pet store, there’s a good chance that not only do you want to sell more pets and products but you also want better educated pet owners who will take great care of the pets in their care. A better educated pet owner will not only take great care of his/her pets but will also keep coming back for more products such as food. Investing in customers by empowering them will turn them into customers for life.
Here are several ideas you can use for content marketing if you’re a pet store owner:
Facebook post with a picture of a betta fish with 3 tips every betta fish needs to live a long happy life
Facebook Live video showing how to set up a habitat for an anole lizard
Video explaining the best way to raise rabbits
Blog post on the top five most popular freshwater fish for advanced fish keepers
Facebook post on how often you should feed a puppy
Infographic on the lifespan and development of a kitten
While sharing your knowledge may feel like you’re giving away all of your secrets, you are not. The reason why content marketing is effective is it helps people realize that they can’t accomplish all of their goals without your help.
How often should you produce new content?
When it comes to content production, consistency is key. Content marketing is a lot like working out. You’ll only get results if you put in the work on a regular basis overtime. When you’re just starting out, it’s important that you don’t burn yourself out by trying to crank out content every single day. It’s important that you stick to a schedule that’s sustainable based on your time and available resources.
For example, do one educational Facebook Live video each week if that’s all you have time for. A weekly blog post is another option when you aren’t able to do anything else. On the other if you have a lot of time and the know-how, work on creating more original content. The same goes for if you have the resources to pay a content marketing expert who can handle your content needs.
Ultimately, the rate and frequency at which you produce new content depends on your time and resources but always be consistent once you start.
Key takeaways on content marketing for your business
Quality content marketing gives customers a reason to keep coming back.
To sum up everything you just read, remember these key points:
Content marketing is all about the long game. You’re investing in real relationships with your customers.
Focus on producing content that helps your customers solve the problems they’d pay you to solve. It makes it easy for you to generate valuable content that will build brand loyalty.
Like working out, consistency is key. You’ll yield long lasting results by producing content on a regular basis.
Once the content marketing train starts moving for your business, you’ll be able to develop a consistent stream of customers who will become raving fans of your brand.
For any questions you have about content marketing, email Josh at josh@jamiascreative.com!