Give up on content marketing if you're not willing to do these 3 things

Content marketing is a tried and proven way to build your brand and increase your revenue. It also can be frustrating if you’re not getting the results you think you deserve. The truth is that there are three things that are probably holding you back from succeeding in your content marketing strategy. These three things are simple but can definitely be frustrating. Before we dive into those three things, let’s break down what content marketing is for people who are unfamiliar with it.

What is content marketing?

Content marketing is a way to drive more sales and increase brand awareness through the creation and distribution of content that informs, educates, and empowers your target audience. This content can be in the form of blog posts, videos, infographics, and white papers. All of this content you produce is designed to help your customers/clients solve problems you’re best at helping them solve. Here are a few examples of topics you’d cover in your blog posts, videos, infographics, etc. depending on the business you’re in:

• Accounting firm:

  • Use these 5 tips to make tax season less stressful

  • Should you use Quickbooks for your business?

  • How to figure out what you’ll owe in taxes this year

• Boxing gym:

  • How to wrap your hands

  • Here are 10 foods you need to add to your diet to improve your boxing

  • Why you need to hydrate every day

• Physical therapy office:

  • How to stretch your legs after a run

  • What’s the recovery time for labrum surgery?

  • Here are 4 ways to warm up before a long run

• Wedding planner:

  • Here are the most popular spring color combinations in 2020

  • Why you should consider hiring a caterer for your wedding reception

  • How to pick the perfect outdoor venue for your summer wedding

If you’re an expert in any of these industries listed above, there’s a good chance you can easily provide the answers to the content topic ideas. Knowing how to wrap your hands for boxing as a boxing coach is second nature for you. The same goes for staying on top of the latest color trends if you’re a wedding planner. Your content doesn’t necessarily have to go deep and in-depth in order for you to provide value with your content.

3 things you need to do for content marketing to succeed

Below are three things you need to be willing to do in order to succeed in your content marketing efforts. If you’re not willing, it may be in your best interest to give up on content marketing altogether.

1. Do your research: In order to create quality content, pay attention to industry trends and listen to the problems your customers are dealing with. Stay on top the latest topics and issues by researching the work and content from thought leaders in your industry. This might also mean collaborating with experts in your sector who complement your business. Here are a few examples of businesses that can team up to expand reach and credibility:

   • Fashion photographer/fashion designer

   • Nutritionist/running store

   • Video marketing agency/copywriter

   • Skincare company for children/daycare

   Partnerships will help you build a stronger brand and position you to help more people.

2. Be willing to pivot: If you’ve only been producing infographics with no return, try out other content ideas. Be willing to mix it up try out video marketing and blog creation as well. You should also create content centered around a varied range of topics within the industry you are in. For example, do more than just talk about diet and nutrition if you’re running a Crossfit gym. Talk about injury prevention and sports psychology as well.

3. Play the long game: It probably sounds really cliche but content marketing is a marathon, not a sprint. You’re investing in your brand and building a solid relationship with your customers. All of the major brands didn’t achieve their legendary status overnight. They focused on creating quality products/services in order to help you solve real problems you’re dealing with. Take your time and build up your brand’s content one week at a time.

Building a strong brand that earns the trust of customers takes deliberate effort and work. Do your research, be willing to pivot, and play the long game. You’ll be able to position your business for success with content marketing!

Do you have any questions about content marketing and what it can do for your business? Email Josh at josh@jamiascreative.com!

How to improve your social media marketing in 24 hours or less

Regardless of what’s going on in your life, the value of social media marketing and how it relates to your business is only increasing as time goes on. Did you know that you could make a few key improvements to your social media marketing efforts for your business in less than a day? Yes, you can quickly take your social media marketing to the next level in less than 24 hours. Here are several things you need to do that are guaranteed to get you better results:

You can follow all of these tips in less than a day!

Kill social ads that should no longer be running

One problem some small businesses have who manage their own social media marketing is running ads that don’t need to be live. They may also be running ads that haven’t been giving you any in return for the money you’ve been spending whether that’s more page likes or new customers. If you fall into these categories, stop running your social media ads. Before you know it, you’ll be bleeding out cash that could be used in another way. Here’s how to turn off your Facebook ads: https://bit.ly/3b9GCtX

Update all of your social media profiles

When was the last time you checked to see if you had the latest information listed in your social media profiles. Go through each platform your business has an account with. Whether it’s Facebook, Pinterest, or YouTube, review each one to make sure you have the correct information. This includes your phone number, email address, and website. Not every customer who discovers you on social media wants to contact you via messenger. Some prefer a phone call or an email so make the information easy for your potential customers and future clients to find.

Set up social media schedulers if you’re not already using one

If you want to reclaim your sanity and not feel overwhelmed, start using a social media scheduler. There are different options out there depending what you need such as Sprout Social, Buffer, Hootsuite, Later, and Facebook Creator Studio. Are you only using Facebook and Instagram? Consider Facebook Creator Studio. It’s free to use and fairly intuitive. Facebook Creator Studio allows you to manage both Facebook and Instagram from the same platform and the analytics are easy to access.

Schedule out your posts for the next 7-10 days

Put your social media scheduler to work for you by planning out your posts for at least the next 7-10 days. It’ll free up more time for you so you can take care of other business functions rather than worrying about what and when to post. Scheduling out future posts will give you a chance to share content on a consistent basis. You’ll increase your opportunities to attract new followers and increase revenue because you’re giving people a reason to keep engaging with you online.

Everything shared above can be done in less than a day. Nothing is impossible and will help you save money while getting a better ROI for your social media marketing efforts. Gaining momentum takes time and consistency so keep putting in the work and you’ll be able to accomplish your goals. Do you have any questions of how to make your social media marketing easier and more manageable? Email Josh at josh@jamiascreative.com!

5 things you should stop doing in Twitter marketing

Twitter marketing can be frustrating if you’ve been putting in some time and effort without any positive results to show for it. Luckily there are ways to improve what you’re doing on Twitter to accomplish your overall social media marketing efforts. Sometimes it’s just a matter of putting an end to bad habits and unreliable marketing practices. Here are five things you should stop doing in Twitter marketing to accomplish your goals.

1. Not using hashtags: Hashtags are one of the easiest ways to expand your reach and build your brand on Twitter. People use hashtags to find content they’re interested in. Hashtags make it easy for people to quickly share information and stay on topic within their respective industries. Start using them if you’re not already doing so!

2. Not replying to comments, direct messages, retweets: We can’t stress the need to be social on social media enough times. To succeed on social media, you need to show that you’re listening. Take time everyday to respond to the engagement that you receive on Twitter. Don’t take the attention you receive for granted. Replying to your followers will help you maintain a positive image online and increase your sales in the long-run.

3. Not updating your Twitter profile: Do you have a new website? Has your tagline changed? Is your email address different from what it used to be? Always remember to update Twitter profile. If you’re not sure if your Twitter profile is up to date, stop reading this article right now and check your Twitter profile to be sure.

4. Starting fights: Unless your first name is Kanye and your last name is West, starting a beef on Twitter most likely won’t build your brand. Find ways to contribute to conversations on Twitter. Be involved in what other people in your industry are talking about. You can find relevant conversations by searching hashtags that are related to the business you are in.

5. Not providing value to your followers: One of the ways to keep your followers engaged is by providing value whether it’s entertainment or providing real solutions to issues they’re dealing with. For example, if you’re an accounting firm, share tips on how to make filing taxes more efficient. If you’re a physical trainer, share your top three favorite foods for post-workout recovery.

Remember that Twitter is available for you to build your brand and interact with current customers and potential customers. It’s a platform that will deliver more engagement and reach as you connect with other brands and people on it. Do you have any questions about Twitter marketing and how it applies to your business? Email Josh at josh@jamiascreative.com!