Why Content Marketing Through Your Blog is The Next Step

What is content marketing?

According to the Content Marketing Institute “Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.”

In other words, content marketing is the process in which you provide value to your customer or client. This is without a sales message, Call To Action, or direct conversion in mind. Marketers are beginning to realize that in a world that is saturated with sales messages, people are going to simply skip over the things that they don’t want to see or read. Instead, it is now important to market a different way – by providing content that can change or enhance the consumer behavior in your direction. By curating relevant content to your audience, you begin to provide value, and therefore carve out a place for your brand in their view. Intelligent choices are the best choices, and it is up to you to make sure that your audience is well versed in whatever subject pertains to your business. This knowledge will hopefully lead them back to using your service or buying your product in the end.

Content marketing can be used across all mediums for your brand, including social media marketing (SMM), Search Engine Optimization (SEO), public relations, and pay per click (PPC) campaigns. However, there is another application for content marketing that can help your business to grow. You can take the next step in content marketing today by building a blog. Depending on how your company decides to build a blog, these marketing efforts can be more cost effective than some others.

Why should I use a blog for content marketing?

Content marketing builds a relationship.

Just like any form of social media (yes a blog is considered a form of social media), blogs help to create a two-way relationship between you and the customer or client. When you use content marketing instead of constant sales messages, your audience gets to see who you are as a brand, what you stand for, and what you do behind the scenes. By sharing valuable information with your target market as well as receiving feedback from and engaging with them, you are running a constant conversation. This supports a human approach that can foster loyal relationships in the long run.

Content marketing proves legitimacy.

In order to provide content marketing in the form of something like a blog, it means that you first must know what you are talking about in your field. As long as you have this going for you, then you’re good to go! Now why does providing this information provide trust and legitimacy? If a current or future customer is constantly receiving helpful information from you about something they are interested in or need, they will choose you. People logically choose somebody that they know is more experienced and well versed in the matter. A blog can really be a great leg up against the competitors that don’t provide these things.

Content marketing helps with SEO.

Content marketing such as blogging helps greatly with SEO. The more relevant content you have on your site, the higher you will be ranked on search engines such as Google. It is important that every blog is well-written, provides valuable content, and is properly optimized with correct on page SEO tactics. Some specifics of this process include choosing the correct keyword, optimizing images, and linking to both internal and external content.

In the end, content marketing drives sales.

With all of these things combined, content marketing through blogging can drive sales! Writing content about how to use your product or why your service is needed (without the heavy sales message) can lead a possible customer or client down the right path on their own. For example, if you were to sell legal services you could blog about answers to important questions that somebody might have if they were involved in certain legal situations. They might read the blog, get some valuable information out of it, and want to hear more. This could lead to calls and later down the line even signing new clients. Showing what you know really can convert.

How do I get started with blogging for content marketing?

If your current website allows for a blog roll, install it on to your navigation bar.

Make sure that your blog is accessible to your audience. The navigation bar is the best place as it will be one of the first things that people see when they go to your website. If your website doesn’t have ability for a blog roll, use WordPress to create a self hosted blog that you can connect to your website. But make sure to change the domain and don’t use the free blog URL that you are given as it doesn’t look as professional.

Define your audience and create a content marketing plan

Before creating a content marketing plan, make sure to define your audience. Create profiles of your target market and detailed descriptions of their demographics, likes, dislikes, and overall personas. A good content marketing plan is catered to holidays and certain events or dates that are centered around your specific topic or niche. It is organized on an editorial calendar and has content categories, topics, and keywords planned as well.

Plan how you will disseminate and promote your content.

How will you let your audience know when you release new content? Consider social media channels and email lists. Every time you write and post a new blog, make sure to include posts that announce the new content and links in your social media bios. This will create a well-rounded plan that accesses all of your followers across all channels. Also include share buttons on all of your content in order for followers to help you spread it further online. If you are considering starting a blog or would like to learn more specific details on how to create a great blog, you can visit socialmediaexaminer.com. Keep following our blog as well in order to receive updated information on SEO strategies for your business!