Creating a content marketing plan requires a lot of time and effort, but it is crucial to implement the best content practices and strategies so that your online presence thrives. According to Hubspot, 70 percent of marketers are actively investing in content marketing. Visitors to your site want to see good quality, reliable content that’s going to provide them with relevant information about your brand and more.
So, here are some tips to get the most out of your content marketing.
Understand your audience
First things first, it’s important to thoroughly understand your audience, and ask the right questions. You could create tons of content related to your brand, but if it doesn’t apply to your audience, they aren’t going to be interested in what’s written. Ask yourself the following questions:
- What are the goals for each piece of content/campaign?
- Who are we trying to reach/target?
- Where are users visiting the most on our site?
- What is our audience searching for the most?
- What does our audience want to know from us?
If you are already set up with Google Ads & Analytics, finding this information will be relatively easy. If not, use search, social media, plus any conversations you have had with customers so that you can have a clear picture of what they want to hear from you. By understanding your audience and what they are interested in learning more about, you can develop a content marketing strategy that targets their exact wants and needs.
Create a solid content plan
Be sure to write down any ideas and map out a clear picture of what your content is going to look like. Also make sure that everyone involved has access to your plan as well.
Your content plan should include what type of writing style you would like to as well as the tone. Do you want your content to be witty, fun, serious, straightforward, detailed, etc? Think about your brand and what voice you want your audience to hear. It should align with your content marketing goals as well.
Only post your best content
It’s important that the content you post is informative, relative to your audience, and a decent amount of words. We recommend anywhere between 500-800 words in length. It’s better to post one excellent post per week than five average posts per week. So, make sure that you’re checking off all of the boxes when it comes to perfectly your piece.
Remember to also be consistent with your content. Try to develop a posting schedule and post once a week to start. It is essential to be consistent with creating content, since your company is constantly trying to stand out from the competition. Producing good quality content takes time and effort, so really take the time to perfect it.
Make sure your content is engaging
Develop engaging content that starts a conversation. Add a poll, survey, questionnaire, or if you’re posting your content on social media, ask your audience to respond to a tweet or Facebook post! At the end of the blog post, you could also leave space for people to comment their thoughts or questions. Engaging content will ensure that you are getting to know your audience even better, resulting in improved content in the future.
Use keyword research to build content
Keyword research is incredibly important to building the right content. This will help you understand what your customers are searching for specifically, and it will give you better insight on what words to implement into your content.
Check out this SpyFu example. When searching for the term “dog trainer” all of the relevant search terms show up with their monthly volume, estimated clicks, and paid clicks. They also show you if your customers are using their desktop or cell phone to search. SpFu also shows any other relevant keywords that could be beneficial.
The bottom line
Having a well thought out content marketing plan is going to take your business from average to excellent. It’s going to increase your website’s traffic and provide your audience with relevant information that they are searching for. The end result is more users on your website that could turn into potential customers. Don’t neglect your business’s content, as it is equally as important as any other marketing tool!
