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The world of content marketing has become extremely competitive as companies are realizing the opportunities that it presents. The impacts on brand awareness can be vast with a couple of blog posts or digital media pieces going viral. Content marketing should not depend on a viral post but rather consistent quality content being produced by a business. Consumers are taking in more content in every form due to smartphones so they are becoming pickier when it comes to content they are willing to spend their time reading, viewing, or listening to. The following are areas that all businesses that are involved with content marketing need to take part in.
Social Media
Social media is the easiest way to start content marketing as it takes little time as well as small amounts of content. The fact that these platforms are free unless you want to promote or advertise makes this a perfect starting ground. Do not ignore people under most circumstances unless they are being abusive or irrational. This is a great place to engage with followers as well as current and future customers. Social media should also be tied into the customer service department as many people flock to social media to voice a complaint. Unlike phone call or letters social media has a footprint that other customers can see if you choose to ignore a complaint.
Resource Pages/Informational Posts
Far too many businesses think that company blog or even social media pages are there simply to advertise. Pure promotion on a website or blog can work but it does not help build a readership. Creating multiple resource pages and informational posts can lead to a post becoming an industry resource. This will help with SEO as well as it can spread links on the internet as writers will link to and cite the facts in the post. The process of becoming a thought leader as a company takes consistency and the approval of giants in the industry. Engage with readers in the comments and those on social media who have shared a post. This can help build a sense of community and will let readers know their comments are actually being considered as well as answered. A used car dealership having an article about what to do after totaling a car can help inform as well as help convert a sale and/or purchase.
Posting on Industry Websites
One way to help boost your SEO is to post articles with a link back to your site on relevant websites. This can be the perfect opportunity to spread the brand name as well as get your content out in front of new readers. This is going to take outreaching to certain websites and blogs which can be time consuming. For this reason considering using a content marketing company to help out with connections they already have can be a great way to jumpstart a campaign. Until you can afford an in-house team these companies can help you stay competitive at a budget-friendly price. Building relationships in the industry can help you sell more in the future as companies are always looking for partners to contract work out to. Going on other sites as well as podcasts can be a perfect way to be invited to speak at a conference. Conferences are a perfect way to market your expertise as many companies are looking to close deals while at conferences. Make an impact with the content your produce and promote it to see maximum reach.
Content marketing is going to take work at a consistent rate but a good strategy will have an incredible ROI. Do not invest money into gimmicky content as this has become to normalized as a ploy to gain attention. Create quality content and get quality leads for your sales team.
