For the last couple of years content marketing has been trumpeted at every turn, but aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners may have little idea what it is and whether their business needs this unknown new type of marketing. We tell you why it is needed, and help you understand its capabilities.
In general, content marketing – is a logical extension of PR, only less intrusive and more profitable for business. The main purpose of content marketing is to increase brand awareness and expand your audience in simple and freeways.
There are several ways, and they all depend on the type of content you plan to post. It’s best to combine them, but for the first steps, it’s enough to start with one.
Who Can Use Content Marketing?
In fact, anyone, as long as there is something to promote. Freelancers promote their services, businesses promote their products, and community owners promote their products. In general, if you have a story to tell, content marketing is right for you.
3 Content Types
As we said, content is not only texts, but also videos, webinars, live broadcasts, infographics, games, apps, and much more. Let’s take a closer look at what they look like and what to do with them as part of a content strategy.
1. Texts
The easiest and most gaining momentum is useful and interesting articles mentioning your brand. An example is advice from teachers on how to learn English. Or about how to organize work from home, so that it is effective and does not lead to professional burnout.
The recipe is simple: the material should be interesting, fresh and practically applicable. It is best if the article solves a specific problem. Abstract articles “about nothing” do not attract readers.
In addition to usefulness, the article should be unique: you may not place the same text on different resources. An exception is if you are reprinting an article from an external blog to a company blog on your own site (and yet, it is better to provide a link to the resource where the article was originally published).
Don’t just claw articles at random: make a plan of topics that you can actually produce good material on. If you can’t do it yourself, hire copywriters, but provide them with all the necessary input: what services you offer, what your principles, mission, and culture are.
The reader, when reading the article, should understand that you are an expert in your business, not just filling up space with empty characters.
Don’t forget the most obvious thing – a blog on your site. Be sure to have such a section and add articles regularly, at least once a week.
2. Video
This type is subdivided into several other types:
– videos;
– webinars;
– live broadcasts.
Videos are pre-recorded and then edited material. An example is the Puzzle English Live channel on YouTube. The point is the same as the texts – the videos should be either useful or interesting.
They can be just fun, but always keep in mind the purpose of promotion and reputation. Serious financier should not shoot prank, but allowed once a year to put something “hip.
Videos can be posted on video hosting sites (YouTube), pour into their groups on social networks, share them in Telegram channels.
Webinars are a benefit. They have a specific topic and a specific date. This is a direct communication with customers, which helps to understand their needs, build trust and attract new potential customers. You can hold webinars on specialized platforms like GetCourse and Clickmeeting or on social media.
Live broadcasts are similar to webinars, but without a set topic. They’re better used for direct communication and answering questions from your subscribers. Broadcasts are conducted in social networks and on YouTube, and it’s best to alternate platforms to reach as many users as possible.
3. Infographic
If you’re good with data and have something to share with your readers, create an infographic. You can send it to the media as an infographic – for example, if you’ve counted how many people use email marketing as an active sales channel.
The more interesting and creative the game, the more likely it is to catch the viral effect.
Although this method, perhaps, can be attributed to the conditionally free. If you already have developers, you can fit the game into their main tasks. Otherwise you will have to outsource.
Why Posting?
To summarize: content, due to its usefulness, becomes a locomotive that promotes your business or personal brand on its own.
You post an article, and it is read 2, 3, 4 months later and come to you. Or at least they see your name, which after a dozens of interesting materials begins to be associated with something cool and useful.
When Posting?
There is a simple formula: benefit at the beginning of the week, entertainment at the end. The best time for YouTube videos is Thursday, Friday and Saturday. But it’s better to publish articles early on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Don’t forget to duplicate everything in your social networks: The goal of content marketing is not only to get new clients, but also to tell your current clients something important and necessary.
What Posting?
Remember that content marketing is different from PR. There is no need to describe your strengths and advantages, no need to sell anything and no need to agitate for registration or purchase.
Think about what you can be an expert in. If you teach English – everywhere write about English, its features, rules and tips for language learners.
If you are a freelancer and work remotely, write about how to organize work from home, where to look for projects and how to communicate with customers. So, the bottom line: more benefits, less advertising.
How To handle It Alone?
If you’re a budding entrepreneur, you’re probably doing everything yourself. Allocate a few hours a week to write articles and send them out to targeted resources.
If your budget allows, hire a copywriter to write and send articles for you. If you switch from a freelancer to an agency, set up a content marketing department to handle videos, texts, and other activities that will increase the number of mentions of your brand in the media space.
Read Also:
- Top 10 Free Content Marketing Tips For B2B Organizations
- How To Develop A Unique Brand Identity
- A Guide To Increasing The Brand Visibility
Bio: Jean Hartley is a content writer at an educational service. If you are looking for someone to pay for homework help, feel free to contact Jean via Twitter.
