Are you a deer in the headlights when an employee or colleague mentions content marketing? If it sounds overwhelming, it probably is, unless you have a plan. Start with this small business content marketing outline. Stick it on a corkboard, write it on the whiteboard, but most importantly, use the tips below to develop a content marketing plan to grow your business.
1. Understand User Behavior
Many business owners make the mistake of relying on certain keywords to develop their content marketing campaigns. Although keywords are important, there’s much more that goes into a good campaign. Everything needs to be created with the audience in mind, not search bots. This helps you create the most genuine, memorable interactions possible.
2. Set Clear Goals
Once you’ve done enough market research and have a clear idea of what your consumers want to see, you have to create new goals for your content marketing campaign. Be as specific as possible. Think about how many people you want to reach, the amount of new traffic you’d like to create, and the conversions you’re aiming for, too. Then, set a date on these goals and get to work.
3. Create a Schedule
The only way you’re going to reach your marketing goals on time is if you have a clear schedule. This isn’t just for the creation side of the process. You need to have a posting schedule, too. Make use of digital scheduling apps or set post times for all your content within each system you use.
4. Invest in Social Media
Social media is a crucial part of content marketing. It introduces you to new users, keeps you relevant in the minds of those who are already consumers, and brings many followers to your actual website. It closes the gap between your brand and your audience. Social media provides a platform to share the values you hold, the kind of company culture you have, and more. It’s the kind of stuff people can relate to and will be more likely to engage with online.
5. Develop Valuable Partnerships
To raise your engagement levels even further, create a few partnerships. Run a social media contest with a brand that complements what you offer without competing directly with you. Or, hire a few brand ambassadors or influencers.
6. Take a Look at Your Site Map
It’s no use investing so much time and money to build your site’s traffic if it’s confusing to navigate. Keep the layout simple and watch how much better your content marketing successes become.
7. Update Your UX and UI*
While you’re tweaking the landing pages and the navigation abilities of your website, think about the UX and UI. What’s appealing to users now is not the same as what used to catch their eye a few years ago. There’s no shame in doing a bit of a site upgrade to better connect with the design trends of today.
8. Recycle Content
Here is another one of the best content marketing tips: recycle your content! Some content is worth putting in front of your audience again, even if you present it in a different way.
9. Focus on the CTA**
Whether you’re coming up with fresh content or recycling old material, you have to make the most of your CTA. A strong CTA can be the difference between a user who keeps scrolling their Facebook and one who clicks on your post. It may also help you make more sales once users arrive on your site.
10. Pay Attention to All Your Metrics
As you’re tweaking your site’s design, posting content, and partnering with influencers, pay attention to your metrics. Don’t focus on traffic and conversions alone, either. Take a close look at how each landing page’s bounce rates are doing and the average amount of time a user spends on each page. Notice which parts of your website are getting barely any traffic at all and the ones you can leverage.
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Let’s break down some of the acronyms referenced in the content marketing outline above.
*UX and UI, refers to user experience design and user interface design, respectively. Simply put, UX is how things work and UI is how things look. Learn more at freedcodecamp.org.
**CTA stands for “Call to Action,” a marketing term designed to prompt a specific response.
Do you have a content marketing outline or plan? Feel free to share your experience or suggesions in the comments section of this post.
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