Content and how it’s promoted are important for all businesses. The information presented in your content is a key component of what drives business. This is because, when done well, content attracts your customers, educates them on your products and services, and builds credibility and trust in the brand. And, using content marketing effectively in your overall digital marketing strategy is essential to get found online.

What is Content Marketing?

Content marketing is a form of digital marketing that involves creating and publishing content online. There are several types of content marketing to consider with your marketing. The process of effective content marketing also involves the distribution of that content to a targeted audience. Businesses use content marketing to target potential buyers of their products and services. 

What is the Best Content Marketing Strategy?

Because different people have different learning styles, the best content marketing format is different for every business. The best approach is to have a variety of content and to simultaneously run multiple content marketing campaigns that complement each other. You can even repurpose the same or similar content in different formats.

As marketers, we preach that omnichannel marketing is the best approach that parallels your content marketing strategy. It’s always best to present your content in a variety of ways and from as many different angles as possible.

Until your business produces different types of digital marketing content and pushes it out there, it’s hard to know how your audience will consume and interact with it. Be sure to set up accurate tracking on the content you do produce so that you know what’s working. Once you figure out what content gets the most traction with your audience and produces the results you’re after, create even more content similar to that which worked!

What Kinds of Content Are Customers Looking For?

Customers are constantly looking for information online every day. The information they find helps them solve a problem and when they need your product or service, you want to be there for them. Without targeted content marketing, your brand cannot be found by customers as easily. And when your potential customers find your business online, it is your job to answer their basic questions.

1. Who are you as a business and what are you about? 
2. What products or services are offered by your business?
3. What are the benefits and why should I buy from you?

Answering these questions only scratches the surface of what your content marketing should entail. Digging deeper into explaining every aspect of your business and being thorough in answering consumer questions helps them find you. Producing quality content is what will get your business noticed.

Customers are looking for businesses that are knowledgeable, experienced, and trustworthy. It takes time to build business credibility and a big part of that lies in your content marketing strategy.

How Much Content Should Businesses Create?

While the frequency at which your business produces content depends on resources, keep in mind that the more quality content the better. One piece of new content per month is a minimum requirement. One piece of new content per week is even better. And multiple content marketing strategies will only improve your overall results.

A quiet business is one that doesn’t get noticed. Content attracts attention to your brand by helping other people understand it and this process is neverending. You’re never done producing content!

As marketers, one reason we produce content is for our users which entails helping with SEO. Web search engines favor websites with good content that is consistent, unique, and created often. The goal of search engines is to answer questions that consumers want to know so if your business has the answers and produces content with the answers, you’re more likely to be found.

Another reason is to produce content for social media to be able to post.  This can vary from the video content, short-form videos to images.  We always need something new to talk about.

There are always going to be quality topics you can produce content around. Research keywords to see what your audience is searching for to help guide your content creation. 

How Does Quality Content Build Trust?

Quality content pins your business as an expert in the field. It can also display that locally, you are the best choice for the products and services you’re offering. When you produce good content consistently, it’s available to be found. And if you have current information and recently posted content, that shows that your business is active and constantly working to improve. All of this builds trust and credibility.

Having the content that people are looking for builds trust with both search engines and with your audience. The more you’re out there educating your audience, and showing that you know how to solve problems, the more you build that trust in your brand. Consumers want to know that they can trust your business when they need your product or service. And if your content is readily available through a quick search, you meet them where they’re at when they need you.

Additionally, as you improve your content marketing you can look to increase your backlinks which makes your content and brand even more valuable. Backlinks show that others want to reference your expertise and get even more potential customers to you. 

Lastly, producing content alone is not enough. You have to constantly be pushing it out there and repurposing it. Get your quality content in front of people via social media where a large percentage of the population spends their time. But, be sure to utilize other forms of communication and take advantage of the multitude of platforms that are available to share your content and get noticed!