How to develop a content marketing strategy
Developing a content marketing strategy is not something that is taken lightly, nor something that is worked out quickly. It is a process that includes trial and error, the study of the audience, and constant adaptation to user dynamics. While it is important to be clear that the user community on the internet is not static, and although it has common behavior patterns among them, it can be diverse and changing.
Many content marketing agencies promote their services as something that will immediately grow sales. But the best content marketing is not just about selling, it consists of connecting with the user, making it a permanent customer, and positioning the brand with valuable content.
If you haven’t had a chance to check out our manifesto on understanding what content marketing is before you get started creating a content marketing strategy check THIS out.
Tips to develop a content marketing strategy
Here are some recommendations to guide you through the creative process of your content marketing strategy.
Clarity in Objectives
It is normal to want to fill our website and social networks with valuable content, but, as valuable and original as it may be, it could be lost in millions of web content if it is not properly targeted.
For this, each content publication must have a purpose, and this is achieved with clear objectives. A good content marketing plan is developed based on what objectives you have as a company, for example: improve the positioning of the website, retain new and existing customers, increase brand awareness, among others.
In this way, each objective will have content to be developed in a defined way. For example: if the objective is to improve search engine rankings, then the content must be original, with keywords and a style that stands out in the great web universe.
Make use of web analysis tools
A good content marketing strategy is accompanied by the analysis of the public or potential customer and their segmentation. This will allow for clearer content geared towards a specific audience. This guarantees that the content is correctly addressed to website visitors, according to their particular and joint tastes and interests.
For this, there are web analytics tools such as Google Demographics and Interests and Google Analytics. With both tools combined, there is a segmentation of the population that interacts with the website and data such as age, sex, affinity category, and market segments. There are also metrics regarding session duration, bounce rate, conversion rate, transactions, and income.
If the content marketing strategy covers publishing on social networks, you can also use the analytical tools that they bring by default. This will allow comparing the public that transits the web with the community created on social networks to guide content strategies for each platform.
Build specific niches
Developing content focused on specific content will allow better positioning of the site in web search. This process involves originality and valuable content that can be provided to users. The best content marketing is achieved when the search engine algorithm manages to identify that the website is considered by users as an expert in a specific area.
The people who come to develop a content marketing strategy have as initial motivation to increase their sales, but, following the recommendations that we have given you previously, this process will be much easier.
Simplicity and closeness are key
Keep in mind that if users wanted to simply buy they would go to e-commerce platforms like Amazon or eBay. Content marketing goes much further, it is first to connect and retain users through the content they can provide on the platform, once this is done the process of converting the potential customer is easier.
Storytelling methodology, for example, is a way that they use a lot to connect with the user in content marketing oriented to social networks. From the communities created on social networks, the public can be largely redirected to the website, preserving tone and style, but with expanded and reinforced value content.
Focus on storytelling
Today, nothing works better than storytelling when it comes to content marketing. You want people to believe you and trust your credibility. The best way to do that is by sharing with them stories that add tremendous value to their lives. Stories provide your content the ability to stand out from the market and make an impact. This is where your research on the target audience behavior comes into play. Your content does not need to have stories that are deep and difficult to comprehend. You will be able to create concise and to-the-point content with the right tone and language only when you really understand your key demographics.
Track Performance of Content Marketing
Your content marketing strategy isn't going to start performing exceptionally great overnight. It will require proper feedback and changes that can help it leverage the content’s quality to its maximum potential. How can you do it? You will be able to push your content marketing strategies to success with the help of reporting and analytics tools that provide actionable insights for your marketing campaigns.
In Closing…
There you have it. Content marketing is an art perfected by artists that understand who they are creating the content for and where the content will be published. Get the foundation of your content marketing strategy right today! Connect to our team of expert content marketers and ask questions you never got an answer to. We’d love to hear from you!