5 MUST KNOW Content Marketing Tips

Many business owners are starting to understand the power and effectiveness of incorporating digital (email, social, video, podcasts, alike) as a core element within their marketing plan. Though, through my travels as a regular speaker at conferences, with Chamber Networks and various professional associations (having spoken to over 7,000 business owners), I am constantly being asked about ideas surrounding content marketing.

Then, it became clear to me that a gap continues to exist and it seems like some are not able to grasp the concept of what ‘content marketing’ truly is. So let me begin by providing you a definition of sorts.

Content marketing basically means the sharing the ideas – by offering your knowledge and experience on a specific topic for free, in order to establish yourself, as credible and valuable representative in that area, just like article for example.

Breaking it down for clarification, I thought I’d spend a few minutes and highlight some fundamental content marketing tips that can help simplify your efforts when creating marketing content. In the simplest of terms, I suggest that everyone reviews the building blocks of what makes for a strong and engaged digital marketing program:

Who? It’s all about your audience.
You really have to get to know who you’re talking to. Go beyond the traditional segmentation of age, gender, and income bracket, and learn about your audience’s values, interests and challenges.

What? Brainstorm a list of topics you want to cover.
Write what your audience needs to hear. Develop content that is interesting, relevant and sharable. On occasion, poll your audience. Ask them for their input on information they are interesting in learning more about.

When? Outline your playbook.
Timing is everything! Consider all aspects, the season of the year, the day of the week – right down to the time of the day. I recommend all marketers to use a free or low cost app to help track and assess the impact of their content.

Where? Know where your target audience can be found.
Smart content marketers choose media that their target audience is already using.

Are you going to Blog? Send an email? Use Social Media posts?

Why? Creating the right content is fundamental.
Know your business goals – the mission behind creating content is the most important component of building a marketing strategy. It’s important to provide content that engages and is informative, whether you’re reaching out to your current customer’s attention or trying to get the attention of someone new.