The idea that content is based on just blogs, tweets, and pages of text is quite outdated. When we consider the big picture, there is more than meets the eye. With the advanced idea of the content, many elements like content management, content strategy, branding, social outreach, and other things come into the picture. If you are in any way involved in digital marketing, brand management, content management, content marketing or any other closely related field, it is essential to understand what goes into a content marketing strategy. Here is a solid guide with five tips to create a successful content marketing strategy.
The sales funnel:
In the broad sense, a sales funnel essentially refers to the decision-making journey of the buyer. It involves three key phases – awareness, evaluation and purchase. The people involved in content marketing are to understand the key factors that affect the progressive journey of the buyer. It means that the buyers must be made aware of the product and its advantages. In fact, according to Single Grain, there is a fourth factor involved in the sales funnel – ‘delight’. It establishes brand loyalty in the buyer. It is a misconception that ‘awareness’ is far away from the actual sale, but if the awareness is not well ingrained, the buyer may not decide to buy the product. So, the sales are directly affected by the understanding that the potential buyer has about the product. Critically analyzed, the sales funnel can be categorized into outreach, conversion, closing, and retention. A good content marketing strategy will engage the customer through every sales funnel’s step to keep the sales going.
Data is content:
Contrary to the misconception, strategizing content is not about the sheer quantity but the quality of the content. This includes the number of blogs published, the number of emails sent, sponsored ads, etc., which do not matter as much as the value you provide to the buyers, clients or customers. The main factor here is engagement. A good content marketing strategy involves using data and analytics to add value and authenticity to what you are trying to sell. Presenting the data is as essential as organizing it well enough to understand the value you are providing. Use visuals, charts, graphs, videos, etc., to create an impact. The easiest and best way to plan your content marketing strategy is by using software like InVideo, Adobe InDesign, etc.
Create an appropriate plan:
Creating a calendar is key to a successful content marketing strategy. Use a wide variety of ideas to present your content – blogs, news articles, reviews, testimonial-based pieces, images, videos, graphics, animation, etc. It is essential to reach your audience on as many appropriate social media platforms as possible so that you can engage your potential buyers and clients. Use plans as per the platform. Blogs incorporate mostly text-based content, while other platforms are better at visual content. To create easy and creative visuals, you can use ready-made templates from apps like InVideo, Canva, etc.
The purpose matters:
A good content marketing strategy caters to different purposes: it serves other buyers, clients, and potential customers. The content must cover all the aspects to reach a wide range of people while also keeping them engaged. All your content must be multimedia. For instance, a blog that you have published can be broken down and converted into an image, graphics or video-based piece repurposed and recycled on different media to reach out to more and newer potential customers. You can use InVideo to craft all your visual content to perfection in minutes!
Establish a clear direction:
The content that you create must have a specific direction or defined purpose: outreach or conversion or closing or retention. Only then your content will have value and make sense to your target audience. Mixing it up will end up leaving your audience confused. A good content marketing strategy is planned well ahead of time, caters to the current situation, and engages. By following these five tips, you will be able to create a successful content marketing strategy.