Many businesses are questioning whether they need a content marketing strategy or whether it is a waste of resources, effort, and money as a result of the trending discourse surrounding content development and planning.

Older marketing industry specialists are still not persuaded that it is as important as the other conventional kinds of marketing because it is a relatively new idea.

In today’s world, if you don’t have a digital content marketing strategy, you risk falling behind. Whether your business is just starting out or is well-established in the marketplace, it needs a high-quality, reliable, and pertinent online presence.

Why? Because people are utilizing their phones and other gadgets more often than ever to search for information, answers, and service providers. A February 2021 poll found that, excluding cell phone use for work, nearly half of the respondents said they spent between five and six hours daily on their phones. Another 22% of respondents reported that they used their phones on average for three to four hours every day.

The change in marketing

People used to rely on recommendations and the yellow pages when they wanted work done in the past. However, today’s service providers rely less on recommendations and word of mouth than they did in the past. In fact, nearly 16% less business was referred in the previous five years. As the business environment changes, it seems as though the holy grail of corporate development for ages is losing influence.

Considering how important having a presence online is now, let’s examine what a digital content strategy is and what it implies for organizations.

A digital content strategy is what?

A content strategy is an effective structure for organizing, distributing, and promoting valuable digital content. It’s a means to make sure that the organization’s digital content adheres to its overarching objectives and marketing plan.

People typically associate an online presence with a corporate website, but there is much more to it than that. Your company’s website, social media accounts, eBooks, interviews on video, podcasts, case studies and success stories, infographics, blog entries, webinars, emails, presentations, and whitepapers are all examples of your digital presence.

The errors in digital content generation

Some businesses are hesitant to develop a digital content strategy because they are unsure of how to get started or what it includes. They err by sharing content only when it is accessible, such as when a new offering of a good or service becomes available. In actuality, you are not maximizing the potential of your business.

You must make sure that you continue to be seen by potential customers in light of the growing competition. How? by offering guidance and answers distinct from the services and goods you offer. Being the first company a customer or business thinks of when they require a service or product is your aim.

Consider the following questions to get a general notion of the course you want your digital content to take before you sit down to develop a strategy.

1. What is the purpose of this content strategy?

What goals are you trying to achieve with your digital content strategy? Two to five justifications are sufficient before beginning; you don’t need a hundred. For instance, are you attempting to raise brand recognition, produce leads, or enhance sales?

2. Who is my intended market?

Knowing specifically for whom you are collecting this stuff would be helpful. Making decisions is made easier and more manageable when you are aware of your target audience. For instance, the kind of material you publish, its tone, and the methods through which you distribute it will all depend on knowing your target demographic or buyer persona.

3. What sort of information piques their interest?

As we have discussed, you can employ a variety of content types in your digital strategy, including blog articles, podcasts, and videos. Through market research, determine the most well-liked form of content among your target audience and concentrate on that. Remember that you require multiple types. Try to have a mix, even if you just have one or two guaranteed things.

For instance, short movies and images are a terrific approach to attract an audience if you are a clothing firm targeting 16 to 25-year-olds. You may also make succinct blog posts on how to quickly dress in their attire or use color blocking.

4. Where do people often go for content of this nature?

Even if you create content that is unique and valuable, if it is published on platforms that your customers do not utilize, it is essentially meaningless. Conduct polls and surveys and ask your customers to identify the most addictive and well-liked platforms and apps they use, so you can decide where to publish your material.

5. How frequently ought I to release this content?

Finding the right balance between being convincing and not annoying is crucial. You want potential buyers to think of your brand constantly, but you don’t want to annoy or bother them too much.

Don’t email your customers every day, for instance, if you decide to communicate with them through email marketing. Even if they find your information useful, they might unsubscribe if it starts to bother them. Allow your clients to ingest your knowledge gradually, in contrast.

6. Who will choose this content for curation?

This is an important choice because it will affect the kind of content you publish. You don’t necessarily have the ability to produce blog articles or eBooks about opening an eCommerce store just because you are an expert in the subject. However, if you do, that’s ideal.

You can hire diverse content creators, such as writers, influencers, and videographers if you are unsure how to use this expertise to develop smart and worthwhile content. If your company has a staff dedicated to creating original material, you can also delegate this duty to them.

Why is quality content crucial?

1. It proclaims your business as a thinking leader in 1.

If you Googled “how to lose ten pounds in a month” and discovered a straightforward program that worked, and then a few weeks later found “how to develop your glutes,” and it also worked, odds are you’ll learn to rely on that source for your fitness demands.

By publishing relevant and educational content, you demonstrate to your target audience that you are an authority in the field. You may easily distinguish yourself from the hundreds of businesses offering the same good or service by having quality content.

2. It is a tool for SEO.

If you create digital material, you probably have some knowledge of SEO. A tool called search engine optimization increases a website’s or web page’s likelihood of appearing at the top of search engine rankings.

Your chances of getting your business seen and generating new leads increase the more frequently you publish your content and strategically insert keywords that your audience frequently uses.

Publishing evergreen material, both written and visual, is one approach to achieving this. Why? Because it never goes out of style and is always current.

Examples of evergreen material 

– How-To Videos

– Top ten lists

– Product reviews

– Walkthroughs & recipes

– FAQ’s

3. It draws in fresh leads

Simply having good content is a marketing strategy. When you constantly publish high-quality content, you draw in serious customers who are interested in your products or services. Before you ever enter a pitch, your content will enter meetings for hiring.

4. It raises brand recognition 

There are likely hundreds or thousands who can offer the services or products you offer unless you create rockets or are Lewis Hamilton. Therefore, you need to post carefully thought-out material if your goal is to stand out from the competition. The more beneficial information you produce and distribute across many platforms, the more likely it is that you will gain a larger and more prominent following.

5. High-quality information may affect users’ purchasing decisions.

You are erroneous if you think that online articles have more of an impact on consumers’ purchasing decisions than advertisements do.

In fact, articles outperform commercials as the preferred method of information gathering for 7 out of 10 consumers. This data illustrates that the preferred method for clients to learn about goods and services is through article-type content distributed via a business blog or other content marketing channels. Why? In contrast to traditional “professional” websites, it enables you to have a stronger voice, sense of style, and narrative.

Why is effective content distribution important?

Delivering material to your target audience through a variety of channels is called content distribution. It comprises creating, disseminating, and advertising premium content in places where viewers may interact with it fruitfully and actively. Owned, earned, and paid are the three main channels of distribution.

Owned

These are the networks that your company owns and completely controls, such as your website, blog, email list, and social media profiles.

Accrued

Those that distribute or advertise your material through earned channels do it for free. Examples include social media mentions, reposts, shares, guest blogs, and product reviews.

Paid

Not all channels are open to the public. You must pay to make your material available to a very focused and niche audience. On Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google, and Instagram, for instance, there are pay-per-click advertisements, sponsored content, and paid influencer material or advertisements.

Content is king, and distribution is queen in marketing; both are integral to any plan for creating digital content and must be managed strategically. In recent years, we have observed a significant influx of materials and a decline in demand. Almost 4.5 million blog entries are written every day, which is almost too much information for us to process. Your distribution strategy must be deliberate and well-thought-out if it is to be successful in light of this content shock.

Flexibility is the key to a successful digital content and distribution strategy. Based on the data and outcomes, you can change it as you go. If you try one channel and it doesn’t work, try a different one or a mix until it does.

Businesses that fine-tune their distribution strategies until they are ideal benefit from things like enhanced brand recognition, lead generation, sales, and revenue. Getting people to talk about, trust, and rely on your brand as an authority figure is where you want to start. Then, you may begin to utilize these advantages to increase revenue and sales.

Facebook content strategy

Right now, social media is the ideal marketing instrument. Every single day, new and popular applications are released, giving brands a fantastic opportunity to take advantage of the craze to expand their businesses and gain brand exposure. For instance, YouTube still has a lot of clout and influence, but Instagram and TikTok have become two of the most addictive content creation and sharing apps.

One of the best methods to truly demonstrate to potential consumers your core beliefs, purpose, aims, and ambitions are through video content, which should make up at least some of your content distribution plan. Videos are a fantastic way to share your narrative and engage your audience on an emotional and psychological level.

Additionally, you can incorporate a case study into your YouTube video plan to appropriately represent your company’s products and services.

With 2.3 billion monthly users, YouTube is the most lucrative platform for sharing and viewing videos. You may use your social media channels to increase YouTube channel subscribers and views if you can invest in a skilled cameraman and a content creation team.

Examples of additional social media content include:

• Blogs, articles, and written postings
• Images
• Video stories and videos
• Infographics – External material links
• Reviews and testimonials
• Lives

Although it is only the beginning, this article cannot possibly contain all the information on creating a digital content marketing strategy.

Seattle Digital Marketing specialized in creating successful digital content strategies.  Contact us today to talk about your content marketing strategy.