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Let’s be clear. The purpose behind all marketing efforts is to bring in coveted leads – the ones that convert. All content is created to attract and capture leads that will fuel the pipeline.
Various theories – wild, contradictory, traditional - on how to execute the perfect content strategy exist in the content marketing sphere. To be honest, there is no silver bullet.
Discover how Think ABM can optimize your sales funnel and boost revenue growth.
Content marketing is dynamic. Content marketing is iterative and a learned skill. It constantly evolves as it tries to keep pace with the changing outside environment. AI changed how we write content. Regulations changed how we collect intent data. Technology influences the choice of social media channels to dissipate the content. Online information consumption behaviour has changed how we present content.
A few fundamentals remain the same – so far. These are :
Audience-centricity:
This one never gets old. Know your audience. This adage remains the same. When you have an offering, know well how and whose life its going to change. Every piece of content you create must speak to the target audience. Address your target audience's pain points. Know the scenario in which your target audience operates and the challenges they face.
Use a variety of marketing assets to reach out to them. Not everybody consumes content the same way. Use blog posts for those who want to know more, How-to guides for practical steps, eBooks for in-depth, exhaustive information, case studies to prove the efficacy of your solutions through relatable stories, infographics for immediate impact and videos for visual learners.
Learn SEO techniques:
The struggle to capture attention in the saturated, noisy digital realm is real. Use every tool in your arsenal to make yourself seen. While Google rewards quality and good content with visibility, use SEO tools to make it easier for search engines to showcase your content.
Optimise your content with relevant keywords, focus on long-tail key terms that your audience queries include and update old content to improve SEO rankings.
Lead magnets:
While emerging thought is gravitating towards open, ungated content, unless you have advanced website visitor identification software and other tools installed, lead magnets continue to be a valuable, viable option to capture leads.
Lead magnets are high-value content pieces like eBooks, white papers, and templates that offer curated assets, justifying the use of gating content to collect leads. It is also fair and smart since it is only correct to assume that a prospect seeking such specific information belongs to your target audience group.
Smart use of CTAs:
Strategically placed call-to-action buttons are among the most underrated lead capture actions. When a visitor is already on your site, viewing your content, all they need is a nudge at the right time. A CTA button pushes them to take this action. The action could be downloading a paper or report, signing up for a demo, checking out a trial version, or even leaving their details to set up a call.
Contextually relevant CTAs are a decidedly surefire way to pull in quality relevant leads.
Content that matters:
All businesses know they need to create content. However, few have a focused plan and approach to it. A content calendar is essential to a content strategy. An annual calendar of content that lists out the cadence, type of asset, schedule, and KPIs is an essential exercise. These must be built in alignment with business goals. A quarterly review and revision of the content direction is an absolute must to guide the content process to its goal.
Consistent, reliable quality content flows from a clearly defined strategy, process and direction and content that complements business goals will lead to the desired objective.
Incorporate multiple formats:
The way people consume content varies. From individual learning styles to the availability of time, the urgency, and the specificity of the information sought, each of these influences the type of asset sought. Each asset format is important in its own way making it mandatory for content to be made available in varied formats.
A good approach is to create a baseline exhaustive content piece. From these, create a cluster of assets. For instance, extracts from an eBook can be used to create smaller blogs. Key points can be extracted to create infographics. Quotes and statistics can be used in social media posts. The processes mentioned can be used to make explainer videos. Ideas for podcast, webinars and quiz can also be culled from these.
The creation of such modular, snackable pieces of content is an efficient and intelligent way to make the most of your content assets.
Refresh and repurpose content:
Often, quality content doesn't reach the impressions metrics it is expected to. This does not reflect on the quality or relevance. The timing, format and channel could be at fault. Revisit older pieces of content. Refresh with updated data and quotes, and repost. Revise the asset and repurpose it into other formats. You could be surprised at how well these perform after a revision.
Riding on the shoulders of giants:
Influencer marketing is gaining attention and emerging as a powerful outreach medium. Partnering with industry influencers who have a larger follower base is a game-changer. A single repost, retweet or acknowledgement by an influencer has been known to change fortunes. Networking and building partnership with influencers is an emerging and highly effective way of getting your message across to a vast audience.
Guest posting on authoritative websites also works through the dissemination of your content through another reliable authority’s network. Both these can provide a fillip to your content reach and visibility and help you reach your audience faster.
Email marketing as an inbound lead strategy:
The discussion on the efficacy of email marketing is unending. The ones who have tasted success swear by it, and those who haven’t may criticise it but will not give up on it!
A study by McKinsey & Co. concluded that email marketing, when done correctly, is 40 times more effective than social media!
Much of the email marketing campaign's success lies in the content. When supported by a data-based, analytical approach that monitors and captures impact, the campaign can be steered to success. It is an iterative process, and an email nurture and engagement strategy focused on educating, building trust, and gently navigating the pro`spect through the buyer funnel is a proven approach to generating high-quality leads.
Discover how Think ABM can optimize your sales funnel and boost revenue growth.
Evaluation and measurement:
A process not subject to measurement and performance evaluation is rudderless. Content is no exception. It can be argued that the multitude of factors that impact its outcome makes this difficult, yet it is still possible to put some checks in place. These will need a good monitoring system in place, though.
Key performance indicators (KPIs) metrics such as traffic numbers, bounce rates, time on page and lead form fills are good indicators. There are, of course, other sources, such as direct enquiries, “follows”, “likes”, and comments on alternate social media handles, etc, that may occur as a result of the content but are not directly attributable. While it may not be possible to measure exact or all outcomes, having a system in place is crucial to ensure your content strategy is on the right path.
In addition to these baseline elements, weave in a compelling story, make your content relatable and position your business as the knowledgeable friend who is here to help your business succeed.
With that, your content is primed to perform. Observe, monitor, review and tweak as required and you will well on your path to acing the content game.
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