Social Media has always been a booming space - with more and more users getting on board nearly every day. No other field grows at this rate (at least in recent history). Right now, there are roughly 4 billion users active on social media - 4 billion users scrolling on multiple screens. That's a lot of screens and users for you to make the most out of and leverage to grow your brand.
Content Marketing isn’t exactly new. Content has been around for as long as ads have been printed. Social Media focused Content Marketing is a buzzing, busy, and the most effective method for getting your brand message across.
The entire field focuses on creating, publishing, distributing relevant, and consistent visual and written content across several channels. We know this because this is what we do, and what we teach our clients when we take them on.
The words of note here are relevant and consistent. Content has to match throughout platforms and formats to best attract new customers and convert them into returning ones. To cultivate a strong and impactful strategy, we’ve rounded up a few major content marketing tips that are sure to convert your business into a brand in no time!
Don’t Sell Anything, Tell a Story Instead
If you only recall one of our content marketing tips, remember this one. It can be pretty easy to fall into the trap of selling yourself to your audience. Content marketing is supposed to drive sales without actually hard-selling your product.
Place yourself in their shoes and understand their problems. Instead of selling your product to your customers, offer valuable content, and tell the story of your solution.
Understand the Customer Journey
Good content engages the customer at each stage of the buyer's journey. The most common mistake we see brands make is thinking that content is only supposed to draw customers in. It shouldn’t stop there. It should begin there, but carry on to convert new customers into returning ones. Good content draws in and encourages brand loyalty.
Your content has to serve a clear and measurable goal
There’s honestly no limit to the amount of content you can create. Platforms have also expanded so much that they carry all sorts of formats. Whether that's quick and short format posts like Instagram Stories or something more long-term like blogging and Facebook posts.
Regardless of what you create and where it’s posted, the critical thing is that each piece of content serves a measurable goal. You can’t improve what you can't measure and simply getting likes and views isn’t enough. Your content should tie into your overall strategy and resonate with the audience you identify as YOUR audience.
Say, for example, you want to lean into being a more curated Instagram brand. Ask yourself if that is where your customers really are? Will the effort you put into Instagram bring you a plausible enough amount of returns and will your content best serve them on that platform? Next, ask the big question - “How does all this, content and platform, tie into my business?”.
While yes, good and quality content are key, none of it will make sense if it doesn’t tie back to your business.
Repurpose Content
Good content is useful, engaging, measurable, and a lot more adjectives which in the end adds up to - “it takes a lot of effort to create”. So by repurposing, and making the most out of the channels you’re currently active on, you’re extending the mileage of your content.
This is probably one of the most efficient content marketing tips. Say, for example, your blog post becomes a high-view, high-performing piece. Why not turn that into a discussion point for a podcast episode.
Allow your audience more chances to see this piece of content. You already know it works well on a certain platform. Why not extend it onto a different format?
Related: Digital Marketing Tips 2021 - Connect and be Found by Customers.
Consistency is key
Keeping your brand voice steady across channels is a point we cannot stress enough. Think of it this way: liken your brand to a person, and each platform to a place.
It’s not a very good idea to be one person on your blog, but a whole other person on Instagram. Your audience isn’t just on a single platform and being consistent wherever they are, makes them feel better connected to your brand.
Tell your story, tell it right, and tell the same story- EVERYWHERE.
