Last year we learned that content was a big deal in order to rank in Google search and this year nothing has changed. In fact, it has become even more important. We see that Google is ranking content that people are sharing and discussing. So when you are devising content, ask yourself is your information compelling, interesting, helpful – will people pass it on to others because they think it will bring benefit to their connections?

How do you create an effective content marketing strategy for your business.

1. First of all, if you have a website but no blog it might be a good time to implement a blog. Think about how a blog can add value to your web presence.Will a blog on your website bring more benefit (e.g. blog.yourwebsite.com or http://www.yourwebsite.com/blog) or should you set up an external blog on a blog site e.g. yourcompanyname.wordpress.com. If you have a news/info area already on your website where you can add new content, then an external blog will drive traffic into your website and create valuable links for the search engines. If on the other hand, you don’t have an updateable area on your website, you can attach a blog to your website to build out the content on you website. With any activity be clear about your objectives and what you want to achieve from that activity.

2. Make sure you know your audience. What are they looking for? What are the problems they need solved? What can you do to make their life easier? It is important that you help your prospective customers by giving them information that they will find useful. It is about holding the interest of your reader and putting yourself in their shoes.

3. What sort of content are you able to offer your potential customers – will it be text articles, pdf downloads, videos, eBooks etc .Maybe you can create a nice infographic about changes within your industry? Or maybe a downloadable eBook of tips and trends for your particular niche. Can you use images, ask questions. What type of content will engage with your target market? Make sure your content is always unique and that it is speaking to your customers.

4. You now need to plan your content around specific dates of the year relevant to your business. Have a content calendar in place and decide who in your organisation is going to write each article and what content piece will be written for that time of the year. For instance, Valentine’s Day is coming up soon and if you have an ecommerce store that sells gifts, flowers, trips away etc it is now time to start planning your content around these areas. Consider outsourcing article writing to a third party content marketing provider if you won’t get around to it. The key is to build a schedule and a routine and stick to you. Once your followers expect content, don’t let them down. The search engines will reward you for regular, relevant content focused on the keywords that are important to your business.

5. Adapt your content to the right audience. If you are sharing your content across various channels, be sure to customise it to suit the audience in question.That infographic we talked about earlier will not get the same reaction on Facebook as it would on Twitter for instance. So create different types of content for each internet platform.

6. Finally, a vital part of your content marketing strategy will be the tracking of activity around your content. How many people clicked that article link on your website? How many people viewed that video on Facebook? How many times was that whitepaper downloaded on Twitter? Did any of this traffic become a customer for your business? Which platform drove the highest quality visitors to your website? ……You get the idea.

At Webresults.ie we identify the right digital marketing strategy for your business in order to achieve maximum results for your business and increase your online revenue.

We can work with you through our outsourced services or if you would like to bring the skills in-house find out more about our Web Mentor Programme where we guide you and ensure your time is focused on activities that will drive results.

If you would like to grow your business through the web in 2014 contact WebResults.ie now for a Free audit of your website. We will identify any weaknesses that exist and offer some pointers on how you can drive your business to its full potential on the web.

Filed under: Blogging, SEO Tagged: Blogging, Search Engine Optimisation, seo ireland, web marketing