10 Things Every Content Marketing Expert Should Know
The main reason why content marketing is so popular is due to the fact that it costs about 62 percent less than traditional marketing, while, at the same time, yielding 3 times as many leads. In other words, you pay less and get more. However, in order for this to be true, you need to handle this the right way around. Here are the top 10 things every content marketing expert needs to know.
Table of Contents
- 1. Understand your audience
- 2. Original written content
- 3. Research your competitors
- 4. Hot vs. evergreen topics
- 5. Increase the number of formats
- 6. Specialization gives you authority
- 7. Quantity matters
- 8. The human audience is not your only concern
- 9. Monitor your progress
- 10. Your own routine matters
- In conclusion
1. Understand your audience
Knowing your audience will first help you learn the language that they speak and understand. This will help you adjust the tone and voice of your address. Using terminology that they don’t understand will make you will lose their attention. On the other hand, by oversimplifying everything, you will lose credibility, seeing as how they will see your knowledge as superficial. So, before you start writing, try to identify an average reader. Who are they? What are they here for? What kind of previous knowledge and expectations they have in the industry?
2. Original written content
In order to get the most out of your digital marketing campaign, you need to produce as much original written content as possible. This is problematic because writing a piece takes (on average) 3 hours and 57 minutes. On the other hand, a lot of content creators spend as much as 6 hours of producing content. All in all, time-management is crucial.
3. Research your competitors
Chances are that the majority of the above-listed are already applied by some of your most successful competitors. So, in order to stay competitive, you need to keep up. For instance, when making a marketing budget, it is a custom to set aside 10 percent of your average annual revenue. However, if your competitors are investing significantly more, you might have to increase your investments. Their methods can also be of use.
4. Hot vs. evergreen topics
Picking a currently hot topic sounds like a good idea for one to quickly gain traffic. The problem, however, lies in the fact that these topics quickly get out of date. An evergreen topic (tips, how-to posts, etc.) can generate backlinks for years to come. Commenting on a current trend is only effective while the topic is hot. In a couple of months (especially years) it may lose all its traffic. Ideally, you would use them both.
5. Increase the number of formats
Another thing you need to do is mix up the number of formats that you’re uploading. This content diversification allows you to differentiate yourself in the market. You see, the increasing number of formats is something that you should consider, especially when you have so many amazing options to do so. For instance, instead of just writing, you can also record video content or produce a podcast. Sure, this requires specialized equipment. For instance, in order to host a live event, you will need an event streaming platform. Still, this doesn’t take much to get accustomed to.
6. Specialization gives you authority
Nearly every field has its own sub-categories. Specializing in one of them will make you into a go-to resource for a lot of people. For instance, it’s not the same thing to be a sports blogger and a basketball blogger. Specialization gives credibility and authority. The problem with this is that you will have to pass a higher knowledge threshold. Also, since you’re narrowing down, it will be somewhat harder to find new topics.
7. Quantity matters
The majority of content creators believe that quality is more important than quantity. The thing is – you need them both. Unless you can produce content on a regular basis, people will forget about you. Even if your posts are incredibly witty, educative, and well-written, people hate the idea of waiting weeks and months for a single post. A lot of content creators produce on a daily basis but you really don’t have to go this far. Once, ideally twice, per week is more than enough.
8. The human audience is not your only concern
One of the biggest mistakes that a lot of marketers make is believing that they’re writing exclusively for the human audience. The thing is that crawlers, Google bots, or whatever you want to call them, matter, as well. By making your content algorithm-friendly, you will increase the pace at which it gets indexed. This will increase your digital footprint and your reach, both of which result in more traffic. Adopting a couple of SEO habits can be of immense help here.
9. Monitor your progress
No battle plan ever survives first contact with the enemy (Helmuth von Moltke the Elder). What this means is that even though your analytics show that a certain type of content is favorite amongst your fans, you have no idea whether this will really be the case. Some posts may surprise you, while others may disappoint. Make sure to monitor your process and keep track of all the changes.
10. Your own routine matters
The last thing you need to keep in mind is the fact that it all comes down to you. Producing content is a creative process and you won’t always have an inspiration to do so. This is why your routine matters so much. You need discipline, self-control, and a healthy work schedule if this is going to work.
In conclusion
As you can see, these content marketing tricks are quite simple and straightforward and they make a world of difference when it comes to audience response. This is why dedicating some time and effort towards self-improvement is so important.
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