Technology has transformed the way businesses relate to their customers. Most consumers have become quite adept at shutting out the world of traditional marketing. They will skip television ads with DVRs, overlook print ads and drive right past billboards
without noticing them. People are now turning to social media and the Internet to learn about companies and new products, which makes content marketing a critical part of your business's marketing strategy.
Unlike traditional advertising, content marketing (also known as inbound marketing) doesn't try to sell the product outright. Instead, it provides relevant, valuable information to buyers with the goal of attracting and growing a customer base.
Below are some common mistakes to avoid in any content marketing plan.
Consumers today are seeking helpful information—not a sales pitch. Content should not be focused only on you and your company. Keep your content focused on your customers' needs and interests. Monitor trends in your field when gathering ideas for new content. Over time, many users will view your company as a trusted information source, and many of those readers will become paying customers down the line.
SEE ALSO: Discover A Free Inbound Marketing Tool
Believe it or not, in this day and age, not having a content marketing strategy is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. If you are not utilizing some sort of content marketing, you are missing out on communicating with thousands (if not millions) of potential new clients.
Keeping your content fresh gives readers a reason to keep coming back. Users who don't find new information on your site will probably move on. Frequent updates can also benefit your company's search results. Every new post improves your website's chances of being found organically in searches. New pages are also indexed by search engines, which might lead to an increase in rankings. Consistent, ongoing updates are critical.
Today's users want more than just blog posts. A good content marketing strategy should take advantage of multiple types of media. Using videos, infographics, podcasts and social media posts will keep the audience engaged and reach an even wider network of potential customers.
While search engine optimization (SEO) can be a valuable way to generate online traffic, your content should feel like it was created with a human audience in mind—not a search engine. Keywords are important to drive SEO, but most readers will find too many of them redundant. Incorporate keywords into your content naturally and don't overuse them.
Please contact us if you would like to learn more about content marketing.
