Why do content?
A content strategy will shine a spotlight on your business to potential customers. Whether you want to expand brand awareness or be a thought leader, content will improve your customers’ ability to find you through search. It will also make them aware of who you are, what you do and what you think. Consider tone, format types, how customers are getting their information and what they want to know.
Here’s our quick guide.
1. Analyze your audience:
Mind-reading is no one’s forte. Understanding your target audience is vital to uncovering what makes your audience engaged. Uncover the preferences, aversions, and habits of your desired audience. These insights will arm you with the arsenal needed to craft content that resonates with your potential customers and motivates them to act. At Knoodle, we are big users of research. Insider tip – a perk of working with an agency is getting access to their research. We use Scarborough and Comscore, and they require a subscription if you aren’t working with an agency or a media entity. We also experiment with AI tools like Perplexity.ai for white papers, or scour Google for white papers, stockholders reports and PDFs in infographics.
Also, ask people how they are finding you and where they get their information. Host focus groups on Zoom. Be curious.
2. Consider keywords + content
Add keywords (what people search for when looking for like-minded products and services) to make yourself findable.You will find insights in the digital landscape that you can use in your content. That’s why you must be aware of the keywords that your audience is typing into search engines. Also consider quality writing to engage your audience. Blogs loaded with keywords are often boring and irrelevant. Follow copy writers on Linkedin. You will see hundreds of tips and how-tos. The Hemingway app also offers solid writing tips. Avoid words that lack simplicity, passive voice, adjectives and adverbs. Let strong verbs lead.
3. Assemble your content arsenal:
In a world of diverse tastes, a one-size-fits-all approach won’t feel authentic to your audience. Handpick content formats that mirror your brand’s persona and cater to your audience’s preferences. From the informative nature of blogs to attention capturing videos and the convenience of podcasts, variety is your ally. We use blogs, social media posts, original photography and videos to promote our services. What we do for our clients, we also do for ourselves. We know that we can capture our audience’s attention through videos, so we created a short video on how to get better lighting in your videos. Using video, we can more effectively illustrate how good lighting appears. It would have been very hard to explain that topic in a blog. But, when we’re teaching a “guide to a content strategy,” then writing a blog can be a channel that can more clearly explain in greater depth.
4. Craft the narrative
Your content isn’t just text or visuals. It’s valuable information that lives across multiple subjects. More content supplements your current content giving the audience more context. Compelling narratives that address pain points and offer solutions draw the audience into the information. Your audience should be able to take a journey through your content and feel better informed.
5. Create a landing page
Your blog or article should be linked to a page on your website. Tease the reader with what they will learn from the blog or article and let him or her click to read the rest. In addition to your content, a landing page should have the following:
- a catchy headline
- a nice design
- a relevant image
- a call to action
6. Embrace Consistency
Consistency is like building muscle. It might hurt when you start to exercise but it gets easier the more you do it. Stick to your posting schedule with tenacity and review your goals periodically. Look at what other content writers are doing and what subjects resonate with their audience. The reliability of your content nourishes the connection between you and your audience and builds credibility with Google.
7. Start your content today
With this comprehensive guide, you have the foundation to create content that has a real impact for you and your company. Embrace the dynamic digital landscape with open arms, embrace learning as an ongoing process, and create content that resonates with your audience.
Overwhelmed? Hire us. We do all the above for ourselves and others in-house.
Thank you for using your Knoodle!