How content makes your new business blossom
Good news! Cold calls are so passé. It seems as if the whole world has stopped making them. And being that no one likes to do them, that could be considered good news.
That means… Content is even more important. It literally pulls people in like a whirlpool, when used properly. Content gets people to your site to better know you and what your business does. If done consistently, good content will bring a pipeline of people to your business door step. But it does take time, effort and a whole lot of work. This is why agencies like Knoodle love helping clients with their content.
Start with a content calendar-The reason many businesses never start a content initiative is that they don’t know what to write about. Once you start a content calendar and schedule your content, it will flow much more naturally. At Knoodle, we like to do it by month. We have four areas of work: creative, digital, content and media. One person writes most of the content, which I tend to spearhead and our PR Director Korenna Wilson edits it. We also assign our production team to do a video and we interview someone on the staff and do a short profile on them. The calendar is like a flashlight that leads the way.
Decide on a tone- The Knoodle tone tends to be slightly irreverent, fun, informative, helpful and most importantly –not boring (or we try at least). Think about your brand and how you want to be perceived by your potential customers, clients, colleagues and allies.
FAQs are a key to good content- The questions your customers or clients ask you are excellent subjects for content. Write them down. Make every blog, social media post, article or newsletter piece an answer to a frequently asked question and you are solving a problem for someone else.
Your website is your portal of information. Think of yourself as your own publisher. It was called Brand Journalism, now it’s just content marketing. On your website, keep a steady flow of new information, blogs, announce new services, and landing pages. Show social media posts in real time to build a rapport with those looking to buy and entice them with an offer.
Blogs are still relevant– Many people think these are so 2010. However, as long as Google regards them as credible sources for information, they still drive potential customers to your website. Remember to add keywords so that it amps up SEO. Spoiler alert: don’t rely completely on AI tools like Chat GBT. It’s a great way to orient yourself to the possibilities of what to include in a blog. You want to add your personality, tone and brand to the blog, just like you would do on your website. In other words, you still need to write it.
Americans are addicted to video- in fact, 40% of Americans watch video every day. 91% of consumers want video content from their brands. They expect it.
Customers retain 95% of the information that they watch on video. Keep in mind there are different types of video. For authentic media that plays well with social media, cell phone video is fine. Minor mistakes and all! For home page video on your website or a message that truly triggers emotion, a higher end production will reap more benefits.
Social media posts- Do your research and find out their social media habits. Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok all have different audiences.
- Facebook– It’s trending older and has become more personal, which means it’s a great marketplace for personal products and consumption. It’s also a place where many businesses showcase their culture.
- Instagram- This is headquarters for the Show, Don’t Tell variety. This is where photography and video take center stage of messaging.
- LinkedIn– It’s the B2B go-to, perfect to acquire clients and see what is happening in the business community. It’s a great place to convey information, trend pieces, case studies and infographics.
- Tik Tok- This short message platform is picking up speed with people of all ages. This is a great place for a series of messages, which can be informational, educational or just laugh out loud funny.
In time, the weight of your content (and SEO) will bring business to your door. Industry experts say it takes six months before seeing your funnel start to fill. What are you waiting for?