Content Marketing 101 How to use it to promote a website?
Updated: 15th September 2022
Reading time: 7 min
Content marketing is gaining popularity year by year. No wonder - it is simply effective. It is currently one of the hot trends when it comes to online promotion. In this article, you will find all the most important information that will allow you to successfully promote on the network using content marketing.
What is content marketing 101 in 2022?
I think everyone will agree that the internet is overloaded with ads. Marketing messages literally flood users. As a result, more and more people are installing ad-blocking programs, consciously or unknowingly ignoring paid search results or banner ads.
That is why providing content that will be of value to users is becoming increasingly important. They will help them solve problems and answer their questions. Content marketing is about creating such materials.
What are the benefits of content marketing 101 ?
Content marketing activities bring a number of benefits. Let's look at the most important of them.
Increases brand awareness
Breaking into consumer awareness through traditional channels requires enormous resources and time. By creating high-quality content, this task becomes easier. If you answer the questions bothering users, they will gladly reach for the materials you created.
Types of content 101
Many people still think that content marketing is based on texts. Indeed, much of the material is written, but content marketing offers a wide range of suggestions. Their choice depends on the strategy, target group or resources at your disposal.
Blogs
It is currently the most popular form used in content marketing. A blog is a website or web page where related themed articles are posted. The big advantage of the blog is the low entry threshold. Anyone can create it, for example using the WebWave website builder.
A blog is an ideal place to present high-quality content. If you have knowledge in a given field and learn the basics of writing, you can succeed in this field. Remember, however, that the competition is really large and the materials you create must stand out with originality and usability for the recipients.
Remember to be regular when you blog. Readers expect new entries to appear periodically. Blogging is a long-term activity. Sometimes measurable results appear after a few months of work. However, it is worth investing time and resources, because the effects are long-lasting.
Reports
These are more extensive materials, often sent in the form of an e-book. They are primarily sed to build the image of an expert and brand awareness. They can also be a method of acquiring sales leads - users who are interested in downloading the report are often asked to leave contact details. Reports are often published periodically, but regularity is not as important here as in the case of a blog.
These reports are commonly used in communication directed to companies. They allow you to briefly convey specialist knowledge that can be used in practice.
Case Studies
These are descriptions of the implementation of a specific action, for example, creating a website for the client. They include project assumptions, stages of its implementation, problems we encountered, results and conclusions.
It is also an element used primarily in communication with business partners. It allows you to show how to work, and thus build the image of a professional.
White papers
This is a type of very extensive report. It can even be compared to a scientific study. Creating such a document is time-consuming, requires a lot of work and expert knowledge.
Creating a white paper is worth the effort. These types of texts usually provide extremely valuable knowledge, thanks to which they quickly gain popularity among experts, which translates into the brand's perception as professional.
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Video materials
Longer and shorter videos are a great way to provide information. It is not without reason that a picture is more than a thousand words. Showing the product in use or the way the service is provided in the film appeals to the imagination. It is also a good way to present expert knowledge, for example in an interview.
Webinars
These online lessons give the opportunity to contact the lecturer in real-time. Most often they are a way to transfer specific skills.
Webinars are especially valued by users because they give a specific benefit. They let you learn new things that you can use in practice. That is why they are a great way to build customer loyalty.
Podcasts
Podcasts are audio material that you can listen to at any time. You can put them on one of the streaming services or make them available to users on your website. Podcasts, like video, are an effective way to convey expert knowledge.
UGC (User-generated content)
This is all content created by users. For example, if you run a culinary blog, share photos of dishes prepared by users. An example of UGC is our web page, where we present the best websites created by our users.
UGC is primarily a method to increase user involvement. This, in turn, has a positive effect on website traffic or social media coverage.
Virals
This is a very informal form of communication. However, it does not mean that it will only work in reaching young audiences. In every industry, there will be topics that can be treated with a grain of salt.
Memes or funny video content spread across the web in the blink of an eye. They are a good method to increase ranges. Sometimes, with their help, you can reach millions of users with a minimum budget.
Content marketing and SEO 101
Content marketing is inseparably connected with SEO, i.e. website optimization for internet search engines. After all, good-quality content determines the position of a page in search results.
The task of Google algorithms is to evaluate pages in terms of their usability for users. The robots are getting better and the days have gone by when they could be cheated with simple tricks.
Of course, high-quality content is just the beginning of SEO. It is also necessary to get dofollow links, good and clean page code, and appropriate meta descriptions.
It does not change the fact that without high-quality content you will not be able to successfully position your site. It is not without reason that content is the king.
How to create a content marketing strategy?
Before you start content marketing activities, you should prepare a detailed action plan. It will help you organize your work and allow you to measure results.
Define your goal
The first step in creating a campaign is to define what you want to achieve through it. The goals should meet the criteria of the S.M.A.R.T. strategy, namely be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. We can divide the goals into short and long term.
Short-term goals include, for example, increasing website traffic, acquiring sales leads, or acquiring new followers on social media. Long-term goals include, but are not limited to, achieving a high position in search results, creating an image, building customer loyalty or increasing their involvement.
Define the target group
You should specify exactly who the message is for. Analyze your audience. Consider their age, gender, place of residence, income, interests, problems, and needs.
Based on the collected information, create persona, i.e. characters symbolizing your recipients. When creating messages, always remember who the people you are talking to are. This will help you better respond to their needs.
Develop the topics
Based on your target group analysis, you'll create a list of potentially interesting topics. Then you can plan the order in which they are discussed.
Consider the type of content
Choose the form in which you will convey the message. It's best if you decide on at least several media - for example, text, infographic, and a short film.
Create content
How to get started with the production of materials? Using the principle of feedback gives a possibility to get distance education. You can create them yourself. This is a good solution if you have the knowledge and time, and when you know at least the basics of writing or creating graphics.
Another option is to outsource all or part of the work. You can choose to work with a freelancer or hire an agency
The choice of a particular solution will depend on many factors. Take budget, time, experience and skills into account. And when you create something valuable, don't waste all your efforts to post it just once. Rather, think about content recycling.
Measure results and optimize content 101
After the materials are published, it's time to analyze their effectiveness. Check which materials are the most popular and how they are received.
Based on your weakness analysis, you can make changes that improve your campaign results. Knowing what content is popular, it's easier to plan activities for the future.
What tools to use for content marketing?
When creating content, you can use many tools and methods that make this task easier. Here are some of the most important ones that will help you build good content.
Where to get ideas for topics?
Effective content marketing primarily provides content that responds to the needs of the recipient. Therefore, your clients are the primary source of topics. Listen to them carefully. Based on conversations, emails, questions or comments on social media, you can create a list of topics of interest to them. Based on it, you will develop materials that engage audiences.
You should also pay attention to statements of users of groups and forums. This way you can find out what topics are gaining popularity and what arouses the greatest curiosity.
Competition is another source of ideas. Check what topics are addressed by companies operating in your industry. Maybe it is worth presenting them from a different perspective, or adding information that users will not find from others?
How to choose keywords
The right choice of keywords is crucial if you want to be high in the Google search engine. How to choose the right phrases? You have a choice of 3 basic ways.
First, write down the phrases that are related to your business. Do you run a bicycle store in Poznan? Your potential customers will look for phrases such as "bikes", "where to buy a bike in Poznan" or "bicycle store Poznan"
Enter the phrases selected in the Google search window. Then you will see a list of similar phrases typed by users. You should also include these phrases in positioning.
You can also use one of the keyword search tools. The most popular is the Keyword Planner from Google. These types of solutions allow for a more accurate analysis of specific phrases, among others in terms of their popularity.
Author: Monika Buchelt
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