Content marketing is providing useful information to attract a defined customer. Put another way, it’s the trade of information for attention.
The following is my quicky digest of content marketing for busy business owners. I’ve used the following approach to generate leads and customers for many local Brisbane and national Australian companies. It is the same approach I am using right now. And it can work for you.
For a more detailed and thorough explanation of content marketing, there is no end to content marketing experts and gurus. Here are some free resources to learn more.
Let’s take a look at a common situation…
Where Have The Customers Gone?
Many traditional face-to-face businesses I talk to have noticed a decline in customers, or more precisely, a change in how customers shop.
Attention is hugely important for any business. New businesses struggle because no one knows they exist. We often have to resort to determined sales efforts or paid advertising to get those first sales. Existing businesses don’t have it much better. Appearing frequently to customers in the niche you serve is a constant challenge, especially if you’re not blessed with a prime physical address.
Research Online, Buy Offline
Businesses repeatedly tell me foot traffic to their shops is down or unpredictable. Even businesses not easily replaced with online shops, like boat sales, or home blinds and awnings retailers, are seeing a shift.
A major reason for this is we no longer want to walk into a shop to ask questions. Or, at least, when we do talk to a salesperson we want to be prepared. And why shouldn’t we? The internet gives us a lot of information at our fingertips.
More than just information, it’s information without a pushy salesperson we’re after. We search for reviews and forums because we value opinion that is not biased by self-interest. I’ve done it. You’ve likely done it. And you can bet your customers are doing it.
Content Marketing Is A Customer Magnet
Enter: Content Marketing
For the sum total of $0, you can publish on your website useful and relevant information customers are looking for.
You see, with the abundance of information online in the form of reviews, tutorials, and forums, customers are turning to the internet to educate themselves before ever stepping into a shop. That’s because 82% to 87% (depending on which source you read) will consult their smartphone for information before purchasing.
Content marketing is your way of satisfying customers desire for information, ultimately to drive a desirable outcome for you.
Attract More People, More Often
With content marketing, you can attract customers early in their research phase and get them to return often.
Intercepting a customer early in their search has clear benefits:
- You can recommend a product that solves their problem.
- They are aware you exist without resorting to paid ads or promotions.
- You can use remarketing ads to help them recall your business.
- Demonstrate your superior expertise to the customer.
- Prompt a sale or inquiry by implying you have more information available (if they call you).
A Continuous Flow Of Traffic
Thanks to content marketing, one piece of content can bring measurable leads or new sales to your business, month after month, with zero ongoing costs.
You can even track the success of a content marketing campaign in the form of:
- Improved SEO
- Inquiries from contact forms
- Increases in website traffic.
- Increases in product sales.
Now, to be fair, deciding what content to create and getting it to rank is a speciality in itself, and requires work, skill and determination. But the power of content to turn profitable results is undeniable.
Look for an upcoming article about what content to create and how to scale your content production. My email list is the best way to make sure you don’t miss it. Join today here.
If you liked this article or had questions, hit me up on my contact page!
Kind regards,
James
P.S. Remember, the quality of the content is the variable. Forums might be the ugliest websites on the internet, but we love and trust them because the user-generated content is valued so highly. Quality content doesn’t guarantee success, but rubbish content will lead to failure. Now, it’s time to get to work =)