Content Marketing, like we all know, or at least to pretend to, is to use informative and educational articles to create interest in your product. It is therefore not as direct as traditional marketing. A paint company might publish articles like, “How painting your house saves you money”, or “The DIY-painters infallible guide to success, or Painting Nicely.”
You created the content, so what now? Do you just hope that your SEO, keywords and the likes will attract the bees? My guess is that, even though you understand how important content marketing is, and how it will grow in importance, you have also seen that having quality articles available on your website is not enough.
Sure enough, now and again a Google search generates a hit or three, but nothing more! It is a bit like planning to invite someone, writing the invitation, and then never sending it!
How do you effectively disseminate your elegantly written content?
Social Values
Research confirms that Social media is a great tool when it comes to getting the word out about your content.
A total of 36% of social Media users believe that brands with a social presence are more trustworthy than those without. Higher trust in a brand, also means that clients are willing to pay more in order to stick to a brand they trust.
Twitter users, a staggering 67% of them, are more likely to buy brands that they follow.
We can keep on extolling the virtues of social media, but let’s spend a few minutes talking about how to use the different social media platforms wisely and effectively.
Give them cake!
Poor Marie Antoinette, besides losing her head, she did not understand the social issues of the day. And, even though, I am quoting her completely out of context, you should also give your readers what they want, be it bread or cake.
An effective way, that is both easy and cheap, to find out what your clients are interested in, is to have a look what your competition, with a successful web presence, are posting. If you are not posting relevant information, irrespective of how well it is written, it won’t be effective in promoting your brand.
Seventeen ways to protect your house against the extinct Blattoptera cockroach probably won’t do that well on your web-hosting site!
Make sure the cake is made from quality ingredients
If a client is reading one of your articles, it means that he or she is most probably looking for specific details. Your articles should be clear, accurate and well researched. Remember to quote the experts. This will lend credibility to your postings.
Schedule the cake!
Many millions of people might have the time to spend hours and hours on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media, but you have a business to run. Tools like Oktopost allows you to schedule your posts.
Yes, you can be busy installing windows and doors out in the yard and your statuses will still be posted according to YOUR schedule.
Build the cake
Even worse than not being invited to the party, is when no one even bothers to reply to your invitations! Likewise, the less shares and likes your posts get, the more likely is that you will be discouraged.
You and your employees, most probably, all have various social media accounts. Use them! This is a costless way to reach many potential clients. A good post with a few “manufactured” likes can snowball!
You can also use the well-known 1,000 “Likes” contest approach. The “n-th” person who likes this post, page or picture wins a prize!
Look at the cake
Take note of the reactions your posts receive. Which kinds of posts are more popular? Listening to what “they” are saying about your brand, as well about your competitors’, will help you to see what the clients are looking for. Again, there are various services available to help you in market research.
Concluding the Cake
Social Media promotion is not a quick fix, but a long term strategy, or rather a relationship. Relationships require constant attention and effort. You cannot visit your wife for 30 minutes once a week and expect a satisfying marriage.
Similarly, designing and implementing a long term social media plan that will produce the results needs your love and care.
