We all know what the most important thing about digital marketing these days is right? That’s right. Great content! Within content marketing, it particularly involves blogs, vlogs and podcasts. Essentially Content Marketing is about storytelling which can be done in many forms but we’ll focus on a few for this blog. You cannot just post garbage and expect an audience. Well sometimes that is the case but those people just get lucky. So don’t follow in their footsteps.
So how do you make sure your content is tip top I hear you ask? Well listen up ladies and gentlemen!
First thing is first; mere words are not enough to keep customers and prospects engaged these days. You need to create content which is memorable. A bunch of jumbled up words are not so memorable. So let’s break this into three points. Written, Visual and audible content.
Written Content – Blogs & Social Media posts
There are many do’s and don’ts when it comes to written content so let me focus on a few that I deem highly important. Written content should be well-written, highly engaging straight to the point.
- When blog writting; always begin with keyword research for SEO purposes. What topics does your audience find relevant? How are you able to relate to your reader? Keywords are essential as it describes what your company is known for. Long-tail keywords are essential as they are more descriptive and have a higher probability of conversion. They are very specific phrases to whatever you are selling. Long-tail keywords used as titles are also very effective to grab your audience’s attention right away! A couple of great places to look are SEMrush and Google AdWords keyword planner tool. Also another key point to note; do not underestimate Google’s tools for keyword search. This is where you begin to type in a word and it autocompletes. You can learn a lot from this; just by seeing which searches are most popular for any given term.
- Don’t fluff – If you’re babbling on unnecessarily in your introduction then your reader will simply just click away and find content that is straightforward. Make sure to improve on your flow of writing. After a punchy, irresistible headline that makes prospects want to read on. Your next task is to make sure the paragraph or sentence to follow your headline is just as punchy and irresistible. You need to make sure your content is easy to follow and flows well. Your point/story needs to be well structured from paragraph to paragraph.
- Make sure that your paragraphs are not too long. We often get lost in our thoughts and start writing away forgetting that it holds no value or significance. Rambling is always a no-go when trying to retain your audience.
- Avoid providing too much information. Especially on social media platforms; most of us do not have enough time in our day to be scanning through a whole essay-like piece of information. Short, concise and informational is the way forward.
- Avoid being too technical and formal especially when blog writing. You may lose sight of your audience this way. Sometimes simply conveying a message to your audience in layman’s terms is the way to go regardless of the field most of the time. It allows the reader to build that connection with you too. Not only are you writing a topic that appeals to the audience but you are also speaking their lingo. Win-win huh?!
- Provide value – No one likes their time to be wasted. So make sure that whoever is going to read your blog is going to gain something from it. Be it ideas, tips, education, advice etc. Do not let the reader leave your page thinking “why the hell did I waste my time?” you want the reader to leave your page satisfied and willing to read more of your content in the near future.
Visual Content – vlogs/videos
We are all aware of the fact that we are visual beings. Written content on it’s own just doesn’t do the trick anymore i’m afraid. It is known that 90% of information that is in the brain is visual. So it makes sense to hold great importance to visual content.
- Let’s first talk about the talk of the town in the digital marketing world. Videos/Vlogging! People love to see things in action. Behind the scenes, tutorials etc. A simple photo holds great meaning however a video holds even greater meaning. Videos humanise your brand – almost putting a face/personality to a name. They are able to fully experience your brand. Moreso with live video which captures the moment in real-time. This could be celebrating the success of a brand’s recent project with their viewers, introducing employees/staff etc.
- However for more complex scenarios; like demonstrating your product and/or explaining your services; vlogging would be the best way to go about it. Not only are you able to easily communicate your thoughts and ideas but you can also build brand familiarity.
- Stand out from the crowd. Unique and crisp images are crucial. Make sure your images resonate with the topic you’re writing or sharing about. Let’s say you sell shoes on Facebook; of course the images you share should be of those shoes that you are selling. You cannot just simply state that you sell shoes and then expect a flood of customers. No no no, the images do the talking.
- Tell a story with your images. Let’s say you have a fitness website or FaceBook page. Comparison photos are key. Before and afters. No one will want to purchase that fitness plan or that weight busting tea that you are selling unless they see that it makes a difference. This way you also make an emotional connection with the audience.
Audible Content – Podcasts
Put simply; podcasting is an alternative to video. It is an increasingly powerful marketing tool. Podcasts have become the new radio on mobile devices.
Think about it like this right; after a long day at work, all you want to do is put those headphones in and listen to something that entertains you whilst on your commute home. Right? Sometimes people won’t necessarily want to look at their phones to watch a video as well as listen to it. They might have been looking at a computer screen all day and just want to rest their poor tired eyes! It may just be that it is impossible for them to watch a video because they’re driving. That’s where your podcasts come in!
- The creation process is pretty straightforward and not as time-consuming as other content marketing strategies. The only things required is good quality microphone and headphones. Sound quality is so important since without good sound quality what’s the point in a podcast? The only way your listeners are able to consume your content is by actually hearing you. So ensure you have good sound quality in the bag! You may also need to write a script; especially if you’re a beginner. Have a structure in place too this will make content planning much easier.
- Ensure you are giving value. Give your listeners at least one instant takeaway. Give them something they can do then and there to improve their lives, business etc. People want to listen to something worth their while.
- Research shows that people tend to remember seven of anything at any given time so make sure your podcast isn’t overflowing with tip after tip. You want your podcast to be memorable and easy to follow.
- Avoid clickbait! Not only does it annoy the listener but they will trust you less. Drawing your listeners in through curiosity and proving little to no value is just plain rude! That’s not to say that your headlines can’t be attention-grabbing; just make sure your content is just as attention-grabbing as your headline is!
- & finally; remember it’s not all about you. If you want people to acknowledge and share your podcasts you need to make it about them. Do this by giving your guests speakers a shout-out. Tag influential people or brands you discuss on social media. As you build a rapport with your listeners and the industry that you’re in you will soon be flying high with the big shots in the industry!
Well there you have it folks; I would love to go on but that would mean I wouldn’t be taking my own advice on board! We are all about leading by example here at Yahya Consultants! 🙂
