Content Marketing simply explained – how to give your insights the outreach they deserve

Does your company have lots of knowledge to convey, a skilled and experienced staff, and success stories you want to tell your customers about? Content marketing is an excellent way of turning your expertise, ideas and experience into relevant  marketing for your business. Here is a walkthrough of what content marketing is, and how it helps you capture and maintain the interest of your customers.

Your content marketing should be clear and sincere (so skip the sales talk)

“I’m not sure how to turn what we do into a sales pitch.”

Articles that aggressively try to sell a product or service tend to be more exhausting than convincing. Few readers want to be force-fed information, especially if it fails to adequately address their needs, questions, or problems.

Content marketing is not traditional advertising. Its aim is rather to provide your customers and target groups with content that is relevant to them. This according to what they are interested in, and what their needs and challenges are. You and your colleagues have a treasure trove of knowledge that your customers and prospects want to know more about. So why not convey some of that knowledge in a clear and sincere way, through a format that is user-friendly and that can give you great search results on Google, too?

If the thought of writing articles makes you uncomfortable, remember that it is only by actively writing yourself that you can become better at it. Think of how you yourself want to be spoken to in a marketing text, and write accordingly when you address your customers. Let your colleagues read what you have written, so that they can provide constructive input on what to add or amend. If you lack the time or resources to do this work yourself, we are here to help you.

Producing one or two articles per month is a good content marketing strategy

“I don’t have the time. Besides, what we do is really complex and difficult to describe.”

A content marketing article does not write itself, but it is also not meant to be a master’s thesis. Some subjects will undoubtedly be vast and/or complicated, but content marketing offers ideal ways of approaching – and explaining – them. Covering a complex subject often requires more than one article. That is actually a good thing, as multiple articles can cover different aspects of what you want to present or discuss. That also makes the whole topic more digestible, since you are not trying to cram too much into a single, very extensive content marketing article.

Search engine optimization contributes to giving your articles a higher ranking among Google’s search results. If you produce informative, high-quality content marketing articles regularly, Google will (rightfully) regard you as an authority and expert within your field, which in turn can help boost your position among its search results even more. This as Google seeks to provide its users with the best available information, according to what they are searching for online.

Publishing one or two articles per month is a good rule of thumb, as that ensures continuity and variety. Most articles naturally give rise to new articles, as new themes and aspects are brought up and explored. It is very unlikely that there is just “nothing to write about”. The main challenge tends to be the opposite: covering everything you want to write about, writing it, publishing it, and marketing it on Google and social media. This is what we at Skapa assist our customers with every day. If you want us to do that for you too, let us know, and we will find a plan that suits your needs.

Content marketing articles are a good format for all sorts of customer-oriented information

“What should I write about?”

Maybe you just finished an interesting assignment or business operation that your customers should be aware of. Do all your areas of expertise, and all the talent at your company, feature in your marketing? What questions do your customers ask? What are their primary concerns? There should be plenty of topics that not only help your customers, but highlight your work and your strengths as well.

Subjects that you cover in your content marketing can, and should, be revisited from new angles from time to time. Some subjects will be narrow and highly specific, others broad and multifaceted. Unlike a news feed, content marketing articles allow you to discuss themes and subjects that are always topical and relevant to you, your customers, and your industry at large. Whereas news updates quickly fade and lose relevance, content marketing retains its value over time, generating Google hits and online traffic over many years.

Be your customers’ primary source of industry insights and new knowledge

“Who am I supposed to write for?”
Content marketing continues to grow – globally, and in all sorts of industries – since more and more companies are starting to see the value of it. The importance of relevant, accurate, well-written content has never been greater. It shows your expertise, your curiosity, and that you are interested in your customers’ business as well.

The focus of your content marketing can, and likely will, vary over time. What is important is that you present material that is valuable to your customers, and that creates an ever greater interest in your business. If you know your industry and your customers, there is every reason to display that knowledge, so that your insights get the outreach they deserve. Perhaps your customers have been looking for just the sort of information and articles you will offer them?

Here at our Skapa blog, we have gathered lots of tips on how to enhance and facilitate your online marketing. Want to know more about content marketing, and what we can do to help you reach customers old and new? Contact us, and together we will find a strategy that works for you!