You have heard the phrase and are wondering, what is “content marketing”?
New buzzwords come quickly, and marketing has more than most. One of the newest is “Content Marketing.” But what is content marketing and what does it mean to you? Content marketing is a new concept in marketing that uses content to attract potential clients, draw them in and engage them, and request a call-to-action that creates leads or customers.
It Starts with Search
Many inquiries begin with a simple search which returns an overwhelming number of responses. How do you make your page stand out and keep the client engaged? The answer is content. If they click on your page and it only contains links or ad copy, they have no reason to stay. However, if you supply relevant and interesting content, the viewer becomes engaged and will stay on your site. And keeping the customer engaged longer is the key to closing a sale.
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The central point to content marketing, is content. As a customer clicks on your page, you have a moment to grab them. This is where well-written content counts. Many people aren’t looking for prices; they want information, and if you provide it, they will stay. One factor in this is to use well-formed SEO content that ranks your pages high in the search results. Customers aren’t going to scroll through pages to find your site. In fact, statistics show 95% of web traffic goes to listings on the first page!
The first step in creating a content marketing plan is to put yourself in your customer’s shoes, and think of what they would be searching for that would lead them to your website. Then, you write articles or blog posts that provide answers to these questions. Maybe you are an HVAC dealer so you explain heat pumps. Perhaps you sell auto parts, so an article explaining the difference between OEM and aftermarket parts would be appropriate. Whatever you sell, there is information you can provide that will engage that next customer. In our case, we provide services to help small businesses generate traffic. We wrote this article to answer: What is Content Marketing?, and it has kept you engaged up to now.
Relevant Links
Once you have drawn the customer in, and they are reading your well-written, SEO-optimized content, how do you convert that into closing the deal? There are two components to this; relevant hyperlinks and a call-to-action. In generating the content, be aware of words are phrases that you can link to products or services you provide. In the example, if someone is reading about heat pumps and sees the phrase, “energy-efficient”, this phrase should link to a page of energy efficient heat pumps that you sell or install. After all, you aren’t just there to inform the public, but to sell your product or service.
CTAs
The final piece to content marketing is a call-to-action. No matter how compelling your content is, if they just read and go somewhere else, you have lost an opportunity. The article should close with a CLEAR call-to-action. It may be “click here for a free quote”, “enter for our contest”, “download a free info packet”, or just “sign up to receive emails” with offers in the future. Whichever you choose, at a minimum, you need to come away with their contact information so you or your sales team can pursue the lead.
So, What is “content marketing”? Businesses with successful websites know it is a brilliant, strategic way to attract more customers to your site, keep them there, and close more sales.