In case you couldn’t tell by the title, content is the topic of discussion here and for the rest of the month on the WordWrite blog as we kick off August with some basics about this overarching, and at times overwhelming, idea of content.
Let’s start by looking at a definition of the word content. HubSpot defines it as “a piece of
information that exists for the purpose of being digested (not literally of course), engaged with, and shared.” Content can be created in many ways. It can come in the form of a blog, a picture, a tweet and everything in between. These pieces of content are to be molded with your customers’ wants and likes in mind. These are the people who follow you on your social networks and blogs and will be the ones who ultimately decide whether or not to share your name and brand with their followers too.
You might be asking why content is so important if all it consists of is posting some blogs and keeping up with social media. Well, it’s much deeper than that. With the combination of your social media accounts and your website, you have the opportunity to leave an impression on someone and even make a preliminary pitch. You can now get halfway through the sales channel online! And your content is at the heart of it all. If what you put online isn’t speaking to the right type of customer, or if it’s not answering the questions of potential consumers, then you probably wasted some time.
Think about it. Where do people immediately turn when they need to find something? You guessed it, the Internet. Since this is where everyone is finding information, you can’t leave yourself out of the race by not participating. A considerable portion of time and effort, at least, should be dedicated to getting your content online.
There are lots of options when it comes to content creation. For one, you can blog. Your blog is a place where you can write about things your customers want to know. Write about your target customers’ pain points. Pain points refer to the things that people need help with. For example, someone might search “how to fix a leaky faucet.” If you’re a handyman or plumber, then having simple answers to these sorts of questions and letting a blog help someone in a pinch will leave a good impression for future business.
It’s almost as if you’re thinking and writing about consumer questions before anyone asks you. Being proactive always beats being reactive, and that applies here too.
Social media is another avenue when it comes to producing and disseminating dynamic content. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google+ and Instagram. All of these channels are waiting for you to use to share something creative. Between the six just mentioned, you have places to share updates, news, photos, infographics, links to blog posts and even videos. It’s everything you could possibly need.
Take advantage of these sites to promote your name and brand by positioning yourself or your business as a thought leader. Create or find information and content to start discussions about current and relevant industry topics. Give your opinion and share your view of the idea. For the non-industry followers, ask them what they think. Post articles and pose questions. Give them a question or something to think about in your post before they get to the link to start reading. To stimulate someone else’s thinking you’ve got to be able to stimulate your own. Prove yourself by getting others’ juices flowing.
One perk of blogging and using social media is that they help boost your SEO. By blogging, you are adding an extra page to your website every time you post, thus expanding your online footprint. Writing on your social media accounts and gaining interaction (especially on Google+) through quality content is taken into account by Google when they make their search rankings. Make sure you’re doing what you can to get your name higher and higher on the list.
Well there you have it—an introduction to content and why you should be working to create the best kind. Engage new customers. Maintain current ones. And boost your SEO while doing it all!
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Kyle McClure is an intern for WordWrite Communications. Connect with him on Twitter
@kylmcclr.
