Creating Content That Breaks-Through: Three Questions For Killer Content

Content is king in the distributed web. We use it to attract our ideal customer and get them to “convert” to a lead or sale. We call this new paradigm “content marketing”. The content we create becomes “link bait” to attract target customers. We promote that link bait across the distributed web in forums, blogs, Web 2.0 sites like Facebook, Squidoo, Hub Pages, You Tube…it’s endless and free. Done right, content marketing becomes a huge economic advantage for your business.

Just to be clear, content can take many forms; whitepapers, ebooks, video’s, mini courses, blog posts, articles, podcasts, Internet radio shows. The key is using a media vehicle that your target customers want, and providing great content that builds your reputation, authority and brand.

Creating great content is not easy. But anyone can do it if you ask yourself some simple questions before you begin:

1. What are the most burning questions your target customers have relative to buying products and services in your market and what is the unique information and/or personality (voice) that will compel target customers to read it?

• Use surveys, listen in forums and blogs, ask questions in Yahoo and LinkedIn Answers…the key is spend time upfront to understand your customer and the questions they have.
• Identify what your competitors are using for content (Link Bait) and find a way to make your approach unique, have a voice. Sometimes you can find ideas or a positioning that will give your businesses a strategic advantage.
• Do your keyword research and make sure you thread targeted keywords throughout your content, landing pages and all your headlines and copy.

2.  What medium will be best for your content?

• First, who is your target customer and what medium do they use the most right now? For example, video is a great tool. Particularly for mini courses and such, but many executives feel uncomfortable using video in an office situation because of the noise…especially in cubicles. Look at what competitors are using and try to identify how long their campaign has been running. Are they successful.  Sometimes using a new medium can set you apart, but make sure it is something your customers will want to consume.
• Second, what do you or your business colleagues feel most comfortable producing right now? Good intentions alone will not get you great content. This needs to become a regular part of your workflow.  Eventually you can try everything, but to get started, just find something right now that you are comfortable producing and go for it. Get help by outsourcing writing and design.

3.  How will you go about marketing your content?

• Join discussions in forums and blogs and when appropriate, let people know about your content by putting in a link. Use trackbacks (if you don’t know what this is Google it) to promote related blogs that have an established audience and people will find your blog and content easier. Warning, you need to be an established member of a community before you start to do this or you are simply a spammer.
• Include links in your email signature and other online and offline promotional materials. Chances are you and your team send out hundreds of emails and other promotions per week. Make sure you take advantage of this free exposure.
• Promote your content on your Web 2.0 pages like Facebook, Twitter and others.
• Sometimes you will use content to bring your customers down the purchase funnel. Once you have a name and email, implement a series of Autoresponders and integrate your content into them to keep prospects interested and convert them to buyers
• Use PPC and other forms of paid promotion. If you start to understand the value of each new customer, you know how much you can pay to get someone to sign up for your “link bait”.

Having great content is the key to marketing success in the distributed, social web. Sonia Simone has a great post on content development over at Copyblogger. She has some great advise including the key point made here, you need a plan before you begin.

Get going by answering these questions and you can be confident that you will be aiming in the right direction.

What works for your business or clients?