Online content is the content no modern business can live without. An internet presence is essential because it’s the most popular channel of communication between you, your existing customers, and your potential new customers. The challenge is to devise an online content strategy that really connects with consumers through a variety of platforms. This means focussing on developing a diverse online presence to represent your brand and interact with consumers across the web.
Small to medium organisations can too often fixate on high traffic to the website. But what’s going to convert a visitor into a loyal customer should be the focus. Clear, relevant, and appeal content is what drives a potential customer to a purchase. The more online content you create the more customers you’ll attract over time. And more importantly, you’ll retain more customers. Relationship building takes time but the reward is a growing loyal customer base.
WHY YOUR BUSINESS MUST CREATE AN EFFECTIVE ONLINE CONTENT MARKETING STRATEGY
Unfortunately, there is no marketing magician’s grimoire to reference to cast spells on customers. But there are 7 great reasons why small and medium-sized businesses need diversified online content. The challenge of content marketing is synthesising advertising with information.
WHAT KIND OF ONLINE CONTENT?
Market research will help you identify the type of content best suited to your target market. But if you know your customers at all and given you have read this far, then you already know you need to formulate a blend of online content.
TEXT VS VISUAL ONLINE CONTENT
Go the extra mile with your online content. Combining text with photos and/or video is the best of both worlds. Captivating content that grabs eyeballs and draws the potential customer in tells a story. Stories can be told in a variety of formats. Why limit the story of your company and the products or services you have to offer to just one story? Layering text with links to video and/or images makes for a more interesting read. Moreover, blended content is more likely to encourage the potential customer to spend more time engaging with your online content.
HIGH-QUALITY CONTENT
Every communication with (potential) customers must be planned and well thought through. Your audience expects high-quality online content. It’s not just you’re direct industry competitors you are competing with online. Your online content is competing for your target audience’s attention with everything else online. Consider it a digital survival of the fittest.
ORIGINAL CONTENT
Original content is another key ingredient of all successful online content marketing strategies. Unique online content is just as important as having a unique selling point for your product or service. Building a brand and increasing name recognition with a wider audience depends on whether or not your organisation stands out from the competition. Original content is what makes your company special to a loyal customer. Stock photography and graphics doesn’t excite anyone. After all, it’s only the originals that anyone remembers. Imitation might be the greatest form of flattery in society, but in business, it’s a desperate strategy for those that lack imagination. Many potential customers will be put off by copy-cat online content.
ONLINE CONTENT THE CUSTOMERS CAN FIND
SEO or search engine optimisation is critical to ensuring your online content actually reaches your target market. The right keywords in your online content are the only way to attract the eyeballs searching for the terms related to your content. Clickbait headlines and repetitive keyword stuffing will backfire every time. There are no shortcuts to be found for digital marketing. The solution is to organically create online content that features the keywords you need to rank highly on Google and still effectively communicate your message. Easier said than done. Well, that’s what Yuqo is here for. Refining online content for maximum SEO is our USP. If customers can’t find your amazing online content it’s as invisible as a rainbow in the dark.
SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT MARKETING
Social media is not just for social networking. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube also are valuable channels of communication for your businesses online content. It’s worthwhile researching how to use these tools to trigger consumer engagement. Popular social media platforms are likely where you’re target market spends the majority of their time online these days.
The huge potential upside of creating a popular stream on social media is exponential growth. Regular blogs, tweets, pictures on Instagram and videos on YouTube can go viral if you get lucky. But even if you don’t start the next Joe Rogan Podcast that hits 10,000 likes immediately, over time a loyal customer base can be developed. You might be surprised how many customers and new potential customers you can reach by just talking about your business on the right platform. Remember the more consistent organic keyword friendly content you create the better your SEO ranking will become.
THE BEST ONLINE CONTENT ADDS VALUE
How-to guides, tutorials, and product/service demonstrations are what consumers want and have come to expect from industry leading brands. Creating video format added value content is a top trend. Short videos or GIF’s posted on social media can deliver the informative bonus online content for a low cost.
ADDED BENEFITS FOR YOUR BUSINESS
Apart from an opportunity to showcase your product or service added value content like a simple short how-to video generates an enhanced brand image. Demonstrating expertise in your field to prospective customers and providing after-care service to existing customers are both positives. Best of all videos and GIF’s are accessible on mobile devices.
DON’T FORGET TO INCLUDE A CALL TO ACTION!
The grand finale for all online content need not be a call to action! But somewhere in your communication, you must make sure that your call to action features prominently. Instructing the prospect or returning customer on the next step. This can be a direction to further related content or a simple targeted phrase encouraging the consumer to make a purchase. Closing the deal with a call to action, however, takes some finesse. Fortunately, for you and your business, you can rely on our advice and way with words. So let’s finish with a fitting call to action of our own, as we remind you to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn for all the latest Yuqo updates and links to more useful blogs like this.
