It might already be the beginning of May, but there’s still plenty of time to turn 2016 into your best content marketing year yet.
By now, we’re all tired of click-bait, and plugging the most popular keywords on Google simply isn’t enough to draw in traffic anymore. Readers are becoming more savvy to marketing ploys and their attention spans are getting increasingly shorter. The result? Content marketing is going through another evolution.
The concept of content marketing has been around for centuries. Humans have been entertaining each other with stories since the beginning of history. But what does that mean to us today?
One thing is clear in 2016 — quality content and creative content are king! With so many options for creating and sharing content, it’s up to you to discover the perfect fit for your brand and your audience.
Here are a few things to consider if you want to get the most out of your content marketing in 2016.
Evaluate your current strategy
In order to make this year the year that your content marketing strategy blows the roof off, you should know where you currently stand. Are your hacking YouTube videos going unnoticed? Or is your new podcast gaining thousands of new listeners, prompting them to visit your website (and ultimately make a sale or conversion)? Pay attention to your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and use this information to assess where you currently stand, and which forms of media are working the best for you. Don’t be afraid to build on your assets.
Refresh your plan
Like anything else, if you want to achieve success, you should have goals set in place. Making 2016 your best content marketing year so far can mean many things, but in general it means sharing high quality content and earning the attention of your targeted audience.
Write down what you will be publishing on your website, which kinds of photos and videos you’ll share, what you will share on social media, and any ads you will run and where. Be mindful of the demographics within each social media platform, and draw in pertinent groups with purposeful intention. Be selective about the social distribution channels you use — if your audience doesn’t hang out on XYZ platform, you don’t need to either, regardless of how popular it may be.
Remember that each time you publish new content, you should put in just as much effort — if not more — in promoting it.
Have amazing content? Put in just as much effort — if not more — into promoting it. Click To TweetMake sure you’re not spinning your wheels
Content fatigue is real, and no one likes to be stuck in the mud with the wrong kind of car.
Research which tools you can use to produce better content that will work for your company’s unique focus. If you don’t know exactly how to market, or feel like you need inspiration, Lacy Boggs from The Content Direction Agency has come up with a list of worksheets to help you along the way.
Even if it means producing less content, your will still get ahead.
Concentrate on publishing better, higher value content. It seems like everyone is in a race to share the most blog posts, the most Tweets, the most Instagram photos…but at what cost?
Get off of the hamster wheel and realize that publishing one quality article per week is better than broadcasting viral trash ten times per day. Your audience will be more likely to pay attention to you due to your credibility, and know that your content is worth the wait.
Become visual
Like it or not (especially if you’re a writer like me), humans are visual creatures with a seemingly increasing likelihood of Adult ADD. Each of your posts — whether they are on your website or on your Facebook page — should have striking visuals to complement the article’s topic. Photos and videos are more likely to draw in a reader at a glance, urging them to click through to your original source of content.
Hire a content writer
Don’t be afraid to invest in help.
Not everyone has a solid grasp of SEO or how to weave a story with words; we all have our special talents, and it’s okay to admit your shortcomings. Many times, a small group of people with diverse skills can produce much, much better content collectively than if they tried to do everything on their own. So hire a content writer, a social media manager, or a graphic designer.
Whatever it is that you need to do to up your content marketing game, do it. It’s a wise investment in the future success of your company, because content marketing is here to stay.
What do you think of this list of ways to improve your content marketing strategy? Do you have any useful tips you’d like to add? Let us know in the comment below!
