Content marketing and inbound marketing is kind of, the new SEO. Google, as we’ve heard a million times, loves great content and great content attracts genuine links.
The process is easy, the execution can be a bit of a b@stard to do though.
- Identify your target audience
- Find out where they hang out online e.g. which Reddit forums and Facebook groups etc
- Identify your target audience’s common questions and pain points
- Use a tool like SEMRush to ID low competition search terms regarding the questions & pain points
- Create useful, in-depth copy/posts that helps your target audience
- If resource available, create videos for YouTube based on posts that get most traction
- Create short videos suitable for social – with captions
You can also promote your blog posts with outreach, although some content marketing gurus, say you’re better off investing all your time in creating content, rather than promoting it.
For Reddit, you can use this great Reddit Keyword Tool, to identify the most common topics of discussion, in a give forum/subReddit.
The backbone of good content, is that, well, it’s actually good – well written, easy to read, full of visual assets if possible.
Help, Help, Help, Sell
Gary V’s book Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook is a bit old now, but the adage of setting up a sale several times, before trying to promote your service or product is still valid, in my opinion.
The “jab” in the book title, is the useful or entertaining content aimed at your target audience
The “right hook” is a blog and/or social media post that aims to sell a product or service.
Consider:
- Would you follow a social account or blog that’s just trying to sell you a service or product?
- Would you follow a social account that just shows you all the “behind the scenes” info?
You might follow a brand or company on social media etc, that just promotes itself, if you already know the brand, or if you’re interested in working at the company.
However, unless you’re an established brand, or you create content just for recruitment purposes, then it’s generally best to create blog and social media posts that help, entertain, and/or interest your target audience.
It can definitely help to promote discounts and offers on social platforms and blogs, but that’s generally the that’s the “right hook”, whereas the “jab, jab, jab” relates to the helpful, insightful content that should take up about 75% of all your posts.
If you’re in the business to business sector for example, you can gain brand awareness and an online following by providing posts that provide helpful advise on SEO, PPC, Social Media Marketing, Digital Marketing Tools etc. If you’re just trying to directly sell your office chairs, or accounting software in every single blog and social media post, you’re probably not going to get a large, engaged, following.
Keto Diet Products Example
If you were running a business selling Keto supplements and foods. You can study the Keto subreddits and Facebook groups, and you’d probably find that there are lots of questions regarding keto desserts.
Jump onto SEMRush, or another SEO Tool and find search terms, and potential headings for blog posts – that have a low level of competition – i.e. it’s relatively easy to rank for.
Create in-depth keto dessert blog content that’s better than what already exists.
Optimise the content for the search terms that you’ve identified on SEMRush.
Reformat the content for social media. Captioned videos tend to do well, as these are the least popular form of content – social media is full of images and test posts, so it’s a bit easier to stand out with a video.
Consider creating a free eBook about keto desserts. Promote the eBook on social media to “warm up” your target audience to your brand* Remarket your products to those that download the eBook.
Create a serious of posts & videos regarding the best keto desserts, the best sweeteners and the best supplements to help with sugar cravings.
*It’s difficult to sell products, particularly high value products to people on Facebook, Instagram etc, as they’re not actively searching for something to buy. Best practice is said to be, create an offer e.g. an eBook, Webinar etc that’s directly of interest (and NOT necessarily directly about your product) and advertise it to your target market on social media – Then remarket to those that engage with your advert.
Hope this blog post helps!
I know the irony about in-depth, long format content that I’m touting in this post, but please bear in mind, I’m writing this on my lunch and I’m not trying to sell anything. Well, unless you want to buy an MMA T-shirt.