Content marketing is really a simple concept. Media companies target interest. Audience interest is what they target. In the SEO game, that should be your interest. Interest weeds out the site visitors who have, well….no interest. No interest spells high bounce rates and lower SEO rankings. Lots of interest spells higher engagement and click-throughs, more time spent onsite and social shares that all contribute to online authority.
So when developing a content marketing plan, you’ve got to ask yourself what your audience wants. Your audience’s interest is what should be driving your blog’s content (answering questions common to your customers’ or clients’ experience in the industry). Creating an online resource that offers a veritable library of content that is useful to those who find affinity with your brand is the number one way to zero in on your audience and draw them to your website.
But how exactly do you discover audience interest for the online users that are best suited for your brand? Easy…ask!
Surveys are a great way of getting into the heads of your customers. Whether they live on your website or are embedded in email marketing campaigns, you have access to your core audience, so take advantage of that access and ask them about the issues related to your industry, product or service that are most important to them. Chances are they are the same issues that are most important to other customers and clients just like them – customers and clients that are out there looking for products or services you offer.
Another great opportunity to target what your customers and clients want? Simply record it. The fact is your business probably gets questions all the time, about your industry, perhaps how to use a popular product or even varying costs of a specific service. If you take the time to record these questions on a daily basis, you’ll have a great resource for developing just the kind of content you need that targets your ideal customers’ interests.
Finally, one of the best resources for developing content marketing ideas for your website are online forums where people go to discuss your particular industry, products and service offerings. Online forums like message boards or even social media sites offer third-party platforms for people to share their concerns, indulge in their love for a product or services or even get the important information they need to make a decision on a potential buy. These are great spaces to do a bit of intel on your audience and learn the most important aspects of your potential customers, their needs. Answer these need with the kind of robust content that is useful and engaging, and you’ve got the makings for a winning content marketing strategy, and with that a top tier SEO management tool that powers conversion and growth.
If you would like to learn more about how search engine optimization strategies can power visibility and growth for your website, call Proctor Digital at 773.664.5819. We’d love to help!