Content Marketing: What's old has become new again

They say “everything old is new again.” Content marketing is no exception.

It’s hardly a new trend for companies to focus on the education of customers in an effort to be the top choice. However, ​brands today must go above and beyond the mere content creation and create content that converts potential customers.

The key to conversion? Understand and tap in to the needs of your customers and connect them to the heart of your company’s mission. Be genuine in your desire to cultivate a relationship between the heart of your business and the ​needs​ of your customers.

Here are three key ways to create user-friendly, optimized and heart-led content to accomplish your marketing goals.

Keep it custom.

Develop a full understanding of your audience. What do they need and want? Where do they go to find solutions? If you don’t know, you should ask. If you don’t care, you should seek a new line of work.

According to digital marketing agency Rimm-Kaufman Group (RKG), Google continues to drive the majority of search engine traffic. Of the companies surveyed in 2014, RKG found 82% of organic searches in the USA and 87% of the mobile search visits were from Google. Know where and how customers find your content. Get this invaluable insight for no cost when you use Google Analytics. Also remember to ask leads how they discovered you. 

Keep it compelling.

While you could divide your time between every social media platform known to man, it is more efficient to focus on where your consumers want to find your content. Do you really need an Instagram account? Maybe.

But if your audience flocks to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, it’s best to concentrate your efforts there. Create content that translates well across the platforms that resonates most with your customers and potential customers. No need to expend energy on one platform if the majority of your customers consistently look for you – and perhaps your competition – on another.

Keep it consistent.

Create a calendar of specific pieces of content you want to create over the next 3-6 months. Think seasonal and be timely, but also find ways to be ahead of competitors by anticipating customers’ needs and questions.

Once your content is published, aggregators such as HootSuite and SocialFlow are two examples of the many ways that you can streamline the amplification process of your work. Click-thru metrics are an excellent way to identify what your audience wants to know as well as how and when they want to receive it.

​Always remember it’s not simply about content. It’s about heart-led content that connects and ultimately converts.

Nicci Morris is Chief Creative Officer of McCauley Communications. Email her at nicci@mccauleycommunications.com.