A sound digital marketing campaign uses a number of strategies to get your business in front of potential customers. Social media marketing, search engine optimization, Google Ads, and more, all work together to create a powerful online presence. At the heart of every single one of these digital marketing strategies is content. The material you create, whether it be images, videos, or text, is what people will see and interact with when they engage with your business.
Despite its centrality to online marketing, content is overlooked by many businesses. Instead of creating vibrant, fresh, engaging material, they use old, outdated, or subpar content in their digital marketing strategies.
However, businesses ignore content at their peril. Almost half of all customers engage with multiple pieces of content before making a purchase. And what customers see and read about your business will drive them toward or away from a conversion.
Content is important. But why, exactly, is it such a central element of digital marketing? Here are a few reasons.
Content is the heart of every digital marketing strategy.
You must have content in your digital marketing strategy because every single strategy relies on content to get your message across to your target audience.
For example, social media marketing often links to material that tells people more about your business or that shows off your expertise. You can link to and talk about another company's content, but people will be more impressed by your business if you link to your own material on the subject.
For example, if you want to discuss tile choices for a bathroom, consider writing your own blog on the topic. Then, when you link to the blog on social media, you demonstrate your company's expertise rather than showing off another business's insights.
Similarly, ads lead to landing pages that must be populated with content. Websites have pages that need to give visitors information. Even links in the search results have to lead people to meaningful information. In order to do all that, you must have content.
Content establishes your expertise.
In the world of marketing, industry authorities are those businesses and individuals who have a reputation for possessing skill and expertise in their field. They are the ones customers go to first to get advice, learn new information, and yes, make purchases.
You want people to recognize your business as an industry authority. People trust industry authorities. They engage with industry authorities. They tell their friends about industry authorities. They buy from industry authorities.
The best way to establish yourself as an authority in your field, besides doing an amazing job for every one of your customers, is to produce some amazing content. Useful content shows off your knowledge.
For example, you might post a video on Facebook demonstrating how to place tile in an oddly-shaped corner. You might discuss on your blog the differences between two types of flooring material. You might deliver weekly DIY home renovation tips to your email list.
Over time, people will come to trust you and your content, as long as your material is accurate, engaging, and useful. Without that content, your business just becomes one name among the dozens clamoring for the customer's attention, and it becomes an easy one to ignore as the customer pursues engagement with companies who demonstrate expertise in their field.
Content educates consumers.
The ultimate goal of your digital marketing strategy is to earn more business. Before people make purchasing decisions, however, they need to know a few things:
- What the problem is
- That they have this problem
- What the solutions are
- Which solution is best for them
- That the best solution for them comes from your business
In other words, they need to be educated on the things that help them to make the right buying decisions for their particular situation. Your content can offer them this information.
For example, maybe they need to choose between two types of tile. Your content can help them understand the differences so they have an easier time identifying the tile that will work for them.
Maybe they are not sure if they need to replace their tile. Content that outlines when to replace tile can make it easier for them to make that decision.
Content must be part of your digital marketing campaign because you don't just want people to buy from you. You want them to make informed decisions that relieve their pain points and leave them feeling good about their buying decisions and about your company. The right content educates your consumers so you and they can achieve your respective goals.
Content drives conversions.
Content does more than just establish your expertise or educate consumers. It also drives conversions. The conversion is almost the pinnacle of digital marketing success (topped only by loyal customers who not only make repeat purchases but also tell other people about your business). In order to earn those conversions, you have to have content.
Content drives conversions. For example, the content on an ad drives the consumer to your landing page. The content on the landing page (including the call to action) drives the consumer to take the next step, which is usually a conversion. They fill out a form. They make a purchase. They ask for a consultation.
They would not do any of those things if they had not encountered content that they thought was compelling and informative. Your digital marketing campaign has to have content if you are to maximize the number of conversions you earn.
Content drives search results placement.
Search engine optimization (SEO) refers to the set of strategies you use to earn a place near the top of the search results for certain search terms. For example, you might engage in certain strategies to make sure your business is on the first page of the search results for the term “Flooring in Lafayette, IN.”
In order to succeed at SEO, you have to have content. The content on your website is what search engines evaluate when deciding where to place your website in the search results. The more compelling and relevant your content is to a certain topic, the better your website will rank doe that topic.
Without content, and particularly content that is geared toward the search terms that are most relevant to your business, the harder you will be to find in the search results. You must create content optimized for the right search terms in order to do well at SEO.
Content is the heart and soul of effective digital marketing. Not just any content will do, however. In order to drive conversions, educate consumers, establish your expertise, and achieve your marketing goals, it has to have a few characteristics.
Relevant
Your content needs to resonate with your target audience. It needs to address their questions and pain points. It needs to inform them about your business and products. It needs to answer questions they actually have.
Engaging
If your readers are bored while consuming your content, they won't stick around for long. Your content needs to be interesting. It needs to engage them. It needs to capture their attention. This might mean using graphics, making a video, or simply writing with a clear and interesting voice.
Diverse
A blog article might reach some consumers, but others want videos, while others are looking for a Facebook post. Create many different types of content across many different channels for a comprehensive and successful digital marketing campaign.
Consistent
You need to deliver content on a regular schedule. Updating your blog once a month or your social media once a week is not enough. Consistently produce excellent content in order to enjoy a more effective digital marketing campaign.
If you need help kickstarting your digital marketing campaign and creating content for it, reach out to Distinct Web Design. We can help you with every aspect of your campaign, from choosing strategies to developing meaningful content so you can build up the profitability and visibility of your business
