At WebSubstance, we’ve often talked about how valuable good content marketing can be. We know that we want to inject excellent content into the structure of a corporate website. But how does this work?
Here are some of the aspects of creating great content that local businesses can use to compete in today’s digital world.
Brainstorm Before Jumping In
Too many content projects start with a hastily written list of topics and a green light for a race to the finish line. We’re not suggesting that writers need handholding — but there should be some creative process serving the creation of valuable content. It shouldn’t just be a keyword and a knee-jerk reaction. Planning is important, and that’s why writers need to do a bit of research and understand what’s needed for a particular client.
Go Companywide
It’s also important to have content writers and creators connected to your local business as a whole. This might look different in any given company — writers may be interviewing suppliers. They may be talking to internal department managers. They may even be talking to customers. All of this collaboration is useful when it comes to creating a vibrant content platform.
Get Sharing
It’s also important to have a sharing program for content. For example, many companies now link content to Facebook either with short-form social media blurbs, or with an actual link to a blog post. This is just one model, and companies can feel free to innovate and brainstorm their way to sharing success. One rule of thumb is that it’s not a good idea to try to ask content writers to post business items on their personal Facebook pages. Instead, a dedicated business Facebook page can be a central way to get this social data out to customers. Having a sharing plan that’s equitable and well-supported can make a huge difference in readership and return on investment.
Test Content
When content is out in the world, local businesses can go further by quickly looking at the metrics, and figuring out what works. Did a certain post net an extremely high volume of traffic and spike your page views for the month? That’s valuable data that so many companies overlook. Just a few minutes of analysis can make a huge difference in managing an editorial calendar to reach more customers on an ongoing basis.
Talk to WebSubstance about setting up a great content marketing programs for your business that works. We’re specialized in content marketing for local businesses in Northern Virginia and can take care of everything from the initial ideas to the quality finished content. Make your website more competitive in the age of organic search and thought leadership.
