When you step out into the world of content marketing and create engaging, authentic content, you’re able to open doors you might not have even known existed previously. The internet is the great equaliser, and valuable content may get featured by mammoth brands, no matter your size.
That’s what happened to me when I wrote a research piece on Instagram and restaurants in mid-2017. Instagram themselves featured it at a food conference; opening a relationship with arguably the most powerful social media channel. (I got a bunch of gifts from them as well, definitely a sweet deal.)
You just cannot engage, inspire or even become memorable without creating and promoting meaningful content. If this already sounds intimidating, don’t sweat it, I’m here to help you get there.
Tip 1: Data research led content
A unique research piece is a great way to make a splash quickly in a niche space. However, what makes or breaks this strategy is getting hold of strong data and then building a compelling story around it.
If you’re a large company with hundreds of customers, you likely already have access to a lot of data. But smaller companies may need to reach out to other groups, perhaps by creating a survey or questionnaire. If you don’t get many respondents, try offering a small prize draw for those who take part.
Once you’ve gathered your data, take a look at what interesting conclusions you can draw from it, and build an engaging story using the most interesting data comparisons.
Note: If you want to go the extra mile, you can validate your topic with journalists and experts in your field.
Tip 2: A-ha content
You should never feel pressured to share an unrealistic “everything is perfect” representation of yourself. It’s not the truth, and honestly, it just makes other people feel bad about themselves. When people don’t feel positive about themselves, they turn off.
Instead, try sharing a personal struggle or failure. When you do so, you’ll be met with empathy and kindness, which makes for a more emotionally switched-on readership. Once your audience is engaged, share with them your “a-ha!” moment – that is, the moment everything turned around and you managed to make a success out of something you were previously struggling with.
Tip 3: “How to” content
Do you often get the same questions from your customers? Do people who require your project face a particular challenge you can help with? Well this is the perfect inspiration for you to create some step-by-step guides to solving those problems.
“How to” content is great for improving your search rankings, as well as providing genuine value to your readers. Don’t just try to push your product or service, find genuine ways to help your readers and they’ll remember you when the time is right to make a purchase.
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