What is Content Marketing?

You may be asking yourself, “What is Content Marketing?” The short answer is blogging. Yes, blogging is the foundation for effective digital marketing, and search engine optimization (SEO). Other types of content marketing like videos and podcasts count also, but they eventually end up embedded in a blog.

In addition, content marketing is how you build your following on social media networks and grow an email list. Blogging connects you to your target audience and positions you as an expert in your field — a trusted source of information. The strategy is to talk about what you know — which is your business (service or products). Furthermore, you want to educate your potential customers. Don’t assume they know everything! Offer advice and helpful content. That’s Google’s new buzzword.

You also want to become a content magnet. People will follow you if you are putting out quality, useful content.

What is a Good Content Marketing Strategy?

In this video, I explain in detail what it takes…

The Keys to Success for Your Blog Are:

• Make it as long as it needs to be — For SEO, it should be at least 300 words, using simple, natural language. Refrain from including a lot of industry jargon. If you must use it, explain what it means. You can go longer if you need to further explain your point, educate, or tell a story.
• Always use a graphic — make sure it is at least 250 pixels on its smallest side so the social networks will pick it up. Moreover, use pictures that depict your target market. If you’re trying to reach millennials, don’t use pictures of older folks. Of course, you can use more than one picture.
• Use an editorial calendar — plan it out, but be flexible to incorporate new questions.
• Write for your target audience – what will solve their problems or make their lives better. Answer their questions. Use a free site like Quora to find out what people are asking about your topic. Also, you are the expert, they are not. Write as if you were writing for an 11-year-old.
• Write in natural language but with the search engine in mind. Do your keyword research first and incorporate them in the body of the blog article. The keyword list will also provide topics of what people are searching for. Remember Google’s E-E-A-T!
• Tell stories — success stories, project stories, people stories. Folks like to see themselves in articles.
• Blog at least once a week, 2 – 3 times a week is optimal!

What are other types of Content Marketing?

Blogging isn’t the only form of content marketing…

• Videos
• Podcasts
• Infographics
• Pictures
• Shared content from trusted sources that is relevant or related to your business.

Which Content Type will Work for You?

Are you a fair writer? If not, to do blogging, you may have to hire an editor or take a writing course at your local library. Are you a better talker? Then you may want to consider videos or podcasting. Is your business visual? Then videos and pictures will be your main content forms. However, Google doesn’t see videos or pictures. It sees text and links. So always fill in the “alt text” area when uploading pictures and put keywords in the file names and links. That’s an SEO trick.

The ultimate goal of content is to offer your target market the information they are seeking while…

• Getting exposure
• Improving your SEO
• Building a social media following
• Establishing credibility and building trust
• Driving potential leads to your website
• Building your email list

People buy from whom they know and trust!

Another question is the platform — or where your website sits. I prefer WordPress — here’s why. With WordPress, you also have many free plugins to save time, add functionality, and help with SEO and security.

Here’s a HOT TIP!

Google’s August 2024 algorithm update focuses on pages that are well-optimized for the search engine. That’s what’s called on-page SEO.

I can help you plan your content and social media marketing and check your SEO! Click here to schedule a free, 15-minute call.

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